Well, here we are.
The trenches of the NL Central.
Two weeks in and I have yet to post how I think this slugfest of a division will shake out. Not only is this because I am deathly afraid of the karma that results regardless of where I pick the Cubs – but it’s also because I really, truly have no idea how this division will turn. Since there’s no sublime here, simply consider the preposterous:
Last year the St. Louis Cardinals won more than 100 games, in every nauseating and stomach-churning way possible. They did this with a starting staff that included Matt Morris, Chris Carpenter, Jason Marquis, and the dusted-off corpse of Jeff Suppan. Those same four jerkstores are in the rotation this year. Who is still a believer?
In addition, the Cards have gone from having the best defense in the infield to simply a mediocre one. Scott Rolen makes everyone better, but in reality, is their infield really so much better than the Cubs’, anchored by their defensive stalwart, Derrek Lee?
The Chicago Cubs, however, seemed to lose every nauseating and gut-wrenching way imaginable last season, but actually fielded (arguably) the third best team in the NL.
This year, they seemingly will improve with a full season of The Franchise and Into the Flood Again, but, alas, the same problems that have plagued the PG (Post-Grace, i.e., Current era in which players actually care about winning and not about how much cigarettes they smoke) era Cubs:
I don’t care if it’s smallball, hardball, or longball, the Cubs need to walk more and hit some, avoiding the 0-for-15 days that plagued Sosa-Alou-Ramirez last year. So far, it hasn’t looked promising from Nomar-Ramirez-KJTW.
Speaking of teams that can’t hit, Cincinnati is not one of them. The Reds have always had four players for those three outfield spots, and have shipped two good ones out (Juan Encarnacion, Jose Guillen) while steadfastly refusing to move Adam Dunn to first and trade overrated – yet good, relax, I know he’s a nice guy – hometown hero Sean Casey. Wily Mo Pena figures to get squeezed out of plenty of ABs, and it would be nice to see him in Cub blue. (PLEA MADE FOR THE FOURTH YEAR IN A ROW).
That said, Cincy has enough pop – in my opinion – to win enough games head-to-head in this league to contend. If Kearns, Pena, and Dunn are healthy all season – then, look out.
Houston, we have a problem. (Nice, I know.) That problem is that the combined age of the Astros is approaching six figures. Clemens and Pettitte and Oswalt will keep the ship afloat, and Lidge can close, but the Astros’ offense doesn’t figure to scare anyone. Until Berkman gets back, they’re a bunch of spare parts – and even he can’t carry the load by himself.
Milwaukee has potential to be frustratingly good. They don’t swing at anything. Brady Clark may walk 300 times this year, and Lyle Overbay and Carlos Lee are good enough to knock him in more than 100 times. Their bullpen is solid, and they even have three fairly good starters — Ben Sheets, Doug Davis, and Victor Santos (L. Halper). If the kids come around, they could surprise some people.
And, of course, Pittsburgh. If Lloyd McClendon wasn’t criminally insane before he got this job, he likely is by now. They’re no good, and management has no interest in making them better. Which is too bad, because PNC Park is a great ballfield. Now, how soon can we get lefty batter Matt Lawton into Chicago’s North Side?
