Quite Possibly the worst division in baseball and simply put the division that is most up for grabs. No one has a dominant pitching staff but each of the top 3 teams have a legitimate ace. This division could be decided based on injuries that drag down anyone of the top 4 teams.
1. Houston Astros
The Astros, why the Astros. Well cause everyone sucks but only one team will be picking up Roger Clemens come June to spark their roster to better production. I also think the Astros have the most reliable closer in the division with Lidge, even though he's wildly inconsistant, as well as a deep lineup after the adition of Carlos Lee.
Key Player: Lance Berkman, I'm convinced he should have won the MVP last season, he was the only bat in their entire lineup. This season I think Berkman will get much more support with the addition of Carlos Lee and...
Player to Eye: Morgan Ensberg, the healthy version. Last year he was injured for most of the season and stunk. This year Morgan is off to a hot spring training and should mash atleast 25 homers with a much better average than last year.
Record Prediction: 86 - 78
2. Chicago Cubs
Oh the Chicago Cubs poor souls they spend all this money on free agents and they get what. A lead off guy with power but a bad on base percentage, an inconsistant closer, and a rotation which again completely centers on their sole ace.
Key Player: Carlos Zambrano, He's the Cy Young winner already right? Well maybe not yet but he should be one of the main 3 competing for the prize with Oswalt and Carpenter. If Zambrano ever went down the Cubbies can crawl in a whole and go nighty night.
Player to Eye: Mark Prior, The biggest question mark of them all, will Mark Prior ever be the same pitcher. If the Cubs can get him to throw even 25 games they should win the division. The chances of that happening, 30% maybe, and that might be a stretch.
Record Prediction: 86-78
3. St. Louis Cardinals
I've got the defending World Series Champs at third. Possibly the dumbest decision ever. It's just their pitching staff sucks and it just might be time for Rolen and Edmonds to break down completely.
Key Player: Chris Carpenter, I understand that Albert Pujols is the best player on the team and if he goes down they are screwed. But right now they have one surefire pitcher and that is Carpenter, if he goes down this squad might as well call it quits.
Player to Eye: Yadier Molina, His brothers, especially Bengie, can Mash and yet Yadier barely managed to hit over the mendoza line last season yet came up with the biggest hit of the season with his home run against the Mets. There is still opportunity for Yadier to grow as a hitter to tack onto his already dominant defense.
Record Prediction: 83-79
4. Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers are a hot sleeper pick to take this miserable division but I'm going to pass on selecting them because I think they have too many question marks. A lot of players have injury problems, they will be relying on a lot of youth in their lineup, and their pitching while it put up good numbers last year couldn't pick up Ws.
Key Player: Ben Sheets, The always injured Ben Sheets is the key to the Brewers success. If he starts 30+ games this team could be the sleeper to take this horrible division. But what are the chances
Player to Eye: Prince Fielder, I think the Prince could be a beast at the plate this season. Think .285 30 110 85. Hell the fat guy even had 7 steals last season. A run away freight train basically. If Prince doesn't have a big year the Brewers are in trouble.
Record Prediction: 81-81
5. Cincinatti Reds
The Reds sucked last year and they got career type season from their two top starters Harang and Arroyo. You think Arroyo is going to have a mid 3 ERA with 240 innings pitched in a second consecutive season? I sure don't. In addition they have no idea who their closer is, and the trade last year giving away Kearns and Lopez for bullpen help was miserable.
Key Player: Bronson Arroyo, why Arroyo as the key player, well he was a stud last year. Between him and Harang he is obviously the choice for someone who's numbers will decline this season. If they do decline a lot then the Reds are totally screwed.
Player to Eye: Brandon Philips, the rumor mill is spitting out that Brandon Philips is set to be slotted into the 3 hole for the Reds. If this is the case than the manager must be epecting massive things from Philips which I guess I just don't see / understand. When you have Dunn and Griffey why would you hit Philips in the 3 hole?
Record Prediction: 72-90
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates should be improved this season with a little more experience for some of their young players like Freddy Sanchez and Zach Duke, however they still just do not have enough players on the roster to seriously contend for anything more than a few spots above the MLB basement.
Key Player: Jason Bay, Jason Bay should have a massive year with the added protection Laroche hitting behind him. And the Pirates will need his numbers as the rest of their lineup does not supply much pop.
Player to Eye: Salomon Torres The Pirates shipped closer Mike Gonzalez to the Braves for 1B Adam Laroche partly because they were comfortable with putting Torres, who had a solid year last year, into that role. If you haven't heard of Torres before don't think he's an up and comer, he's 35 and this will be his 10th season in the bigs.
Record Prediction: 70-92
1. Houston Astros
The Astros, why the Astros. Well cause everyone sucks but only one team will be picking up Roger Clemens come June to spark their roster to better production. I also think the Astros have the most reliable closer in the division with Lidge, even though he's wildly inconsistant, as well as a deep lineup after the adition of Carlos Lee.Key Player: Lance Berkman, I'm convinced he should have won the MVP last season, he was the only bat in their entire lineup. This season I think Berkman will get much more support with the addition of Carlos Lee and...
Player to Eye: Morgan Ensberg, the healthy version. Last year he was injured for most of the season and stunk. This year Morgan is off to a hot spring training and should mash atleast 25 homers with a much better average than last year.
Record Prediction: 86 - 78
2. Chicago Cubs
Oh the Chicago Cubs poor souls they spend all this money on free agents and they get what. A lead off guy with power but a bad on base percentage, an inconsistant closer, and a rotation which again completely centers on their sole ace.Key Player: Carlos Zambrano, He's the Cy Young winner already right? Well maybe not yet but he should be one of the main 3 competing for the prize with Oswalt and Carpenter. If Zambrano ever went down the Cubbies can crawl in a whole and go nighty night.
Player to Eye: Mark Prior, The biggest question mark of them all, will Mark Prior ever be the same pitcher. If the Cubs can get him to throw even 25 games they should win the division. The chances of that happening, 30% maybe, and that might be a stretch.
Record Prediction: 86-78
3. St. Louis Cardinals
I've got the defending World Series Champs at third. Possibly the dumbest decision ever. It's just their pitching staff sucks and it just might be time for Rolen and Edmonds to break down completely.Key Player: Chris Carpenter, I understand that Albert Pujols is the best player on the team and if he goes down they are screwed. But right now they have one surefire pitcher and that is Carpenter, if he goes down this squad might as well call it quits.
Player to Eye: Yadier Molina, His brothers, especially Bengie, can Mash and yet Yadier barely managed to hit over the mendoza line last season yet came up with the biggest hit of the season with his home run against the Mets. There is still opportunity for Yadier to grow as a hitter to tack onto his already dominant defense.
Record Prediction: 83-79
4. Milwaukee Brewers
The Brewers are a hot sleeper pick to take this miserable division but I'm going to pass on selecting them because I think they have too many question marks. A lot of players have injury problems, they will be relying on a lot of youth in their lineup, and their pitching while it put up good numbers last year couldn't pick up Ws.Key Player: Ben Sheets, The always injured Ben Sheets is the key to the Brewers success. If he starts 30+ games this team could be the sleeper to take this horrible division. But what are the chances
Player to Eye: Prince Fielder, I think the Prince could be a beast at the plate this season. Think .285 30 110 85. Hell the fat guy even had 7 steals last season. A run away freight train basically. If Prince doesn't have a big year the Brewers are in trouble.
Record Prediction: 81-81
5. Cincinatti Reds
The Reds sucked last year and they got career type season from their two top starters Harang and Arroyo. You think Arroyo is going to have a mid 3 ERA with 240 innings pitched in a second consecutive season? I sure don't. In addition they have no idea who their closer is, and the trade last year giving away Kearns and Lopez for bullpen help was miserable.Key Player: Bronson Arroyo, why Arroyo as the key player, well he was a stud last year. Between him and Harang he is obviously the choice for someone who's numbers will decline this season. If they do decline a lot then the Reds are totally screwed.
Player to Eye: Brandon Philips, the rumor mill is spitting out that Brandon Philips is set to be slotted into the 3 hole for the Reds. If this is the case than the manager must be epecting massive things from Philips which I guess I just don't see / understand. When you have Dunn and Griffey why would you hit Philips in the 3 hole?
Record Prediction: 72-90
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates should be improved this season with a little more experience for some of their young players like Freddy Sanchez and Zach Duke, however they still just do not have enough players on the roster to seriously contend for anything more than a few spots above the MLB basement.Key Player: Jason Bay, Jason Bay should have a massive year with the added protection Laroche hitting behind him. And the Pirates will need his numbers as the rest of their lineup does not supply much pop.
Player to Eye: Salomon Torres The Pirates shipped closer Mike Gonzalez to the Braves for 1B Adam Laroche partly because they were comfortable with putting Torres, who had a solid year last year, into that role. If you haven't heard of Torres before don't think he's an up and comer, he's 35 and this will be his 10th season in the bigs.
Record Prediction: 70-92
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