Here we go with my first entry of the day, it's the terrible NL Central! It's really a crime that one of these six teams automatically makes the playoffs every year, especially since the playoffs are such a crapshoot, this crappy division winner could even win the whole thing (like St. Louis is 2006 - they finished just 83-78 and actually had a 2-9 slide in late September before winning 2 of their last 3 to win the division - horrible). Anyway, this division is so depressing to write about I have to come back later with my NL West predicitions.
1. Chicago Cubs
Prediction: 86-76
Key Additions: Kosuke Fukudome, Jon Lieber
Key Losses: Cliff Floyd, Jacque Jones, Jason Kendall, Craig Monroe, Mark Prior
Projected Lineup: LF Soriano, SS Theriot, 1B Lee, 3B Ramirez, RF Fukudome, C Soto, 2B DeRosa, CF Pie
Projected Rotation & Closer: Zambrano, Lilly, Hill, Lieber, Marquis/Dempster & Marmol/Howry
Analysis: Fukudome Mania takes over! Is that the dirtiest Japanese name ever or what? It sounds like something Wayne & Garth would have made up. But if Fukudome can impact the Cubbies lineup like Hideki Matsui did when he debuted for the Yankees, then look out. Because the middle of that order is downright scary if teams can’t pitch around Lee & Ramirez anymore. And the Cubs have a great rotation (Zambrano, Lilly & Hill are a great 1-2-3). They FINALLY decided to get Dempster the Dumpster out of the closer role (Howry or Marmol, with one setting up the other, will be much better). And in the spirit of omens – it’s been 100 years since they last won the World Series. They have to at least make the playoffs, right? Also, the last year that there was a total lunar eclipse, the Sox broke their “curse.” Well, we just had one here in 2008, so why not?
2. Milwaukee Brewers
Prediction: 85-77
Key Additions: Mike Cameron, Eric Gagne, David Riske, Jason Kendall
Key Losses: Geoff Jenkins, Kevin Mench, Johnny Estrada, Francisco Cordero
Projected Lineup: 2B Weeks, RF Hart, LF Braun, 1B Fielder, CF Cameron, SS Hardy, 3B Hall, C Kendall
Projected Rotation & Closer: Sheets, Bush, Suppan, Gallardo, Capuano & Gagne
Analysis: I actually think the Brew Crew looks better on paper than the Cubbies, just couldn’t go over the mythological 100-year curse possibly coming to an end. They’ve done a great job developing players and brought in the best available free agents. Mike Cameron was a huge signing – he’s a veteran presence and he’s been on winning teams before, plus he will upgrade the Brewers outfield defense ten-fold. In fact, between him, Braun & Hart, the Brewers have one of the best overall outfield groups in the entire major leagues. And yes, Ryan Braun is being moved to the outfield because he played 3rd base about as good as Roger Dorn, but he should be fine in the outfield based on his natural athleticism (much like how Alfonso Soriano has transitioned very well to the outfield). Bill Hall will try his 3rd position in 3 years (SS in 2006, CF in 2007, 3B in 2008) as the Brewers continue to try to find a place to stick him because of his powerful bat (although they’d like to see his average to stop dropping year to year). The Brewers need to get a bounce back year from Chris Capuano (just terrible last year) and Dave Bush and that should shore up what could be a very solid rotation (per usual, health is a concern). And while the Gagne signing was universally panned, and Gagne was just gawd-awful for the Sox, I think he can thrive in the no-pressure environment of Milwaukee, much like how he did in Texas. But in the end, this is still the Brewers, and they’ll find a way to lose out on the division to the Cubs.
3. Houston Astros
Prediction: 79-83
Key Additions: Miguel Tejada, Jose Valverde, Michael Bourn, Kazuo Matsui
Key Losses: Luke Scott, Mike Lamb, Craig Biggio, Brad Lidge, Chad Qualls
Projected Lineup: CF Bourn, 2B Matsui, 1B Berkman, LF Lee, SS Tejada, RF Pence, 3B Wigginton, C Towles/Ausmus
Projected Rotation & Closer: Oswalt, Rodriguez, Williams, Backe, Paulino & Valverde
Analysis: I’ll admit when I saw that lineup on paper, I was actually impressed with the offensive firepower that the Astros have. Bourn & Matsui should set the table nicely for Berkman, Lee, Tejada, Pence & Wigginton. Of course, it will be interesting to see how Tejada performs this year in the wake of being named in the Mitchell Report and not having any “B-12” shots. Valverde should be able to replace Lidge, but Valverde is two years removed from having control problems and losing his job as Arizona’s closer, before regaining that role last year. So while recently he is a better option than Lidge, he may not bring the stability to the closer role that they are hoping for. But the big problem the Astros are going to have is that their rotation consists of Roy Oswalt and blah. The rest of the starters aren’t that good and need to step up for them to compete. Personally, I think the Astros’ owner’s claim of “we’re going to win the World Series” upon arriving at Spring Training should be filed under B, for “Bat-shit crazy.”
4. Cincinnati Reds
Prediction: 75-87
Key Additions: Francisco Cordero, Jeremy Affeldt, Edinson Volquez, Dusty Baker (manager)
Key Losses: Josh Hamilton, Eric Milton
Projected Lineup: CF Freel/Bruce, 2B Phillips, RF Griffey, LF Dunn, 3B Encarnacion, SS Gonzalez, 1B Votto/Hatteberg, C Ross
Projected Rotation & Closer: Harang, Arroyo, Bailey, Belisle, Volquez/Affeldt & Cordero
Analysis: Kudos to the Reds for addressing their pitching situation and adding some quality guys. They also have two of the most talked about rookies in Bruce & Votto, yet both may not win starting jobs over incumbents Freel & Hatteberg (respectively). Dusty Baker returns to managing and he has a tendency to go with veterans, so Bruce & Votto could both end up starting in AAA to make sure they are getting their at-bats (although it shouldn’t be long until Griffey gets hurt, good news for Bruce getting to the Show). The Reds made some noise last year when they played a bit over their heads, and they might do that again, and even though they look decent on paper, I can’t take these terrible NL Central teams serious and have to predict disastrous results for them, because they aren’t going to win more games than the lose. Between the Reds and the Bengals, it sucks being a Cincinnati sports fan.
5. St. Louis Cardinals
Prediction: 70-92
Key Additions: Troy Glaus, Matt Clement
Key Losses: Jim Edmonds, Scott Rolen, David Eckstein, Troy Percival
Projected Lineup: SS Izturis, LF Duncan, 1B Pujols, 3B Glaus, CF Ankiel, RF Ludwick, C Molina, 2B Kennedy
Projected Rotation & Closer: Wainwright, Looper, Pineiro, Reyes, Mulder/Clement (if either is ready), plus Carpenter due to return mid-season & Isringhausen
Analysis: How the mighty have fallen. Since Pujols busted onto the scene until 2006, the Cards were perennial National League favorites. Now they represent a shell of what they were. Glaus might be the best power hitter to ever hit cleanup for Pujols, but is anyone going to be shocked when he ends up on the DL at some point this year? They’ll start the season with up to 3 starters on the shelf, which never a good way to kick off a season. Unless Pujols puts up a “Barry in 2001” season, I cannot see this team doing much damage, due to the lack of starting pitching, the subpar bullpen, the aging closer and the non-productive bottom of the order. And they’re a boring team to discuss, so let’s just move on.
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
Prediction: 68-94
Key Additions: None
Key Losses: None
Projected Lineup: CF McLouth, SS Wilson, 2B Sanchez, 1B LaRoche, LF Bay, RF Nady, 3B Batista, C Doumit/Paulino
Projected Rotation & Closer: Snell, Gorzelanny, Maholm, Duke, Morris & Capps
Analysis: Speaking of boring, it’s the Pittsburgh Pirates – the suckiest bunch of sucks that ever sucked. I’m not a MLB GM, but I know that if my team goes 68-94 and I make ZERO changes, I’m crazy to expect anything but another crappy 68-94 season. But that’s what GM Neal Huntington did. ZERO key changes (although he did bring in ball-thief Doug Mientkiewicz & bird-flipper Byung-Hyun Kim). A manager change cannot add 20 wins to your record. An entire team full of players cannot improve that much in one off-season. The freaking Pirates website advertises “Buy 8 Games, Get 2 Free,” which is just a foreign concept to many baseball fans around the nation. What a crappy franchise.
American League 2008
2008 - AL East Predictions
2008 - AL Central Predictions
2008 - AL West Predictions
National League 2008
2008 - NL East Predictions
2008 - NL Central Predictions
2008 - NL West Predictions
2008 Playoffs
2008 MLB Playoff Predictions
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1.) Cubs
The perennial powerhouses of St. Louis and Houston are no more. St. Louis through age and injury is a shadow of its former self, while Houston addressed its lack of offense after the demise of the triple B's by sacrificing its vaunted pitching. Its the Cubs division to lose as they have a solid all around team. The starting pitching goes a very strong 3 deep, and they boast a trio of underrated all-stars in Ramirez, Lee and Soriano. The bullpen is a question mark, but won't be enough to derail the Cubbies, and Kerry Wood may just be the answer there.
W: 84-90
2.) Brewers
Braun, Fielder, Hart, Weeks, Hardy....talk about a solid young core. Too bad the Brewers didn't stay in the AL as they have two bonafide DH candidates in Braun and Fielder, but there is no denying they can hit. The good thing about the Brewers is we just don't know what their ceiling is as a team. The pitching is full of talent, but it's doubtful they can all put it together in the same season, and the same can be said about the young offense. I wouldn't be surprised to find them 10 games out of first or have a 10 game lead going into september. Regardless of this seasons outcome the Brew Crew have something going for them for at least the rest of this decade.
W: 80-90
3.) Astros
The Miguel Tejada signing makes them contenders for this year, but this is a case of a team caught in between rebuilding and going for it, and that doesn't work. They lost too much pitching with the departure of Clemens and Pettitte, and they just don't have the parts to make the rotation work. They will stick around until the all-star break, but in order to compete the entire season they need to address that starting rotation.
W: 75-80
4.) Cardinals
Pujols needs to carry the offense and....Wainwright the pitching?!? The only chance they have is to rally around the emergence of Wainwright as a true Ace hold out until the break and hope for a triumphant return for Carpenter.
W: 70-80
5.) Reds
Another team caught in between rebuilding and contending. In the end they'll be pretenders again, and the Dunn and Griffey trade rumors will fly. They will play spoilers I'm sure, but that couldn't have been the organizational goal when they signed Griffey all those years back.
W: 70-76
6.) Pirates
Ugh...if the Steelers serve the Ben Rothlis"Burger" then the Pirates equivalent would be the Adam La"Roach Turd Sandwich" or Ryan "Three Week Old Dunkin" Doumit. I recommend staying away from both the Pirates and the food.
W: 62-67
If you are going to write about baseball you should at least know what each team's logo looks like. That is the logo for the FOOTBALL cardinals, not the baseball cardinals. I can't believe something like that could happen in an article from a "so-called" baseball expert.
lol, i like how you predict. your a real expert arent you. especially on the reds dude. for one i guess your just one of those guys who watch sportscenter all the time and follow their predictions. the reds deserve alot more respect this year, with a highly improved starting rotation, maybe not so much the bullpen (mainly because of david weathers crapy ass pitching) but we believe that the addition of edison volquez and johnny cueto is going to come in handy, most likely put up another 10 to 15 wins this year at least, therefore they will be a .500 team. the reds got a good offense, but the pitching is what makes them a laughing stock of the mlb, the pitching is way better this year so watch your predictions go down the drain like the shit in your toilet. By the way this is mlb predictions not nfl, so leave the shitty bengals out of it. GO STEELERS!
I obviously know something because your Reds' just took a weekend sweep to the Pirates. The Pirates! Even wonderboy Johnny Cueto struggled. The Pirates of all teams! Next you're going to tell me that they're not so bad either. Face it, the NL Central sucks and either the Brewers or the Cubs are going to win the division.
The NL Central is the BEST division in baseball. Even the lower half of the division is decent. The NLC was the first division to have all teams at 50 wins. And that is saying something because there are 6 teams in the division. Time for you to issue an apology to the NLC.