Let’s check in on the NL Central, shall we?
The Cincinnati Reds caught the entire baseball world off guard last season, but they will not be afforded that same luxury this season. That target is large to some.
Chicago Cubs: Is Aramis Ramirez really the key to the success of the Cubs?
He is, make no mistake about it. When Ramirez is healthy, there aren’t many third basemen that are better at the plate than Ramirez. That’s been a an issue, Ramirez staying healthy. And sometimes his defense gets lost in the mix, too. While he won’t usually win a Gold Glove, but Ramirez isn’t bad in the field. But that one word comes into play again…health. He can field if he’s healthy.
A lot has been made that Ramirez is in the last year of his contract and that he has a lot to prove, thus proving he will have a banner year. Not so sure I buy into that considering he’s 32 (he’ll b e 33 in the middle of the season) and on the downside of his career all things considered. Still, a 90% Ramirez with 100% health is better that a lot of third basemen in the bigs.
Cincinnati Reds: Will all those young arms provide enough pitching?
That’s pretty much the majority of the talk we’ve heard during the offseason. The Reds have all these young arms. A year older, a year wiser, or so they say. Sometimes that gets overplayed. The “sophomore slump” is another one, but if that hits, Travis Wood and Mike Leake will be the one’s affected. That still leaves Edinson Volquez (provided he can get his visa issues resolved), Bronson Arroyo, Johnny Cueto and Homer Bailey.
And the Reds can go even a bit deeper as they did in ’10 with the likes of Sam LeCure and Matt Maloney. But fir the Reds to repeat, the pitching must improve. I can envision that offense hitting like it did last season.
Houston Astros: Why all the negativity?
It’s not coming from within. It’s external. In fact, I’ve read on a couple of websites where they think the Astros will finish last in this division. I’m not a believer of those only because the Astros starting staff is pretty darn good.
Brett Myers, Wandy Rodriguez, J.A. Happ and Bud Norris are a decent 1-4. Houston also has a couple offensive pieces as well. There are a number of treams that would love to have the likes of a Michael Bourn or Hunter Pence. They would start on just about every team. That might be why people are down on them, lack of offense. And that worries me, too.
Sure they brought in Bill Hall and Clint Barmes, but I can’t see where they will make any major difference.
Milwaukee Brewers: Can they withstand the pressure and expectations?
The Brewers appear to be the sexy pick to win the NL Central especially since Adam Wainwright went down for the season. The staff of Zack Greinke, Yovani Gallardo, Shaun Marcum, Randy Wolf and Chris Narveson is a formidable staff to some. People are also high on the bullpen with Jon Axford at the back end and the return of LaTroy Hawkins. We all know about that offense, too. It’s a beast.
It will be interesting if the Brewers stay in the right frame of mind if they can achieve early success under rookie manager Ron Roenicke. Or if the Brewers go into a slide while holding a slim divisional lead. Having never been down the road as the main guy, something might be missing from the mix. I’m not doubting that Roenicke can manage. I’m curious of how situations will evolve considering he’s never been the guy calling the shots before.
Pittsburgh Pirates: Is there really a youth movement with the free agents brought in during the offseason?
You better believe it. I know the signings of Lyle Overbay. Matt Diaz and even Kevin Corriea were mind blowing to some. I can agree to a certain point. But the young guys won’t lean if there aren’t veterans around to show them the right way. We’ve not heard a ton of stories of how Diaz and Overbay are in the clubhouse either, but they both got a bit off time under their belt. I know it sounds like a stretch, too.
The Pirates will be making some noise and I honestly believe tehy can upset the division this season. I’m not saying they’ll win it, but if their starting pitching can be effective, the bats of Pedro Alvarez, Neil Walker, Jose Tabata and Andrew McCutchen can beat you.
St. Louis Cardinals: What on earth is going on?
I’m not saying that because of the contract of you know who. I say that due to recent reports that Chris Carpenter would waive his no-trade clause. I say that because the Cards may elect not to pick up Adam Wainwright’s option for 2012. the St. Louis brass may have no option to trade Carp and decline Wainwright’s option for 2012 in order to keep #5 around.
Of course, the cure all would have been for the Cards to regain its stranglehold on the division this year. Instead, they’re left with trying to search from within to replace Wainwright and his almost guaranteed 20 wins.
One last division to check on…the NL West home of the defensing champion San Francisco Giants. Oh, they have a few questions, too.