NL Central: Pick the positions

[BengalNation1281]

I was talking to my co-worker the other night, as ESPN Radio was doing its 444th story on Sammy going to Baltimore, and we went through the NL Central and who we thought were going to be the hot teams this year. I would now like your opinions on the matter. Here are mine:

1. STL: The Cardinals will win it again...still as strong as they ever were.

2. Houston: Will rebound from the FA losses and put together another strong season, but not strong enough to take the Cards.

3. Cincinnati: Will challenge Houston for #2, and could be there by the end of the season...definitely the top up-and-comer for 2005. Oh, and I love Joe Randa.

4. Pittsburgh: Getting stronger, but not quite there yet. Look for them to make some decent noise in 2006.

5. Chicago Cubs: Most teams don't get better after you gut them. Look for the Cubs to fall and fall hard.

6. Milwaukee: Good young players, same old results. They can't seem to ever get it right, can they?

BN1281

[bengalboomer7]

The NL central will be a dogfight this year. St louis is probably the favorite but everyone is overlooking tho loss of a good hitter in Edgar Renterria, they'll still probably win though. Houston depends on Pettite, Berkman and how many runs they can score. If Pettite is healthy, between him and clemons there's 40 wins already and we haven't even gotten to Oswealt. The Cubs lost a good bit of hitting, but if their pitching staff stays healthy they have just a good of chance as the other two. The reds will contend and we may even get to hold our breaths until september but I don't think they have enough, yet!

St, Loius will win it, but not like they dominated last year. Personally, I think it will be one hell of a race for second between the Cubbies, Stros and us. Whoever gets second in our division also gets the wild card. Any other year I like the team we have, but our division is a monster with too many monster names on other teams!

[Kirkendall]

1. ST. Louis -- we can never beat them anyway, so let's move on to number...

2. Cincinnati -- most active in division on the FA market.

3. Houston -- Couldn't win it last year and now they're a year older without Beltran or Wade Miller.

4. Chicago -- I think the Cubs could actually be a darkhorse if Sammy's replacement in the batting lineup (or defensively) very well could be better.

5. Pitt -- don't care.

6. Milwhatever -- yawn.

If the Reds can get past mid-August still in striking distance, I think this division ends in a two-way dog fight.

BB7 -- I think the WC will come out of the NL East with Florida, NY Mets, and/or Atlanta.

[bengalboomer7]

maybe Kirk, it depends on how bad we beat each other up in our division. But you can't tell me that it's easily possible for the NL central to have 4 90 win teams - Houston, St Louis, Chicago, and the Reds. Of course there are a lot of variables to think about, but with that many teams with the potential to win that many games we have an excellent chance at the wild card.

Actually, Houston and Chicago scare me a little bit because of theor pitching staffs. Chicago reminds me of one of those old Bobby Cox Braves teams and Houston still has three awesome pitchers!

[Kirkendall]

Sweet. Some good baseball talk. I'm ready for it.

Let me explain why I think the NL East takes the WC.

Atlanta -- you can never count them out. Every year, excluding the '94 strike, the Braves have finished in first place of their division. Then you have, since 1997, 3 WC that came out of the EAST to compete in the WS (winning it twice). With acquisitions of Raul Mondesi and Tim Hudson, along with a return to the rotation by Smoltz, I think Atlanta has to be the favorite until dethroned.

Florida -- How can you go against them? They are the underdogs every time and every time they prosper.

NY Mets -- Let's review their pickups -- Carlos Beltran and Pedro.

The Reds, maybe can complete with Florida, but the Mets and Braves are vastly improved teams from their 2004 teams -- and at least 2 starting pitchers better than the Reds.

I'm not much worried about Chicago because Prior and Woods have shown a knack for injury along with departures of Alou and Sosa (albeit just a role as intimidator) I can't see the Cubs making .500.

Houston. Pettitte was hurt a majority of last season, and of his last 7 seasons, Pettitte has had an ERA of less than 3.90 in just one. Let me say what I think of Pettitte in one easy word -- over-rated. Clemons? Yea, that sucks he's back, but one starter doesn't make a good team so I'm not as worried. Oswalt and Clemons do scare me a little, so I'll definitely have my eye on both of them to determine the success of the 'Stros.

I don't just think we'll just capture 2nd place, I think, again if the dog days don't drown us, that we'll take it down to the wire. But I think we come up 2-5 wins short of a WC and/or 1st place.

[bengalboomer7]

Good argument, and I hope your right about the Reds taking it to the wire.

The Mets are the Mets - How many years now have they had a huge payroll yet produced nothing. They'll break the bank suppling duct tape for Pedro's shoulder. That was the dumbest FA move of the season giving Pedro all that money.

I like the Marlins, they play kind of old school and beat you by playing better "baseball"

ATL Dead on, thes guys have been winning divisions since Reagan. However, this is one of the weaker teams they've had in a while

However, most of these teams have just as many if not more question marks and our division. I think the marlins are the most complete team, but now that I think about it it will probably go down to ATL/Florida VS Cincy/Houston/Chicago for the wild card

Good argument, you've almost swayed me. It looks like two tough divisions and I can easily see a couple of teams from both divisions competing for the one wild card spot

[bengalboomer7]

Don't count out Petitte. He has been overrated but he'll come in this year wanting to prove Houston didn't make a mistake letting him come home. Clemons and Miller will probably win 20, throw in another 15 for Andy and their halfeay to the wild card already.

Also, don't forget Chicago had more pitching than just those two- They've got four guys that can win twenty any year, but I am concerned they willhave trouble scoring.

Cincy just has to score runs. When you just look at an injury free lineup our batting order is very, very, very scary. If our pitching venture pan out then I really like our chances

[Kirkendall]

The Mets are the Mets - How many years now have they had a huge payroll yet produced nothing. They'll break the bank suppling duct tape for Pedro's shoulder. That was the dumbest FA move of the season giving Pedro all that money.

Agreed. But I am very curious to see how Pedro's number improve over the course of the season being a division with weaker hitters 1-9 (i.e. pitchers hit, no life-long DHers that his 50 homers and never put on a mit). That could give the Mets the edge. The Mets will always be the red-headed step child of New York. They'll always try to compete for the front page of the newspapers currently reserved for the Yankees.

ATL Dead on, thes guys have been winning divisions since Reagan. However, this is one of the weaker teams they've had in a while

I don't know BB. That was the image projected to the Braves last season and even struggled through the first half of the season. Heck, they were 37-40 on July 31st. Then they went 59-26 -- I believe the best stretch of games of any team. Three starters with 13 wins or more (while the Reds had zero starters with that feat).

Good argument, you've almost swayed me. It looks like two tough divisions and I can easily see a couple of teams from both divisions competing for the one wild card spot

Absolutely agree. Which one determines how well they play within their own division. IMHO.

Also, don't forget Chicago had more pitching than just those two- They've got four guys that can win twenty any year, but I am concerned they willhave trouble scoring.

You're talking about Maddox, Clement, and Zambrono. Clement, I think signed someplace else and the age-less wonder has GOT to hit a freakin' wall at some point in his HOF career. ...and I'd love to have Zambrono on my team. So yea, if Maddox and Zambrono do well in 2005, then yea, I very much agree the Cubs being a factor in the division. I think one of their draw backs has been a tendency to disappoint their faithful.

Don't count out Petitte. He has been overrated but he'll come in this year wanting to prove Houston didn't make a mistake letting him come home.

I don't know. At this point, I want to see it before I believe it.

Cincy just has to score runs. When you just look at an injury free lineup our batting order is very, very, very scary. If our pitching venture pan out then I really like our chances

I think this Reds team has got to be the most solid team throughout the clubhouse since '99.

I love baseball season. What better way to come home, cook some dinner and then BAM! ...you have 3-4 baseball games on TV, 100 times the Reds.

[jamesbrooks21]

Name of the game is still pitching and defense and while the Reds do have enough to flirt until June they still are going to fade. Don't get me wrong, I love that they are finally trying to get some players but the fact is they were like 24th in fielding percentage and I don't see Milton and Ortiz pitching us into the playoffs. I hope I'm wrong but they staff is still too weak-but it is better.

Oh, and let Larkin go and sign Rich Aurilia??? What the hell is the point why not keep a Red great for one more year if we are going to play Aurilia?

Some of you have Chicago finishing too low. They have three pitchers with legitimate No. 1 guy stuff. And St. Louis probably will dominate like last year with them getting Mulder and they will have Walker for a full year now. After that year off with injury Carpenter was pretty dominate at times. Renteria was a major loss but Eckstein while not of his caliber is steady as hell.

Too bad we are in one of, if not the best division in baseball.

[Kirkendall]

Oh, and let Larkin go and sign Rich Aurilia??? What the hell is the point why not keep a Red great for one more year if we are going to play Aurilia?

Machado -- the guy expected to take the SS job -- got hurt and now is having Visa problems. All this started AFTER Larkin was declined arbitration effecively shutting out his chances of becoming a Red, if he and the team choose to unite again, no earlier than May 1st -- that's a MLB rule.

Therefore, the Reds needed a backup to Felipe Lopez -- again, Larkin is NOT allowed back by MLB rules until May 1st -- and signed Aurilia.

Now, with all that, I think Aurilia is a good backup SS considering what the SS position has gone through in recent weeks (months).

Hope that helps.

[jamesbrooks21]

Machado -- the guy expected to take the SS job -- got hurt and now is having Visa problems. All this started AFTER Larkin was declined arbitration effecively shutting out his chances of becoming a Red, if he and the team choose to unite again, no earlier than May 1st -- that's a MLB rule.

Therefore, the Reds needed a backup to Felipe Lopez -- again, Larkin is NOT allowed back by MLB rules until May 1st -- and signed Aurilia.

Now, with all that, I think Aurilia is a good backup SS considering what the SS position has gone through in recent weeks (months).

Hope that helps.

I know this. But I'm saying why would you want to go into a year when they are actually spending a little money and trying to be competitive and could have kept him around to spot play and help Lopez. Instead they opted for the two young, unproven players.

[semiotter]

Hey guys been gone a few weeks good to be back. Hey its baseball time again, COOL!!!!! Well with all the winter changes in this DIV. this could be some hard predictions. Oh well here goes nuthing

1st place I say ST. LOUIS they lost there great ss. But pick up Mark M. from the

A s and i think will be the team to beat...

2nd place whoa??? REDS have alot of new faces and could be the best team if everything jells right. Still need a ss ( dont know if Rich still has it?)

3rd Cubs still have that great infield, weakened outfield, pitching when healthy. and I dont know about some of the moves Dusty Baker makes, he wins but I don't see how

4th Astros, age catches up with team in the key positions this year and with the injury to Lance I think it will be much for them. You guys think the ROCKET has another year in him like he had last year??

5th and 6th tie Checked out home page for Brewers and Pirates and man its going to be a long season in those 2 cities. The brewers have BEN SHEETS and PITT. has the Wilsons and some good young players. But I think they are a few years from the upper Div.

So there you have it..This has been your Semiotter baseball report from the road across the great big ole U.S.A

[Kirkendall]

I know this. But I'm saying why would you want to go into a year when they are actually spending a little money and trying to be competitive and could have kept him around to spot play and help Lopez. Instead they opted for the two young, unproven players.

You're saying why didn't we keep Larkin originally? I get it now. My bad. There have been all sorts of people, mostly at work, not understanding why we don't sign Larkin now. I just went into my talking point.

No, I somewhat agree with you. I think the Reds, something I'm still unsure of until we see results from the younger guys, want to build more for the future -- and not fall back on Larkin like we've done countless times. Now we're in a situation where we don't have a fulltime SS and Larkin is close to retirement.

I say let the youngs guys work it out, and then come May 1st, if the SS position is in bad shape, then sign Larkin.

[bengalboomer7]

I say sign him in march a treat him like the cincy hero that he is. let him start about 60 -80 games, mostly at home.