NL Central predictions

[Bobcatfan4life]

Who will win the National League Central this year?

[gobbler grad]

if everyone stays healthy, Houston has good chance

[Astrosdawg07]

I think my name tells you who I'm goin with

[big daddy russ]

Gee, the Astros are ahead.

I seriously don't think the Cardinals will have the same year offensively as they did last year. Renteria was a tough loss and everything just seemed to click all season long... just can't see them catching lightning in a bottle twice. But if Matt Morris can regain his form from two years ago and Mark Mulder pitches like he did in Oakland, they could be every bit as good as last year.

But unfortunately for St. Louis fans, I think the Cubs take the division. Sure, they lost Sammy and Matt Clement, but they keep Zambrano (who's going to be their number three or four option), Maddux (who should bounce back... look at Tom Glavine during year two with the Mets), Wood and Prior (both a year older, a year better) to give them the best bullpen BAR NONE in the majors. Plus they have three good late-inning guys in LaTroy Hawkins, Glendon Rusch and Joe Borowski. Add that to an offense that features a healthy Nomar and also a healthy future All-Star in Corey Patterson along with Derreck Lee, Aramis Ramirez, Jeromy Burnitz and the underestimated but often-injured Jerry Hairston and you have a complete ballclub. I know, a whole lot of injury questions, but nowhere near as many as the Astros.

If you're looking for a sleeper team... the Brewers. They're young, they have good pitching (Ben Sheets is a stud) and they're just waiting to bust out. It should be the most competitive division in baseball.

[JasperDog94]

Roger strained his hamstring today.

[crzyjournalist03]

I gotta go with the Cardinals here...

Houston will suffer without Beltran (remember where they were before he rescued them?), and Berkman being out for the first month or so hurts too. The Astros will have the pitching, but I don't know if their offense is going to be enough to win games. Bags and Biggio are past their prime, and every year that goes by, they are going to lose slight production. If they were producing like it was 1999, then I'd like them. But I really don't think that the offense will hold up.

Chicago is a mess. No Sammy will hurt. As much as it was known that he had to go at the end of last year, he was the face of the franchise. Nomar will be good, and so will Patterson, but with Prior and Wood both out for who knows how long, I don't think the Cubs could be any better than they were last year.

Meanwhile St. Louis got Mark Mulder, who had a "bad" year last year and was one of the top pitchers in the AL. They're going to have the offense, and their rotation is going to be one of the best in the league too. St. Louis won't win as many games as last year, but I don't see Houston or Chicago improving enough to make up that deficit.

[NSUTrumpet08]

Definitely want the Astros to repeat their performance last year but it looks to be a tough road ahead...but go Astros!