NL Central Preview

On Tuesday, I previewed the AL Central looking at each team and their projected lineups for Opening Day. Today, as we sit only three days away from Opening Night, I’m going to take a look at the NL Central.

No predictions will be here, however. I posted my predictions for the season yesterday on twitter if you’re interested in what will definitely not happen this season.

Cincinnati Reds

Boy, oh boy. I just said I wasn’t going to be doing predictions, but I will say the Reds will have the number one pick in 2017, especially if they trade Jay Bruce and Joey Votto.

Imagine, in a division such as the NL Central with three of the best teams in baseball, Bruce and Votto gone from the team that only has them?

The Reds started the off-season by losing Brayan Pena and Manny Parra (Cardinals and Cubs, respectively). The team then proceeded to trade Todd Frazier to the White Sox and Aroldis Chapman to the Yankees, each for prospects. In an even bigger attempt to secure the #1 pick, the Reds attempted to trade Jay Bruce to Toronto, but it fell through. Let’s not forget about the Reds trading Brandon Phillips to the Nationals…before Dat Dude rejected it.

I will say I don’t like much about this time…who does? Devin Mesoraco is a solid catcher when he’s healthy, and that “when” part is very seldom. Joey Votto will do Joey Votto things, but how long will he do them in Cincy? Bruce has been getting worse each season, but they should get a decent return for him WHEN they trade him. The only thing to like is Billy Hamilton, and I use “like” lightly since his 2015 was very lackluster.

Also, and important: Bryan Price is an idiot. He really doesn’t understand how and why the game is evolving. I’m somewhere in between the people who believe managers make all the difference in the world and the people who don’t think they do anything. Price is definitely one of those guys that just doesn’t belong in that role.

It came out today that Hamilton, the fastest guy in the majors, will have to earn his way to the top of the lineup. You may be thinking, “Yeah, I can see that making sense.” Now let me tell you Price is going to have Cozart lead off.

Exactly. It doesn’t make sense.

Opening Day projected lineup vs. Phillies (LOL):

Cozart SS

Votto 1B

Bruce RF

Phillips 2B

Mesoraco C

Suarez 3B

Duvall LF

Hamilton CF

Iglesias P

I cringed putting Cozart in the leadoff spot, as well as Bruce in the three-hole. Votto should lead off just to get him more AB’s, and honestly the team isn’t going to score more with him with the possibility of him driving them in.

Cingrani, a once-upon-a-time decent starting prospect, is probably going to be in the bullpen. The team could win 50 games, and I wouldn’t blink. Especially when they’ll probably lose 50+ games to NL Central teams.

Milwaukee Brewers

The bigger moves the Brewers made this off-season was trading Francisco Rodriguez to the Tigers. The team also added Jonathan Villar and Ramon Flores, while also trading Adam Lind and Jean Segura. In the Segura deal with Arizona, the Brewers received Chase Anderson and Aaron Hill.

There’s more to like about the Brewers compared the Reds, but one thing they have in common is the lack of pitching. With trading K-Rod, Will Smith falls into the closer’s role as Wily Peralta and Jimmy Nelson sit in the 1-2 spots for the rotation.

Opening Day projected lineup vs. Giants:

Gennett 2B

Hill 3B

Braun LF

Lucroy C

Carter 1B

Santana RF

Nieuwenhuis CF

Villar SS

Peralta P

The first five hitters in this lineup are actually intriguing for the team. Gennet and Hill are capable of setting the stage for Braun. Lucroy has been solid the last few season, and Carter hits bombs. Those last three and the pitching staff is what will bring this team down a decent amount.

Pittsburgh Pirates

The Pirates probably did even less than the Brewers this off-season, although to be fair they don’t need to do as much to be competitive.

The once-promising pitching prospect Allen Webster was traded to Pittsburgh for cash only, and then released him. The team traded Charlie Morton. They traded Neil Walker for Jon Neise. And then they signed Juan Nicacio, John Jaso, and Ryan Vogelsong, along with re-signing the lunatic Sean Rodriguez.

And they lost Pedro Alvarez.

There were a lot of moves that went unnoticed, because they were’t by any means “big.” This team for the last few season has made the playoffs against my thought process. I expect them to be good this year no matter what anyone thinks. Hell, they’ll probably even win the NL Central just because nobody has talked about them AT ALL.

Something that really it’s hard to argue with is that the Pirates probably have the best outfield all-around in the majors.

Opening Day projected lineup vs. Cardinals (Oh boy):

Polanco RF

Kang 3B

McCutchen CF

Marte LF

Freese 1B

Harrison 2B

Cervelli C

Mercer SS

Liriano (?) P

Yep. Francisco Liriano is starting opening day against the Cardinals. NOT Gerrit Cole. In fact, Cole won’t be starting AT ALL against the Cardinals in the opening series. How could you not start a guy like Cole on Opening Day against the Cardinals, nonetheless an NL Central opponent? Maybe he’s still recovering from the choke job in October. Ouch.

You could frame those top four/five hitters anyway and I wouldn’t argue it, except for maybe Cutch not hitting 2 or 3.

St. Louis Cardinals

The Cardinals began the off-season acquiring Brayan Pena, a move I have said from the beginning is a very underrated signing by the team. After trading Jon Jay to San Diego for Jedd Gyorko, the Cardinals also signed free-agent pitcher Mike Leake.

It appears that the Cardinals are set on their young stars, Stephen Piscotty and Randall Grichuk, to pave the way for the team. Matt Holliday has seen a lot of action at first base this spring, and with Jhonny Peralta out for a little bit that means Gyorko and Ruben Tejada will probably be splitting time at shortstop.

Now, the Cardinals had one of the worse offenses a season ago…and still won 100 games because of their pitching (which included John Lackey). There’s just no way the staff repeats that because it’s hard to think it can happen. What they did was historic, and now instead of a rejuvenated Lackey, they have Mike Leake. Remember, this team won the NL Central winning 100 games with the Pirates at 98, and the Cubs at 97.

Carlos Martinez and Michael Wacha are coming off seasons in which they each threw the most innings they’ve ever thrown, and Martinez did get hurt last season. Adam Wainwright is returning…that’s all I have to say.

It’s the Cardinals, so they’ll win 104 games with no Cy Young or MVP candidate and would I be surprised? Nope. Everything goes right for them. All the time.

Opening Day projected lineup at Pirates:

Carpenter 3B

Piscotty RF

Holliday LF

Moss 1B

Grichuk CF

Wong 2B

Gyorko SS

Molina C

Wainwright P

People seem to think Grichuk could hit 30 homers this year. If that’s the case then wow. I don’t think Moss is going to do anything close to special, Holliday will have a low-version of his regular year, and Piscotty will probably be solid in right. Molina and Gyorko/Tejada at the bottom of the lineup is less than impressive. We’ll see how things go.

Chicago Cubs

Here we go.

So much pressure…accordingly to outside pundits. History doesn’t mean a thing to this group; you can bet on that.

In case you missed it, the Cubs have added: Ben Zobrist, Jason Heyward, John Lackey, and Adam Warren this off-season. All figure to play major roles in 2016. Also, the Cubs traded away Starlin (for Warren). I know, it’s sad. AND they brought back Dexter Fowler after it appeared he was going to Baltimore. Remember this?

I’ll just get this out of the way now, so we can talk more after.

Opening Day projected lineup at Angels:

Fowler CF

Heyward RF

Bryant 3B

Rizzo 1B

Zobrist 2B

Schwarber DH

Soler RF

Montero C

Russell SS

Maddon has already said Fowler and Heyward will be 1-2 in the lineup (at least to start the year). After those two, and Bryzzo the next couple hitters, I honestly don’t care what the lineup is as long as Montero/Ross and Addi are two of the last. That sounds like a knock on Addi, but you know it’s not.

Any combination of Dex, Hey, Riz, Bryant, Schwarbs, Soler, and Zobrist is deadly.

I will say that the expectations for this team are high…as they probably should be. Will it be disappointing if they don’t win the NL Central? Pennant? World Series? Obviously, but we’re Cubs fans. We have to remember to keep things in check.

I say that as I get a knot in my stomach just THINKING about not winning any of those three.

I was one of those guys at first that wanted to keep Rick Renteria and just let Maddon go. For a team that can either be really good (Cubs last year) or not that good (what people were expecting for Cubs last year), a guy like Maddon can make the difference. I mean, the dude went to the World Series with the Rays!

It seems like everyone is picking the Cubs to win the World Series, and honestly it’s rightfully so. But don’t think it puts any pressure on the team.

Rizzo has turned into a true leader of this team. When he talks, you listen. People – Dex, Zobrist, Heyward, Lackey, all free agents – turned down more money to come to the North Side because they believe they can win. It’s about belief within the organization, not the outside noise.

This Cubs team has guys all over the roster than can get on base, hit for power, run bases well, etc. Even if Bryant and Schwarber have a slight drop-off from 2015, they will still be more than serviceable. Heyward could turn around and hit 20 homers, Zobrist is gonna Zobrist, and I’m not even expecting Lackey to do what he did last year. People are overlooking Kyle Hendricks and his 2014/2015.

This team is going to have fun this season, and people are going to HATE IT. People are already saying “they haven’t won anything yet” and “it’s disrepectful” what they’re doing in Spring Training…all because they’re having fun playing a child’s game.

This Cubs team (no doubt) is probably going to be frustrating at times, since ALL Cubs (baseball, for that matter) teams are frustrating…especially with how much “pressure” is on the team.

The Cubs may be the team to beat already, but remember those pesky Cardinals and Pirates are also there wanting to win in the best division in baseball – the NL Central.

*Picture is courtesy of Innings Eater