Can St. Louis Cardinals repeat?
Cincinnati Reds, Pittsburgh Pirates may have something to say
Mar 24, 2007
In 2006, the St. Louis Cardinals were the talk of baseball after easily defeating the Detroit Tigers in the World Series. The Cards appear strong again in 2007, but they no longer can be considered a shoo-in for the National League Central division championship, let alone repeating a trip to the October Classic. Each one of the six teams in this division has improved, making the NL Central more competitive in 2007.
The Cardinals have one of the game’s best hitters in Albert Pujols, a solid pitching staff and a brilliant manager in Tony La Russa, his recent drunken driving charge not withstanding. The pitching staff does have some holes to fill with the departure of Jeff Suppan and Jason Marquis. Injuries hurt the Cards in 2007, but Jim Edmonds, Jason Isringhausen and Juan Encarncion should all have better years if they stay healthy.
Anyone looking for a surprise winner in the NL East will find a good candidates in the Cincinnati Reds, who ended last season with an 80-82 record. And they have had one of the great surprises of the spring in Josh Hamilton, the drug-troubled former first pick of the draft by the Tampa Bay Devil Rays whom Cincinnati picked up in the Rule 5 draft. It appears Hamilton has put his troubles behind him and is a five-tool player, hitting almost .440 this spring with pop in his bat and an arm to match. Look for him to start the season in right if Ken Griffey can’t go; once there, Hamilton is sure to stick.
The Reds already have a quite decent lineup, particularly if newcomer Alex Gonzalez can pull his weight at the plate. But pitching remains an issue -- after Aaron Harang and Bronson Arroyo, the projected starters include Kyle Lohse (5-10), Eric Milton (8-8) and Kirk Saaloss (7-7). If Arroyo or Harang get hurt, it could spell trouble for the Reds.
Some baseball analysts are picking the Pittsburgh Pirates as the surprise team in the NL Central. The Pirates have great young talents with Freddy Sanchez, Jose Castillo and Zach Duke, and a very talented hitter in Jason Bay. If the club’s talented young starting rotation (which includes three lefties) comes through, the Pirates certainly should improve on last season’s 67-95 record.
The talk of Chicago for a change has been the Cubs, not the White Sox. That’s because of several acquisitions, including a top-notch manager in Lou Piniella, pitcher Ted Lilly and outfielder Alfonso Soriano. After posting the division’s worst record (66-96) last season, the Cubs’ fortunes can only improve. The key depends largely on the health status of Mark Prior and Kerry Wood. Add to that staff Carlos Zambrano, and the Cubs still probably won’t be a division winner, but they could have a say in who does win it.
The Houston Astros always seem to find a way to contend. finishing a game behind the Cardinals with an 82-80 record last year. They also have one of the National League’s top pitchers in Roy Oswalt, and closer Brad Lidge can be spectacular at times. But the losses of Roger Clemens and Andy Pettite could hurt the starting rotation. The Astros added the potent bat of Carlos Lee; however, Houston had the NL’s worst team batting average last year. Unless some other players have career years, the Astros will be hard-pressed to match last years’ marks.
The Milwaukee Brewers mirrored the Cubs in the off season, improving their team with the acquisition of Jeff Suppan to the starting pitching staff. However, there are still holes in the starting five where some young pitchers have to step up. The Brewers also have some fine young talent, and a strong closer in Derrick Turnbow, despite a dismal 6.87 ERA in 2006. And, don’t forget, Milwaukee has a young player names Tony Qwynn who everyone knows can it.
