The team that wins the NL Central, wins the World Series. What is everyone elses opinion?
2007-02-18 06:31:20 · 18 answers · asked by ? 6 in Sports ➔ Baseball
It's going to be a lot more even this year. St. Louis lost some guys to free agency and hasn't really added anyone, which will make it hard for them to repeat their awful division-clinching 83-78 record of last season. The Cubs have gone out and bought everyone in sight, their pitching is better, but why on earth did they even sign Marquis? Houston's pitching lost some parts in Pettitte and Clemens (who can still decide to return), but they did add Jason Jennings. Keep in mind that a) Pettitte wasn't all that stellar last season and b) the Astros addressed their greatest need by adding Carlos Lee to their lineup.
If Clemens returns, that would be an enormous boost, but even without him I am going to go out on a limb and say that the Astros can pull off a takeover of this weak division. The Cubs have the players, but it remains to be seen how well they will perform together, and many of them are severely overrated.
2007-02-18 09:00:09 · answer #1 · answered by Thaddeus Ballpheasant 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
I think the NL central has some good teams but they are not ready for the level yet. The team that I think will win the central is a team that no one else thinks will be a 500 team; the Reds. The reason is that Arroyo and Harang lead the rotation and they have this prospect named Homer Baily who may be the best minor league pitcher along with phil hughs. A good rotation in a short series can be deadly. Also they have good hitters, I think they are a closer away, from being very dangerous.
2007-02-18 07:56:45 · answer #2 · answered by zakattack 2 · 1⤊ 0⤋
My choice for the NL division crown would be the Cardinals, but they probably won't win it all again. I'm thinking Mets will win it all if they avoid injuries.
The Cubs did do alot of spending, but in the wrong areas, Prior and Wood have never lived up to their expectations, Wood falling out a bathtub? He's already planning to end his season. Zambrano is the only good pitcher they have. And they picked up Marquis? Wow, he's great...
The Brewers have the best rotation, but lack any kind of pop in the bat. Geoff Jenkins? Not exactly great. Prince Fielder will be solid, but he's just like his daddy hacking at everything.
The Astros might give the Cards a run for their money, but there are holes in their positions.
Reds will die off in the end of the year, but Bronson Arroyo will make it interesting.
The Cardinals have a younger rotation than last year and they got rid of the worst pitcher the Card's have seen, Jason Marquis. Anthony Reyes will continue to get better, and we all have seen Adam Wainwright's nasty curveball. Albert Pujols will have another MVP candidate year, Rolen will have a consistant year unlike last year, Kennedy and Eckstein will play great in the middle infield, if Edmonds can see from all of the concusions he has suffered from he'll have another Gold Glove year (providing no injuries, fat chance), but the corner outfield and Closer is iffy. Cardinals underacheived during the end of the regular season, very streaky. The Cardinals will win the NL Division over the 2nd place Cubs, 3rd place Astros, and 4th place Reds.
2007-02-18 08:21:27 · answer #3 · answered by johnny_o_riley909 2 · 0⤊ 1⤋
I'd say there are 4 teams that have any chance and 2 with no chance. Pirates and Brewers (people are jumping on there bandwagon, I wont), i wont mention again as they have no talent and suck. Cincinatti is a tough team to read, they could suck but they seem to put a team of extreme overachievers. I'd give them a very outside shot at winning but they have a chance. Next is the Astros. This team is a team of underachievers. There offense plainly sucks, but there pitching is awesome. I'd give them an outside shot, but better than the Reds. Give them Clemens for 1/2 a season and they have a good shot at winning it. Next is the Chicago Cubs (my fav. team). IF and i repeat IF (i said IF), they can stay healthy there is not a better team in the MLB. Saying that, it is one of the biggest IF's in sports. The lineup contains 3 MVP candidates (soriano, D lee, ramirez) and the rotation has a cy young candidate in zambrano and another one in Prior if he is healthy.I'd give them a guarentee if you would guarentee they would be healthy. Lastly is the Cardinals. Plain and Simple, 2006 World Series Champions. Have the best player in baseball and a top 3 pitcher in Carpenter. There lineup has almost no wholes in it, and there rotation is good. Biggest if is how will Jason Isringhausen hold up. I give them the best odds considering the Cubs wont stay healthy and they are the seocond best team following the cubs.
2007-02-18 06:43:08 · answer #4 · answered by Ben F. 3 · 1⤊ 0⤋
On paper it is the Cubs Derek Lee is back for a full season the last time he did that we were right in it till we crapped out in the last two weeks. We still have Ramirez who can hit and now we have Soriano. Our pitching should be good with Big Z leading the way and hopefully the bullpen can finally step it up. I can't see the Cards repeating very few teams have been capable of doing that. Pittsburg will be bad as always they haven't had a winning team since '9, Milwaukee is decent but still young, I don't know about the Astros but I have to think with just oswalt they might be low on starters
2007-02-18 11:54:20 · answer #5 · answered by z o 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
This question has been asked too many times, and every time I've predicted that the St. Louis Cardinals will win the league's WEAKEST division.
Just because they won the World Series last season doesn't mean they'll win it again this season just because they won such a pathetic division (that didn't really improve much, considering the Cubs spent all that dough and will underchieve AGAIN).
This is Boston's World Series to lose, and until they do, it doesn't matter who else is in baseball. The Red Sox are the team to beat, and the last time the Cardinals ran into pitching like Boston's in the playoffs, they were swept out of the World Series (by Boston in 2004, ending the Curse of the Bambino).
2007-02-18 06:57:22 · answer #6 · answered by Judge Ghis 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋
Although the Cardinals won the WS last year they had a decent season and got really lucky in the playoffs. With the Astros loosing some key players the likely team to win it is probably the Chicago Cubs. It is either sure fire or a bust as they are coming off of a terrible season but they have Alfonso Soriano, Aramis Rameriez and Derek Lee.
2007-02-18 08:39:09 · answer #7 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Cubbies will be in the mix all year.
The Cardinals did lose Suppan to Milwaukee, so we'll have to wait and see on that one.
Houston might be in the mix, too.
But if any of those teams DO make the WS they would probably have to play either The Yankees or The Red Sox (I want so say The Tigers, but I know it will be hard to beat the yankees this year)...and I dont see ANY nl team beating them.
2007-02-18 06:47:22 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 1⤊ 0⤋
The Cards should win the NL Central with my 'Stros being second and the Wild Card. Cards over the Red Sox in the Series 4-2.
2007-02-18 06:40:11 · answer #9 · answered by Anonymous · 5⤊ 2⤋
I think the Cards will win the division. But I don't believe they will win the series. I think the Yankees will win the Series this year. One big reason is the return of Andy Petite and the exit of Randy Johnson.
2007-02-18 06:59:28 · answer #10 · answered by Crazy Cat 5 · 0⤊ 0⤋