DW's NL Central Preview

Can anyone compete with the Cards? St Louis brought back Matt Holliday to form one of the best 3-4 punches in the game. If they can get another injury free season out of Carpenter, the Cards will walk with the division. The Cubbies used addition by subtraction in the offseason with Milton Bradley. They need bounce back years from Soriano and Soto to contend - they still have some talent. Milwaukee didn't do too much to improve off last season's 80 wins while the Reds have alot of young developing talent and also lured Aroldis Chapman into Cinci. Ed Wade continues to build with former Phillies with little upside and the Bucos plan to contend sometime in the next decade or so.

PITTSBURGH PIRATES

2009 record and finish: 62-99

Manager: John Russell

Departures: RHP Matt Capps

Arrivals: RHP Octavio Dotel, 2B Akinori Iwamura, IF Bobby Crosby, RHP D.J. Carrasco, OF Ryan Church, LHP Neal Cotts

Rotation: LHP Paul Maholm, LHP Zach Duke, RHP Ross Ohlendorf, RHP Charlie Morton, RHP Daniel McCutchen

Closer: RHP Octavio Dotel

Setup guy: RHP Brendan Donnelly

Lineup: CF Andrew McCutchen, 2B Akinori Iwamura, RF Garrett Jones, C Ryan Doumit, LF Lastings Milledge, 1B Jeff Clement, 3B Andy LaRoche, SS Ronny Cedeno


HOUSTON ASTROS:

2009 record and finish: 74-88

Manager: Brad Mills

Departures: RHP Jose Valverde, IF Miguel Tejada, C/IF Chris Coste

Arrivals: RHP Brett Myers, 3B Pedro Feliz, RHP Brandon Lyon

Rotation: RHP Roy Oswalt, LHP Wandy Rodriguez, RHP Brett Myers, RHP Bud Norris, RHP Felipe Paulino

Closer: RHP Matt Lindstrom

Setup guy: RHP Brandon Lyon

Lineup: CF Michael Bourn, 2B Kaz Matsui, 1B Lance Berkman, LF Carlos Lee, RF Hunter Pence, 3B Pedro Feliz, C Jason Castro, SS Tommy Manzella



ST. LOUIS CARDINALS
2009 record and finish: 91-71

Manager: Tony La Russa

Departures: IF Mark DeRosa, RHP Joel Pineiro, IF Troy Glaus, IF Khalil Greene, RHP John Smoltz

Arrivals: RHP Brad Penny, LHP Rich Hill

Rotation: RHP Chris Carpenter, RHP Adam Wainwright, RHP Kyle Lohse, RHP Brad Penny, LHP Rich Hill,

Closer: RHP Ryan Franklin

Setup men: RHP Jason Motte

Lineup: 2B Skip Schumaker, SS Brendan Ryan, 1B Albert Pujols, LF Matt Holliday, RF Ryan Ludwick, CF Colby Rasmus, C Yadier Molina, 3B David Freese


MILWAUKEE BREWERS

2009 record and finish: 80-82

Manager: Ken Macha

Departures: RHP Braden Looper, SS J.J. Hardy, CF Mike Cameron

Arrivals: OF Carlos Gomez, LHP Randy Wolf, RHP LaTroy Hawkins, C Gregg Zaun, LHP Doug Davis

Rotation: RHP Yovani Gallardo, LHP Randy Wolf, LHP Doug Davis, RHP Jeff Suppan, LHP Manny Parra

Closer: RHP Trevor Hoffman

Setup men: RHP LaTroy Hawkins

Lineup: 2B Rickie Weeks, SS Alcides Escobar, 1B Prince Fielder, LF Ryan Braun, RF Corey Hart, 3B Casey McGehee, C Gregg Zaun, CF Carlos Gomez


CHICAGO CUBS
2009 record and finish: 83-78

Manager: Lou Piniella

Departures: OF Milton Bradley, RHP Rich Harden

Arrivals: OF Marlon Byrd, OF Xavier Nady

Rotation: RHP Carlos Zambrano, LHP Ted Lilly, RHP Ryan Dempster, RHP Randy Wells, LHP Tom Gorzelanny

Closer: RHP Carlos Marmol

Setup guy: LHP John Grabow

Regulars: SS Ryan Theriot, RF Kosuke Fukudome, 1B Derrek Lee, 3B Aramis Ramirez, LF Alfonso Soriano, CF Marlon Byrd, C Geovany Soto, 2B Mike Fontenot


CINCINNATI REDS
2009 record and finish: 78-84

Manager: Dusty Baker

Departures: OF Willy Taveras

Arrivals: SS Orlando Cabrera, LHP Aroldis Chapman, IF Aaron Miles

Rotation: RHP Bronson Arroyo, RHP Aaron Harang, RHP Johnny Cueto, RHP Homer Bailey, RHP Micah Owings

Closer: RHP Francisco Cordero

Setup guy: RHP Nick Masset

Lineup: CF Drew Stubbs, SS Orlando Cabrera, 1B Joey Votto, 2B Brandon Phillips, 3B Scott Rolen, RF Jay Bruce, LF Jonny Gomes, C Ramon Hernandez


DW Pre-Spring Training, Predicted Order of Finish

1. St Louis
2. Chicago
3. Reds
4. Brewers
5. Astros
6. Pirates