Major League Baseball Preview: NL Central

With pitchers and catchers set to report to spring training, every team has its hopes set on winning a pennant. The National League Central is one of the divisions least likely to be represented when the league championships are played in the fall. The best of the six teams appears to be St. Louis, but the Cubs could contend if their aging lineup stays healthy. Here is a preview of the division with teams in their predicted order of finish.

St. Louis Cardinals:

Re-signing LF Matt Holliday was crucial for the Cardinals, who should win the division again. Holliday joins Albert Pujols, the best hitter in the league, and will likely bat in front of RF Ryan Ludwick. That trio gives the Cards the most potent lineup in the division, even though it lacks pop from the left side. The team expects CF Colby Rasmus, who bats left, to improve on the 16 homers he hit last year. If he doesn't the deficiency from the left side could prove critical in a division that has few lefthanded starters.

The team also has to count on youngster David Freese to replace the valuable Mark DeRosa at third. The middle of the infield will again be anchored by converted 2B Skip Schumaker, a career .300 hitter, and shortstop Brendan Ryan, who hit an impressive .292 last season. Veteran Julio Lugo gives the club some infield depth, which has been weakened by the loss of utility man Joe Thurston. The club does have depth behind the plate with starting catcher Yadier Molina, veteran Jason LaRue and rookie Mike Pagnozzi, son of former Card catcher Tom.

The pitching staff should also be among the best in the division. The team added veteran Brad Penny to a rotation that already features 19- game winner Adam Wainwright, 17-game winner Cris Carpenter and the unpredictable Kyle Lohse. The bullpen will be led by closer Ryan Franklin, who saved 38 games last year and maintained an ERA under 2.00.

Chicago Cubs:

The team sent RF Milton Bradley packing to Seattle, which is the best move they could have made. He is replaced by CF Marlon Byrd, who will allow Kosike Fukudome to return to right field. Fukudome is still an average player, two years after leaving Japan for the Cubs. His stats stayed pretty much the same for both seasons, about 10 homers and a batting average under .260. He is also in his mid-thirties, which points to probably the most glaring concern for the Cubs. Chicago has an ancient ballpark and an ancient lineup. Byrd will be 33, and next to him in right is 34 year old Alfonso Soriano, whose numbers continue to fall as he ages. Last year he hit 20 homers, which is fewer than half as many as he hit in 2006, and he batted just .241.

The infield corners seem even older. 1B Derrek Lee hit 35 homers and batted over .300 last year, but he will turn 35 this season. 3B Aramis Ramirez is 32, but he has been injured the past few seasons. Last year he hit just 15 home runs, which is fewer than half of his 2006 totals. The middle infielders, SS Ryan Theriot and 2B mark Fontenot, are young, but they do not provide much spark in the lineup. C Geovanny Soto is the young star on the Cubs, a team that will rely on its oldest players to produce and therefore must avoid any injuries to win a championship.

Chicago's pitching staff will boast one of the best rotations in the division. Carlos Zambrano, who is susceptible to meltdowns, is a great talent. He will again be joined by veterans Ted Lilly and Ryan Dempster. The club is hoping that former Twins stalwart Carlos Silva regains his form after a disappointing stint in Seattle. The bullpen is unsettled, as young Carlos Marmol will be asked to close for a an entire season after saving 15 games after assuming that role last year.

Milwaukee Brewers:

Milwaukee's lineup features a lethal righty-lefty punch in LF Ryan Braun and 1B Prince Fielder. RF Corey hart also provides some pop for the Brewers, but the offense drops considerably after those three. The team has added some speed by trading for exciting former Twins' CF Carlos Gomez.

They have to rely on youngsters to fill out the left side of the infield. 3B Casey McGehee needs to build on his impressive 16 home runs and .301 batting average as he starts his sophomore season. Rookie Alcides Escobar impressed the Brewers so much that they traded popular SS J.J. Hardy to open the spot for him. The team is stuck with perennial disappointment Rickie Weeks at second base, and Greg Zaun is a decent backup catcher who will have to put on the gear nearly every game.

Pitching has long been a problem for Milwaukee, and this year will probably be no different. They do have veterans Doug Davis, Jeff Suppan and Randy Wolf in the rotation, which is led by 13-game winner Yovani Gallardo. The bullpen question is whether Trevor Hoffman has anything left as a closer. If not, the team would have to hope that either Todd Coffey or LaTroy Hawkins can regain the arms they had a half a decade ago.

Cincinnati Reds:

Each season the Reds seem to promise a commitment to rebuilding, only to trade for thirtysomethings. Last year they traded young but inconsistent 3B Edwin Encarnacion to Toronto for old and injured 3B Scott Rolen, a 35 year old with numbers similar to those of Encarnacion. This year GM Walt Jockety brought in 35 year old SS Orlando Cabrera instead of going with the younger and better defensive choice Paul Janish. Fortunately, though, the right side of the infield will be the cream of the division. 1B Joey Votto is an underrated talent, and 2B Brandon Phillips possesses outstanding speed, power and defense.

The outfield is filled with question marks. Inconsistent Jay Bruce will be in right, and injury-prone Chris Dickerson will likely start either in left or center. The third outfielder could be one of a number of candidates, none which could provide the Reds with the righthanded power they need. Catcher Ryan Hanigan should get more playing time, even though the club managed to re-sign veteran Ramon Hernandez to provide depth and some righthanded pop.

The pitching staff should be the strength of this club, though they will be pitching in one of the worst parks for pitchers, Great American Ballpark. Aaron Harang needs to regain the form that made him a standout righthander a few years ago, and Bronson Arroyo needs to be as consistent as he was in the last half of 2009. The trio of young arms behind them include Edinson Volquez, Johnny Cueto and Homer Bailey. Closer Francisco Cordero should have more games to save this year, and he will rely on veteran lefty Arthur Rhodes to get the game to him after the starters depart.

Houston Astros:

The Astros have a pretty good pair of sluggers in the middle of their lineup. LF Carlos Lee continues to put up impressive power numbers, and 1B Lance Berkman can hit for both power and average as long as he's healthy. RF Hunter Pence provides decent offense, and CF Michael Bourn is perhaps the best leadoff hitter in the division.

The lineup might have less power, now that Miguel Tejada departed as a free agent. The club did manage to bring in 3B Pedro Feliz, who has adequate power and will be a defensive upgrade. The club is still stuck with 2B Kaz Matsui's .250 batting average, and they are hoping that either 27-year old rookie Tommy Manzella or journeyman Jeff Keppinger can have a breakout year as the everyday shortstop. Catching is an even bigger weakness, as J.R. Towles and his .188 career BA battles veteran backup Humberto Quintero, himself just a .230 hitter.

The pitching staff would be great if the team only had to play two games a week. Roy Oswalt and Wanny Rodriquez make a formidable starting pair, but the rotation sinks quickly after them. The bullpen is a huge question mark, and the club does not have a closer.

Pittsburgh Pirates:

As usual, the Pirates have a lot f youngsters and few players anyone has ever heard of. 3B Andy LaRoche is one of the familiar faces, and he only hit 12 homers with a .250 batting average. Another returning starter, C Ryan Doumit, can match those numbers. Probably the most recognizable name in the lineup is LF Lastings Milledge, known more for his negative behavior than for his play on the field. The Pirates would be happy if he builds on the 14 home runs and 24 steals he put up with the Nationals in 2008. CF Andrew McCutcheon is an exciting young player who could give Pirates fans a reason to go to the ballpark. RF Garrett Jones is virtually unknown, but he is Pittsburgh's most consistent player. He hit close to .300 and crushed over 20 home runs last season.

The right side of the infield features 2b Akinori Iwamura, who hit a respectable .290 for the Rays last season, and 1B Jeff Clement, who lacks one letter and a bunch of hall of fame stats from being confused for Pirate legend Roberto Clemente. If Clement plays less than half as well as Clemente, Pittsburgh could use veteran Ryan Church in right and shift Jones to first. The last infield position will be filled by utility player SS Ronny Cedeno.

The pitching staff will rely on unproven arms. Ross Ohlendorf, who won 11 games last year, will lead the rotation. Lefty Paul Maholm and veteran Zach Duke will also take the mound every fifth game, but the other spots in the rotation are wide open. Pittsburgh acquired veteran Octavio Dotel as closer to save the few games they happen to lead in the ninth.