NL Central Preview

03/04/2010 11:09 AM - 

We continue to look at some of the playing time/pitching staff questions that each team hopes to solve in spring training especially those most relevant for fantasy baseball players.

Here are some of the questions I see for teams in the NL Central Division – one that is virtually wide open for most of it’s teams to win.

 CHICAGO CUBS

• Starting pitcher would be first up on the doctor’s table – will Ted Lilly be ready to open the season in the rotation or will the Cubs have to find another starter?
• LF Alfonzo Soriano is also not totally healthy but needs to be for the Cubs to compete for the division
• Aramis Ramirez missed time last year and again the Cubs really need him all year especially since the team is not loaded with power
• Perhaps the biggest performance question will be closer Carlos Marmol…..will the Cubs see the closer so effective at the end of the season or the wild pitcher from earlier in the year?
• Sean Marshall and Angel Guzman both of whom can be effective are both coming off injuries so LHP John Grabow would seem to be the only non question mark.
• Can Mike Fontenot and Jeff Baker form an effective platoon at 2B (or will Lou put up with it for long), or does one of them take over and be fantasy relevant?
• Can new CF Marlon Byrd be an effective everyday player and contribute enough power in the middle of the Chicago lineup?

 CINCINNATI REDS

• Is Drew Stubbs ready to play CF and lead off every day? With the Reds trading Willy Taveras, they hope the answer is yes, and I think it is too.
• Who will win the LF job? Or might it be a platoon? Current contenders are Josh Anderson, Chris Dickerson, Todd Frazier, Jonny Gomes, Juan Francisco, Wladimir Balentien, Chris Heisey, and Laynce Nix
• Will the Homer Bailey who pitched in September bring that with him and finally be a dependable starter for the Reds?….and for fantasy owners.
• Can Aaron Harang rebound from 2009?
• Who will win the fifth starter spot? Matt Maloney, Justin Lehr, Travis Wood, and maybe even Cuban Aroldis Chapman will compete for the spot in spring training.
• While reports are there have been no further problems, can Joey Votto play the entire season?

 HOUSTON ASTROS

• Pitching questions dominate for the Astros…..first up will their Ace, Roy Oswalt regain his form? Perhaps last year’s problems can be blamed on the WBC, but it is now two below form years for Oswalt.
• Can Brett Myers regain value as the #3 starter for the Astros?
• Will Wandy Rodriguez take another step up to Ace status?
• Tommy Manzella is supposed to take over at shortstop where he will be more than adequate defensively but will he have any fantasy relevance offensively?
• Can veterans Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee hit enough to make this offense good enough to support the pitchers?
• Will the Astros closer be Brandon Lyon or Matt Lindstrom?
• Do J.R. Towles and Humberto Quintero split at bats at catcher or will one of them clearly win the job in spring training?

 MILWAUKEE BREWERS

• The main question for the Brewers is whether a reconstituted rotation can hold the opposing teams to few enough runs so that the good offense can win enough games to contend for the Central Division championship. That starts with Yovani Gallardo and whether he can take the next step up and be more consistent in his starts?
• Can LHPs Randy Wolf and Doug Davis repeat their very good 2009 seasons?
• Will the lights finally go on for Manny Parra?
• Does Rickie Weeks finally realize his potential or is this his last year in Milwaukee?
• Can the Brewers resurrect the promise of new CF Carlos Gomez?

 PITTSBURGH PIRATES

• For Pirate fans is there hope for a winning season? Fantasy players hope so if they are rostering Pirate pitchers
• Can Octavio Dotel handle the closer role? Dotel was great as a set up man years ago and can still get batters out, but perhaps mentally can he succeed?
• Will Paul Maholm rebound after a disappointing 2009 season?
• Can Ryan Doumit stay healthy for the whole season? He is a plus hitter at catcher IF the answer is yes.
• Does Garrett Jones build on his breakout 2009 season and supply the power the Pirates need from him?
• Can former Mariner catching prospect Jeff Clement hit enough to stay at 1B?
• Does Andrew McCutchen take another step up as a very promising young OF?
• Did the Pirates buy low on LF Lastings Milledge and see him blossom as an everyday player this year?

 ST. LOUIS CARDINALS

• Is Brendan Ryan healthy enough to start the season at shortstop? This is almost a domino effect question, because if not the Cards can sign newly signed Felipe Lopez to short, but
• Who will win the 3B job out of spring training? The leading candidates are David Freese and Joe Mather, but if neither step up and Ryan is healthy, Lopez could play there.
• If Ryan is at short and Freese/Mather at third, does Tony LaRussa play Lopez at second and move Skip Schumaker to LF?
• Will Brad Penny rebound as a key starter? He will have the advantage of pitching Coach Dave Duncan in St. Louis.
• Who wins the fifth spot in the rotation? Candidates include Rich Hill, Jaime Garcia, Kyle McClellan, and Blake Hawksworth.