NL Central Small Talk (team, series, streak, division)
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Okay, folks. It's the All-Star Break and all the Sunday games involving Central teams are now over. The winners were the Astros, Brewers, and Cards in today's action. I've decided that we should grade the teams in the NL Central based on first-half performance. I'll not repeat the standings thanks to HsvMike's update from last night, but I'll give comments and recaps below. Everybody had certain expectations going into the season and we certainly have seen a few surprises.
Here are my grades of all the teams based on my pre-season predictions:
Milwaukee Brewers - A - When you don't have Chris Capuano going, you better hope everyone else steps up. Ben Sheets has done his part. C.C. Sabathia will help. Ryan Braun is hitting .290 and has earned an All-Star spot.
Chicago Cubs - A - The team I admittedly love to make fun of is a team that's been doing everything right in the first half. They're doing it with pitching, and Rich Harden was a good pick-up. One of this season's surprises based on their record alone, but the fact that Lou Piniella has them contending isn't a surprise.
Houston Astros - D- - The Astros were supposed to turn things around and heat things up on the basepaths with improved speed. Well, so far, Michael Bourn has been a bust. He can run, no question, but he can't hit. Pitching was expected to be a disappointment, and it's been one. Lance Berkman keeps doing what he's always done. Carlos Lee and Hunter Pence have been productive. This team is three years removed from their 2005 World Series appearance, and they have now hit rock bottom.
St. Louis Cardinals - B+ - Tony LaRussa can just flat-out manage. He has worked his magic once again, this time with a roster of question marks whom we wondered if they had anything left. And Kyle Lohse has had a sensational season. Albert Pujols is still the real deal.
Pittsburgh Pirates - C - They have a good, young pitching staff with tons of potential, but you have to wonder if the window of opportunity is closing on them. Jason Bay has a had a good first half at the plate.
Cincinnati Reds - D - For the Reds, it's amazing that the lone bright spot is a righty who has the league's best record (12-2), but isn't starting the All-Star game. Edinson Volquez will, instead, get one middle inning to pitch on Clint Hurdle's NL squad on Tuesday. The rest of the Reds' roster is just gosh-awful.
So, there you are for the first half. If you wish to chime in with your grades for your team, please do. You don't have to give grades for all six teams, and that's fine. Let's hear from you on this.
If you're surprised by the Cubs dominance, you're about the only one. Most people I talked to/listened to/read picked the Cubs to run away with the NL Central with maybe the Brewers or Cincinnati following not too far behind. To me the biggest surprise this year has been how weak the rest of the NL is. I mean, who would have thought that at the all-star break, the NL West leader would be below .500???
Meanwhile in the NL East, the only team that seems to be able to consistently beat NL teams of any division is the Phillies. It seems the only reason they haven't broken the division wide open is because they got clobbered in interleague play. (That and the Mets are on a tear, but let's see how long that lasts when they're done playing NL West teams.) Now that interleague is over, I predict the Phillies will ultimately win the division.
If you're surprised by the Cubs dominance, you're about the only one. Most people I talked to/listened to/read picked the Cubs to run away with the NL Central with maybe the Brewers or Cincinnati following not too far behind. To me the biggest surprise this year has been how weak the rest of the NL is. I mean, who would have thought that at the all-star break, the NL West leader would be below .500???
Meanwhile in the NL East, the only team that seems to be able to consistently beat NL teams of any division is the Phillies. It seems the only reason they haven't broken the division wide open is because they got clobbered in interleague play. (That and the Mets are on a tear, but let's see how long that lasts when they're done playing NL West teams.) Now that interleague is over, I predict the Phillies will ultimately win the division.
Yeah, the NL West is just terrible this year, Drover. I expected a lot more out of the D-backs this time around, but it isn't happening. I actually expected the Dodgers to do big things because of new manager Joe Torre, but that hasn't happened, either. And you may well be right about the Phillies, who have a tremendous offense. In the Central, I still think it can be a four-team race in the second half. While the Astros in the past have been a great second-half team, this year may be an exception unless struggling players show vast improvement. But the team to watch may not be the Cards or my Astros or even your "vaunted" Cubbies, but it may well be the Brewers. C.C. Sabathia is in a new league and that will make him, along with Ben Sheets, tough enough for everyone else.
Cinci is kind of interesting, they have decent offense out of 1st, 2nd and 3rd, but little from SS. They have a kid who plays SS by the name of Chris Valaika and who really bears watching.
This kid may be a near term super star, a batter in the mold of Barry Larkin.
Cinci is kind of interesting, they have decent offense out of 1st, 2nd and 3rd, but little from SS. They have a kid who plays SS by the name of Chris Valaika and who really bears watching.
This kid may be a near term super star, a batter in the mold of Barry Larkin.
Those kids have a chance to break through. On the days the Reds get any pitching, especially from Volquez, they might start posing problems for opponents.
Pretty good first "half" of the season, I'd say. The Cards stumbled here and there down the stretch (witness Saturday's 12-11 loss against the Pirates - inexcusable), but if you told me at the beginning of the season that they'd be on pace to win 90 games at the ASB, I probably would've laughed at you. Let's just say Tony LaRussa & Co. proved me wrong. I don't know if they've got what it takes to last the entire season, but if nothing else, this year has been fun to watch. I've been reminded why I love baseball.
Here's to hoping the futility lasts in Chicago (well, one part of Chicago)...
Pretty good first "half" of the season, I'd say. The Cards stumbled here and there down the stretch (witness Saturday's 12-11 loss against the Pirates - inexcusable), but if you told me at the beginning of the season that they'd be on pace to win 90 games at the ASB, I probably would've laughed at you. Let's just say Tony LaRussa & Co. proved me wrong. I don't know if they've got what it takes to last the entire season, but if nothing else, this year has been fun to watch. I've been reminded why I love baseball.
Here's to hoping the futility lasts in Chicago (well, one part of Chicago)...
Well, you know, ThatTNGuy, the White Sox did better than I expected. You're right about the Cards, because everybody, including myself, thought there was going to be a big decline and they'd probably have to rebuild.....
But it all came together for them and Tony worked his magic. By the way, how did you pick my Astros to do this year, ThatTNGuy?? They're in last place now, with a revamped lineup, but only seven games under .500, so making up ground for them is very doable. How did you pick them?
Well, you know, ThatTNGuy, the White Sox did better than I expected. You're right about the Cards, because everybody, including myself, thought there was going to be a big decline and they'd probably have to rebuild.....
I remember joking at the beginning of the season that our rotation would consist of Carpenter/Wainwright/LOL/OMG/WTF - that's how low my expectations were. I still think they have a lot of work to do in terms of building a complete team, but when Carp and Waino are healthy, I'll be much happier.
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But it all came together for them and Tony worked his magic. By the way, how did you pick my Astros to do this year, ThatTNGuy?? They're in last place now, with a revamped lineup, but only seven games under .500, so making up ground for them is very doable. How did you pick them?
Well, I remember the 2004 and 2005 seasons very well. Both times, Houston struggled mightily in the first half but managed to put it all together in the second half, and they made it to the NLCS in '04 and got all the way to the World Series in '05 (as I'm sure you already know). Most people were expecting the Cubs and Brewers to be the teams to beat, and honestly, I expected the Astros to finish in the middle of the pack. I had hopes that the Cardinals were going to contend, but with all of the unknowns, I gave the edge to Houston. Things haven't exactly gone their way so far, but after seeing their comebacks in 2004 and 2005, I never put anything past them. You might be surprised at the end of the season.
That 2004 NLCS, by the way, was perhaps my favorite playoff series ever. You may be more fond of the '05 NLCS, for obvious reasons, but I can never remember being on the edge of my seat for an entire series like I was in 2004. Carlos Beltran killed us on a regular basis.
Well, I remember the 2004 and 2005 seasons very well. Both times, Houston struggled mightily in the first half but managed to put it all together in the second half, and they made it to the NLCS in '04 and got all the way to the World Series in '05 (as I'm sure you already know). Most people were expecting the Cubs and Brewers to be the teams to beat, and honestly, I expected the Astros to finish in the middle of the pack. I had hopes that the Cardinals were going to contend, but with all of the unknowns, I gave the edge to Houston. Things haven't exactly gone their way so far, but after seeing their comebacks in 2004 and 2005, I never put anything past them. You might be surprised at the end of the season.
I'll be surprised if the Astros' pitching is any better in the second half than it was in the first. Backe and Oswalt have to step it up. They need Wandy to step it up, too. Valverde must show the fire he had while with the Diamondbacks (he's been good, not great), and the lineup must produce runs. And Bourn is going to have to hit and not just try to take walks. When he's on base, look out. They've also got to have the will to win, and this is a different team from the one in '05. We are going to find out if they can.
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And A Question For ThatTNGuy
