Marty Lurie Talks San Francisco Giants Baseball
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NL Central and West Preview

The NL Central promises to be one good race. Everyone is picking the Cardinals, I disagree. They look too good on paper. Their rotation is suspect. Matt Morris is a 20 game winner, after that anyhting can happen. Woody
Williams, Darryl Kile, Bud Smith and Andy Benes can all have major off seasons.Injuries seem to grab Jim Edmonds and JD Drew too often. Jason Isringhausen is not the big game closer the Cards hope. Steve Kline may have to bail him out. Albert Pujols must deal with the sophomore jinx. Teams will adjust to him, will he adjust adequately to them? Baseball history says “be careful with second year players”.

The Cubs will close strong. Jason Bere, Jon Leiber, Matt Clement and Juan Cruz will team with Cy Young hopeful Kerry Wood until Mark Prior arrives in July.

Moises Alou, Fred McGriff, and Sammy Sosa must stay healthy for the year. I’m betting they give the Cubs enough to make it happen.

Houston has a great young rotation. Carlos Hernandez may surprise from the left side. Roy Oswalt, a Tim Hudson look alike, and Wade Miller are fine. Dave Mlicki has found something in Houston. Shane Reynolds is on his way out, but Houston has prospects coming up.

Biggio, Bagwell, Hidalgo, Berkman, and Ward give the Astros enough offense.

Wagner and Dotel make it a seven inning game from the pen. Plus I like Jimy Williams as a manager.

Milwaukee, Cincy, and Pittsburgh are afterthoughts. Cincinnati is the most intriguing with Junior Griffey, Adam Dunn, and Sean Casey, but the thought of Joey Hamilton as opening day starter and Jose Rijo, who they must have plucked from a softball team, in the pen tells the story.

If Milwaukee could play with the coaching staff of Gary Mathews, Dave Stewart, Jim Gantner, Jerry Royster, and manager Davey Lopes, they might have a chance. Ben Sheets will be awesome on the mound. Richie Sexson will hit 55 homers. Other than that, a long season for the Brew Crew.

Cubs

Cards

Astros

Reds

Brewers

Pirates

For the Padres and Rockies see the Daily Dish Archive.

San Francisco has the most balanced team. they filled last year’s holes with David Bell, Shinjo, and Reggie Sanders. Bonds will hit 60 and Jeff Kent is now on a mission to show that his motorcycle injury was no big deal.

Russ Ortiz, Livan Hernandez, and Jason Schmidt are three winners. Kirk Reuter and Ryan Jensen plus a deep bull pen make their pitching staff the best in the division.

Arizona cannot ride Johnson and Schilling for the whole season. Todd Stottlemyre is in danger of every pitch being his last.Rick Helling has no velocity and is not a finesse pitcher.Miguel Batista bailed the staff out last year, can he do it again? Bull pen miseries abound, Kim is inconsistent. Lefty Mike Myers may be the best trade of the off season. Mike Morgan and Greg Swindell, please.

Luis Gonzalez was awesome last season. Durazo is hurt, Mark Grace, and Jay Bell are toast. Womack, Spivey, and Counsell have had their days in the sun.

Enjoy the championship because you won’t see another one for a while.

The Dodgers always find a way to get close. Injuries to Kevin Brown, Andy Ashby, and others will make this season very iffy. Brian Jordan is good, but not Sheffield. Shawn Green can’t carry the team. Nomo, Ishii, Daal, Gagne,Quantrill, and Odalis Perez. Not the recipe for October.

Giants

Diamondbacks

Padres

Dodgers

Rockies

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