Here is how I see

the National League

Central this season.

By Amaury Pi-GonzálezNational League (Central)

1-St.Louis.

2-Houston

3-Chicago

4-Cincinnati

5-Pittsburgh

6-Milwaukee

1-St.Louis. The Cardinals had to

beat the Giants to make it to

the World Series last season

and they failed. A 97-65 record

positioned the Cardinals

as the team to beat in the

N.L Playoffs.

This team finished the 2002

regular season winning

26 of their last 34 games.

These were the offseason

acquisitions by St Louis.

-Joe Girardi (Cubs)

-Steve Torrealba(Atlanta)

-Chris Carpenter(Toronto)

-Al Levine(Anaheim)

-Joey Hamilton(Cincinnati)

Pitching: Last season at

the conclusion of Spring

Training they seemed top

have a surplus of arms,

not this season.

However, this is a very

good solid starting

five: Matt Morris-

Woody Williams-Brett Tomko,

-Garrett Stephenson and

Jason Simontachi.

In the bullpen they have

Steve Kline, Al Levine,

Jeff Fassero,Mike Crudale

and Joey Hamilton.

Offense. This is one of

the best lineups in baseball

with speed power and

experience. Fernando

Viña one of the best

leadoff hitters(third-hardest

player to strike out last season

in the league, 1 strikeout

per 19.2 turns at bat)

followed by Marrero-Edmonds-

-Pujols-Rolen-

-Tino Martínez-Rentería

and Matheny.

Albert Pujols played

6 positions last season

and hit .314 with 34

Homeruns and 127 runs

batted in playing in

a total of 157 games.

Tony LaRussa likes

to carry 12 man pitching

staff and 3 catchers and

will do during this year

with those numbers

because that is manager

Tony LaRussa’s and

pitching coach Dave Duncan

phylosophy.

The Cardinals are the

class of the N.L Central

and they should win

the division.

2-Houston. Jeff Kent

is very glad to be playing

at Minute Maid Park where

his compact swing is

perfect for that left field

wall. The ex Giant who

lives in Texas elated to

get out of San Francisco

and into the Lone Star

State.

The Astros led the league

in fielding last season

with a .986 percentage.

They were fifth in Homeruns

with 167 and they have

excellent young pitchers

to go along with that

excelent defense and

good offense.

Roy Oswald 19-9 3.01

pitching 333 innings with

208 strikeouts and only

67 bases on balls he is

one of the best young

(24)pitchers in the game.

He leads a rotation with

Shane Reynolds-Wade Miller-

-Carlos Hernández and

Peter Munro. Bullpen of

Billy Wagner (35 saves)

Octavio Dotel,Ricky Stone,

Brandon Puffer and

Jerome Robertson. This

is a scary young bullpen

with a lot of speed.

Last season manager

Jimmy Williams had a

rough first half with this

team, they collapse and

came back stroing in

August.

Astros should give a

tough fight to the

Cardinals, but at the

end I think St.Louis

is a better most well

rounded team.

3-Chicago. Dusty Baker

is going to love this town !

He might also like this

team. Dusty brought from

San Francisco coaches

Gene Clines,Sonny Jackson,

Juan López and one of

his very favorite players

in utility infielder Ramón

Martínez, plus he reunites

with Rod Beck who was

acquired by the Cubs as

well as lefty Shawn Estes

who came in via Cincinnati.

to solidify their pitching.

Cubs also have new

faces: Damian Miller(Arizona),

Paul Bako(MIlwaukee),

Troy O”Leary(Montreal),

Eric Karros(L.A), Mark

Grudzelanek(L.A)

Mike Remlinger(Atlanta),

and Dave Veres(St.Louis).

Sammy Sosa begins season

with 499 Homeruns. He will

become the first Latino player

ever to reach 500 and in

the American League, Cuban

veteran Rafael Palmeiro with

Texas should also reach that

magic number this season.

Moisés Alou played in 132

games last season and didn’t

really help this team that

much. A healthy Moises Alou

would make this lineup very

strong. But (aside from Sosa

who plays everyday and

produces a lot)there are a

few question marks.

How would Korean rookie

Hee Seop Choi play in

the Major Leages ? He

is taking over at first base

for Dusty’s team.

Pitching rotation:

-Kerry Wood

-Matt Clement

-Mark Prior

-Shawn Estes

-Carlos Zambrano

And a solid bullpen

anchored with Dominican

Antonio Alfonseca,Dave

Veres,Joe Boroski,

Mike Remlinger and

Kyle Fansworth.

Cubs got younger by

trading Fred McGriff and

that freed Korean rookie

Choi who last year

in Triple A, Iowa

hit 26 Homeruns before

they brought him up

to Chicago last September.

I like Dusty’s team specially

his young and talented

startint rotation.

4-Cincinnati. A new ballpark

The 41st President of the US

Bush senior throws out the

first pitch and baseball

gets under way by the

Ohio river.

Ken Griffey Jr still with the

team and the #1 question

is: Will it be harmony in

this clubhouse?

Manager Bob Boone has

a big challenge here this

season.

The Reds rotation finished

13th in the league in 2002.

They are one of the teams

with “money”issues.

Jimmy Haynes is their

#1 pitcher 15-12 4.10

last season followed

by Ryan Dempster,

Danny Graves,Paul Wilson

and Chirs Reitsma. It

is hard to predict how

they will do.

With 32 saves Danny

Graves is their closer.

One rookie that is going

to get a chance to play

is Willy Mo Peña a

6’3″ 215 lbs outfielder

with power and speed.

He will be playing with

Ken Griffey Jr,

Barry Larkin(who could

wind up with Yankees

after Jeter’s injury),

slugger Adam Dunn and

Sean Casey and one of

manager’s Bob Boone

sons in Aaron Boone

leadoff and secondbase.

The Reds are going for

a .500 record after

their 78-84 record in

2002. Ken Griffey Jr

situation, happy, not

happy…could influence

this mediocre team for

the worse.

5-Pittsburgh. This

team could surprise

a lot of people. They

will play hard for manager

Lloyd McClendon who

guided the Bucs to

be the most improved

team of 2002 winning

10 more games than

in 2001.

They might be taking

“baby steps”but they’re

moving forward.

Jason Kendall with

Pokey Reese and

Brian Giles a much more

confident Aramis Ramírez,

new face Randall Simon

(from Detroit) and

free swinger Matt Stairs

from Milwaukee are

going to make this a

very interesting team at

the great PMC Park by

the three rivers.

6-Milwaukee. The Brewers

hit into 154 doubleplays

last season. Their only

favorable record was

against their rivals

Chicago Cubs (0-7

against the Cubs).

Little hope for them

to escape the baseman

this season.

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NEXT: NATIONAL LEAGUE (EAST)