The Baseball Friend, who we’re urging to start a blog (because it’s cool and fun and neat!), is back today with a look at the NL Central. Our projections in the Central: Cubs, Brewers, Astros, Reds, Cardinals, Pirates. We’d love for the Brewers to reach the postseason, but the pitching’s probably too weak. Thursday we did the East, and Monday (Opening Day!) will be the West. The Baseball Friend’s thoughts after the jump.

Greetings, all. Thanks again to all who have written in. I’m going to put a mailbag together for early next week with the theme of “How to correct your draft day mistakes,” as we all make them and I’ve gotten some HILARIOUS stories about them. So if you have any draft day disaster stories and would like to share/get some help correcting them, email me at thebaseballfriend@yahoo.com.

Happy to be back previewing MLB for you again. For the record, I’ll slightly disagree w/TBL on the East, but not by much. I’m going: Phils, Braves, Mets, Marlins, Nats. Today we look at the NL Central, which came down to the wire last year and is likely to do so again.

1. Chicago Cubs. Really, other than 100 years of ineptitude, what’s not to like? They have a fantastic front 3 of Chuck Z, Lilly and Hill and while Dempster and Marquis de Not Good at Pitching aren’t going to dazzle anyone, who has a 4/5 starter that will? You know what? I’m down with the redemption of Kerry Wood. The closer role is perfect for him. I don’t think you’ll see him pitch 3 days in a row, but they have a terrific option in Marmol to step in when he needs a day or two off. The lineup is solid, full of guys in their primes (A Ram, Lee, Soriano,) and youngsters who I believe are ready to be good right now (Soto, Pie and Theriot.) Fun team. And I didn’t even have to mention the Japanese guy!
Prediction - 96 wins

2. Milwaukee Brewers. I love this team. They absolutely have the chance to dominate this division for the foreseeable future. I just think they have more question marks than the Cubbies. IF Sheets gives them 30 starts and IF Gagne holds up all year (and isn’t Cordero just a total jerk for bolting this team just for a little extra coin,) and IF 1-2 of the young arms can contribute significantly (I LOVE Manny Parra,) and IF Weeks finally makes the leap … that’s just too many ifs. Where the Cubs have backups for the question marks (ie. Marmol for Wood,) the Crew is a bit thinner depth-wise. But a front three in ‘09 of Sheets, Gallardo and Parra with those insane hitters? VERY good time be a Brewers fan.
Prediction - 90 wins (possible WC contention as well.)

3. Cincinnati Reds. Better than you think. I love Dunn in his walk year. Hell, I love Dunn EVERY year! I also like Encarnacion to have a nice year and Phillips is a stud. Again, not a ton to dislike, they’re just not as good as the top 2 teams in the division. What’s interesting about this team are Volquez and Cueto. They have the stuff to dominate and if they both make real contributions this year, the Reds can absolutely contend for the wild card with the massively underrated Harang at the top of the rotation. I think they’re a year away, though. Interestingly, you could be looking at a Reds team that needs hitters more than pitchers in a year or two if they let Dunn walk and Griffey retires.
Prediction - 84 wins

4. Houston Astros. You know who this team could use? Roger Clemens. I’d say there’s a 20% chance of that happening, but that’s neither here nor there. The lineup is going to be very good with Bourn running all over the place and Pence, Lee, Berkman and Tejada (who I really like this year,) punishing the ball. JR Towles is going to be a plus offensively at catcher and even Wigginton and Loretta are solid-won’t-hurt-you Major League hitters. But Wandy Rodriguez is their number two starter. Really. Wandy Rodriguez. Shawn Chacon is in the rotation! Really. Going to be very frustrating to watch this team this year.
Prediction - 78 wins

5. St. Louis Cardinals. Just because they’re the Cards and always in it, doesn’t mean that you can pretend that this team is anything other than awful. I mean really, really bad. As in, Albert Pujols-should-just-get-the-surgery-now bad. A buddy of mine who knows some of Prince Albert’s ‘people,’ swears that Pujols has had this injury for years and it’s no different this year and that his eyes are on his historical place in the game. That he doesn’t want to miss a year ever because he wants to hit 800 home runs. I respect that. But Ankiel, Duncan and Glaus are probably the three next best hitters in that lineup. After Wainwright, the number two SP is probably Kyle Lohse who ANYONE else could have had and didn’t want. Maybe Reyes takes a step up, but this team can’t pitch or hit particularly well. I feel bad for their fans. Not good times.
Prediction - 71 wins

6. Pittsburgh Pirates. I really want to put them above the Cards. I’d take Snell, Gorzy and Maholm over the Cards front 3. I like Capps better than Izzy and they have a few decent arms in the ‘pen. I’m a HUGE fan of Nate McLouth and I believe Jason Bay will bounce back a bit. But after that, it’s really grim. The upside is, help is on the way. Andrew McCutchen and Neil Walker will probably make their debuts this year and if Brad Lincoln fully recovers, they could have an excellent young rotation going forward. Their outlook is better than the Cards’, that’s for sure. Just not this year.
Prediction - 69 wins