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2005 season preview
National League Central
By Times Staff
Published April 3, 2005
St. Louis Cardinals
2004: 105-57, 1st.
MANAGER: Tony La Russa.
PAYROLL: $87-million.
KEY ADDITIONS: LHP Mark Mulder, 2B Mark Grudzielanek, SS David Eckstein, C Einar Diaz.
KEY LOSSES: SS Edgar Renteria, C Mike Matheny, 2B Tony Womack, RHP Woody Williams, LHP Steve Kline, RHP Dan Haren, RHP Kiko Calero.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
SS David Eckstein
RF Larry Walker
1B Albert Pujols
3B Scott Rolen
CF Jim Edmonds
LF Reggie Sanders
2B Mark Grudzielanek
C Yadier Molina
ROTATION: RHP Chris Carpenter, RHP Jason Marquis, LHP Mark Mulder, RHP Jeff Suppan, RHP Matt Morris.
CLOSER: RHP Jason Isringhausen.
BOTTOM LINE: La Russa insists the team will be better at shortstop/second base with Eckstein instead of Renteria and Grudzielanek instead of Womack. ... Edmonds, 35 this summer, is the youngest of the outfielders. ... The rotation is the first since 1932 Cubs with five 15-game winners from previous season. ... No one had a better first four years than Pujols. ... Cards are a lock.
Chicago Cubs
2004: 89-73, 3rd.
MANAGER: Dusty Baker.
PAYROLL: $100-million.
KEY ADDITIONS: OF Jeromy Burnitz, 2B-OF Jerry Hairston, C Henry Blanco, RHP Chad Fox, RHP Scott Williamson.
KEY LOSSES: RF Sammy Sosa, LF Moises Alou, RHP Matt Clement, 2B Mark Grudzielanek, RHP Kyle Farns-worth, LHP Kent Mercker, C Paul Bako.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
CF Corey Patterson
2B Todd Walker
SS Nomar Garciaparra
3B Aramis Ramirez
RF Jeromy Burnitz
1B Derrek Lee
LF Todd Hollandsworth
C Michael Barrett
ROTATION: RHP Carlos Zambrano, RHP Greg Maddux, RHP Ryan Demp-ster, RHP Kerry Wood, RHP Mark Prior.
CLOSER: RHP LaTroy Hawkins.
BOTTOM LINE: Wood (shoulder) and Prior (elbow) are supposed to be okay, eventually. But for a team that lost so much offense, how long can it wait? ... Maddux is looking for his 18th straight 15-win season. ... Will Garciaparra once again be an elite hitter? ... If things don't break right, it could be a long summer.
Houston Astros
2004: 92-70, 2nd.
MANAGER: Phil Garner.
PAYROLL: $79-million.
KEY ADDITIONS: LHP John Franco, LHP Phil Norton.
KEY LOSSES: CF Carlos Beltran, 2B Jeff Kent, RHP Wade Miller.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
2B Craig Biggio or Chris Burke
SS Adam Everett
1B Jeff Bagwell
RF Luke Scott
3B Morgan Ensberg
CF Jason Lane
LF Mike Lamb or Biggio
C Brad Ausmus
ROTATION: RHP Roy Oswalt, LHP Andy Pettitte, RHP Roger Clemens, RHP Brandon Backe, RHP Brandon Duckworth.
CLOSER: RHP Brad Lidge.
BOTTOM LINE: Beltran and Kent are gone, Berkman is hurt. What is Houston to do? ... Rely on one of baseball's top pitching staffs. The top four starters, if right, can be impenetrable and Lidge is almost automatic. ... No playoff repeat.
Cincinnati Reds
2004: 76-86, 4th.
MANAGER: Dave Miley.
PAYROLL: $60-million.
KEY ADDITIONS: LHP Eric Milton, 3B Joe Randa, RHP David Weathers, LHP Kent Mercker, RHP Ben Weber, RHP Ramon Ortiz, SS Rich Aurilia.
KEY LOSSES: SS Barry Larkin, INF Juan Castro, LHP Gabe White, RHP Todd Van Poppel, RHP John Riedling, LHP Phil Norton, LHP Mike Matthews.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
2B D'Angelo Jimenez
SS Felipe Lopez
1B Sean Casey
CF Ken Griffey Jr.
RF Austin Kearns
LF Adam Dunn
3B Joe Randa
C Jason LaRue
ROTATION: RHP Paul Wilson, LHP Eric Milton, RHP Ramon Ortiz, RHP Aaron Harang, LHP Brandon Claussen.
CLOSER: RHP Danny Graves.
BOTTOM LINE: Milton gave up an NL-high 43 home runs last season with the Phillies, and the Reds last season allowed a club-record 907 runs and 236 home runs. ... The Reds have now had four straight losing seasons, their longest stretch since 1945-55. Make it five.
Milwaukee Brewers
2004: 67-94, 6th.
MANAGER: Ned Yost.
PAYROLL: $42-million.
KEY ADDITIONS: LF Carlos Lee, C Damian Miller, RHP Ricky Bottalico, 3B Jeff Cirillo, RHP Jose Capellan.
KEY LOSSES: RHP Danny Kolb, CF Scott Podsednik, SS Craig Counsell, 2B-3B Keith Ginter, RHP Luis Vizcaino,
C Gary Bennett.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
CF Brady Clark
2B Junior Spivey
1B Lyle Overbay
LF Carlos Lee
RF Geoff Jenkins
C Damian Miller
3B Russell Branyan
SS J.J. Hardy
ROTATION: RHP Ben Sheets, LHP Doug Davis, RHP Victor Santos, LHP Chris Capuano, RHP Gary Glover.
CLOSER: RHP Mike Adams.
BOTTOM LINE: Sheets (264 strikeouts) and Davis last season combined for 48 quality starts, tops of any major-league tandem. ... Payroll was boosted $15-million from last season and new owner Mark Attanasio said he wants to compete by 2008. ... A 13th consecutive losing season can be avoided only with supernatural pitching.
Pittsburgh Pirates
2004: 72-89, 5th.
MANAGER: Lloyd McClendon.
PAYROLL: $36-million.
KEY ADDITIONS: RF Matt Lawton, LHP Mark Redman, C Benito Santiago.
KEY LOSSES: C Jason Kendall, 2B-SS Abraham Nunez.
PROJECTED LINEUP:
RF Matt Lawton
SS Jack Wilson
LF Jason Bay
1B Craig Wilson
3B Ty Wigginton
CF Tike Redman
2B Jose Castillo
C Benito Santiago
ROTATION: LHP Oliver Perez, RHP Kip Wells, LHP Mark Redman, RHP Josh Fogg, LHP Sean Burnett.
CLOSER: RHP Jose Mesa.
BOTTOM LINE: Perez struck out at least 10 nine times, and he anchors an unproven rotation that has much potential. ... Kendall was a big loss. ... Little power in a lineup that holds little promise. A club-record 13th consecutive losing season is guaranteed.#
[Last modified March 31, 2005, 01:36:06]
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