NL CENTRAL PITCHING PREVIEW

A good discussion on which team has the best rotation in the NL East is going on over at Balls, Sticks & Stuff. I've chimed in with my thoughts. Those being: I'd have to say the Mets have the best staff assuming good health. You cannot count on Pedro getting hurt and Glavine showing his age. Glavine may pitch until 45. His 1st year as a Met was bad but the last 2 have been excellent. Pedro was Pedro last year--K'ing batters and allowing only 159 hits in 217 IP. As for the Phils, with Madson, Myers, Lieber, Lidle and Ryan Franklin, they could have the division's best if Myers can improve upon his great 2005 season and become 'the man'. Otherwise they are without an ace and I take the Mets.

Here's how the NL Central likely stacks up:

CUBS	CARDS	ASTROS	PIRATES	BREWERS	REDS
PRIOR	CARPENTER	OSWALT	PEREZ	SHEETS	HARANG
ZAMBRANO	MULDER	PETITTE	DUKE	BUSH	MILTON
MADDUX	SUPPAN	BACKE	WELLS	CAPUANO	CLAUSSEN
WOOD	MARQUIS	RODRIGUEZ	MAHOLM	DAVIS	WILSON
RUSCH	PONSON	ASTACIO	VOGELSONG	OHKA	WILLIAMS

The Cubs have Zambrano as their true ace. And like most players he has lost 15 pounds in the offseason. I suppose you either lose 15 lbs., or gain 15 lbs. of muscle depending on your shape in the season past. For Big Z, he needed to dump 15.

Though Maddux seems to be near the end, you could argue he was better last year than in '04. He pitched more innings and gave up less homers. He made 35 starts and threw 3 CGs.

No one knows when or if or why Kerry Wood will pitch again. I'm guessing Jerome Williams will take his slot until he is ready. Wood has been the most frustrating player to watch in my entire baseball viewing life. That's career-wise. If it's one game, it's the deliberate Steve Trachsel. Just maddening.

Glendon Rusch had a bad year. While he was better as a starter, he wasn't that good there either. Oddly he had his way with righties and got shelled by lefties. After the break hitters amassed a .322 BA against him. I don't see how you can expect anything but his career averages: 170-180 IP with an ERA around 4.50.

Prior needs to stay healthy (duh). Some of the injuries have been fluky, but even so, his numbers need to be better than what they have been in 2004 & 2005. Last year he gave up 25 dingers in only 167 IP. His ERA the last 2 years has been 3.67 & 4.02. Last year he did have more K's than IP so hopefully we will see the Year 1 & 2 Prior as opposed to the last 2.

As for the division as a whole, I have it like this:

1. Cards
2. Cubs
3. Pirates
4. Brewers
5. Astros
6. Reds
   

Chime in with your thoughts.