The 2001 season offered baseball fans a taste of just about everything: the arrival of Ichiro, Barry Bonds' magical offensive barrage, the Seattle Mariners' record-tying 116 victories, the retirements of future Cooperstown members Mark McGwire, Cal Ripken, Jr. and Tony Gwynn, and the Arizona Diamondbacks' unthinkable World Series upset of the 3-time defending champion New York Yankees. This coming season's thrills may not be as spectacular as last year's, but, as always, there will still be thrills, and plenty of them. And while the rather drab National League Central stayed out of the spotlight for much of last year, this division will not be ignored in 2002.
Contenders:
Houston Astros. When the season begins next week, the team to beat in the Central will be the Astros. With a 93-69 record last year, Houston beat out the St. Louis Cardinals for the division title, their fourth in five years. However, another premature exit from the playoffs prompted the firing of manager Larry Dierker, who was replaced at the helm by former Boston Red Sox skipper Jimy Williams.
Playing in the field formerly known as Enron, the Astros will have no problems producing offensively. Although they did lose slugger Moises Alou to the Chicago Cubs, outfielder Lance Berkman is emerging as a capable player whose power numbers will continue to increase. In 2001, he hit 34 home runs (including 21 away from Enron), knocked in 126 RBIs and posted an impressive .331 average. If Richard Hidalgo can exhibit the power he displayed two seasons ago, Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio should have plenty of offensive company.
Should the Astros' offense light it up as expected, the pitching staff should benefit in the form of victories. Right-hander Roy Oswalt joined the starting rotation last June and performed exceptionally well, logging a 14-3 record, a 2.73 ERA, 144 strikeouts and just 24 walks in 141 innings. He will be a starter this season, which does not bode well for Houston's opponents. The Astros will also ride the right arm of Wade Miller, who had a breakthrough season last year as well, with a 16-8 record and a 3.40 ERA. The relief core is anchored by set-up man Octavio Dotel, who registered 145 K's in 105 innings pitched last year, and by hard-throwing closer Billy Wagner, who racked up 39 saves.
Barring injuries to any of these key players, Houston should reign supreme again in the NL Central.
Team on the Bubble:
Cincinatti Reds. Given the fact that the Reds are a small-market team, they do have a significant amount of talent, and somehow need to use this talent to improve on their miserable 2001 record of 66-96. Their situation this year is strikingly similar to their situation in 1999, when they combined a few talented players with a lot of average players who performed beyond expectations on the way to a 96-67 record.
If Ken Griffey, Jr. wants to prove his value to his team, this is the year to do it. Over the past two seasons, injuries and a bad attitude have kept him from putting up the same numbers that he reached in Seattle. Offseason criticism of his work ethic by former teammates and coaches should motivate him to return to his old form.
The Reds' offensive woes from last year will be inexcusable this year. Sean Casey is a future batting title champion who should be hitting 30 homers, Todd Walker is a solid contributor who can post a .300 average, a healthy Aaron Boone should hit .290 and notch 25 home runs - this is just the infield. Griffey, Jr. and Adam Dunn form an outfield duo that could easily hit 90 home runs combined.
While the starting pitching scenario does not look as promising, the rookies from last year who had lackluster seasons can only improve and should benefit from the presence of veteran Joey Hamilton and comeback-player-of-the-century Jose Rijo, who returned at the end of last season after missing over five years recovering from multiple elbow surgeries. The relief core is its usual solid self, and a healthy John Riedling will be able to ease the burden from Scott Sullivan's shoulders. If the Reds can build a lead, "baby-faced assassin" Danny Graves is more than capable of closing any game.
With a new ballpark coming in 2003, the Reds are on the bubble in 2002.
Players to Watch: Kris Benson.
In 2000, Benson was touted as the pitcher of the future for the Pittsburgh Pirates and one of the best young hurlers in the league. However, surgery on his right elbow sidelined him for the entire 2001 campaign. Benson is set to return to the starting rotation in early May, one month ahead of schedule. Although he will not be able to single-handedly turn around a Pittsburgh squad that lost 100 games last year, his return may spark the team enough to climb out of the cellar.
Kerry Wood.
After a stellar rookie campaign with the Chicago Cubs in 1998 in which he struck out 233 batters, Wood missed all of 1999 to injury and struggled in 23 starts in 2000. Last year, he showed definite signs of returning to his rookie form, striking out 213 batters and posting a 3.36 ERA en route to a 12-6 season. This could be Wood's year to battle Randy Johnson, Curt Schilling, and Greg Maddux for the Cy Young award. He also could help a solid Cubs' team vie for the wild card.
Young Gun:
Adam Dunn. All the hype surrounding this Cincinnati Reds 22-year old outfielder is for good reason. Dunn jumped from Double-A to Triple-A to the big leagues last season, smacking 51 homeruns in his three stops, including 19 for the Reds in just 66 games. His 12 home runs last August set a National League record for home runs in a month by a rookie. With a 6'6", 240-pound frame, this young behemoth has the strength, power, and potential to hit 40-plus homers a season for years to come.Last Word:
Although the Astros are the odds-on favorite to win the NL Central for the fifth time in six years, the St. Louis Cardinals do have offensive firepower led by rookie of the year Albert Pujols, a promising young pitcher in Matt Morris, and the potential to claim the division title for themselves. The Milwaukee Brewers and Pittsburgh Pirates should engage in a tight battle for last place.
