| cardinals 2005: 100-62 (1st) manager: tony larussa, 29th year stadium: new busch (46,700) batting studs 1b-albert pujols 330 avg, 41 hr, 117 rbi cf-jim edmonds 263 avg, 29 hr, 89 rbi 3b-scott rolen 235 avg, 5 hr, 28 rbi pitching studs rhp-chris carpenter 21-5, 2.83 era lhp-mark mulder 16-8, 3.64 era rp-jason isringhausen 1-2, 2.14 era, 39 sv 2006 prediction: 95-67 (getting older, but still have enough to win central again) astros 2005: 89-73 (2nd) manager: phil garner, 14th year stadium: minute maid (40,950) batting studs 3b-morgan ensberg 283 avg, 36 hr, 101 rbi 1b-lance berkman 293 avg, 24 hr, 82 rbi lf-preston wilson 260 avg, 25 hr, 90 rbi pitching studs rhp-roy oswalt 20-12, 2.94 era lhp-andy pettitte 17-9, 2.39 era rp-brad lidge 4-4, 2.29 era, 42 sv 2006 prediction: 93-69 (if/when clemens comes back, will be the most complete team in baseball) cubs 2005: 79-83 (4th) manager: dusty baker, 14th year stadium: wrigley (41,118) batting studs 1b-derrek lee 335 avg, 46 hr, 107 rbi 3b-aramis ramirez 302 avg, 31 hr, 92 rbi rf-jacque jones 249 avg, 23 hr, 73 rbi pitching studs rhp-carlos zambrano 14-6, 3.26 era rhp-greg maddux 13-15, 4.24 era rp-ryan dempster 5-3, 3.13 era, 33 sv 2006 prediction: 81-81 (if wood and prior come back soon, could contend for wildcard) brewers 2005: 81-81 (3rd) manager: ned yost, 4th year stadium: miller (41,900) batting studs lf-carlos lee 265 avg, 32 hr, 114 rbi rf-geoff jenkins 292 avg, 25 hr, 86 rbi cf-brady clark 306 avg, 13 hr, 53 rbi pitching studs rhp-ben sheets 10-9, 3.33 era lhp-chris capuano 18-12, 3.99 era rp-derrick turnbow 7-1, 1.84 era, 39 sv 2006 prediction: 80-82 (will be about the same as last year) reds 2005: 73-89 (5th) manager: jerry narron, 4th year stadium: great american (42,271) batting studs lf-adam dunn 247 avg, 40 hr, 101 rbi cf-ken griffey 301 avg, 35 hr, 92 rbi ss-felipe lopez 291 avg, 23 hr, 85 rbi pitching studs rhp-bronson arroyo 14-10, 4.51 era rhp-aaron harang 11-13, 3.83 era rp-david weathers 7-4, 3.94 era, 15 sv 2006 prediction: 76-86 (if pitching holds up, could surprise) pirates 2005: 67-95 (6th) manager: jim tracy, 6th year stadium: pnc (38,496) batting studs lf-jason bay 306 avg, 32 hr, 101 rbi rf-jeromy burnitz 258 avg, 24 hr, 87 rbi 3b-joe randa 276 avg, 17 hr, 68 rbi pitching studs lhp-zach duke 8-2, 1.81 era lhp-oliver perez 7-5, 5.85 era rp-mike gonzalez 1-3, 2.70 era, 3 sv 2006 prediction: 70-92 (new year, same old pirates) |