Who will win second place in the NL Central?

Brewers got a good lineup, but their pitching isn't all that deep. Pirates look thin even with Marte, so unless they get a bunch of people having career years, it's not going to happen. Reds got a bunch of power, but they got offensive black holes in some positions and their rotation right now would only be decent in AAA. They got young talent though and could improve. Cards look solid again. They don't really have any big holes. If it goes well, they could hang with the Cubs who to me are a bit thinner in their pitching and with some injuries would really bring them back to the pack. I'd say Milwaukee is the dark horse.

Cubs
Cards
Brewers
Pirates/Reds

are the pirates that bad? i could be way off but i see second place as a three-way race between the brewers, cardinals, and pirates (sorry reds). the cardinals seem destined to finish around .500, as their defense and baserunning is maddeningly terrible. the brewers' position players are scary and i think the team will compete with the cubs for first in 2018. maybe i'm overestimating the pirates, but i'm not ready to count them out yet.

actually, maybe the question is whether or not any NL Central team will make the wildcard

cubs
cards
bucs
crew
reds

no wild cards

i don't think the brewers have the pitching to hang (the reds definitely don't). the pirates have three pretty good starters and two terrible ones, and as a staff strike out too few batters. the offense is being carried by david freese, who i love, but c'mon.

i don't understand what mike leake is doing, but he might be key to the entire process. and for all the tears karl has wept for waino, dude has the second-best FIP in the rotation -- he has been babipped and hr/fb'd to hell so far, which needn't continue.

otoh, who *will* the wild cards be? if dodgers/cubs/nats win the divisions . . . the mets have upside but are flailing. do i believe in the rockies? i do not. maybe arizona. so idk, maybe st. louis can get a wild card

yea safe to say Milwaukee's offense has been better than advertised, but their pen isn't too great and they don't have much of a starting rotation. things might get better once their Opening Day starter gets off the DL, but the fact that their #1 is Junior Guerra kinda says it all right now. as much as I'd love them to make some noise the truth is they've been going through this crazy offensive flurry and they're still only .500, so who knows what'll happen once they stop mashing 3 HRs a game.

I believe in Clint Hurdle. The rest is just noise.

lol <3

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gotta love that 124x uptick in Milwaukee's chances