It’s ironic that on this Easter Sunday the 5th of April 2015 the 1st game of the regular 2015 MLB Season starts with the game between the Cardinals of Saint Louis and the Cubs of Chicago, and the experts are picking the Cardinals to win the Central Division as we preview the 2015 Central for MLB.
Yes, the Cardinals of Saint Louis are again pegged as the favorites to win the NL Central title as they have done in the past 2 seasons as the odds as favorites are +135 for that division in MLB for 2015. As you review the team it’s pretty obvious why they are favorites again, but they are solid at all positions for this 2015 season.
The star of their pitching staff is Wainwright who has been their ace with his best Earned Run Average this past season of 2.36 for the 2014 season. He makes up a large portion of their pitching staff that includes Wacha and Lackey who are also top not pitchers to share the bullpen staff.
Then looking at the Cardinals defense, they decided to add to their staff by acquiring Golden Glover Heyward, and then offensively they have Peralta, Holiday and Adams who all had a great year at the plate last season.
Then we take a look at the Cubs of Chicago and the Pirates of Pittsburgh who are both listed as sleeper for the 2015 MLB Regular Season. Many say the Cubs of Chicago have been riding out a curse, and that it will soon cease, as the Cubs created one of the biggest offseason transactions in the MLB this 2015. One of their best moves was acquiring free agent, left hand Pitcher Lester to add to their already solid pitching staff of Hammel and Arrieta. They are also a team with some very four exciting young (all 25 or under) players who can slug the ball and hit homeruns with Rizzo, Bryant, Baez and Soler, so their future is looking good for 2015.
The other sleeper the Pirates of Pittsburgh almost had a title in the division in 2014 as they ended their season only 2 games back of the winning Cardinals. Thus, it is believed they will make a run for the title again in 2015, as many believe they have one of the best outfields in major league baseball with Polanoc, Marte and McCutchen. Thus for the Pirates to win they need McCutchen at top performance and pitcher Liriano to continue with his excellent ERA.
There are some individual players to watch in the NL Central this 2015 and on is the Pitcher Lester that the Cubs acquired in free agency, and he has a lot of experience to give to a young and team that lacks lot of experience. He has a proven past, being on the 2014, 2011 and 2010 MLB All-Star teams and was with the Red Sox of Boston when they won the World Series in 2013 and back in 2007.
Lester had experienced some injuries in the 2012 and 2013 but still managed to have to come back and have a good year in 2014 in which he had his best record for ERA in his career. Now that he is in the NL Central he should record more strikeouts since they don’t use designated hitters.
The media experts are predicting the National League Central Division will be won by the Cardinals as the Pirates lose ground and the young Cubs team comes in second.