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Once again, the Arizona Diamondbacks ended the season at the bottom of the NL West. The Diamondbacks went just 65-97 in 2010, their worst record since going 51-111 in 2004.

The Diamondbacks are turning to general manager Kevin Towers, who was signed in September of last year. Towers wasted little time renovating the Diamondbacks roster.

Here is a closer look at what the Diamondbacks’ starting lineup and starting rotation will look like this season, plus our MLB predictions on where they will end the year in the NL West.

Starting Lineup

The Diamondbacks’ offense lived off the long ball last season.  If they weren’t going yard, they were more than likely striking out—they set a major league record with 1,528 strikeouts. The Diamondbacks parted ways with Adam LaRoche and Mark Reynolds, who combined for 383 strikeouts last year.

Arizona is hoping a strong nucleus of young talent and some nice new pieces will help them be more consistent in 2011. 

The Diamondbacks figure to score a lot of runs with the players they have returning at the top of the order. Chris Young provides power (27 home runs) and speed (28 stolen bases) at the leadoff spot. Kelly Johnson is the ideal No. 2 hitter; he not only has the power to drive the ball all over the field, but also hits for a nice average.

Those two set the table for Stephen Drew and Justin Upton.  They didn’t exactly go off last season, but they should only continue to get better. Arizona is also extremely high on catcher Miguel Montero, who never got it going last year because of a knee injury. If he can stay healthy, we believe he will really help this team turn things around.

The other spots in the order will be filled with the additions of first baseman Juan Miranda, who will finally get a shot at showing what he can do, third baseman Melvin Mora, who really turned it on after the All-Star break last season despite his age, and Xavier Nady, who is expected to take over the starting job in left field.

Starting Rotation

The Diamondbacks made a couple of big moves, trading away Dan Haren and Edwin Jackson midway through last year, in hopes of rebuilding for the future.  They also couldn’t be happier with the pickup of Daniel Hudson, who dazzled Arizona fans with a 7-1 record and 1.68 ERA in 11 starts after coming over from the White Sox.

Right away, Hudson made his mark as one of the top pitchers on this staff.  He definitely has the talent to become one of the top pitchers in the league.

Arizona received Joe Saunders in the Haren trade and, while he went just 3-7 with a 4.25 ERA, he went 33-14 over his previous two seasons.  We think his numbers will be much better this year.

The Diamondbacks are also high on Ian Kennedy, who went 9-10 with a 3.80 ERA in his first full season as starter. Kennedy has the makings of an ace as well, and could end up challenging Hudson for the top spot in the rotation.

The other two spots in the rotation will likely go to Zach Duke and Armando Galarraga. Neither has quite lived up to his potential and, if they don’t get it figured out early, we wouldn’t be surprised if a couple prospects ended up taking their spots.

2011 Projections: Fifth Place NL West

While we believe Towers will be able to make Arizona a contender again, we don’t think it will be this year. The rotation is strong at the top, but there isn’t a lot to be excited about after that. Offensively, the Diamondbacks could surprise—but when it’s all said and done, we don’t see much improvement this year.

The Diamondbacks’ MLB odds to win the West this season are currently listed at +1300.

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The Colorado Rockies were unable to make it back to the postseason for a third time in four years, as they finished 2010 third in the division with a record of 83-79.

The Rockies, however, have the pieces in place to make it back to the playoffs this season, as they have a ton of great players on the field and on the mound. Colorado should contend for its first NL West crown in team history.

Here is a closer look at the Rockies’ starting lineup and starting rotation for the 2011 season, plus our MLB predictions on where they will wind up the year in the NL West.

Starting Lineup

The Rockies have two of the best young players in the game in Carlos Gonzalez and Troy Tulowitzki. Both have what it takes to bring home the MVP award this year if they can stay healthy and Colorado contends for the division title.

Tulowitzki hit .315 with 27 home runs and 95 RBI. Gonzalez busted onto the scene to lead the NL with a .336 batting average, providing a lot of power with 37 home runs and 117 RBI.

The Rockies also have Todd Helton, who will continue to hit in the middle of the lineup. However, Helton will be 37-years-old this season and simply is not the player he once was.

The Rockies are also high on center fielder Dexter Flower and third baseman Ian Stewart. Flower led the majors with 14 triples last season and, at the age of 24, he still has a ton of room to grow. Stewart is also a young 26 and, while he hit only .256, he managed to hit 18 home runs and drive in 61 RBI.

Another guy Colorado would like to see improve this year is right fielder Seth Smith, who started off great but ended up hitting just .192 with five home runs and 14 RBI after the All-Star break.

The Rockies would also like to see better stats out of catcher Chris Iannetta and newly acquired second baseman Jose Lopez, both of whom had great 2009 seasons only to disappoint in 2010.

Starting Rotation

The Rockies appear to have their ace of the future in Ubaldo Jimenez who, in his breakout season, threw the first no-hitter in team history, going 19-8 with a 2.88 ERA.  Jimenez gives the Rockies just what they have been looking for at the top of the rotation.

After Jimenez, the Rockies have a pretty good No. 2 starter in Jorge De La Rosa and an up-and-coming prospect in Jhoulys Chacin.

De La Rosa didn’t quite have the success he had in 2009, but should be able to bounce back this season. Chacin went just 9-11 but had a 3.28 ERA and 1.27 WHIP at the age of just 23, which has us thinking 2011 could be a breakout season for the youngster.

The back of the rotation doesn’t figure to bring the same punch. Both Jason Hammel and Aaron Cook struggled to get it going in 2010, and we have a hard time seeing either starter making a huge improvement.

2011 Projections: Second Place NL West

No question the Rockies have what it takes to win the West this year, and we would actually be shocked if they didn’t increase their win total from last season.  However, overcoming the San Francisco Giants and their top of the line rotation will be a difficult task.

The Rockies’ MLB odds to win the NL West this season are currently listed at +200.

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The San Diego Padres will have to find a way to overcome a terrible finish to the 2010 season. The Padres were atop the National League at 76-49 on Aug. 25, but fell apart down the stretch, going just 14-23 to finish the year.

San Diego ended up finishing second in the division to the San Francisco Giants, who eventually won the World Series.

San Diego will have to compete this year without All-Star first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, who now plays for the Red Sox. Still, with a solid pitching staff and terrific defense, San Diego is expected to be a threat to win the West again in 2011.

Here is a look at the Padres’ Opening Day starting lineup and starting rotation, plus our MLB predictions on where they will end the season in the NL West.

Starting Lineup

It’s not easy trying to figure out where the Padres are going to get their run production from without Gonzalez in the middle of the order. San Diego went out and added first baseman Brad Hawpe, center fielder Cameron Maybin, second baseman Orlando Hudson and shortstop Jason Bartlett, but not one of these guys had a good season last year.

Hawpe wasn’t near the hitter he was in Colorado after leaving the Rockies, and we don’t expect his numbers to improve playing in San Diego. On the other hand, we wouldn’t be surprised to see Hudson and Bartlett turn things around, but neither brings a lot of power.

Maybin could be the one who provides some of that power. He will only be 24 this season, and while he hasn’t lived up to his potential, a change of location could be all this kid needs to turn things around.

The Padres are also hoping left fielder Ryan Ludwick can rebound from last year. San Diego traded for Ludwick last season, but he hit only .211 with six home runs and 26 RBI in 59 games with the Padres, numbers he has to improve on if they are going to make another run in the West.

One other player that could turn things around is right fielder Will Venable, who was second on the team with 13 home runs despite playing most of the year with a bad back. The rest of the lineup doesn’t figure to provide a whole lot. Catcher Nick Hundley hit just .249, and third baseman Chase Headley has yet to deliver in two full seasons as a starter.

Starting Rotation

It seems like San Diego always has one of the better starting rotations in the game, and we wouldn’t be surprised if that was the case once again this season.

San Diego’s pitching staff features two outstanding pitchers in Mat Latos and Clayton Richard. Latos went 14-10 with a 2.92 ERA, while Richard went 14-9 with a 3.75 ERA. Both were much better than their records indicate, but unless the offense finds a way to deliver, it’s hard to picture their win totals increasing much this season.

San Diego likes what it got out of Tim Stauffer last season. He went 6-5 with a 1.85 ERA in seven starts and 25 relief appearances, which should be enough to make him a full-time starter this season.

The Padres went out and added Dustin Moseley and Aaron Harang this offseason to shore up the starting rotation. Harang appears to be a big risk, considering he hasn’t topped six wins his last three seasons. Moseley, on the other hand, could surprise, as he should benefit from pitching at PETCO Park compared to pitching for the Yankees in the loaded AL East.

San Diego also has Wade LeBlanc and Cory Luebke, who could start as well.

2011 Projections: Third Place NL West

The Padres were a huge surprise last year, considering they went just 75-87 the year before. The starting rotation is solid at the top, but there are concerns at the other three spots, plus the offense could be even worse than it was last season. While the Padres could surprise again, we believe they will fall back in the NL West this year.

The Padres’ MLB odds to win the NL West this season are currently listed at +1200.

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Last season, The San Francisco Giants took advantage of a late-season collapse by the San Diego Padres to win the National League West with a record of 92-70. San Francisco carried that momentum all the way to the World Series, where they beat the Texas Ranges.

With a top level pitching staff secured for year to come, San Francisco is no doubt a threat to not only repeat in the NL West, but to return to the World Series this year.

Here is a look at the Giants 2011 starting lineup and rotation, plus our MLB predictions on where they will finish the year in the NL West.

Starting Lineup

Everything just seemed to come together at the right time for San Francisco last season, and it didn’t matter who they stuck on the field, they found a way to produce.

What everyone wants to know is, can this lineup build off last year, or will they fall back after such a remarkable run in 2010? Either way, the Giants offense doesn’t figure to need a ton of runs with the starting rotation they have behind them.

The player that really seemed to to get this team going was catcher Buster Posey, who hit .305 with 18  home runs and 67 RBIs after getting called up in July. Posey has the making of a future MVP winner, and if he builds off off last season, he could end up taking home the award this year

As good as Posey was down the stretch, veterans Aubrey Huff, Pat Burrell, and Cody Ross all played a huge roll in the Giants making it all the way to the World Series, as they seemed to find new life in a Giants uniform. Whether or not they can build off that success is up in the air.

Another player the Giants are hoping will continue to grow this year is center fielder Andres Torres, who has a great mix of speed and power, as he hit 16 home runs and stole 26 bases last season. 

The Giants are hoping that second baseman Freddy Sanchez will be ready to go from shoulder surgery this offseason. If he is healthy, look for backup Mike Fontenot to start the season in his place.

One player who really disappointed in 2010 was third baseman Pablo Sandoval, who went from .330 with 25 home runs in 2009, to just .268 with 13 home runs in 2010. The Giants have demanded he show up in better shape, and if does as they say and returns to his previous form, San Francisco will really benefit offensively. 

Starting Rotation

If there is any team that can come close to the starting four of the Philadelphia Phillies, it would have to be the Giant’s starting four of Tim Lincecum, Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez, and Madison Bumgarner.

There might not be a better pitcher in the game than Lincecum, and while he didn’t succeed in winning his third straight Cy Young award, he was dominant in the postseason.

Cain really shined in the playoffs, not giving up a single run in three starts, and we like his chances of improving on his 13-11 regular-season record from last season.

Sanchez went 13-9 last year with a career-best 3.07 ERA, while Bumgarner went 7-6 with a 3.00 ERA. While we expect Sanchez to really come on strong in 2011, we aren’t so sure on Bumgarner, who lacks experience and a full season workload.

The final spot in the rotation will belong to Barry Zito, who can look like an ace in one start, and then look like he doesn’t even belong in the rotation in the next. He’s still a solid No. 5 starter, and anything positive they get out of him is a plus. 

2011 Projections: 1st Place NL West

After their improbable end to last season, and a pitching staff that can match up with any team in the National League, the Giants are the favorites to win the NL West again this year. Whether or not they get the job done will depend on the health of the team, and an offense that really overachieved last season. The Giants MLB odds to win the NL West this season are currently listed at +160

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It wasn’t the season the Los Angeles Dodgers were hoping for in the final year under manager Joe Torre. The Dodgers didn’t exactly play badly at 80-82, but finished fourth in the NL West. Torre’s replacement is Don Mattingly, who will try and bring life to an organization that hasn’t made the playoffs since 2006.

The offense will have to be better if the Dodgers are going to contend for the division this year. The only problem is L.A. just didn’t do a whole lot to better their lineup. Here is a closer look at the Dodgers’ starting lineup and starting rotation for the 2011 season, plus our MLB predictions on where they will finish the year in the NL West.

Starting Lineup

For the Dodgers to bring home the division this season, they need an even bigger season out of Andre Either and Matt Kemp. It’s not as though the two were bad last season, but with the supporting cast they have around them, it’s up to them to carry the load.

Kemp delivered 28 home runs last year, but his RBI, OBP, and average all dropped. Either opened the season on fire, but faded down the stretch and must show he can produce over a full season.

What could really get this offense going is a healthy Rafael Furcal, who played less than 100 games last season. On the field, Furcal is one of the top leadoff hitters in the game.

Los Angeles also brought in second baseman Juan Uribe—who set career-highs with 24 home runs and 85 RBI with the Giants last season—but he is getting up their in age, and it’s more likely he declines rather than improves. 

The rest of the lineup draws some concern.

James Loney hasn’t been the hitter the Dodgers had hoped for at first base. If his numbers continue to get worse, you have to wonder how much longer the Dodgers will keep him in the lineup. Third baseman Casey Blake turned 37 last August, and there is no doubt his best days are behind him. Catcher Rod Barajas was added after L.A. decided to not resign Russell Martin. Barajas is coming off a year where he hit 17 home runs, but is another guy on the wrong side of 35. Marcus Thames and Jay Gibbons are expected to split duties in left field, and if they get anything out of these two, it will really help this offense. 

Starting Rotation

The reason the Dodgers were able to even compete in the West last season was the amazing work they got from their starting rotation.

Clayton Kershaw solidified his spot at the top of the rotation after another great run in 2010. Kershaw went just 13-10, but finished with an ERA of 2.91, which shows how little the offense was providing.

Chad Billingsley also didn’t get a lot of run support, as he went 12-11 with a 3.57 ERA.

Los Angeles decided to bring back Ted Lilly, whom they acquired in a midseason trade with the Cubs. Lilly went 7-4 with a 3.52 ERA with the Dodgers, and should be a solid No. 3 starter.

The last two spots in the rotation figure to be filled by Hiroki Kuroda and Jon Garland. Kuroda went just 11-13 last season, but had a 3.39 ERA and 1.161 WHIP. Garland returns to the Dodgers after a season with the Padres, where he went 14-12 with a 3.47 ERA.

Not very often will you find a staff that has five starters who all had an ERA under 4.00 the previous year, and not finish above .500. But unless the offense gets things going, the Dodgers could fit that bill.

2011 Projections: 4th Place NL West

While the Dodgers might not have the star power in their starting rotation, there is no question they have the arms to make a run in the West. The problem is they just don’t have the offense to back it up. Unless a lot of guys have a breakout season in 2011, we don’t see Los Angeles making much progress in the division standings. The Dodgers’ MLB odds to win the NL West this season are currently listed at +225.

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The Houston Astros finished fourth in their division last season with a record of 76-86, it marked the first time Houston finished two straight years with a losing record since the 1990 and 1991 seasons (74-88, 2009). While Houston traded away Roy Oswalt to the Phillies last year, they still expect a strong season from this year’s starting rotation.  With the additions of shortstop Clint Barmes and second baseman Bill Hall, they are hoping one of the worst offenses of last year can turn things around, and help this team get back to the playoffs for the first time since 2005. Here is a quick breakdown of their starting lineup and starting rotation, plus our MLB predictions on where they will finish up the yea in the NL Central.

Starting Lineup

Houston’s offense is at its best when center fielder Michael Bourn is playing at a high level. Once he reaches base he immediately becomes a threat to move ahead on the bases, as he topped the National League for a second straight season with 47 stolen bases. The problem is Bourn hit just .265, something he has to improve on. While Houston still has Carlos Lee in the middle of their batting order, it’s hard to expect a huge season out of him after he hit a career-worst .246 last season. The players to watch out for are right fielder Hunter Pence, who hit 25 home runs with 91 RBIs, and third baseman Chris Johnson, who hit 11 home runs with 52 RBIs after his June call up. 

The next step in Houston’s offense is a big year from their new additions in Hall and Barmes. The problem is neither player had a very good season last year, but the potential is there for these two to thrive at Minute Maid Park. If they still have some pop left in their bats, it could be a bounce back year for both players. 

The rest of the lineup doesn’t figure to produce a whole lot. Catcher Jason Castro hit just .205 with and OBP of .286 and has yet to show he can hit at the big league level, while first baseman Brett Wallace also needs to turn things around from a poor first season, as he hit just .222 with two home runs. Both are still young and could develop into solid players once they find their groove, but they need to show something more this year. 

Starting Rotation

Houston’s top two starters in Brett Myers and Wandy Rodriguez appear to be the real deal, and could be in for an even bigger season if the offense can get things going. After not pitching well in his previous three seasons with the Phillies, Myers went 14-8 with a 3.14 ERA in 2010, and is believed to be the top pitcher of this rotation. Rodriguez went 11-12 last season, but his 3.60 ERA and 1.287 WHIP show he was much better than his record indicates. 

The back of the rotation should be solid with J.A. Happ and Bud Norris. Whether these two improve or decline in 2011, will have a play a huge role on the success of this team. Happ went a respectable 5-4 with a 3.75 ERA in 13 starts with Houston after coming over from Philadelphia in the Oswalt trade. Norris went just 9-10 with a 4.92 ERA last season, but his 9.3 SO/9 at the age of just 25, has us thinking it could be a much better 2011 for the youngster. The final spot in the rotation will likely go to Nelson Figueroa, who went 5-3 with a 3.22 ERA in 10 starts, but you have to wonder how much he has left in the tank at the age of 36.

2011 Projections: 6th Place NL Central

While Houston figures to have a above-average starting rotation, we still have huge concerns on the offensive side of the ball for this team. We don’t just think Houston will struggle this season, we think they will end the year worse than the Pirates in the Central. The Astros MLB odds to win the NL Central this season are currently being listed at +3500

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The Florida Marlins finished 80-82 in 2010, which put them in third place in the division race. They have decided to stick with Edwin Rodriguezas manager, who took over for Fredi Gonzalezlast season.

Like years past, Florida could surprise with young talent all over the field, but it is not going to be easy for this team to jump the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves.

Here is a quick look at Florida’s 2011 starting lineup and starting rotation, plus our MLB predictions on how they will end the season in the NL East.

Starting Lineup

The Marlins lost a lot of power with the trade of second-baseman Dan Uggla, but they are hoping a lot of different players will make major improvements this year. It all begins with shortstop Hanley Ramirez, who has the talent to become one of the elite players in the game, but struggles to consistently bring it on a daily basis.

Ramirez batted .300 with 21 home runs in 2010, but has the potential to hit hit .330 with 30 or more home runs and carry the Marlins to a surprise finish.

Other players Florida is hoping will really turn it on this season are first baseman Gaby Sanchez, newly acquired catcher John Buck and right-fielder Mike Stanton, whom we think could be in for a much better season if he doesn’t get hurt.

The Marlins got Omar Infante in the trade that sent Uggla to Atlanta, and while he doesn’t have the pop, he hits for a great average and should really help this offense put some runs on the board.

What the Marlins get out of guys like Matt Dominguez, Logan Morrison and Chris Coghlan will make a huge impact on just how good Florida’s offense is this year, which will in turn play a huge role in their chances on winning the division. 

Starting Rotation

The Marlins rotation is top-heavy this season with the likes of Josh Johnson and Ricky Nolasco, who returns from a solid season. Johnson finished 11-6 with a 2.30 ERA and 9.1SO/9, and if the offense would help him out, he has a great shot at becoming the NL Cy Young winner this season.

Nolasco has brought in an average of 14 wins over the last three years, including a 14-9 campaign in 2010 where he posted a 4.51 ERA. That high ERA is a concern, but it’s hard to look past the 14-win average. 

The Marlins acquired veteran Javier Vazquez to help solidify the rotation, and it could go either way for the 34-year-old this season. Vazquez went 10-10 with a 5.32 ERA with the New York Yankees last year, but should benefit from no longer pitching in the AL East. 

The final two spots in the rotation should go to Anibal Sanchez and Chris Volstad. Sanchez went 13-12 with a 3.55 ERA last season, but also could have had a lot better run support.

If he can stay healthy, something he has struggled with in the past, he could be in for a monster season.

Volstad showed some great improvements last season, going 12-9 with a 4.58 ERA. He improved his ERA from 5.21 in 2009, and at just 24 years of age, we like his odds of getting even better again this year. 

2011 Projections: Third Place NL East

Florida has proven in its brief history that they can strike out of nowhere to make the playoffs and contend for the World Series.

While that isn’t out of the question in 2011, we just don’t know enough about this team to pick them ahead of Phillies and Braves.

The Marlins’ MLB odds to win the NL East this season are plus-700.

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While the Nationals didn’t do as badly as their disastrous 2009 season, where they went 59-103, they still found themselves in the basement of the division in 2010 with just 69 wins. While Washington wasn’t able to bring back power hitting first baseman Adam Dunn, they were able to bring in Adam LaRoche and Jason Werth.

With pitching phenom Stephen Strasburg not able to go until at least September, the Nationals simply don’t have the pitching or hitting to contend. Here is a quick look at the starting lineup and starting rotation for the Nationals, plus our MLB predictions on how we see them finishing the this season in the NL East.

Starting Lineup

The Nationals are counting heavily on the production of Werth and LaRoche, as their only other power hitter is third baseman Ryan Zimmerman, who finished with 25 home runs with 85 RBIs. LaRoche hit 25 home runs with 100 RBIs while playing for the Diamondbacks. Werth hit 27 home runs to go along with 85 RBIs as a member of the Phillies. Other than these three, the rest of the lineup could be in trouble. 

Long-time veteran Ivan Rodriguez is projected to open the season behind the plate but doesn’t figure to be more than a leader in the clubhouse. Nyjer Morgan didn’t quite have the season the Nationals were hoping for, hitting just .253 compared to the .307 he hit in 2009.

Washington also took an interesting gamble on outfielder Rick Ankiel, who has had a tough time staying healthy, but he could end up being one of the big surprises of the this season. Finally for the Nationals to take that next step, they need their young prospects to be even more of a factor. Ian Desmond had a solid rookie season, hitting 10 home runs with 65 RBIS, but still has a lot of work to do, the same could be said for Danny Espinosa, who hit just .214 with a .277 OBP in 28 games last year. 

Starting Rotation

Even if Washington’s offense overachieves, it’s unlikely they compete in the division with the starting five they are predicted to start the year with. With Strasburg out for most of the year, Livan Hernandez is the ace of this rotation, and while he finished 2010 10-12 with a 3.66 ERA, he is better suited as a No. 3 starter.

What the Nationals need this season will be the continued improvement of youngsters John Lannan and Jordan Zimmermann. Lannan went 8-8 with a 4.65 ERA, but has pitched better in previous years, and could be ready to a breakout season. Zimmerman has started just seven games over the last two seasons because of Tommy John surgery, but Washington still believes he has what it takes to be a good pitcher in this league.

The the final two sports in the the rotation are a huge concern with Tom Gorzelanny and Jason Marquis. Neither figures to be dominant and we wouldn’t be shocked if the Nationals didn’t end the season with these two and try and get some younger arms some experience. 

2011 Projections: 5th Place NL East

The Nationals lost their best power-hitter in Dunn and top pitcher in Strasburg, it’s hard to imagine Washington improving a whole lot this season. The NL East has too much talent, and we don’t think there is anyway they make it out of the basement in this division.The Nationals current MLB odds to win the NL East this season are +6000

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Milwaukee’s lack of pitching proved to be too much for them to overcome in 2010.

Milwaukee ended the season third in the NL Central at 77-85. With the additions of Shaun Marcum and Zach Greinke this offseason, Milwaukee heads into this season with a ton of optimism.

Here is a quick look at the starting lineup and starting rotation for the Brewers, plus our take on where we think they will finish the year in our 2011 MLB predictions.

Starting Lineup

The Brewers offense is centered around the production of Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder, but there are a number of players in this lineup who can swing the stick. Rickie Weeks showed what he was capable of when healthy, posting a career-high 29 home runs hitting first for the Brewers.

Cory Hart also had a monster season with 31 home runs and 102 RBI. Casey McGehee showed that he has the talent to hold down the starting job at third base, and in a lineup full of sluggers he led the team with 104 RBI.

The Brewers added even more offense with the offseason signing of shortstop Yuniesky Betancourt, but he will be a liability on defense. Carlos Gomez and Jonathan Lucroy aren’t expected to do much offensively for Milwaukee, and any improvement from last year will only make this lineup that much better. 

Starting Rotation

The Brewers are going for it all this year, and the additions of Greinke and Marcum give them a great shot at not only winning the division, but making a deep run in the playoffs.

Don’t be fooled by Greinke’s 10-14 record and 4.17 ERA in 2010, he was playing on a bad team, and should be even better pitching in the National League. We look for Greinke to be much closer to his 2009 numbers, when he won the AL Cy Young going 16-8 with a 2.16 ERA.

Marcum went just 9-7 last year, but improved both his ERA and WHIP, and those numbers only figure to get better now that he is out of the AL East. When you throw in Greinke and Marcum to the mix of Yovani Gallardo and Randy Wolf, Milwaukee now has a starting staff that can contend with most teams.

Wolf disappointed in his first season with the Brewers, but now that he is the No. 4 starter, the expectations aren’t as high, and we think he will come back even better with a solid run this year.

The fifth and final spot in the rotation will be handled by Chris Narveson, who went 12-9 with a 4.99 ERA in his first full season as a starter. Depending on how much he improves from last season, the Brewers could have themselves a very underrated pitching staff even with the big additions they made. 

2011 Projection: First Place NL Central

The Brewers have had the offense to be a contender in the National League the past few seasons, but they haven’t had the rotation/bullpen. With the improvements to the pitching staff, we have the Brewers making it back to the postseason for just the fourth time in team history.

With the injury to Cardinals‘ ace Adam Wainwright, the Brewers’ MLB odds to win the division are sure to go up. 

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The St. Louis Cardinals are coming off of a rather disappointing 2010 campaign that included giving up the lead in the NL Central over the final month of the season to miss the postseason.

St. Louis was fairly active in the offseason, notably acquiring Ryan Theriot and Lance Berkman. The Cardinals already own two of baseball’s best hitters in Albert Pujols and Matt Holliday. Let’s take a look at the starting lineup and starting rotation for St. Louis and make our MLB predictions on their 2011 season.

Projected Lineup

With Theriot expected to leadoff and Berkman projected to bat second in front of Pujols and Holliday, the Cardinals can expect to have one of the more potent 1-4 combos in baseball. A lot of that will depend on what the Cardinals get from Berkman, who  struggled through an injury-plagued year in 2010.

Theriot is going to hit for a nice average which should result in a lot of runs, especially hitting in front of Pujols. Pujols can carry an offense all by himself with his ability to take it out of the park anytime he walks up to the batter’s box. While Holliday isn’t at the same level as Pujols, he has a ton of power and should continue to profit from hitting behind one of the best hitters in the league. 

St. Louis is hoping that they will continue to see improvements from Colby Rasmus, Yadier Molina and David Freese. All three had pretty good years in 2010. Skip Shumaker was a bit of a disappointment last season, as he wasn’t the same player offensively as he had been in years past. For St. Louis to compete in the National League this year, they need these four bats to contribute. 

Projected Rotation

The loss of starter Adam Wainwright is a major blow, not only to the Cardinals’ pitching staff, but to their chances of getting back to the playoffs this year. Wainwright nearly won the Cy Young award last season with a 1.04 WHIP, and you simply can’t replace a player of his skill level. 

It now becomes very important that veteran Chris Carpenter remains injury-free this year, something he has had a hard time doing over the last few seasons. Last year, Carpenter showed he was far from finished, winning 16 games with a 3.22 ERA and 1.18 WHIP in his 14th season. 

The loss of Wainwright also puts a ton of pressure on Jake Westbrook, Jaime Garcia and Kyle Lohse, as they now have to be that much better for the Cardinals to still be a factor in the NL Central.

Westbrook came over from Cleveland in a midseason trade last year, and while he compiled just four games in 12 starts, he pitched well and could be in for a breakout season in St Louis.

Garcia won 13 games with an impressive 2.70 ERA and 1.32 WHIP as a rookie, and the Cardinals are expecting him to be even better this year.

Lohse didn’t pitch well at all last year, going 4-8 with a 6.55 ERA, but there really isn’t a lot St. Louis can do with Wainwright going down. P.J. Walters could end up taking the vacated spot in the rotation unless the Cardinals make a move for another starter. 

2011 Prediction: 4th Place NL Central

The Cardinals are stacked at the top offensively and until the injury to Wainwright, their pitching staff was pretty strong at the top as well. The addition of Berkman, plus the improvements of young players like Colby Rasmus and Jaime Garcia, would have likely had St. Louis competing for the top spot in the NL Central this year.  However, with the loss of Wainwright, we think the Cardinals will struggle to compete with the likes of Milwaukee, Chicago and Cincinnati. The Cardinals MLB odds to win the division are sure to drop now that their best pitcher is out for the season. 

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