The Chicago Cubs are in the rebuilding phase. Without a talented pitching staff and with aging hitters this is a team in transition. The offense is led by Sammy Sosa, one of the premier sluggers in baseball. C Todd Hundley is one of the best power hitting catchers in recent years but his defense will continue to be a question mark. 2b Eric Young possesses great speed and is reliable in the field. SS Ricky Gutierrez played well last season but does not have a lot of big league experience. 3b Bill Mueller always plays hard and was productive for the Giants in their division winning 2000 season. In the outfield, Sosa is by far the best player and one of the elite power hitters in baseball. He is one of the most electrifying players in baseball today. CF Corey Patterson was the team's number 1 draft choice in 1998 and could become a solid player in the future. The starting rotation leaves a lot to be desired but, with some good breaks, could turn out to be a pleasant surprise. Kevin Tapani can be considered the ace of the staff but is hardly the pitcher that won 19 games in 1998. Kerry Wood has the tools to be a great pitcher but has to rebound from a serious arm surgery. Jon Lieber is an improving young player with a lot of upside and was one of the best pitchers in the National League last year. Jason Bere and Julian Tavarez were once very solid pitchers while in the American League Central and could turn out to be pleasant surprises for the Cubs. In the bullpen Tom Gordon was signed to be the closer but Jeff Fassero also has his eyes on the position.
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The Cincinnati Reds disappointed many last season by only winning 85 games and not contending for the division title after trading for Ken Griffey Jr. There is not much to get excited about this season. Pete Harnisch is a solid veteran who is one of the few proven players on the Reds pitching roster. Osvaldo Fernandez can be counted on to pitch well this year. Elmer Dessens, Dennys Rayes, and Rob Bell are all unproven and have big question marks attached to each of their names. Danny Graves, after taking over as the closer last season, will continue to pitch well for the Reds. The offense must look to get back to its 1999 form. C Jason LaRue has the potential to be a good hitter but his strengtch is defense. 1b Sean Casey proved that he is one of the best hitters in the National League in the past 2 seasons and will again hit for a high average. 2b Pokey Reese, a young player with a lot of talent, is one of the best in the NL at his position. SS Barry Larkin, a perennial All Star for the National League, had another good year last year and probably will finish his career with the Reds. 3b Aaron Boone is an improving player who is learning the position well. In the outfield, Reds CF Ken Griffey Jr. is considered to be the best all-around player in the game. His numbers last season were down from his years with the Mariners, but he still hit over 45 home runs and played excellent in center field.. LF Dimitri Young had another excellent hitting season and will continue to be a solid hitter for the Reds in the future. RF Alex Ochoa has been labeled as a top prospect for a long time but has not yet reached his potential.
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The Houston Astros are not as strong a team as the 1999 version or as weak as their terrible 2000 team, but they still have a lot of talent. The pitching staff is anchored by Scott Elarton, who won 17 games despite having very little support. Shane Reynolds, a 16 game winner only 2 seasons ago, is one of the premier lefthanded pitchers in the game. Jose Lima will look to get back to his 1999 form, when he won 21 games. Octavio Dotel, a young player with a tremendous upside, will try to continue to have success. Billy Wagner, the closer, had an amazing season in 1999 but was injured for most of 2000. When he was not injured, he found a way to get into disagreements with Manager Larry Dierker. Despite the questions about the pitching, the offense is very strong. 1b Jeff Bagwell had a strong year again last seaon and is one of the premier players in the game today. 2b Craig Biggio, a perennial All Star, will look to rebound from a season last year which was cut short due to injury. SS Julio Lugo, one of the few young players on the Astros, has to improve his defense to become a more complete player. 3b Chris Truby has the potential to put up solid numbers. LF Moises Alou is a tremendous player who puts up huge numbers when healthy. CF Richard Hidalgo could be the best hitter on the Astros. Last season, Hidalgo hit 44 home runs and drove in 122 runs in his 1st full season. C Brad Ausmus is very good behind the plate and should help the pitchers.
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The Milwaukee Brewers have reason to be excited this season. With a new ballpark and an improved roster this team has a chance to be successful. Jeff D'Amico had a great year in 2000 and will look to continue on that great success and become the ace of the Brewers pitching staff. Ben Sheets, a "can't iss" prospect, will become an excellent pitcher for Milwaukee. Jimmy Haynes and Jamey Wright both have the ability to become solid starers. In the bullpen, the "rubber armed" Juan Acevedo and Curtis Leskanic are the best pitchers. The offense lacks a lot of pop but could become productive in time. 1b Richie Sexson has the potential to become a great power force. 2b Ron Belliard had a lot of trouble in the field but is productive at the plate. SS Jose Hernandez has good power but will split time with Mark Loretta at the position. If Hernandez is playing well, Loretta will play at third base. C Hery Blanco could develop into a good contact hitter. In the outfield, Jeroemy Burnitz is the star. However, the signing of Jeffrey Hammonds, who had a career year last year in Colorado, and the emergence of LF Geoff Jenkins will leave the Brewers with a very strong outfield.
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The Pittsburgh Pirates are a team that has some young talent but does not look to be a contender for several years. The pitching staff is young and talented. Kris Benson has the ability to become a top starter if he can remain healthy. . Todd Richie was a star in 1999, going 15-9 with a 3.50 ERA, and must regain that form for the Pirates to become a contender. He could develop into a great pitcher. Jimmy Anderson and Terry Mulholland are pitchers who have to have very good seasons for the Pirates to become a good team. Closer Mike Williams has the ability to become one of the best relief pitchers in baseball. The offense also has talented players. C Jason Kendall, an All Star, is a constant .300 hitter and has the best speed of any catcher in baseball. 1b Kevin Young has good power hitter who displayed an uncanny ability to steal bases, swiping 22 just a few seasons ago. 2b Pat Meares could lose his starting job to former Indian Enrique Wilson. Young SS Jack Wilson has very litte experience. 3b Aramis Ramirez is one of the team's top prospects and could blossom into a star. In the outfield, Brian Giles proved again that he is a true All Star. RF Derek Bell, signed away from the Mets in the offseason, has always been a capable hitter. CF Adrian Brown is a part of the Pirates' youth movement and could become a very solid player in a few years.
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The St. Louis Cardinals are one of the most talented teams in baseball. They have bolstered the pitching staff and have a powerful offense. 1b Mark McGwire is the premier slugger in the game. Although he was injured for a good deal of last season, he still managed to hit well over 50 home runs. 2b Fernando Vina, is a solid hitter with speed. SS Edgar Renteria has shown signs of becoming more of a complete hitter, as he has improved his only weakness as a batter - his power. 3b Fernando Tatis was replaced by rookie Albert Pujols, who has the potential to become a big power presence in the Cardinals lineup. C Mike Matheny was a vital part of the Cardinals last season. When he missed the postseason due to a finger injury, the pitching staff was not the same. The outfield was bolstered last season by the addition of Jim Edmonds, one of the best center fielders in the game. He had a huge season for the Cardinals last year and was a top MVP contender and also a Gold Glove winner. RF J.D. Drew could become a star this season. He has shown signs of becoming a great power hitter but has yet to develop completely. LF Ray Lankford had a down season last year but will look to get back to his usual season of around 20 home runs. The pitching staff is also deep. Rick Ankiel, the Rookie of the Year runnerup, has tremendous talent and is a future ace. Darryl Kile won 20 games last season and proved that his poor seasons with the Rockies were an aberration. Alan Benes and Dustin Hermanson are out to get their careers back on track. Matt Morris could be a big pitcher for the Cardinals, as he has the "stuff" to make himself an elite starter. Closer Dave Veres, who came over from Colorado and led St. Louis in saves last year, is the bullpen ace.
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