Preview/Prediction

The Washington Nationals might not have the most popular starting pitchers in Major League Baseball, but they have some of the most underated pitchers in all of baseball. 

It seems like starting pitching was a major concern for the Nationals going into the 2009 season, as they picked up two starters who have a lot of potential and could be in for breakout seasons this coming year. 

Scott Olsen and Daniel Cabrera were both key, under-the-radar type acquisitions who I could see putting up a solid season in 2009.

After two years of playoff disappointment, the Chicago Cubs are gearing up for another World Series run. The Cubs are the most balanced team in the NL, if not, in all of baseball.

Last year as a team, the Cubs batted .278 and had and on-base-percentage of .354. As a staff, the Cubs had a 3.87 ERA.  All of these stratistics lead to them winning the NL Central for the second season in a row.  Here is a closer look at each of the positions for the Chicago Cubs.

Catcher

Much was expected from Detroit after Miguel Cabrera and Edgar Renteria were added in offseason trades, supposedly giving Jim Leyland a lineup capable of scoring 1,000 runs, but 2008 only produced 1,000 headaches for Leyland and the Tigers’ fans. The lineup wasn’t as good as advertised, but it wouldn’t have mattered if it had been.

Today is "Earth Hour", where people are encouraged to shut off their lights for one hour in a symbolic act to conserve energy. But in Arizona, there is nothing symbolic about the decisions Lou Piniella, Larry Rothschild and the gang have to make.

In the bullpen, only four spots are set. The closer will either be Carlos Marmol or Kevin Gregg, with the slight edge going to Marmol at this point. However, Gregg has pitched very well this spring. Either way, one will pitch in the eighth and one in the ninth.

What a difference one month makes.

The Royals entered last September with 19 losses in their previous 23 games. Players were increasingly mutinous under first-year manager Trey Hillman.

A fifth straight last-place finish seemed certain, and a fifth 100-loss season in seven years appeared well within reach. General manager Dayton Moore responded with a bristling rebuke to players in a private clubhouse meeting during which he backed Hillman in unshakable terms.

In March of 2006, while the New York Mets' players were preparing for what would be one of the team’s best seasons to date, the Mets' higher ups were busy working on a new home for the team.

The team had not seen a new ball park in over four decades and with the creation of SNY, the Wilpons felt it would be an opportune time to modernize the team’s home.

The Indians, who do not respond well to preseason accolades, are back in the shadows for 2009.

This makes them dangerous and capable of winning the AL Central. They filled a big hole with the signing of closer Kerry Wood, while a healthy Victor Martinez and Travis Hafner will make a good offense better.

The biggest question will be the starting rotation, where the Indians have produced two straight Cy Young winners in CC Sabathia and Cliff Lee. Sabathia is gone, but Lee is back, followed by a long line of suspect and untested starters.

In the past couple weeks, the hot topic of fantasy nerds and GM wanna-be's has been Jay Cutler's pending divorce from the Denver Broncos. How much is a young stud quarterback worth in a trade?

Today, maybe a bigger name wandered into the mix. Quietly, maybe one of the five best professional athletes under the age of 26 made (and subsequently backed away from) a statement of wanting out.

Each year, the AL Central has a new king. It could be the hardest division to predict in baseball. Maybe the Tigers will live up to last season's expectations that fell short, or maybe the White Sox will win back-to-back division titles. Whoever it may be, the race for the AL Central is always close, and makes for a good September.

As the 2009 Brewers season is upon us, it's time to not look ahead to what's gonna happen in the next few months but for the next few years. For most of the 21st century the Brewers has been known for their depth in the farm system. From Bill Hall and Ben Sheets to Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun. This year's group of prospects will be no different, so here's my opinion on who's the top 10 Brewers prospects for 2009.