The NL Central is the hardest division in baseball to make the playoffs with 6 teams in it, but I'm going to go out on a limb and predict the Brewers will capture the division. They have a good nucleus of young players and a collection of veterans with something to prove. Their lineup is solid although not spectacular. However, there pitching staff should be much better this year, especially with a healthy Ben Sheets, who I expect a big year from. Meanwhile the rest of the starting pitching is definitely underrated. Chris Capuano, Claudio Vargas, and David Bush are pretty much unknowns to most people, but very capable pitchers. Jeff Suppan has also been around for a long while and pitched in some big games. I don't see a big weakness in their rotation, which will be a big part of their success in 2007.

I don't think they're really a true playoff bound club, but they should improve and could possibly have one of those fluke out of nowhere years, and why not? Every season seems to have such a team. The pitching staff is pretty decent though they're shaky at closer. Prince Fielder, Cecil's son, is a pretty good slugger already, and the team has some depth, if not a bona fide superstar. Probably third in the NL Central, and should win 80-88 games.