NL Central outlook: Cards remain favorites with Holliday
Article By smcneal.tsn on 6th January, 2010
Stan McNeal
By signing Matt Holliday, the Cardinals:
• Assured themselves of having one of the three best middle-of-the-order attacks in the game (along with the Yankees and Phillies).
• Showed Albert Pujols they are willing to spend.
• Ensured they will enter the season as N.L. Central favorites.
What the Cardinals haven't done: improve their roster from the end of last season. But this is one time when the status quo could be enough because the rest of the division hasn't done enough to close the gap on St. Louis.
The moves so far (ranked by strength of moves)
Signing Matt Holliday was important for the Cardinals as they try to hang on to Albert Pujols. Cardinals. It took awhile and it cost a bunch, but the Cardinals accomplished their No. 1 offseason goal: They signed the top free agent on the market. Holliday should be happy, too. He lands in the best place a hitter could want: the spot behind Pujols. Holliday took advantage last season when he actually outhit Pujols after joining the Cardinals. The club also signed Brad Penny to replace free agent Joel Pineiro in the rotation. Pineiro priced himself out of St. Louis by putting up a 3.49 ERA in 214 innings.
Cubs. General manager Jim Hendry also took care of his No. 1 offseason priority: correcting his No. 1 mistake of last season. Hendry dumped Milton Bradley on the Mariners in exchange for another bad contract in righthander Carlos Silva. Even if Silva doesn't make the rotation -- he is a long shot -- the Cubs should benefit because of addition by subtraction. Clubhouse chemistry is not anything they have to worry about with Marlon Byrd, their latest free-agent outfield addition from the Rangers. On the other hand, the Cubs should hope the ivy comes in extra thick this year because Byrd, built like a fullback, goes hard after everything in center field.
B...
Read Complete Article at Latest Sporting News Articles for MLB
• Assured themselves of having one of the three best middle-of-the-order attacks in the game (along with the Yankees and Phillies).
• Showed Albert Pujols they are willing to spend.
• Ensured they will enter the season as N.L. Central favorites.
What the Cardinals haven't done: improve their roster from the end of last season. But this is one time when the status quo could be enough because the rest of the division hasn't done enough to close the gap on St. Louis.
The moves so far (ranked by strength of moves)
Signing Matt Holliday was important for the Cardinals as they try to hang on to Albert Pujols. Cardinals. It took awhile and it cost a bunch, but the Cardinals accomplished their No. 1 offseason goal: They signed the top free agent on the market. Holliday should be happy, too. He lands in the best place a hitter could want: the spot behind Pujols. Holliday took advantage last season when he actually outhit Pujols after joining the Cardinals. The club also signed Brad Penny to replace free agent Joel Pineiro in the rotation. Pineiro priced himself out of St. Louis by putting up a 3.49 ERA in 214 innings.
Cubs. General manager Jim Hendry also took care of his No. 1 offseason priority: correcting his No. 1 mistake of last season. Hendry dumped Milton Bradley on the Mariners in exchange for another bad contract in righthander Carlos Silva. Even if Silva doesn't make the rotation -- he is a long shot -- the Cubs should benefit because of addition by subtraction. Clubhouse chemistry is not anything they have to worry about with Marlon Byrd, their latest free-agent outfield addition from the Rangers. On the other hand, the Cubs should hope the ivy comes in extra thick this year because Byrd, built like a fullback, goes hard after everything in center field.
B...
Read Complete Article at Latest Sporting News Articles for MLB
Readers Comments
Related News
Featured Sponsors
Interested in getting MLB Tickets for this coming season? The New York Yankees are a professional baseball team based in the borough of the Bronx, in New York City, New York and are a member of Major League Baseball's American League East Division. Get your New York Yankees Tickets today!
The Baltimore Orioles Tickets are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland. Since 1992, the Orioles have played their home games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
New York Mets Tickets: The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. The Mets are a member of the East Division of Major League Baseball's National League.
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Get your Minnesota Twins Tickets today!
The Toronto Blue Jays Tickets are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Mariners Tickets are looking to be a good team this year.
Detroit Tigers Tickets: The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team based in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises.
The Philadelphia Phillies Tickets are a Major League Baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. One of the biggest games of the season are the Phillies Red Sox Tickets. Another long time rival in the same state is Phillies Pirates Tickets.
The Chicago White Sox Tickets are a Major League Baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division.
The Atlanta Braves Tickets are a professional baseball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League.
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in Texas, representing the Dallas-Ft.Worth metropolitan area. Get your Texas Rangers Tickets today!
San Diego Padres Tickets: The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California.
Tampa Bay Rays Tickets: The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in 1998, the club has played at Tropicana Field.
The Florida Marlins were established in 1993 as an expansion franchise, the Florida Marlins Tickets are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League.
San Francisco Giants Tickets are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, who currently play in the National League West Division.
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland Indians Tickets are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League.
The Baltimore Orioles Tickets are a professional baseball team based in Baltimore, Maryland. Since 1992, the Orioles have played their home games at Oriole Park at Camden Yards.
New York Mets Tickets: The New York Mets are a professional baseball team based in the borough of Queens in New York City, New York. The Mets are a member of the East Division of Major League Baseball's National League.
The Minnesota Twins are an American professional baseball team based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, and play in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League. Get your Minnesota Twins Tickets today!
The Toronto Blue Jays Tickets are a professional baseball team located in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The Seattle Mariners are an American professional baseball team based in Seattle, Washington. The Seattle Mariners Tickets are looking to be a good team this year.
Detroit Tigers Tickets: The Detroit Tigers are a Major League Baseball team based in Detroit, Michigan. One of the American League's eight charter franchises.
The Philadelphia Phillies Tickets are a Major League Baseball team based in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. One of the biggest games of the season are the Phillies Red Sox Tickets. Another long time rival in the same state is Phillies Pirates Tickets.
The Chicago White Sox Tickets are a Major League Baseball team based in Chicago, Illinois. The White Sox play in the American League's Central Division.
The Atlanta Braves Tickets are a professional baseball team based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League.
The Texas Rangers are a professional baseball team in Texas, representing the Dallas-Ft.Worth metropolitan area. Get your Texas Rangers Tickets today!
San Diego Padres Tickets: The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California.
Tampa Bay Rays Tickets: The Rays are a member of the Eastern Division of MLB's American League. Since their inception in 1998, the club has played at Tropicana Field.
The Florida Marlins were established in 1993 as an expansion franchise, the Florida Marlins Tickets are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League.
San Francisco Giants Tickets are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, who currently play in the National League West Division.
The Cleveland Indians are a professional baseball team based in Cleveland, Ohio. Cleveland Indians Tickets are in the Central Division of Major League Baseball's American League.
