The NL central is...

[oriole_way]

abysmal.

I know it's not really news to many. However, I was astounded that the teams in that division had such poor records. I thought that the (tied for the division lead) Cubs had a slightly better record than 71-69. The Cubs would be 4th if they were in the NL east and 5th if they were in the NL west (and probably worse when you consider the unbalanced schedule).

It's conceivable that the division winner could have a .500 record. Plus they have 3 of the worst 10 teams in MLB. The entire division is 42 games under .500!!!

Then consider that teams play unbalanced schedules where they play more games within the division. That artificially raises their aggregate records, since if two teams from the same division play each other, 1 has to win by default.

That makes the 42 games under .500 aggregate record of the NL central even more astounding.

[oriole_way]

My above assertion seems to be true when you see that no NL central team has a winning record against teams solely outside of their division. (By this I mean subtract their records against teams in their own division to see how they are doing vs the rest of mlb.)

Conversely I see that only 1 NL team (Florida Marlins) outside of the NL central has a losing record against NL central teams.

[mikeygale]

Parity, bro.

[pgsentinelmike]

I'd call it the NL Comedy Central.

Better than the AL Least or the AL Worst.

[square634]

abysmal.

I know it's not really news to many. However, I was astounded that the teams in that division had such poor records. I thought that the (tied for the division lead) Cubs had a slightly better record than 71-69. The Cubs would be 4th if they were in the NL east and 5th if they were in the NL west (and probably worse when you consider the unbalanced schedule).

It's conceivable that the division winner could have a .500 record. Plus they have 3 of the worst 10 teams in MLB. The entire division is 42 games under .500!!!

Then consider that teams play unbalanced schedules where they play more games within the division. That artificially raises their aggregate records, since if two teams from the same division play each other, 1 has to win by default.

That makes the 42 games under .500 aggregate record of the NL central even more astounding.

I can't wait to see Davearm's response to this thread. There were arguments for about 5 pages about this as it applies to Bedard vs. Zambrano.

[AgentOrange]

Parity, bro.

Hahaha...

Yeah as in they are all terrible.

It is unreasonable to think that the reason the NL central is close because of parity.

It is close because all the teams are garbage and they play each other 19 times each.

[beaner]

Let's not forget that they said said the same thing last year and all the Cardinals did was win the World Series. The Cubs will win the division and might just win the whole damn thing.

[Mackus]

Let's not forget that they said said the same thing last year and all the Cardinals did was win the World Series. The Cubs will win the division and might just win the whole damn thing.

Doesn't mean they were the best or even a good team during the regular season. Just that they got really hot at the right time after doing just enough to get into the playoffs.

[beaner]

Doesn't mean they were the best or even a good team during the regular season. Just that they got really hot at the right time after doing just enough to get into the playoffs.

Agreed, but that's what's most important obviously. Regular season records and stats mean zero in the playoffs. Just get there and you never know.

[Migrant Redbird]

Doesn't mean they were the best or even a good team during the regular season. Just that they got really hot at the right time after doing just enough to get into the playoffs.

Or that the other playoff teams got cold at the right time.

The Cardinals had a questionable starting rotation even before Carpenter went on the DL after his opening day start. Adam Wainwright, the post season closer and world series hero, has developed into a solid starter and Braden Looper, the career relief pitcher, has transitioned into a starting role better than anyone had a right to expect, but the rotation has basically been a disaster after that. Guys have stepped up for a game or two, but there's no quality and they haven't been able to sustain any solid performance. The bullpen had been very good, but the averages are beginning to catch up to them as well.

The real problem though, is that every starting position player at the beginning of the season has been on the DL -- except for Pujols, who's been playing through painful plantar fasciitis and a sore hamstring -- and 3 of the 8 are done for the season: Encarnacion, Rolen, Duncan, and Kennedy. (Actually Duncan was supposed to be out to have surgery for his sports hernia, but he pinch hit in the 9th of today's first game -- I guess La Russa has gotten desperate.) The defense, which used to be among the best in the game, has gotten pretty shabby with all the injuries and replacements. The Cardinals weren't a very good team last year, but they're a lot worse this time around. $90M doesn't go very far when half of it is going to veterans hobbled by injuries.

Still, I'll take winning 83 regular season games and 11 in the post season over winning 105 in the regular season and getting swept in the world series. It's all about getting to the post season; once you're there, it's largely a crap shoot.