2015 National League Central Preview

***The Division Preview that follows is not betting advice in any way shape or form.  Please do not bet any money based in any part on these predictions.***

Don't forget to check out the National League East Preview and check back next week for the National League West Preview

Cardinals Logo Courtesy of Sports Logs.net

St. Louis Cardinals

Who's New:  

CATCHERS/INFIELDERS

Dean Anna, IF (Free Agent from Pirates)
Mark Reynolds, 1B (Free Agent from Brewers)

OUTFIELDERS

Jason Heyward, OF (Trade from Braves)

STARTING PITCHERS
Carlos Villanueva, P (Free Agent from Cubs)

RELIEF PITCHERS
Miguel Socolovich, RP (Free Agent from Mets)
Matt Belisle, RP (Free Agent from Rockies)

Who Left?: 

CATCHERS/INFIELDERS

Audry Perez, C (Free Agent to Rockies)
Daniel Descalso, 2B (Free Agent to Rockies)
A.J. Pierszynski, C (Free Agent to Braves)
Mark Ellis, 2B (Unsigned Free Agent)
OUTFIELDERS
Shane Robinson, OF (Free Agent to Twins)
Jermaine Curtis, OF (Free Agent to Reds)
STARTING PITCHERS
Jorge Rondon, P (Waiver Claim by Rockies)
Justin Masterson, P (Free Agent to Red Sox)
RELIEF PITCHERS
Eric Fonataro, RP (Free Agent to Nationals)
Pat Neshek, RP (Free Agent to Astros)
Jason Motte, RP (Free Agent to Cubs)
David Aardsma, RP (Free Agent to Dodgers)
Winter Headlines:  
Despite several key losses, Cardinals remain clear favorite in Central.
What to Expect?:
The Cardinals organization seems to have this game figured out.  Their minor league system continues to produce key players and they make smart trades and signings.  They don't always have big names but they know how to build a team that gets the most out of their pieces.
Why Should You Root for These Guys?:
This Cardinals run of success is something special.  This run started in 2000 when the Cardinals finished 1st.  Since then the team has only missed the playoffs three times.  Four times they have reached the NLCS only to come up short. Twice they have reached the World Series and lost and twice they have won it all.  For an organization boasting a history with Frankie Frisch, Rogers Hornsby, Dizzy Dean, Stan Musial, Enos Slaughter, Johnny Mize, Bob Gibson, Lou Brock and Ozzie Smith (among a million others) it is amazing to say that this may be one of the best times of their history.
Why Might This Season Not Turn Out the Way Cardinals Fans Want?:
The Cardinals are clearly the favorite in this division but pitching depth, something they have used to their advantage in other years, may be a bit thin this year.  Wainwright is spectacular every year and Lance Lynn has started his career strong but there is a significant drop off after the top 2.  John Lackey's age should be a cause for concern and the rest of the rotation is unproven.  It would seem they have some questions about the rotation and pitching depth themselves based on the fact that they traded for Lackey and Masterson at the trade deadline last year.
Don't Expect Too Much From Him:
John Lackey has had a very good career but age and injuries have caught up to him.  Although he was 11-7 with Boston when he was traded to St.Louis his ERA was high and he only went 3-3 in St. Louis.  Lackey is still a strong pitcher but his best days are behind him.
Expect Great Things From:
Jason Heyward is one of the most talented and hard working players in the game, although his last few years in Atlanta were not up to his normal production levels.  Part of that can be traced to a horrific at bat in 2013 where he was hit in the face with a pitch that shattered both sides of his jaw but that does not account for all of the problems.  A new start in St.Louis will be just what he needs.  Expect Heyward to regain his All Star form.
Is This His Last Chance?:
Peter Bourjos had huge potential and huge expectations when he came to the majors in Anaheim.  An outfield of Bourjos-Trout-Hunter was supposed to be a winning combination for the Angels but a lack of production led to Bourjos being sent to St.Louis in exchange for David Freese.  Bourjos has now fallen to a bench role.
Prediction: 1st in NL Central

Pirates Logo Courtesy of Sports Logos.net

Pittsburgh Pirates:

Who's New: 

CATCHERS/INFIELDERS

Francisco Cervelli, C (Trade from Yankees)
Jake Elmore, SS (Free Agent from Reds)
Steve Lombardozzi, 2B (Trade from Orioles)

OUTFIELDERS

Corey Hart, OF (Free Agent from Mariners)
STARTING PITCHERS
A.J. Burnett, SP (Free Agent from Phillies)
Clayton Richard, SP (Free Agent from Diamondbacks)
Chris Volstad, SP (Free Agent from Angels)
Charlie Leesman, SP (Free Agent from White Sox)
RELIEF PITCHERS
Brad Lincoln, RP (Free Agent from Phillies)
Blake Wood, RP (Free Agent from Royals)
Rob Scahill, RP (Trade from Rockies)
Josh Stinson, RP (Free Agent from Orioles)
Josh Lindbaum, RP (Waiver Claim from Athletics)
Antonio Bastardo, RP (Trade from Phillies)
Radhames Liz, RP (Free Agent from Blue Jays)
Arquimedes Caminaro, RP (Free Agent from Marlins)

Who Left:

CATCHERS/INFIELDERS

Russell Martin, C (Free Agent to Blue Jays)
Chase D'Arnaud, SS (Free Agent to Phillies)
Dean Anna, IF (Free Agent to Cardinals)
Ike Davis, IF (Trade to Athletics)
Clint Barmes, IF (Free Agent to Padres)
Thomas Field, IF (Free Agent to Rangers)
Chris McGuiness, 1B (Free Agent to Phillies)
Omir Santos, C (Free Agent to Nationals)
Michael Martinez, IF (Free Agent to Indians)
Jake Elmore, 1B (Free agent to Rays)
Gaby Sanchez, 1B (Unsigned Free Agent)

OUTFIELDERS

None
STARTING PITCHERS
Edinson Volquez, SP (Free Agent to Royals)
Adam Wilk, SP (Free Agent from Angels)
Wandy Rodriguez, SP (Free Agent to Braves)
RELIEF PITCHERS
Justin Wilson, RP (Trade to Yankees)
Ernesto Frieri, RP (Free Agent to Rays)
Chaz Roe, RP (Free Agent to Orioles)
Preston Guillemet, P (Free Agent to Blue Jays)
Jeanmar Gomez, RP (Free Agent to Phillies)
John Axford, RP (Free Agent to Rockies)
Vin Mazaro, RP (Free Agent to   Marlins)
Rafael Perez, RP (Free Agent to Mariners)
Winter Headlines: 
Who's the ace?
What to Expect?:
Pirates fans have been happy with the team's improvement over the last 5 years, however, the team may take a big step back this season.  There is no clear ace on the team and the loss of Russell Martin to lead the staff could cause a big drop off in a very competitive division.
Why Should You Root for These Guys?:
The Pirates have built this team fom the ground up.  The key pieces of this team have all come through the minor league system.  In an offseason where we have seen Atlanta and Oakland dismantle competitive teams and scatter their pieces all over the league it would be nice to see a team that has grown together, win together.
Why Might This Season Not Turn Out the Way Pirates Fans Want?:
Pitching.  The Pirates starting rotation is a big question for this team.  They somehow got by last year with Edinson Volquez and Gerrit Cole but Volquez is gone and Cole is probably not a true ace, at least not yet.  They resigned Burnett but the magic Burnett carried with him a few years ago seems to be gone.
Don't Expect Too Much From Him:
Francisco Cervelli is a decent Catcher.  He is not an All Star and he is not Russell Martin.  Martin had a way of controlling the game behind the plate and getting the pitchers to follow his lead.  Cervelli does not have that reputation.
Expect Great Things From:
Andrew McCutcheon is one of the best players in this league.  If you are trying to show a non fan why this game is so great show them McCutcheon.  He is a special player and watching him play with passion is a great experience.
Is This His Last Chance?:
A.J. Burnett has come back for a second tour of the Steel City.  In his first trip through the city he was the ace of the staff and led the team to their first playoff appearance since 1992.  At 8-18 with an ERA of 4.59 with the Phillies last year, Burnett will need some magic to help the Pirates back to the post season.
Prediction: 2nd in NL Central

Chicago Cubs Logo Courtesy of Sports Logos.net

Chicago Cubs

Who's New: 

CATCHERS/INFIELDERS

Tom LaStella, IF (Trade from Braves)
Jonathan Herrera, IF (Free Agent from Red Sox)
Miguel Montero, C (Trade from Diamondbacks)
David Ross, C (Free Agent from Red Sox)
Taylor Teagarden, C (Free Agent from Mets)
OUTFIELDERS
Adron Chambers, OF (Free Agent from Blue Jays)
Chris Denorfia, OF (Free Agent from Mariners)
Mike Baxter, OF (Free Agent from Dodgers)
Dexter Fowler,OF (Trade from Astros)
STARTING PITCHERS
Jason Hammel, SP (Free Agent from Athletics)
John Lester, SP (Free Agent from Athletics)
RELIEF PITCHERS
Donn Roach, RP (Waiver Claim from Padres)
Jason Motte, RP (Free Agent from Cardinals)
Mike Kickham, RP (Waiver Claim from Giants)
Francisley Bueno, RP (Free Agent from Royals)
Jorge DeLeon, RP (Free Agent from Athletics)
German Gonzalez, RP (Waiver Claim from Rangers)

Who Left: 

CATCHERS/INFIELDERS

 Eli Whiteside, C (Free Agent to Braves)
Luis Valbuena, 3B (Trade to Astros)
John Baker, C (Free Agent to Mariners)
Lars Anderson, 1B (Free Agent to Dodgers)
Josh Vitters, IF (Free Agent to Rockies)
OUTFIELDERS
Justin Ruggiano, OF (Trade to Mariners)
Ryan Kalish, OF (Free Agent to Blue Jays)
STARTING PITCHERS
None
RELIEF PITCHERS
Arodys Vizcaino, RP (Traded to Braves)
Kyuji Fujikawa, RP (Free Agent to Rangers)
Wesley Wright, RP (Free Agent to Orioles)
Alberto Cabrera, RP (Free Agent to Tigers)
Dan Straily, RP (Trade to Astros)
Carlos Villanueva, RP (Free Agent to Cardinals)
Marcos Mateo, RP (Free Agent to Padres)
Winter Headlines:
The ripening products of the Farm System.
What to Expect?:
Cubs fans should be excited.  Theo Epstein has this team moving in the right direction and they should be right in the thick of this competitive division.  The Farm System is producing high expectations and the arrival of Joe Maddon from the Rays has led to big excitement in the Windy City.
Why Should You Root for These Guys?:
For the obvious reason.  It has been over 100 years since the team won a World Series.
Why Might This Season Not Turn Out the Way Cubs Fans Want?:
That all depends on your expectations.  If you are expecting an immediate World Series with the arrival of Dexter Fowler, John Lester and Maddon you will be disappointed.  If you are expecting an improved, competitive team laying the ground work for a climb to the post season then you should be satisfied.
Don't Expect Too Much From Him:
John Lester is a very good pitcher and was one of the top free agents in a very good class of free agent pitchers.  You can expect him to be the ace of this staff and to eat a lot of innings but don't expect a Cy Young from him just yet.
Expect Great Things From:
Joe Maddon is a terrific manager and his style is made for a situation like the Cubs.  In Tampa he was able to work with a small budget and develop great talent.  When that talent hit free agency he was able to find great replacements and continue his winning ways.  For a young team like the Cubs it could be a match made in heaven.
Is This His Last Chance?:
This team is too stocked with young talent to be considered anyone's last chance.  The young kids on this team added with Maddon's winning attitude could make this team fun to watch.
Prediction: 3rd place in NL Central

Cincinnati Reds Logo Courtesy of Sports Logos,net

Cincinnati Reds:

Who's New: 

CATCHERS/INFIELDERS

Josh Satin, 1B (Free Agent from Mets)
Ivan de Jesus, IF (Free Agent from Red Sox)
Kyle Skipworth, C (Free Agent from Marlins)
Irving Falu, IF (Free Agent from Brewers)
Eugenio Suarez, SS (Trade from Reds)

OUTFIELDERS

Brennan Boesch, OF (Free Agent from Angels)
Marlon Byrd, OF (Trade from Phillies)
Jermaine Curtis, OF (Free Agent from Cardinals)
Chris Dominguez, OF (Free Agent from Giants)
STARTING PITCHERS
Anthony DeScalfani, SP (Trade from Marlins)
Paul Maholm, SP (Free Agent from Dodgers)
Donovan Hand, SP (Free Agent from Brewers)
RELIEF PITCHERS
Jose Cisneros, RP (Free Agent from Astros)
Nate Adcock, RP (Free Agent fom Rangers)
Wilmer Font, RP (Free Agent from Rangers)
Jose De La Torre, RP (Free Agent from Brewers)
Burke Badenhop, RP (Free Agent from Red Sox)
Kevin Gregg, RP (Free agent from Marlins)

Who Left: 

CATCHERS/INFIELDERS

Jake Elmore, IF (Free Agent to Pirates)
Ramon Santiago, IF (Free Agent to Blue Jays)
Jack Hanahan, IF (Unsigned Free Agent)
OUTFIELDERS
Chris Heisey, OF (Trade to Dodgers)
Ryan Ludwick, OF (Free Agent to Rangers)
STARTING PITCHERS
Brett Marshall (Free Agent to Rockies)
Mat Latos, SP (Trade to Marlins)
Alfredo Simon, SP (Trade to Tigers)
Carlos Marmol, SP (Unsigned Free Agent)
RELIEF PITCHERS
Curtis Partch, RP (Free Agent to Giants)
Logan Ondrusek, RP (Free Agent to Japan)
Ryan Rowland Smith (Unsigned Free Agent)
Trevor Bell, RP (Unsigned Free Agent)
Winter Headlines: 
With age and injuries, questions arise about how long the window will stay open.
What to Expect?:
It is a loaded question and it depends on a few things.  First, how healthy are Phillips, Votto and Cueto?  If they can stay healthy this team can be a serious force in the National League and could challenge for first in a very close division.  If they have the same issues they have suffered through the last two years the team may struggle.  Second, how good is Marlon Byrd?  We know he can be good because we saw it after the trade deadline in Pittsburgh a few years ago.  We also know he can be just average as we saw with the Mets and Phillies.  Finally, how important was Mat Latos?  Not having the 1-2 punch of Cueto-Latos could be a big problem.  Homer Bailey is a very good number 2 starter but he missed the las few weeks of last season and culd miss part of the firs month.  After Cueto-Bailey there is a significant drop off in quality.
Why Should You Root for These Guys?:
In 2012 this team was one game away from advancing to the National League Championship Series.  That year they had overcome some inuries and a late season stroke suffered by Dusty Baker to finish the season with the best record in baseball.  They followed that up with a loss to Pittsburgh in the Wild Card round and replaced Baker.  This group of Cueto-Phillips-Votto-Bruce have worked hard to help give this franchise a rebirth.  It would be nice to see this group hoist a trophy together.
Why Might This Season Not Turn Out the Way Reds Fans Want?:
We already talked about the question of the health and loss of Latos but more than that, the other teams in this division are strong and the Cubs have improved.  With 5 teams about equally matched someone has to finish last and it seems as though the Cubs are determined not to be the doormat anymore.
Don't Expect Too Much From Him:
Joey Votto had his worst season as a professional in 2014.  Injuries cut his playing time to just 62 games and his average dropped to .255.  As the injuries start to catch up to him Votto will need to display his leadership and build his clubhouse presence but his numbers on the field may fall a bit.
Expect Great Things From:
At 20-9 and 2.25 Johnny Cueto had his best year as a pro and if it were not for a historic year from Clayton Kershaw he would have won the Cy Young.  Cueto is the clear ace of this staff and any success the Reds hope for will start with Cueto.
Prediction:4th in NL Central

Milwaukee Brewers Logo Courtesy of Sports Logos.net

Milwaukee Brewers

Who's New: 

CATCHERS/INFIELDERS

Adam Lind, 1B (Trade from Blue Jays)
Luis Sardinas, IF (Trade from Rangers)
OUTFIELDERS
Bryan Peterson, OF (Free Agent from Rangers)
STARTING PITCHERS

RELIEF PITCHERS
John Ely, RP (Free Agent from Red Sox)
Neal Cotts, RP (Free Agent from Rangers)
Chris LeRoux, RP (Free Agent from Yankees)
Chris Perez, RP (Free Agent from Dodgers)
Corey Knebel, RP (Trade from Rangers
Josh Roenicke, RP (Free Agent from Rockies)
David Herndon, RP (Free Agent from Phillies)

Who Left:  

CATCHERS/INFIELDERS

Matt Pagnozzi, C (Free Agent to Diamondbacks)
Irving Falu, IF (Free Agent to Reds)
Mark Reynolds, 1B (Free Agent to Cardinals)
Eugenio Velez, IF (Free Agent to Rays)
Jeff Bianchi, IF (Free Agent to Red Sox)
Rickie Weeks, IF (Free Agent to Mariners)
Lyle Overbay, 1B (Unassigned Free Agent)

OUTFIELDERS

Caleb Gindl, OF (Free Agent to Blue Jays)

STARTING PITCHERS

Zach Duke, SP (Free Agent to White Sox)
Marco Estrada, SP (Trade to Blue Jays)
Tom Gorzelanny, SP (Free Agent to Tigers)
Donovan Hand, SP (Free Agent to Reds)
Yovanny Gallardo, SP (Trade to Rangers)
Billy Buckner, SP (Unsigned Free Agent)

RELIEF PITCHERS

Jose De la Torres, RP (Free Agent to Reds)
Francisco Rodriguez, RP (Unsigned Free Agent)
Winter Headlines: 
In the fight or time to rebuild?
What to Expect?:
With this division being as competitive as ever it is hard to say where the Brewers will finish.  Last year they appeared to be on the decline heading into the Spring but amazing years by Segura, Gomez and Lucroy kept them in the race until the end of the year.  With improvement by the Cubs but fall off from the Reds and Pirates the Brewers could still stay in the fight.  In reality though, the lack of pitching depth, especially in the bullpen, will likely lead to a last place finish.
Why Should You Root for These Guys?:
The general perception of the organization (to non-fans and non-students of the game) is that of a losing organization.  In reality this is a proud organization with Hall of Famers, MVP's and a usually competitive history.  For a die-hard fan base it would be nice to see Milwaukee get the respect it deserves.
Why Might This Season Not Turn Out the Way Brewers Fans Want?:
This division is very close from top to bottom and the Cubs are no longer the door mat of the league.  The Brewers still have Garza and Lohse at the top of the rotation but they lost Gallardo and Estrada in the offseason.  The bullpen is shaky and Lucroy suffered a serious injury that will keep him out for some time.
Don't Expect Too Much From Him:
Matt Garza has been a big name in baseball since he emerged with the Rays in their playoff years.  He was a big name in a trade to the Cubs.  That was followed by a big hype over a trade to the Rangers in 2012. He then became a big name free agent in 2014.  The results since he had his big year in 2010 have not been great.  In fact, despite his reputation as a top level ace, Garza is only 75-75 over his career.  That included 4-5 in his stint with the Rangers and 8-8 in his year with the Brewers.  Garza is of course a very good pitcher and will help the Brewers in any chance they have at the post season but he is not an ace.
Expect Great Things From:
Jean Segura came to the Brewers in the Zack Grienke trade with the Angels a few years ago and it was a steal for the Brewers.  Jean Segura is one of the best hitting short stops in the NL and is superb defensively.  Expect an All Star year from him.
Is This His Last Chance?:
Johnathon Broxton was a dominant closer for the Dodgers in their 2008-2009 runs to the playoffs but a series changing double to Jimmy Rollins in 2009 and a complete collapse in 2010 led to his departure from Los Angeles.  He has bounced around the league with varying levels of success.  The Brewers are asking him to regain his 2008 form but it may be too late.
Prediction:5th in NL Central

*-Please be aware that these predictions are based on the rosters as set in the middle of February.  There are still several key free agents unsigned which could alter these previews.  Also, injuries during spring training could alter my outlook.  Check back next week for the NL West Preview and continue following to see my final predictions at the start of the season.

TRIVIA QUESTION:

Adam Wainwright led the National League in wins in both 2013 and 2009.  Before Wainwright, when was the last time a National League Central Pitcher led the league in wins?

Answer to Last Week's Question:

Since the league moved to the three division format, a National league East player has led the league in Home Runs four times (including Stanton in 2014.  The first to do so was Jim Thome (47) with Philadelphia in 2003.  Not until Ryan Howard (58) in 2006 did anyone else from the east lead the league.  Howard did it again in 2008 with 48. Between 2008 and 2014 no one from the East led the league in Home Runs.

Players I Love More Than I Should: Pitcher: Bob Gibson

More than 18,000 players have appeared in Major League Baseball games since the start of the league.  Some players have short careers that last one at bat or one appearance in the field.  Others have 20+ year careers.  As I read more and more about baseball history there are certain players I find myself enjoying reading about more than others.  It is obviously illogical since many of them retired, or in some cases passed away, long before I was even born.  I have no first hand experience in watching some of them play but for whatever reason their personalities and perseverance strikes me above and beyond the other players I read about.  Over the next few weeks I will be giving you short biographical histories*of some of these players.  Some of them will be Hall of Fame players.  Some of them will be players only casual fans may know.  Regardless, I chose one player from each position for this series to explore.  This week we will explore one of the Pitchers I chose for the series and the final player in this series: Bob Gibson.

If you are just joining the blog don't miss the other players in the Players I Love More Than I Should series: Yogi Berra, Hank Greenberg, Joe Morgan, Cal Ripken, Frank "Home Run" Baker,  Frank Robinson and Larry Herndon, Carl Furillo and Walter Johnson.

287 1/3 regular season innings.  By today's standards he would have been over worked.  287 1/3 innings as the ace of the staff in the middle of a pennant race.  287 1/3 regular season innings with the gaining pressure of a team chasing down a curmbling team ahead of them that really only needed a few wins to end the conversation.  287 1/3 regular season innings plus 8 more in the pressure of the World Series.  Facing the unbeatable Yankees who beat him in Game 2 of the 1964 World Series.  287 1/3 regular season innings plus 8 pressure filled innings in  Game 2 plus 8 pressure filled innings so far today.

Photo Courtesy of Sports Illustrated

Now it was the 9th inning with a two run lead.  He needed just three outs.  Mantle led off and grounded to Dick Groat.  He breathed a sigh of relief.  One out...oh shit.  Groat bobbled the ball and Mantle was safe.  One on no one out.  No problem.  Elston Howard struck out and in sauntered Joe Peppitone.  No one had more confidence in Joe Peppitone than Joe Peppitone.  Gibson's arm was exhausted.  He had thrown nothing but fastballs. curves and sliders all day.  He decided to sneak a change up past Pepitone.

He went into his motion.  The leg, arms and body moved back, almost as though he were retreating.  The hand and glove almost met behind his back.  Then just as quickly and aggressively they swung forward, the leg went up and the body lunged, aggressively, straight towards the batter.  As he followed through his whole body was falling towards first base.  Pep swung, connected and lined a shot straight back towards Gibson.  Pepitone could not have aimed a shot any better.  With Mantle on the run, the ball hit Gibson on the hip and shot away from him towards third.  Think about it.  A hard, solid object, thrown at close to 90 miles per hour and shot solidly straight back at a human being connected solidly against the bone.  I don't know about you but my first thought would probably be "I think I just broke my hip."  Instead, Gibson thought this could mean the ball game.  He reacted immediately.  Turning, chasing down the ball, He scooped it bare handed, momentum carrying him away from first base.  His balance was off, his throw had to be hurried.  He was falling toward the ground and calmly, cooly, Gibson sidearmed the ball to first base to get Pepitone.  He was still in danger but as the game finished, the importance of the play on the game, on the series and on the legend of Bob Gibson would become clear.  He gave up a game tying two run Home Run to Tom Tresh immediately after but the play to retire Pepitone kept it from being a three run, game winning Home Run.  Instead, Tim McCarver hit a three run Home Run in the 10th and Gibson stopped the Yankees in the bottom of the inning for his first World Series victory.  It would be quite some time before he would lose another World Series game.

The Education of Bob Gibson
The greatest athletes off all time often have a heartbreaking experience they have overcome to reach the heights.  Babe Ruth grew up poor and was eventually sent to a reform school.  Mickey Mantle nearly lost his life several times to a rare blood disease and nearly had a leg amputated as a child.  Bob Gibson beat them all, in every sense of the phrase.  Three months before he was born his father died.  As a child he was nearly killed by pneumonia.  He grew up in a housing project where his mother worked long hours to keep her family fed.  

Luckily, Bob Gibson had a very special person in his life.  His brother was that special person.  He had a masters degree in history.  Unfortunately, in the society they were brought up in, an African American with a master's degree was qualified only to work in a factory for low wages.  Of course it bothered him but he had a special talent to teach and he would do it anyway he could.  Gibson's brother LeRoy coached the local YMCA baseball and basketball teams and what was more, he mentored the young kids he coached.

He taught Bob how to act in society.  He taught him not to smoke.  He taught him not to spit like the other ball players he would see and he pushed Bob to get the most out of his talent.  Bob was tealented at both baseball and basketball.  After being rejected by the University of Indiana because they had already met their quota of African American players (why would they need more than one?) LeRoy used his connections to help get Gibson accepted at Creighton University.  He was spectacular in both Baseball and Basketball.  He was offered a contract with the Harlem Globetrotters.  He rejected it. He graduated college and as he did his brother used another connection, a scout for the Cardinal's organization.  The scout saw potential in Gibson, and so did minor league manager Johnny Keane.  The question was not whether Gibson could play it was where should he play.  Keane told the Cardinals to start him as a pitcher because if he didn't make it as a pitcher he could start immediately as a shortstop.

Photo Courtesy o Sports Illustrated

Flying High
The Cardinals had a winning tradition.  The long list of legends of the National League included dozens of Cardinals players.  Frankie Frisch, Rogers Hornsby, Jim Bottomley, Dizzy Dean, Pepper Martin, Enos Slaughter, Red Schoendienst, Stan Musial.  The team started off poorly in the basement of the early days of the National League but since 1926 the team (along with the Giants and Dodgers) were one of the dominant teams in the league.  1926, 1928, 1930, 1931, 1934, 1942, 1943, 1944, 1946.  They had made the World Series in each of those years and when they didn't win the NL they were usually close on the heels of the other team.  As the years went on the big names grew older and the replacements could not keep up with the Dodgers and Braves.

A big part of that rebuilding was Bob Gibson.  He reported for his first professional season in 1957 and was told to pitch batting practice.  The point of batting practice is to let the hitters relax, see easy pitches and work on their swing.  So Gibson tried to oblige.  After the hitters continuously failed Gibson was told to start throwing breaking balls. The hitters still failed.  Not wanting to demoralize his team mates who couldn't even hit batting practice, Gibson was waived off the mound.  "Should I start to throw hard?" he asked as he was waived off.

Rookie ball and A level baseball is more important as a learning experience and Gibson was learning.  The Cardinals, although angering Gibson for years, made the right choice by under paying for his services.  While Sandy Koufax was required to stay on the Major League roster of a team in a constant pennant chase, he spent several years watching and getting little practical experience.  Gibson, meanwhile, was pitching in live games and learning how to control his pitches.  His first year numbers were not spectacular but the increased control was the main thing.

He played three and a half years in the Cardinals organization, even getting to play for his home town Omaha Cardinals for several years.  His manager there for the first two years was Johnny Keane, a man Gibson credited with helping him along greatly in his career and a man who would play a big part in Bob's career later on.  When Keane moved up to the big league club as a third base coach, he was replaced by the ill-fated Joe Schultz who would later manage the doomed Seattle Pilots in their only year.

By 1959 Bob was up in the majors and made his debut on on April 15, 1959.  The game was started by Larry Jackson, facing off against Don Drysdale and the Los Angeles Dodgers.  Gibson entered the game trailing 3-0.  He faced the Dodgers third baseman Jim Baxes as the first batter of his career.  Baxes would play one year in the Major Leagues.  He would hit a total of 17 Home Runs that year.  One of those Home Runs came on a 2-0 pitch against Bob Gibson.  That's right.  The first batter ever to face Bob Gibson in the major leagues took him deep.

It got better, obviously.  Other wise there wouldn't be a need for me to write this article.  Gibson would call it the worst point of his career and a big part of that had to do with the manager.  Solly Hemus was not a man easy to get along with.  He often had violent outbursts and would curse players out in front of the team.  Gibson was 3-5 in 1959, his first year in the majors.  He was 3-6 in 1960.  1961 saw him start off slow as well.  After a 2-0 start he was at 5-5 on July 4 when the Cardinals decided a change was in order.  Solly Hemus, at 33-41 for the season, was fired and replaced with Gibson's old minor league manager Johnny Keane.  On July 5, the very next day, Gibson won a  complete game against the Dodgers and finished the season with 13-12 record, including winning 5 of his last 7.

1962 saw the emergence of Gibson as a rising star.  He was starting to feel comfortable in the club house and starting to make a mark on the organization.  On July 8 Gibson pitched a complete game 3 hitter against the Mets.  It improved his record to 10-6 and he represented the Cardinals in the All Star game for the first time.  He went 15-13 (with five shut outs) for the year and topped 200  strikeouts for  the first time in his career.

1963 was an even better year. The team was still not great but Gibson was proving he was special.  Everything went up.  His wins (18), his innings (254 2/3) and one other number that was starting to raise eyebrows, his hit by pitch (13).  Gibson was getting a reputation for his willingness to throw at hitters.  He owned the plate and anyone with a bat in his hand was the enemy.  He hated seeing a batter dig in with his spikes.  It was insulting. It silently sent a message that said "I am comfortable at the plate, like I'm at home."  Gibson sent a silent message right back.  "Don't get too comfortable.  This is my territory."  He said it with a pitch aimed at the batter.  The reputation was well deserved.  He certainly was not shy about moving a hitter off the plate.  The reputation of meanness was not well deserved.  Away from the mound he was not the angry, hate filled, vicious man he was portrayed as on the mound.  He was an intelligent clubhouse leader and a family man.  He set the tone for the clubhouse.  He would let the young kids know what was expected of them without calling them out in public.  He also set the tone for the game.  It was his game to win, his game to lose and it belonged to him.  He hated when a catcher or manager came out to the mound.  It was a poor situation for McCarver being stuck between Keane and Gibson.  Keane wanted Gibson to slow down.  Gibson knew what he wanted to do and didn't want to wait.  He pitched like he was running a no huddle offense.  Get the ball, go into the wind up fire the ball.  Repeat.  When Keane would tell McCarver to get out there and slow him down Gibson would tell McCarver to get back behind the plate.  He once told McCarver "the only thing you know about pitching is that you can't hit it."  Once McCarver walked out to remind Gibson of the game situation and when he told Gibson there was a man on third Gibson yelled back "I know he's there. I put him there."

1964 started off as a tough year.  He was 4-0  to start but by the All Star Break he was 7-6 and the team was struggling.  With Koufax and Drysdale suffering, the Cardinals thought they had a real shot at the pennant.  Instead it was the Phillies who were out front of the league.  He fell to 8-9 on August 1st as the Phillies maintaiined their lead. Over the next two months he would rarely start on full rest and he would rarely lose.  He lost on October 2nd making it more possible the Phillies would be in the World Series.  He took the day off on October 3rd and then on October 4 he came back, pitched four innings and the Cardinals won 11-5.  It was enough to put the Cardinals in the World Series.  Gibson not only won the fifth game by going ten innings, he won Game 7 with a complete game victory.  The loss sent the Yankees into one of the darkest periods of their existence.

Despite the surprise World Series win, the Cardinals fired Johnny Keane, who went on to a disastrous term as manager of the Yankees.  His replacement in St.Louis was Red Schoendienst, former Cardinals and Braves second baseman and future Hall of Famer.  Gibson had another stellar year (20-12, 270 strikeouts and 6 shutouts) but Curt Simmons and Ray Sadecki, two big winners in the pennant run the previous year, fell off drastically. Simmons fell to 9-15 and Sadecki fell off to 6-15.  This, combined with a "healthy" Koufax and Drysdale led to a Dodgers victory.  St. Louis finished 7th at 80-81,  1966 was a better year for Bob. He went 21-12 and dropped his ERA from 3.07 in 1965 to 2.44 in 1966.   In both seasons he made the All Star Game and won two consecutive Gold Gloves.  The Cardinals finished sixth as the Dodgers again dominated the league.

1967 was looking like another strong Bob Gibson year.  He had just appeared in his fourth straight All Star Game and his Cardinals were four games ahead in the NL.  On July 15, with his record at 10-6, Gibson started against the Pittsburgh Pirates.  With one out in the fourth Roberto Clemente shot a ball straight back at Gibson which shattered his fibula.  After completing the inning Gibson collapsed in pain.  He would be out until September 7.  He would return and win three of his final four decisions for a 13-7 record.  Despite the missed time Gison won another Gold Glove and the Cardinals ran away with the NL title.  They faced the "Impossible Dream" Red Sox in the World Series.  As the clear ace of the staff Gibson started Game 1.  He allowed only six hits in the complete game, one of which was a solo Home Run to the opposing starter, Jose Santiago (who also pitched a great game) and Gibson won 2-1.  Gibson and Santiago faced off again in Game 4 with the Cardinals ahead 2-1 in the series.  Santiago lasted only 2/3 of an inning this time as he allowed four first inning runs. Gibson, on the other hand, continued to show he was the best pitcher in baseball.  He allowed only 5 hits, struck out 6, walked only one and shut out the Red Sox 6-0.  It looked like it would be his last game of the season as the Cardinals were now ahead 3-1.  A young Steve Carlton allowed only one run in seven innings in Game 5 but the Red Sox still beat him by a final score of 3-1.  Game 6 was much less of a pitcher's duel as the Cardinals used 8 pitchers and lost 8-4, setting up a final face off in Game 7.  Gibson started against the Red Sox ace Jim Lonborg.  Gibson was on top of his game. The Cardinals scored two in the top of the third while the Red Sox struggled to get a man on base.  In the top of the 5th, with the score still 2-0, Gibson helped his own cause with a solo Home Run.  Another run that inning gave the Cardinals a 4-0 lead.  The Cards would go on to win 7-2.  It was Gibson's fifth straight World Series win making him 5-1 in World Series play.  It was just a warm up for what was to come.

Photo Courtesy of Sports Illustrated

The Year of the Pitcher
There are certain years when players are able to put it all together and somehow create a special year that is talked about for generations.  Babe Ruth hit 60 Home Runs.  Joe DiMaggio hit in 56 straight.  Ted Williams hit .401.  Roger Maris hit 61 Home Runs.  1968 was known as the year of the pitcher and just as easily could have been called the year of Gibson.  In the American League, the Tigers won the title behind the 30 wins of Denny McLaine.  No one has won 30 games since. In the National League no one could touch Gibson.  Seemingly showing no effects from the broken leg the year before, Gibson was at the top of his game.  It was clearly his best year ever.  In fact it is arguably the best year of any pitcher ever.  What's more amazing is that if his team's offense (and defense) were better he would have had an even better year.  Gibson started opening day and left after 7 innings.  He had allowed one unearned run.  The team won 2-1 but the scoring came too late to give Gibson the win.  His second start was similar.  He pitched seven innings, allowed only three runs, the team won but he got a no decision.  In his third start he got his first decision, a loss, as he allowed only three earned runs but lost 5-3.  In fact, if you were following Gibson in the papers there was little in the first month to make anyone think this was a magical season.  By May 28 Gibson had a 1.48 ERA but his record stood at 3-5.  That is where the turn around began.  Through the rest of the year the Cardinals and Gibson would dominate the league.  He would finish with a record of 22-9 (giving him an unbeleivable 19-4 record from July through October) and his strike out total was 268.  Even more amazing was the fact that in over 300 innings he had allowed only 38 earned runs.  He threw 28 complete games. 13 of those were shutouts.  Of the five losses in the first months, twice his own team was shutout while he allowed 2 or less runs.

It was an unbelievable year but it was just getting started.  The World Series was still to come.  Gibson started Game 1 of the World Series aginst the Tigers ace Denny McLaine.  McLaine was sabotaged by Tigers fielding but it would have mattered little.  Dominant is too light a word to describe Gibson that day.  As he struck out his record 17th batter of the day the crowd went nuts.  Tim McCarver stood up to draw Gibson's attention to the feat but Gibson didn't care.  He still had a game to finish.  He did.  The Cardinals won and no one has approached the 17 k's in a single World Series game since.  He allowed only five hits and one walk in winning his sixth straight World Series game.  He would win a seventh straight World Series game to give the Cardinals a 3-1 series lead.  He again dominated allowing only 5 hits, although the Tigers did score on him this time.  Just like the Red Sox had done the year before, the Tigers came back to force a Game 7 and this time Gibson would face Mickey Lolich.  Each had won two games in the series but realistically the Cardinals had the best pitcher in the world on the mound.  He again dominated but just like the first month of the season, his team didn't score.  Lolich outpitched Gibson (barely) and with the help of some shadows leading to a misplay by the best fielding centerfielder in the game. the Tigers won by a final score of 4-1.  It ended Gibson's record World Series winning streak at 6 games and it was his last taste of the post season.  Regardless the 1968 season is still the benchmark that any successful pitching season is judged.  Gibson's 1.12 ERA has never really been approached and he won the MVP, Cy Young and his fourth straight Gold Glove.

The Legend
The Cardinals run at the top was finished as the Mets, Pirates and even Phillies would dominate the Eastern Division for the next ten years.  Gibson continued to pitch amazingly but the team around him continued to decline.  Curt Flood, Bill White, Roger Maris, Clete Boyer and even McCarver moved on and the players replacing them did not perform as expected.  Still Gibson performed at a high level.  He won 20 games in 1969 and 1970.  He continued to rack up a high number of innings, a high number of strikeouts and a low ERA.  His 1969 ERA was only 2.18.  He won his second Cy Young award in 1970 with a 23-7 record and a 3.12 ERA.   All the while he continued to be selected for the All Star Game and win Gold Gloves.

He struggled in 1974 to an 11-13 record and the years of high inning totals started to take their toll.  He fell off farther in 1975 to 3-10 with a 5.04 ERA and he decided it was time to walk away.  His career totals are nothing short of amazing.  251 wins, 56 shutouts, nearly 4000 innings pitched (he averaged 262 innings a year), 3117 strikeouts and a 2.91 ERA.  That does not include his amazing performances in the postseason bringing the Cardinals 2 World Series and nearly a third.  During the decade of the 1960's, in the post Stan Musial era, Bob Gibson defined the Cardinals as a class organization and class was the best way to describe Gibson himself.

Photo Courtesy of ESPN

Gibson sometimes had a rough relationship with the media.  He once told a reporter who asked him if he was a "money pitcher" that it was the dumbest question he had ever heard of.  Possibly because of this he received a low 85% vote in his first year of eligibility for the Hall of Fame.  It was enough to get him into the Hall of Fame (and I admit this is a petty complaint) but who the hell didn't think Bob Gibson was a Hall of Fame pitcher?  Gibson was the only player voted in that year (despite Harmon Killebrew and Don Drysdale on the ballot).  Gibson is still active in the Cardinals organization aBond can (fortunately for all of us) still be seen occasionally on MLB Network or in occassional appearances during Cardinal broadcasts.

Bob Gibson was truly one of the greatest pitchers of all time and one of the greatest ambassadors of the game that the sport has ever known.


*This is not intended as a full biography and due to space I have done my best to summarize the life of the players in this series.  For further information on Bob Gibson please check out
Videos:
Ken Burns Baseball
The Official World Series Film Collection

Websites:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/
http://sabr.org/

Books:
October 1964 by Daid Halberstam
Five Seasons by Roger Angell
The Summer Game by Roger Angell

TRIVIA QUESTION:

Bob Gibson won seven World Series Games in his career tying him with Red Ruffing (1932, 1936, 1937, 1938, 1939, 1941 and 1942 Yankees)  and Allie Reynolds (1947, 1949, 1950, 1951 ,1952 and 1953 Yankees) for second on the All Time List.  What Pitcher has won the most World Series Games?

Answer to Last Week's Trivia Question:
Congratulations to TJD for again answering last week's trivia question right.  
The correct answer last week was  William Howard Taft

Players I Love More Than I Should: Outfield: Larry Herndon

More than 18,000 players have appeared in Major League Baseball games since the start of the league.  Some players have short careers that last one at bat or one appearance in the field.  Others have 20+ year careers.  As I read more and more about baseball history there are certain players I find myself enjoying reading about more than others.  It is obviously illogical since many of them retired, or in some cases passed away, long before I was even born.  I have no first hand experience in watching some of them play but for whatever reason their personalities and perseverance strikes me above and beyond the other players I read about.  Over the next few weeks I will be giving you short biographical histories*of some of these players.  Some of them will be Hall of Fame players.  Some of them will be players only casual fans may know.  Regardless, I chose one player from each position for this series to explore.  This week we will explore one of the outfielders I chose for the series: Larry Herndon.

If you are just joining the blog don't miss the other players in the Players I Love More Than I Should series: Yogi Berra, Hank Greenberg, Joe Morgan, Cal Ripken, Frank "Home Run" Baker and Frank Robinson

Growing up in the South
Of all the players in this series of Players I Love More Than I Should, Larry Herndon stands out for a number of reasons.  He is one of only two who are not Hall of Fame players.  He is the only one who never made an All Star appearance. He never won a Gold Glove or a Silver Slugger Award.  In fact very little about Larry Herndon's life is known.  He is still living.   He has been asked many times but he allows very little of himself to be known.

We do know that he was raised by his grandmother.  Born in Sunflower, MS in 1953, Larry moved to Memphis, TN and spent most of his early life there.  The reason he was raised by his grandmother instead of his parents is something Larry has never talked about.  He has said that his grandmother was a wonderful woman who raised him right.  He felt fortunate to be able to grow up under her care and have great brothers and sisters in his life.

Larry never really talked about the racial bigotry he clearly would have suffered from in the south in the 1950's and 1960's.  Being a quiet person Larry simply said that "if you don't argue with someone there can't be an argument."

Regardless of what he suffered Larry showed great promise as a baseball player at Douglass High School in Memphis and attracted attention from the Cardinals.  At 17 Herndon was signed by the Cardinals as a minor leaguer.

Near Miss in St.Louis
Herndon played in the Cardinals Gulf Coast League entry for 1971.  Four other players on the team made the majors, most notably Jerry Mumphrey and Mike Vail.  In 40 games Larry hit only .239 and showed little power with no Home Runs.  In 1972 he started again in rookie ball but was moved to two different A league teams in the Cardinals organization.  Rising through the organization he continued playing with Mumphrey and Vail as well as being a team mate of Keith Hernandez briefly.  He only played a total of 45 games between the three teams that year and still showed no power as he failed to hit a single Home Run.  He was still a young man growing into his body and would not reach his full potential yet.

From there the rise was fairly steady.  1973 he played in A ball St. Petersburg and hit three Home Runs.  1974 was AA Arkansas.  At the end of the 1974 he got a shot at the big time.  He appeared in 12 games, all but one as a pinch runner, and got only one at bat.  He replaced Reggie Smith in Center field in the Top of the 7th in a blow out Cardinals win against the Expos.  With two out Herndon singled back to the pitcher to load the bases.  It was his only plate appearance of his time in the majors with St.Louis.

1975 started in AAA Tulsa with hopes of reaching the majors again.  Then on May 9 came the shock.  Herndon was traded to the Giants organization and spent the rest of the year in Phoenix. 1976 was back to Phoenix to start of but it was a short stay.  After just 14 games in Phoenix he was promoted to play in the majors.

In his official rookie year Herndon started to show his potential.  He hit .288, played good defense, stole 12 bases and, although the Giants were a bad team Herndon looked like a big piece in what the Giants hoped to build.  It was not to be as injuries slowed his career.  He played in just 49 games in 1978.  He continued to work hard and as the Giants moved into the 1980's and Frank Robinson took over as manager he was excited for what Herndon might bring to the team.  Instead the Giants traded Herndon to the Tigers for Mike Chris and pitcher Dan Schatzeder.

The Tigers were building something special but it would be a few more years before it all came together.  Having built from their minor leagues with Alan Trammell, Lou Whitaker, Jack Morris, Lance Parrish and Kirk Gibson the Tigers made some smart trades to bring the rest of the team together. Herndon was an important part of that process.

While his power numbers were never great in St.Louis or San Francisco, Herndon hit 23 in his first year in Detroit.  Although the Brewers and Orioles were at the top of the division the Tigers were getting ready to pounce.  1983 was a career year for Herndon as he hit over  .300 and drove in over 90 while hitting 20 Home Runs.

Photo of Larry Herndon Courtesy of MLB.com

Quietly Great
The start to the season for the 1984 Tigers was an amazing thing.  They had signed Darrell Evans as a big free agent but he struggled.  Herndon's power numbers were down (he did not hit his first Home Run until June 21).  Yet while these two important pieces of the puzzle were struggling, the team was mauling the competition.  They started 35-5 and blew the competition away.  Because Herndon's numbers were below his regular pace Sparky Anderson started to platoon Herndon, Johnny Grubb and newly acquired Ruppert Jones.  Herndon's playing time decreased.  Nevertheless, the Tigers fought off a late charge by the Blue Jays and advanced to the League Championship Series against the Royals.

In game 1 Herndon led off the 4th inning with the Tigers already ahead 2-0.  Facing the Royals young pitcher Bud Black, Herndon took the first pitch for ball one.  On the second pitch of the at bat Herndon made everyone forget about the decreased power numbers in the regular season when he launched a Home Run to put the Tigers up 3-0.  It would be Herndon's only hit of the series.  After the game the press, as it does now, waited to talk to Herndon.  Larry wanted nothing to do with the press.  As far as he was concerned he had done his job plain and simple.  Talk to Morris and Trammell.  It was their game more than his.  He showered, dressed and snuck out the back before anyone had a chance to notice he had left.

Photo of Larry Herndon Courtesy of MLB.com

The Tigers faced the Padres in the World Series and although the Tigers were heavily favored the Padres took a 2-1 lead in Game 1.  Entering the fifth inning Alan Trammell flew out to Tony Gwynn in right field.  Kirk Gibson walked but was caught stealing second and with two outs Lance Parrish doubled to let.  The quiet big man watched the first pitch for a called strike.  Then ball one.  Ball two.  Ball three.  Herndon swung at the fifth pitch of the at bat.  The pitch was on the outside of the plate and in the lower part of the zone.  Herndon reached out and swung hard.  The ball took off towards the right field fence and Tony Gwynn looked up just in time to see the ball drop over the fence for a Home Run.  It provided the margin of victory.  Again, Herndon shunned the spotlight.  He dressed quickly, left the locker room and let Jack Morris take credit for the victory.  In the World Series every base hit is crucial and Herndon would have four more hits in the series.  None were more crucial than that Home Run.  The Tigers won that World Series 4 games to 1.  Ernie Harwell called the final out when he exclaimed "fly ball to Herndon" before being drowned out by the multitude of Tigers fans.

Roaring
The Tigers could not duplicate the magic of 1984 in the next two seasons.  They struggled and Herndon struggled along with them.  His knees were going bad and his numbers fell.  He didn't complain in the press when his playing time fell off.  He kept working hard and did his job.  He was released by the Tigers after the 1986 season but he resigned before the start of the 1987 season and Tigers would be happy he did.

On opening day of 1987 Herndon displayed his power in grand fashion.  Many felt that the ball, crushed to Center Field, would have left the stadium if it hadn't hit the stadium first.  By all eye witness accounts the ball was still on the way up when it hit the upper deck in center field.  Herndon would play in 89 games that year and hit 9 home runs. The first was that monster blast to center field. The last one was in the 162nd game of the Tigers season.  The Tigers had come from 3.5 games behind with ten games to play and were facing Toronto on the last day of the season. If the Tigers won they would clinch the division.  If they lost they would face Toronto in a one game playoff for the division lead.  The Blue Jays sent their young ace Jimmy Key, with a17-7 record, to the mound.  Lou Whitaker led off the bottom of the first with a single but a Bill Madlock double play ball and a Kirk Gibson pop to short ended the first.  After having sent six men to the plate in the first without scoring, the Blue Jays' second started with future Tiger star Cecil Fielder lining out to right field followed by two more quick outs.  The Tigers second started with Alan Trammell trying to sneak a bunt to third for a base hit but Garth Iorg was ready for it and Trammell was retired.  Herndon then launched a Home Run that would score the only run of the game.  Larry Herndon had sent the Tigers to the ALCS to face the Twins.

The Tigers won only one game in the series.  Down 2 games to 0 in game 3 Herndon started the game on the bench.  The Tigers had Dave Bergman as the DH who flew out to left in his first at bat.  As the bottom of the third started a double, single and walk loaded the bases with no one out.  A ground ball out scored one and the Tigers took the lead.  A balk scored another run, a single scored a third and the Tigers were ahead 3-0.  Chet Lemon walked and it was Bergman's turn at bat.  The Twins removed starter Les Straker and put in Dan Schatzeder, the same Dan Schatzeder the Tigers had sent to the Giants for Herndon.  As Schatzeder warmed up on the mound, Herndon stepped to the on deck circle to hit for Bergman. Larry connected for a two run double and the Tigers were ahead 5-0.  Herndon was again at the center of the only game the Tigers won in the series.

Quiet Dignity 
During the off season Herndon was again released by the Tigers but was resigned before the start of the season.  Herndon played in just 76 games, his fewest since his injury plagued year in San Francisco, and his numbers were not what he would have liked.  He played mostly at DH and split time with an aging Darrell Evans as the Tigers tried to make one more push with their core group.  In an amazingly tight American League East race, where the top five spots were separated by just 3.5 games, the Tigers came up one game short.

At the end of the season Herndon walked away.  He was gone for four years before Sparky Anderson asked him to return as the hitting coach.  He worked with young Tiger hitters like Travis Fryman, Tony Clark and Bobby Higginson but as the Tigers struggled in the standings it was clear that Sparky Anderson was not going to be fired.  The Tigers needed a change and Herndon became the target.  Herndon has since rejoined the Tigers as a minor league hitting instructor and is receiving great reviews for his work.

Herndon has passed his simple philosophy onto others, including the Lakeland Tigers manager Andy Barkett: "He told me that throughout his career, when he stepped on the field for either practice or a game, he treated every day like he was preparing to play in the seventh game of the World Series.  Playoff baseball is wonderful.  Why not approach it like that every day?"

*This is not intended as a full biography and due to space I have done my best to summarize the life of the players in this series.  For further information on Larry Herndon please check out

Videos:
Ken Burns Baseball
1984 Detroit Tigers World Series Collectors Edition
The Official World Series Film Collection


Websites:
http://www.baseball-reference.com/
http://www.baseball-almanac.com/
http://sabr.org/

Books
Wire to Wire: Inside the 1984 Detroit Tigers World Championship Season by George Cantor and Chet Lemon
Detroit Tigers 1984: What A Start! What a Finish! by Mark Pattison, David Raglin, Gary Gillette and Richard L. Shook

TRIVIA QUESTION:
In 14 years in the Major Leagues Larry Herndon hit .274.  As you can see from today's article, Herndon had a knack for coming up big in the post season.  What was Herndon's career post season batting average?

Answer to Last Week's Trivia Question:
Frank Robinson's record as a manager was 1065-1176.

2014 National League Central Preview

***The Division Preview that follows is not betting advice in any way shape or form.  Please do not bet any money based in any part on these predictions.***

Don't forget to check out the American League East, American League Central, and American League West  and National League East Previews and check back next week for the National League West Preview

Cincinnati Reds Logo Courtesy of Sports Logos,net

Cincinnati Reds:

Who's New: 

CATCHERS/INFIELDERS

Brayan Pena (C) free agent from Tigers,

Skip Schumacher (IF) free agent from Dodgers,
Bryan Anderson (C) free agent from White Sox
Chris Nelson (3B) free agent from Angels
Ramon Santiago (IF) free agent from Tigers

OUTFIELDERS

Jason Bourgeois (OF) free agent from Rays,
Neil Thomas (OF) free agent from Cubs
Roger Berardina (OF) free agent from Phillies
STARTING PITCHERS
David Holmberg (SP) trade from Diamondbacks,
Chien Ming Wang (SP) free agent from Blue Jays
Jeff Francis (SP) free agent from Rockies
RELIEF PITCHERS

Who Left: 

CATCHERS/INFIELDERS

Ryan Hannigan (C) trade to Rays,
Cesar Izturis (SS) free agent to Astros
OUTFIELDERS
Shin Soo Choo (OF) to Rangers,
Xavier Paul (OF) free agent to Orioles
Derrick Robinson (OF) unsinged free agent
STARTING PITCHERS
Greg Reynolds (SP) free agent to Japan
Bronson Arroyo (SP) free agent to Diamondbacks
RELIEF PITCHERS
Zach Duke (RP) free agent to Brewers
Nick Masset (RP) free agent to Rockies
Winter Headlines: 
Dusty hits the road but is Price right?
What to Expect?:
Nothing against Brian Price but he's no Dusty Baker, at least not yet.  After a first round exit this year the Reds decided it was time to move on without Dusty. It may end up being one of the worst decisions this leadership group has ever made. That being said, the core group of Votto, Phillips, Bruce and Frazier are still there and the rotation looks solid with Cueto, Latos, Bailey and Leake meaning the Reds are still probably the most talented team in this division.
Why Should You Root for These Guys?:
Last year I predicted the Reds would win it all.  Things started off badly from the beginning.  They lost their clean up hitter on opening day.  Their ace went down and missed most of the year.  Their second ace pitched fantastically but somehow couldn't win.  The Reds deserve some good luck for once.
Why Might This Season Not Turn Out the Way Reds Fans Want?:
The Reds lost their lead off hitter Choo to free agency and have done nothing to replace him.  Theoretically Billy Hamilton will be the lead off hitter but there are questions of his ability to play at the Major League level.  Add to that the change of manager and things in Cincinnati are still questionable.
Don't Expect Too Much From Him:
Billy Hamilton set a record for stolen bases in the minor leagues a few years ago.  The question is how will he do at the next level.  He did not have much chance to show his talent last year but with Choo gone Hamilton will get his chance to show what he can do.
Expect Great Things From:
Brandon Phillips has developed into one of the best players in the league but for some reason his name came up in trade rumors over the off season.  In 2012 when Joey Votto went out for an extended period it was Phillips that stepped up.  When the team started slowly in 2013 Phillips got the team back on track.  Expect Phillips to do what he always does: perform at a high level.
Prediction:1st in NL Central

Cardinals Logo Courtesy of Sports Logs.net

St. Louis Cardinals

Who's New:  

CATCHERS/INFIELDERS

Jhonny Peralta (SS) free agent from Tigers,

Mark Ellis (2B) free agent from Dodgers,

OUTFIELDERS

Peter Bourjos (OF) trade from Angels, 

STARTING PITCHERS

RELIEF PITCHERS
Pat Nesheck (RP) free agent from Athletics

Who Left?: 

CATCHERS/INFIELDERS

David Freese (3b) trade to Angels,
Brock Peterson (1B) free agent to Nationals
Ty Wigginton (IF) free agent to Marlins
Rob Johnson (C) free agent to Padres
OUTFIELDERS
Carlos Betran (OF) free agent to Yankees,
Adron Chambers (OF) free agent to Astros
STARTING PITCHERS
Jake Westbrook (SP) unsigned free agent
RELIEF PITCHERS
Fernando Salas (RP) trade to Angels,
Edward Mujica (RP) free agent to Red Sox,
John Axford (RP) free agent to Indians, Brock Peterson (1B) free agent to Nationals
Winter Headlines:  
Beltran and Freese gone.  Will the pitching hold up?
What to Expect?:
For the last few years Cardinals fans have dealt with the loss of major stars and expected the worst.  They have been pleasantly surprised with the results.  This year they lost Beltran, Freese and Mujica and done little to replace them.  Still, with the success that Mike Matheny has had in filling holes and the success of the organization overall it is hard to count this team out.
Why Should You Root for These Guys?:
The Cardinals organization has quietly built itself into the best organization in baseball.  Despite the loss of Pujols, Carpenter, Beltran and Freese, the Cardinals still seem to find ways to win.
Why Might This Season Not Turn Out the Way Cardinals Fans Want?:
The Cardinals continue to lose big names without replacing them.  They have been able to find players in a number of ways, mostly by listening to the smart baseball minds in the organization.  Even the best baseball minds make mistakes.  At what point will the baseball trust in St.Louis fail?
Don't Expect Too Much From Him:
Matt Holliday is generally considered a super star by many baseball experts but there are numerous holes in his game.  He is capable of great things but at times seems to have mental lapses that lead to mistakes at the worst possible time.  Expect Holliday to perform well but don't look for him to fill the holes left by the loss of Furcal, Beltran and Freese.
Expect Great Things From:
Yadier Molina is sometimes overlooked in the Cardinals current run.  In 2006 when the Cardinals won their first World Series since 1982, Molina hit the game winning Home Run to propel them to the World Series.  When they pushed to another title in 2011 Molina was the quiet leader.  Molina always seems to be at the center of the good things that happen in St. Louis.
Is This His Last Chance?:
Adam Wainwright missed all of the 2011 season as the Cardinals won the World Series.  He bounced back to a 14-13 season in 2012 and went 19-9 in 2013 while pitching well over 200 innings.  Wainwright is clearly a great pitcher but how many innings can an arm that missed an entire season just a few short years ago take?
Prediction: 2nd in NL East. Wild Card

Milwaukee Brewers Logo Courtesy of Sports Logos.net

Milwaukee Brewers

Who's New: 

CATCHERS/INFIELDERS

Irving Falu (IF) free agent from Royals,
Matt Pagnozzi (C) free agent from Astros,
Lyle Overbay (1B) free agent from Yankees
Mark Reynolds (3B) free agent from Yankees
OUTFIELDERS
STARTING PITCHERS
Matt Garza (SP) free agent from Rangers
Wil Smith (SP) trade from Royals,
RELIEF PITCHERS
Zach Duke (RP) free agent from Reds
Francisco Rodriguez (RP) free agent from Orioles

Who Left:  

CATCHERS/INFIELDERS

Blake Lali (1B) free agent to Diamondbacks,
Alex Gonzalez (IF) free agent to Orioles
Yuniesky Betancourt (IF) unsigned free agent

OUTFIELDERS

 Norichiki Aoka (OF) trade to Royals,

Corey Hart (OF) free agent to Mariners

STARTING PITCHERS

Chris Narveson (SP) free agent from Japan

Aaron Laffey (SP) free agent to Orioles

RELIEF PITCHERS

Burke Badenhop (RP) trade to Red Sox,
Michael Gonzales (RP) free agent to Nationals
Winter Headlines: Braun's return
What to Expect?:
The Brewers had a nice run over the last few years but 2013 was a struggle.  The team fell off severely as they dealt with the Ryan Braun situation.  They have now lost Corey Hart who was a big piece of the Brewers recent success.  They are in a strong division but for some reason I can't count them out of playoff contention just yet.  With players like Jean Segura, Carlos Gomez and Aramis Ramirez this team could be very dangerous.
Why Should You Root for These Guys?:
The Brewers team had some truly terrible years before this current run of success.  All they have to show for this recent history is two failed playoff appearances.  The Brewers are on the brink of heading for another dark period and it would be nice to see them have some more success before the decline.
Why Might This Season Not Turn Out the Way Brewers Fans Want?:
The Brewers have lost most of the key players of their playoff runs and the one remaining key piece is in disgrace.  If Braun fails and the pitching does not perform up to their potential it could take quite some time before the Brewers are able to compete again.
Don't Expect Too Much From Him:
Ryan Braun left the team last year in disgrace.  He will return for the full year this year and will be a great player again.  Just don't expect him to win an MVP.
Expect Great Things From:
Jean Segura was a great surprise for the Brewers last year in a season of turmoil.  He was near the top of the league in batting for most of the year and was the one bright spot for the team.  Expect Segura to continue to improve.
Is This His Last Chance?:
Matt Garza was a big contributor to the Rays playoff runs before moving on the Cubs.  With the Cubs he did not have the success they had hoped for and he was moved to the Rangers at the deadline last year.  All the Rangers got was a 4-5 record and a high ERA.  Garza, when healthy, has the potential to be an ace but continuing arm problems could sideline his career.
Prediction:3rd in NL Central

Pirates Logo Courtesy of Sports Logos.net

Pittsburgh Pirates:

Who's New: 

CATCHERS/INFIELDERS

Chris Stewart (C) trade from Yankees,

Travis Ishikawa (1B) free agent from White Sox, 

Michael Martinez (IF) free agent from Phillies, 

Travis McGuinness (1B) trade from Rangers
Omir Santos (C) free agent from Indians

OUTFIELDERS

 Jeff Decker (OF) trade from Padres,
STARTING PITCHERS
 Edinson Volquez (SP) free agent from Dodgers,
RELIEF PITCHERS
Cody Eppeley (RP) free agent from Twins,
Miles Mikolas (RP) trade from Padres,
Duke Welker (RP) trade from Twins,

Who Left:

CATCHERS/INFIELDERS

Garrett Jones (1B) free agent to Marlins,

 Justin Mourneau (1B) free agent to Rockies,

John Buck (C) free agent to Mariners

Michael McKenry (C) free agent to Rockies
Brandon Inge (IF) released

OUTFIELDERS

Marlon Byrd (OF) free agent to Phillies,
Felix Pie (OF) unsigned free agent
STARTING PITCHERS
Kris Johnson (SP) traded to Twins,
A.J. Burnett (SP) free agent to Phillies
James McDonald (SP) free agent to Cubs
RELIEF PITCHERS
Mike Mikolas (RP) trade to Rangers
Kyle Farnsworth (RP) free agent to Mets
Chris Leroux (RP) free agent to Yankees
Jeff Karstens (RP) unsigned free agent
Winter Headlines: 
Follow up to playoffs?
Hurdle MOY, McCutcheon MVP
What to Expect?:
The Pirates had a magical year in 2013 but fell short.  They return an MVP and a Manager of the Year but the pitching staff remains a question.  Fortunately for Pittsburgh the Reds and Cardinals appear to have gotten weaker as well but the Brewers have improved.  The Pirates will need some upgrades in pitching but they should still be able to compete.
Why Should You Root for These Guys?:
The Pirates are one of the small market teams that have suffered while other free spending teams have thrived.  The Pirates reached the playoffs for the first time in over two decades and are looking to prove it was not just a fluke.
Why Might This Season Not Turn Out the Way Pirates Fans Want?:
Last season was a magical season in Pittsburgh.  The problem is the pitching staff has taken a hit that it may not be able to recover from.  Losing A.J.Burnett, the leader of the staff, and replacing him with Edinson Volquez is not reassuring.
Don't Expect Too Much From Him:
Wandy Rodriguez is a very good pitcher.  he proved that in Houston ofr several years and has had a strong year and a half in Pittsburgh.  Rodriguez is not an ace and will not be able to fill Burnett's shoes.
Expect Great Things From:
Andrew McCutcheon has been one of the unknown star players in the league for the last three years until he was finally recognized as the MVP last year.  McCutcheon should continue to get better and will hopefully be the next great player in the Pirates long history joining the names of Wagner, Waner, Clemente and Bonds.
Is This His Last Chance?:
Edinson Volquez had a great start to his career in Cincinnati but the last few years have been a struggle. After a few difficult years in San Diego and a failed late season stint with the Dodgers, Volquez is taking a shot at helping the Pirates.  If he fails in Pittsburgh he may not get another shot.
Prediction: 4th in NL Central

Chicago Cubs Logo Courtesy of Sports Logos.net

Chicago Cubs

Who's New: 

CATCHERS/INFIELDERS

George Kottras (C) trade from Royals,
John Baker (C) free agent from Dodgers,
Ryan Roberts (IF) free agent from Rays,
Chris Valaika (IF) trade from Marlins
Emilio Bonifacio (IF) free agent fromRoyals
OUTFIELDERS
Casper Wells (OF) free agent from Phillies,
Justin Ruggiano (OF) trade from Marlins,
Chris Coghlan (OF) free agent from Marlins
STARTING PITCHERS
Liam Hendricks (SP) waiver claim from Twins,
Jonathan Sanchez (SP) free agent from Dodgers
Jason Hammel (SP) free agent from Orioles
James McDonald (SP) free agent from Pirates
RELIEF PITCHERS
Chris Valaika (P) free agent from Marlins,
Wesley Wright (RP) free agent from Rays,
Jose Veras (RP) free agent from Tigers

Who Left: 

CATCHERS/INFIELDERS

 J.C. Boscan (C) free agent to Dodgers,
Dioner Navarro (C) free agent to Blue Jays,
Cody Ranson (3B) released
OUTFIELDERS
Brian Bougosevic (OF) trade to Marlins,
Cole Gillespe (OF) free agent to Mariners,
Thomas Neal (OF) free agent to Reds
Dave Sappelt (OF) free agent to Phillies
Daniel Bard (OF) free agent to Rangers
STARTING PITCHERS
Scott Baker (SP) free agent to Mariners
RELIEF PITCHERS
Eduardo Sanchez (RP) free agent to Tigers,
Zach Putnam (RP) free agent toWhite sox,
Michael Bowden (RP) free agent to Japan
Henry Alberto Rodriguez (RP) free agent to Marlins
Daniel Bard (RP) free agent to Rangers
Matt Guerrier (RP) free agent to Twins
Kevin Gregg (RP) unsigned free agent
Winter Headlines:
The Cubs get a new mascot.
What to Expect?:
Open the Cubs website and you will see their new slogan: Committed.  The Cubs have started their rebuilding process and appear to have a five year plan in place.  The problem is that until they can see if that five year plan is working there may be some truly terrible teams.  They definitely have some potentially great players in Ruggiano, Barney, Castro, Rizzo and Samardzjia but it is not enough to compete now.  In fact, some of those pieces may be moved for minor leaguers to help facilitate the five year plan.  The slogan may mean they are committed to winning but if could also be a warning that they will be committed to the asylum if things don't go the way they planned.
Why Should You Root for These Guys?:
Being a cursed organization is one thing.  Not winning a World Series for over 100 years is more than just a curse.  There is no longer suffering organization in sports than the Chicago Cubs.  They not only haven't won since 1908, they have had very few close calls.
Why Might This Season Not Turn Out the Way Cubs Fans Want?:
There is definitely talent on this team.  Most of the infield has great potential and there are a few veteran presences on the pitching staff that can help the team along.  The Cubs should be improved over last year's disappointment but don't expect them to challenge the top four in this division just yet.
Don't Expect Too Much From Him:
Starlin Castro  had a great first two years in the league and fell off each of the last two.  Castro has the ability to become a star in this league and the organization is working with him to get the most out of his talent.  If the Cub five year plan is effective Castro will need to be part of it but don't expect him to emerge as a star just yet.
Expect Great Things From:
Anthony Rizzo hit 23 Home Runs last year and drove in 80 RBI.  Somehow he only hit .233 for the year and struck out 127 times.  If Rizzo is able to improve his patience at the plate and make better decisions expect Rizzo to become the Cubs' All Star Representative.
Is This His Last Chance?:
Edwin Jackson was expected to be a Dodgers ace when he first entered the league.  That didn't happen.  He moved on to the Rays, Tigers, White Sox, Diamondbacks,Cardinals, White Sox again, Nationals and now the Cubs.  At every stop he has impressed the fan bases with his ability.  Though he has never become the superstar that was expected by the Dodgers he has become a very good pitcher.  The problem with journeymen players is that they sometimes get a reputation for being expendale and at some point run out of suitors.  Will the Cubs be the last stop for Jackson?
Prediction: 5th place in NL Central

*-Please be aware that these predictions are based on the rosters as set in the middle of March.  There are still several key free agents unsigned which could alter these previews.  Also, injuries during spring training could alter my outlook.  Check back next week for the NL West Preview and continue following to see my final predictions at the start of the season.

TRIVIA QUESTIONS:

The Cubs won the National League in 1906, 1907, 1908 and 1910 during the Tinker, Evers and Chance years.  They have not been as consistently in contention since.  How many post season appearances have the Cubs made since they lost the 1910 World Series?

Answer to Last Week's Trivia Question:

The divisional format in 1969 with the East and West starting play that year.  Here are the Eastern Division Rookies of The Year since then:

Carl Morton (Expos)1970

John Matlack (Mets)1972

Bake  McBride (Cardinals) 1974

Andre Dawson (Expos)1977

Daryl Strawberry (Mets) 1983

Doc Gooden (Mets) 1984

Vince Coleman (Cardinals) 1985

Todd Worrell (Cardinals) 1986

Jerome Walton (Cubs) 1989

Scott Rolen (Phillies) 1997

Rafael Furcal (Braves) 2000

Dontrelle Willis (Marlins) 2003

Ryan Howard (Phillies) 2005

Hanley Ramirez (Marlins) 2007

Chris Coghlan (Marlins) 2009

Craig Kimbrel (Braves) 2011

Bryce Harper (Nationals) 2012

Jose Fernandez (Marlins) 2013