Having a girlfriend thats a lifelong Phillies fan made me cautious of saying anything too offensive about the beasts from the NL East. When i told her that i would be writing this preview our exchange went something like this.
Me: "So im going to be writing the preview for the Phillies this season."
Girlfriend: *death stare*
Me: *nervous laughter*
Girlfriend: *DEATH STARE*
.
.
.
So yeah, im going to try to pull this off without losing any reproductive organs.

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A year ago, San Diego took the NL West by storm through the first 4 ½ months of the season holding a 6.5 game lead over the eventual World Champion Giants on August 27th only to choke away their playoff hopes and end up sitting at home watching the postseason with a respectable 90 wins under their belt. 

 Coming off a 90 win season, you would think the 2011 season would be the perfect time to add a little payroll, fill some roster holes, and make another run at it. Not so for the Padres, gone is former face of the franchise Adrian Gonzalez, gone are former middle of the rotation starters Chris Young and Jon Garland, and gone are starting infielders Miguel Tejada and David Eckstein. All in all it seems that in 2011 there's going to be something stinky in San Diego and its not the fish tacos.

Having unveiled new "digital camouflage" jerseys, the

Padres hope fans won't be able to see them sucking

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Should the Reds pick up Bronson's $13 million option for next season? Along with Cueto, Arroyo has been the most consistent starter all season long and currently posts a 14-8 record with a 3.82 ERA and is easily on pace to once again pitch over 200 innings.

The rotation for next season without Arroyo (and Harang who also has a $12.75 million option for next season and who the Reds will presumably let walk after the season) looks like this.

1. Cueto
2. Volquez
3. Bailey
4. Leake
   
5. Wood

Not to mention the fact that we have in the minor leagues Chapman, LeCure, and Maloney, all of whom have started this season in the majors.

If the playoffs were to start today, you would have to think that Arroyo would start game 1 or 2. (If it were me, i think it would be a great move to sandwich him between 2 hard throwers like Cueto and Bailey as the number 2 starter in a 5 game series)

And the question remains, if you're the Reds, do you let the man with the carpal tunneled right hand walk after the season's over or do you pony up the 13 mil to keep around arguably your most consistent starter on a playoff team for at least another year. We shall see.

2010 Houston Astros

What’s the biggest joke in the NL central this season that doesn’t involve Dusty Baker, Prince Fielder and the Pope walking into a bar? If you guessed the Pirates, I’ve got bad news for you. At least the Pirates can justify their porous roster with a projected payroll figure under 40 million dollars and a crop of young major league ready talent knocking at the door. The Astros on the other hand, with their current roster intact will spend over twice that amount at about 91 million and have the potential to be just as bad, if not worse.

Hitting

The biggest threats in Houston’s offense are once again Lance Berkman and Carlos Lee who both look like they should be batting 3rd and 4th for a “Beer League” softball team and not crowding the middle of the order for a Major League Baseball team. But don’t let their pudgy faces and rotund figures fool you, both of these guys pack a punch and have been known to give Red’s pitchers fits throughout their careers.

The biggest loss from last season in the hitting department definitely has to be Miguel Tejada who packed up his roids and headed back to Baltimore. The Astros attempted to replace some of Tejada’s lost numbers with newly acquired third baseman Pedro Feliz, but with a .254 career batting average and declining home run numbers over the past 3 seasons, you might have to wonder what the ‘stros were thinking for 4.5 mil on this one.

The rest of the lineup is filled with a crop of no namers, (Tommy Manzella), has beens, (Feliz) and never was’s (Kaz Matsui). Throw in super utility man and former Red, Jeff Keppinger and you’re looking at a below average lineup with only two guys (Berkman and Lee) that can do any significant damage on a consistent basis. The lineup leaves a lot to be desired and will definitely give Enron sized headaches to Astros fans all over Houston this season.

Starting Pitching

            The Astros pitching staff is once again anchored by perennial “Tomo Ohka all-star” Roy Oswalt. Oswalt has been spending an awful lot of time banged up over the past few seasons but always seems to limp his way onto the mound and channel his inner Greg Maddux to put a hurting on the Reds time after time. If the Astros want to have any chance of climbing out of the basement of the NL central this season they’ll need a healthy season from Oswalt to start with.

            The rest of the staff is made up of Wandy Rodriguez, This “Buds” for you Norris, Brett Myers and possibly former Red Brian Moehler. (yeah, I WTF’d too) Rodriguez had a breakout year in ’09 and is clearly a frontrunner to be the future ace of the staff. Norris will need to have a breakout year this year for the rotation to hold its own in the central. Myers might need to spend some time getting used to being thrown back in the rotation (and not throwing his wife around) after spending the last couple years bouncing around from the bullpen to the starting rotation with the Phillies. The fifth spot is wide open but if Brian Moehler is the front runner for the spot, you know these guys are in trouble.

Relief Pitching

            What’s really going to kill Astros’ fans this season is going to be their men in relief. The middle relievers are a crop of no namers that have never done much of anything in the bigs. Guys like Tim Byrdak, (who?) Jeff Fulchino, (who?) and Chris Sampson (he’s the guy with the magic hair, right?) will potentially anchor their middle relief and it will be up to management to find the right combo of guys that can get consecutive outs on a nightly basis.

            The closing duties will be decided over the spring between serial setup-men Brandon Lyon and Matt Lindstrom with the loser taking over the setup role, but don’t be surprised if the ‘stros don’t end up going to a closer-by-committee with this lack of talent at the end of the pen. With this group of bums towing the relief duties for Houston, you have to believe that by September, Astros fans will be longing for the days of Brad Lidge going mental and blowing saves by the truckload.

Overview

In 2009 the Astros went an overachieving 74-88. There’s essentially no way I can see the Astros breaking 70 wins this season with the current roster intact, not to mention the fact that it will be hard for ownership to justify keeping Berkman, Lee, and Oswalt on the roster when they start July in last place in the Central with their salaries at a combined 1 and a 1/3 times that of the Pirates.

As a whole this team doesn't seem to have a direction, with not nearly enough veteran talent to contend and little to no young talent that would indicate a team in the rebuilding process.

            In 2010 I see Berkman and Oswalt finding new homes before the season is over and the Astros finishing a solid 68 – 94 and dead last in the NL Central, now there’s your punchline.