2022 NL Central Predictions

[RobDeer 45]

Opening Day is here!  Time for the annual tradition of getting your NL Central Predictions on record.

NL Central Standings:

Brewers 
Cardinals 
Reds 
Cubs
Pirates 

Brewers Categories

Most Valuable Player: 

Cy Young: 

Most Surprising Player: 

Most Disappointing Player: 

Under the Radar Player to Watch: 

Rookie of the Year: 

[owbc]

What a time to be a Brewers fan -- there's a decent chance we run away with the division again. I have a feeling the obnoxious Cardinals' farewell tour will be a thorn in our side at times and the Cubs will spend a decent chunk of the season over .500. But other than that it should be smooth sailing to another division title. 

NL Central Standings:

Brewers 92 wins

Cardinals 90 wins

Cubs 78 wins

Reds 68 wins

Pirates 65 wins

 

Brewers Categories

Most Valuable Player: Adames

Cy Young: Burnes

Most Surprising Player: I'm on the Hiura bandwagon but I'll go with McCutchen putting up 2 WAR and winning us a couple games with clutch hits. 

Most Disappointing Player: Yelich. I was going to put Tellez here as well but I'll predict we trade him after Hiura starts raking. 

 

Under the Radar Player to Watch: I haven't heard much about Urías other than his injury -- I'll put him down for an .800+ OPS year. 

Rookie of the Year: Ashby

[BruisedCrew]

Brewers 88

Cardinals 86

Cubs 76

Reds 73

Pirates 69

MVP- Renfroe

Best Pitcher- Woodruff

Surprising- Taylor

Disappointing- I would say Yelich but I expect him to be what he’s been the last two years so it isn’t really disappointing any more, it’s just sad. So, I’ll say Narvaez, followed by Adames who I don’t expect to hit as well as last year. 

Under the Radar- Cousins

Rookie-Ashby

[nate82]

I am going to steal some of the standings stuff from Keith Law I think his predictions for the NL Central are pretty accurate.

 

NL Central Standings:

 

Brewers 91-71

Cardinals 80-82

Reds 77-85

Cubs 83-79

Pirates 62-100

 

Brewers Categories

Most Valuable Player: Urias

 

Cy Young: Burnes

 

Most Surprising Player: Ray

 

Most Disappointing Player: Yelich

 

Under the Radar Player to Watch: Singleton

 

Rookie of the Year: Ray, after an early injury to Cain Ray steps in and puts up solid defense and a surprising .260/.323/.413 season in 100 games.  

[bensheeps]

Brewers 92

Cardinals 85

Cubs 77

Reds 73

Pirates 69

MVP- Yelich.  Not back to his MVP numbers, but still a solid season that makes most fans forget about the previous two years.

Best Pitcher- Woodruff

Surprising- Hiura

Disappointing- Tellez.  Afraid that last year's numbers won't be repeated and Hiura plays a lot of 1st base as the year goes on.

Under the Radar- Cousins

Rookie-Ashby

[Ewitkows1]

NL Central Standings:

Brewers  95
Cardinals 88
Reds 72
Cubs  75
Pirates  71

Brewers Categories

Most Valuable Player:  Hiura- new swing will make all the difference

Cy Young:  Burnes

Most Surpringing Player:  Taylor - Will take over CF because I don't think Cain's body will hold up

Most Disappointing Player:  Renfroe

Under the Radar Player to Watch: Ashby

Rookie of the Year: Ashby- really high on him. Looking forward to having him in the starting rotation next year

[Lathund]

NL Central Standings:

Brewers 94
Cardinals 84
Reds 77
Cubs 75
Pirates 65

Brewers Categories

Most Valuable Player: Urias

Cy Young: Woodruff

Most Surpringing Player: Tellez; gonna be a breakout year for him. 

Most Disappointing Player: Narvaez

Under the Radar Player to Watch: Corey Ray

Rookie of the Year: Ashby is still rookie eligible IIRC. Otherwise, Ethan Small. 

[brewcrewdue80]

Brewer Predictions.

Wins

Milw-101

StL-88

CHC-79

CIN-71

PITT-64

 

Cy Young  Burnes

Best Hitter-Willy Adames

Rookie of Year- Think Ashby will be only one to qualify

Bold prediction-Adrian Houser inserts himself as 2nd best pitcher on team

Disappointment-Urias and 3b woes. Health.

3b will be the biggest position covered in trade deadline move.

World Series here we come.

 

I've hit the ads twice while writing this.  SO goodbye.  

[Sixtolezcano]

NL Central Standings:

Brewers 87-75
Cardinals 80-82
Reds 77-85
Cubs 76-86
Pirates 70-92

Brewers Categories 

Most Valuable Player: Kolton Wong

Cy Young: Brandon Woodruff

Most Surprising Player: Adrian Houser (14-9)

Most Disappointing Player: Devin Williams

Under the Radar Player to Watch: Mike Brousseau

Rookie of the Year: Aaron Ashby

[Roderick]

MB - 90

StLC - 88

CC - 78

CR - 76

PP - 65

MVP - Burnes

Cy Young - Burnes

MSP - McCutcheon (one very good year left in the tank)

MDP - Yelich (again)

UtR - Caratini

Rookie - Feliciano (or some bullpen guy, right? - don't see Small getting major time quite yet)

 

Edit:  Don't think Ashby will be consistent enough to win RoY.  I'm guessing he pitches great for four games in a row and then has a stinker that will kill the stats.  Rinse and repeat.

 

 

[brooks_quichenick]

NL Central Standings:

Brewers 96 wins
Cardinals 90 wins
Cubs 79 wins

Reds 71 wins

Pirates 62 wins

Brewers Categories

Most Valuable Player: Urias

Cy Young: Burnes

Most Surprising Player: McCutchen

Most Disappointing Player: Yelich

Under the Radar Player to Watch: Taylor

Rookie of the Year: Small

[Brock Beauchamp]

Brewers: 92 wins
Cardinals: 86 wins
Cubs: 78 wins
Reds: 72 wins
Pirates: 64 wins

[pitchleague]

Here's my guesses:

Brewers 90 wins
Cardinals  83 wins
Cubs  75 wins
Reds   70 wins
Pirates  64 wins

I don't know if I can really make guesses about individual player information.

 

[HarryDoyle]

The Brewers could very well win the division because it's so weak, but with their offense this is not a 90 win team. Once again the pit Bing will have to be near perfect for that to happen.

[Ron Robinsons Beard]

18 hours ago, HarryDoyle said:

The Brewers could very well win the division because it's so weak, but with their offense this is not a 90 win team. Once again the pit Bing will have to be near perfect for that to happen.

This same offense won 95 games last year. So it is, in fact, a 90-win team. 

Now if you are saying that the pitching won't be as strong, then you have a point. But that is merely a hypothetical. As for the offense, I don't know see it being any worse than last season ... likely better with a full year of Adames and Tellez, and Urias established at 3B once he's back. Get anything at all from Yelich and Huira, and that's a better offense.

[Brock Beauchamp]

1 hour ago, Ron Robinsons Beard said:

This same offense won 95 games last year. So it is, in fact, a 90-win team. 

Now if you are saying that the pitching won't be as strong, then you have a point. But that is merely a hypothetical. As for the offense, I don't know see it being any worse than last season ... likely better with a full year of Adames and Tellez, and Urias established at 3B once he's back. Get anything at all from Yelich and Huira, and that's a better offense.

Yeah, I see some decent upside in this offense if a few things go right (eg. Yelich becoming even an .825 OPS player again). My biggest concern is that the offense isn't good enough to carry a pitching staff that can't stay as healthy as they were in 2021.

[KeithStone53151]

NL Central Standings:

Brewers 92-70
Cardinals 88-74
Cubs 77-85
Reds 74-88
Pirates 0-162 68-92

Brewers Categories 

Most Valuable Player: Willy Adames

Cy Young: Corbin Burnes

Most Surprising Player: Keston Hiura

Most Disappointing Player: Christian Yelich

Under the Radar Player to Watch: Tyrone Taylor and Jose Urena

Rookie of the Year: Aaron Ashby

I'm late to the game but this is what I would have picked before the season.