The Flagrant Fan is getting excited. We are 90 minutes in front of the opening game of the 2003 MLB season. Yesss! How will this season turn out? To continue yesterday's post, the Fearless Flagrant Fan will take a look at the National League Central. The division looks to be the most difficult one to predict. Anything can happen but here are my guesses:

Dusty Baker is the intangible that will propel the Cubbies to the top of the division. They have talent. But they also have holes just like every team in this division. So Dusty is the difference but Chicago's favorite team won't win more than 92 games.

The pitching staff has two young horses in Prior and Wood. But unless others step up in the rotation, it may be Wood and Prior and put out the fire. Arizona prooved that if you can get to the playoffs, having two dominant pitchers can do you the rest. Like every team, I'll also predict the team leaders:

Homeruns and RBI: Sammy Sosa who will have a monster year (the last of his career?) with more than 60 homers and 130 RBI
Average: Moises Alou who comes all the way back from last year's injuries
Surprise player of the year: Corey Patterson who becomes a star this year.
Wins: Kerry Wood with 18
Saves: Veres (who springboards over Alfonseca who is injured) with 29

The Cincinnati Reds are going to do some thumping this year. Griffey will win comeback player of the year and hit fifty homers. Dunn will continue his climb to stardom and Kearns may be the best of them all. Branyon can still crush and watch this Felipe Lopez who may end Barry Larkin's long reign at shortstop. Pitching is key here and I just don't see enough.

Homeruns: Griffey with 52
RBI: Adam Dunn with 126
Average: Austin Kearns
Surprise player of the year: Sean Casey is injury free for the first time in three years and will have a great year
Wins: Ryan Dempster with 17
Saves: Scott Williamson with 34

The St Louis Cardinals are dangerous enough to win the division but a lot has to fall in place...too much. Will Drew come back from injury to recreate the can't miss prospect status? Will Edmonds stay healthy? They do have potentially the best pitching and that one fact could put them ahead of the others.

Homeruns RBI Average and MVP: Albert Pujols who is one of the best hitters of our time.
Surprise player of the year: Scott Rolens, who finally settles down and has a great season.
Wins: Matt Morris with 24
Saves: Doesn't look good here...Jeff Fassaro? with 18?

The Houston Astros have the biggest hearts but age and long term injuries are catching up to their nucleus of stars. Bagwell's shoulder will never be the same. Biggio was an adequate second baseman who will be a less than adequate center fielder. Hmm... Thank goodness for their starting pitching and for Lance Berkman

Homeruns: Lance Berkman with 42
RBI: Jeff Kent with 118
Average: Jeff Bagwell who can hit to the opposite field better this year.
Wins: Wade Miller with 23
Saves: Billy Wagner with 31
Surprise of the year: Bruce Chen who comes back from the dead to win 14 games

The Pirates have pitching that could take them farther than expected, but those with the bats seem to be an odd collection of spare parts: Reggie Sanders, Pokey Reese, Kevin Young, Kenny Lofton and Matt Stairs. Puhleeze. But Brian Giles is a fiery superstar and could push that collection farther than they should go. Look for Benson to have a break out year.

Homeruns: Brian Giles with 43
RBI, Average, and surprise of the year: Jason Kendell who is healthy for the first time in years.
Wins: Tie: Kris Benson and Josh Fogg with 16 each.
Saves: Mike Williams with 37

And finally, the Milwaukee Brewers, ugh! This poor team doesn't have a chance and the only tension will be whether or not they can avoid 100 losses or not. Bad, bad team...

Homeruns: Richie Sexton with 38
RBI: Sexton again with 104
Average: Oh...let's go with Vander Wal for lack of anyone else who could hit .300
Surprise player of the year: Geoff Jenkins who has shown flashes of brilliance but keeps getting hurt.
Wins: Glendon Rusch with 14
Saves: Mike DeJean with 22 and 12 blown saves...

Variables that could change the above predictions:
Which team starts hot and gains the confidence to take it to the top?
Which team has the better interleague schedule?
Do the Astros reach inside and go for one more shot before they have nothing left?
Will the Cubs' young pitching blossom or fall victim to injury?
Can Sammy Sosa continue the most bombastic run of seasons in Major League history?
Can the Cardinals pitching stay healthy enough to make them the best team?
Can Griffey truly have the comeback season he and baseball really deserves?

Tomorrow begins the 162 game journey to the answers.