To continue the Fan's 2004 season predictions let's finish off the National League and then move to the American League. The predictions will follow this pattern: The teams will be selected in the order they will finish in the division and then predictions for leaders on each team will be made along with their projected totals for the season. Here goes...

National League Central

1. The Chicago Cubs. You have to go with the Cubs. The Cubs and Astros really match up well with each other but the Cubs young power pitchers play home games in Wrigley Field which, except for when the wind is blowing out, is a much more forgiving place for pitchers than the Astros little matchbox of a stadium.

The Cubs also picked up Derrek Lee, the best fielding first baseman in the National League and that will make their defense better and thus their pitching staff. Sammy Sosa is going to have a big year after two sub-Sammy, controversy years. The heck with the billy goat, the Cubs are the team to beat in the National League.

Leaders:
Homeruns - Sammy Sosa (61)
RBI - Sammy Sosa (140)
Average - Corey Patterson (.315)
Wins - Kerry Woods (22)
Career Year - Derrek Lee
Record - 98-64
Keys - Will Kerry Wood and Mark Prior be healthy enough for 30 starts each? How many games will LaTroy Hawkins blow in the bullpen? What does Greg Maddox have left?

2. The Houston Astros. The Fan has to root for the Astros with Andy Pettitte and Roger Clemens pitching for them in 2004. Unfortunately, the Astros gave away Billy Wagner, the best lefthanded reliever in history, and their ball park takes away good pitching much the same as Colorado. The Astros are good enough for second, but can't make it to the top of the division.

Leaders:
Homeruns - Richard Hidalgo (42)
RBI - Lance Berkman (134)
Average - Adam Everett (.312)
Wins - Roy Oswalt (19)
Career Year - Adam Everett. The kid settles down and becomes a star.
Record - 94-68
Keys - Can their great starting pitching control the flow of runs at home? Can those same pitchers stay healthy? Will Octavio Dotel have success as a closer? How soon will Astros baseball people realize that Biggio hurts the team more than helps it?

3. The St. Louis Cardinals. With Pujols, Edmonds, Rolen and Sanders, the Cardinals will score some runs consistently. Unfortunately, what used to be their strength--pitching--has become their weakness and the Cardinals won't be able to overcome the Cubs and Astros as such. Pujols will have another big year. Rolen will again show that he is the best third baseman in baseball and Sanders will have a good year in this lineup. It's too bad about the pitching.

Leaders:
Homeruns - Pujols (38)
RBI - Pujols (137)
Average - Pujols (.336) This is an easy team to pick!
Wins - Woody Williams (17)
Career Year - Reggie Sanders - Well surrounded by great hitters.
Record - 84-78
Keys - Can they get any consistency from their starters? Can Jason Insringhausen close effectively?

4. The Pittsburgh Pirates. The Pirates improved last year and didn't seem to be such a push over. They haven't improved their team this year and Jose Mesa will be their closer. Oh boy. Another long season in Pittsburgh. They will regress from their progress and have a miserable year.

Leaders:
Homeruns - Craig Wilson (32) Who you ask? He's going to break out this year.
RBI - Raul Mondesi - (88) Personifies the problem of this team. No leadership and no big run producer.
Average - Jason Kendell - (.308)
Wins - Salomen Torres (15)
Career Year - Craig Wilson
Record - 72-90
Keys - Can Benson ever be the pitcher we thought he could be? Will Mondesi wear out his welcome in yet another city?

5. The Cincinnati Reds. What a mess at the bottom of this division. This once proud franchise is the second biggest embarrassment in baseball. The Reds have some hitting but also the most unproven, unsavory looking pitching staff in the history of their franchise. Ugh! Who do you like out there? Paul Wilson? Adam Harang? Yikes.

Leaders:
Homeruns - Adam Dunn (40) Dunn will come back from last year.
RBI - Adam Dunn (102)
Average - Sean Casey (.295)
Wins - Paul Wilson (11)
Career Year - Adam Dunn will be back with a bang.
Record - 62-100
Keys - Can they stay ahead of the Brewers on the bottom of the division?

6. Milwaukee Brewers. What the Selig family has done to this franchise mirrors Selig's success as a commissioner. They have bungled and fumbled this franchise in what should be a criminal act. Nevermind Martha Stewart. All she did was gain $40,000 in a stock deal. The Seligs have cost Milwaukee, the fans and the state of Wisconsin millions of dollars. And then they lost Richie Sexson, the only real reason to go to one of their games. Oh Woe is the city of Milwaukee. This will be the first division in history to have two teams lose a hundred games.

Leaders:
Homeruns - Geoff Jenkins (30) One of the real good guys in baseball.
RBI - Geoff Jenkins (95)
Average - Scott Podsednik (.322)
Wins - Matt Kinney - (11)
Career Year - Junior Spivey - I think Spivey will resurrect his career here.
Record - 60-102
Keys - Will dual specialist Brooks Kieschnick have more hits himself than he gives up pitching?


National League East

1. Philadelphia Phillies. This is the year that the Braves fall from the top of the table. The Phillies have assembled the second best team in the National League and if they don't do well, the world will finally find out that Larry Bowa is not the guy to manage this team.

Despite Bowa, this team has all the horses ready to win the division. Billy Wagner will give them a consistent closer. Padilla, Millwood and Wolf gives them three solid starters and Pat Burrell is going to be back with a monster year.

Leaders:
Homeruns - Jim Thome (48)
RBI - Pat Burrell (132)
Average - Bobby Abreu (.310)
Wins - Millwood and Wolf (tied at 18)
Career Year - Pat Burrell. Burrell is back to hitting the ball to all fields and hitting line drives. Look for a big year.
Records - 98-64
Keys - Can Millwood stay healthy? Can Thome stay healthy? Can Eric Milton resurrect his career? Will Bowa hold back this club with his overbearing managing?

2. Florida Marlins. The Florida Marlins lost a lot of their heart when they did not re-sign Ivan Rodriguez. And the team lost Derrek Lee, an underrated reason why they played so well last year on defense. A lot of the Marlins success will depend on the health of their pitching and the growth of their young players, Hee Seop Choi and Miguel Cabrera. Few people understand that Josh Beckett has only won 17 games in his career and another young pitcher named Jared Wright once dominated a post-season series never to be heard from again.

Leaders:
Homeruns - Mike Lowell (34)
RBI - Miguel Cabrera (109)
Average - Juan Pierre (.312)
Wins - Brad Penny (18)
Career Year - Carl Pavano with 17 wins
Record - 95-67
Keys - Can Armando Benitez succeed as their closer? What kind of year can Josh Beckett have? Was Dontrelle Willis a one year wonder? Will Cabrera continue to amaze as a youngster?

3. Montreal Expos. The vagabond Expos should have a better team than the Braves and even with the loss of some of their superstars, Frank Robinson will not let them play in a mediocre way. Nick Johnson was a great pickup as was (and I hate to admit it) Carl Everett. The Expos aren't a great team and may not be a good team. But they will scrap away and win their share of games.

Leaders:
Homeruns - Carl Everett - (29)
RBI - Orlando Cabrera (97)
Average - Jose Vidro (.322)
Wins - Claudio Vargas (17)
Career Year - Claudio Vargas as the pitcher comes of age.
Record - 86-76
Keys - How much does Livan Hernandez have left? Can Nick Johnson stay healthy? How will all the travel hurt the team?

4. Atlanta Braves. The Braves will not only not win the division, but they won't even be a .500 club. The luster is gone and the run is over. Of course, that could just be the hopes of the Fan making the predictions. I just don't see the pitching on this club doing anything to help them.

Leaders:
Homeruns - J.D. Drew (38) Drew finally decides to play baseball for a living.
RBI - J. D. Drew (112)
Average - Rafael Furcal (.309)
Wins - Paul Byrd (15)
Career Year - Rafael Furcal will hit .300 for the first time.
Record - 75-87
Keys - Can the Braves get anything out of Thompson and the other young starters? Can John Smoltz stay healthy? How will the team replace both Sheffield and Javy Lopez?

5. New York Mets. The poor Mets have yet to recover from the poor personnel decisions of a couple of years ago. They also have one of the worst ballparks in baseball. Mike Piazza is playing first and that means an even higher ERA for their pitching staff. Kaz Matsui will be exciting and is a great addition. But it's a mistake to move their new franchise player: Jose Reyes. Now Reyes has to learn a new position which could stunt his hitting growth.

Leaders:
Homeruns - Piazza (33)
RBI - Piazza (110)
Average - Jose Reyes (.313)
Wins - Al Leiter (16)
Career Year - Ty Wigginton who is a good young player.
Record - 70-92
Keys - Can Matsui adjust to the American game? Can Leiter stay healthy? Will Reyes progress?

Tomorrow, the American League. Tonight! Real baseball! On American soil! Red Sox and Orioles. Here we go, 2004!