Cubs Seeing Red

I was thinking how the NL Central would shape up for 2011.
Basically, would the Cubs have a chance to recapture the division title?

Cincinnati is the front runner, of course, but just six months ago Baker’s bunch seemed destined for a winning season–not a division championship.

Reds GM Walt Jocketty is quickly delivering on owner Bob Castellini’s promise to return championship baseball back to Cincinnati. Meaning, the once bumbling Reds are now a force to be reckoned with in the NL Central.

Meanwhile, Tony LaRussa’s uncertainty in St. Louis leaves the Cardinals in flux. Houston is improved, but hardly contenders. Milwaukee has just enough offense to float around .500. And Pittsburgh is, well, Pittsburgh.

So where does that leave the Cubs? Hard to tell right now. But the right manager and a few solid additions to the bullpen could potentially keep Chicago on pace with Cincinnati.

However, if Jim Hendry fails to excel in the coming weeks, he’ll once again find himself playing catch-up to Walt Jocketty, something he’s done for a long, long time.