Defeat the Empire

The Cardinals are becoming a model of consistency, one of the certainties in an otherwise uncertain baseball world. They've qualified for the postseason in five of the past six years, and won 100 games the past two. Despite a terrible season from Scott Rolen and nagging injuries from corner outfield veterans Larry Walker and Reggie Sanders, both of whom are no longer with the team, last year's Cards were able to go to the NLCS, where they would fall to the Astros.

Some of the players in St. Louis are new for 2006, but the premise is the same; build around a 3-4-5 in the lineup of Albert Pujols, Jim Edmonds, and Rolen, and plug in role players at the other positions than can contribute in ways other than hitting the ball out of the park. Sanders and Walker are gone this year, one to Kansas City and the other to retirement, and to replace Sanders in the lineup, general manager Walt Jocketty brought in Juan Encaracion from Florida. Encarnacion is gifted with great power, but he's been plagued in past seasons by lack of plate discipline and streakiness. Mark Gruzielanek, a player that came to the Cards off the scrap heap last offseason, is gone, and is replaced by either longtime minor-leaguer and former Rockie Aaron Miles, or Junior Spivey, who had his season with the Brewers last season wrecked by injury.

The pitching staff should be very strong, despite the defection of starting pitcher Matt Morris to San Francisco. Chris Carpenter won the NL Cy Young Award last year, although he clearly overachieved and also should have lost the award to Roger Clemens (1.87 ERA). Nevertheless, there's no reason to believe Carpenter can't at least pitch the way he did in 2004, when he went 15-5. Mark Mulder is up next, who unsurprisingly had an extremely solid year in 2005 (16-8, 3.64) and should post similar numbers. Jason Marquis and Jeff Suppan are also slotted for the rotation. Both are righthanders who can keep the team in games and allow the powerful offense to win it. The fifth starter's job supposedly is going to be a competition between the often troubled Sidney Ponson and top prospect Anthony Reyes, but it's hard to envision a scenario where the Cards don't give the gig to Reyes coming out of spring training. Jason Isringhausen will be back as the closer, and setting him up is another former Met, Braden Looper. Looper struggled last year as the closer in Queens but reportedly pitched injured the entire season and had surgery early in the offseason.

The Cardinals once again should be a juggernaut, probably improving on last year's 100 wins assuming Scott Rolen is able to stay healthy. Despite what Vegas says, the Cardinals enter 2006 as the favorites to win the National League. Outlook: 1st place, NL Central