Ultimate NL Central team

[MikeThierry]

Maybe because I'm bored out of my mind I was thinking, what kind of team could you get if you combined the best talent from the NL Central? What players would make up this team? I would also say that in my fantasy/tired/bored idea that there would be a DH.

So far my lineup would be Pujols at 1st and Votto batting 4th in a DH role. Wainwright would be my starting pitcher. Braun and Holliday would be part of my outfield. Aramas Ramirez would be my starting 3rd baseman. Yadi would be behind the plate.

That's what I have so far. Any other ideas in my hypothetical/bored out of my mind topic of the night?

[jmbraun773]

I think I would throw this group out there if I could

Starting Rotation would be Wainwright, Cueto, Gallardo, W. Rodriguez, and Arroyo.

My closer would be John Axford

Line-up would go:
Andrew McCutchen CF
Starlin Castro SS
Albert Pujols 1B
Joey Votto DH
Ryan Braun LF
Jay Bruce RF
Aramis Ramirez 3B
Brandon Phillips 2B
Yadier Molina C

[davereds24]

I think I would throw this group out there if I could

Starting Rotation would be Wainwright, Cueto, Gallardo, W. Rodriguez, and Arroyo.

My closer would be John Axford

Line-up would go:
Andrew McCutchen CF
Starlin Castro SS
Albert Pujols 1B
Joey Votto DH
Ryan Braun LF
Jay Bruce RF
Aramis Ramirez 3B
Brandon Phillips 2B
Yadier Molina C

lol somebody is a reds homer

the cardinals big 3 are clearly the top 3 starters. after that it's myers. then you have guys like gallardo, rodriguez, cueto, arroyo, westbrook.

bruce is still behind holliday and hart in the OF.

everything else looks good

[MikeThierry]

I agree with that. I know there is hate for Carpenter in Reds nation but the guy still can get it done. If we go by Garcia's stats last year, he would have to be in the 5 man rotation.

My 5 man rotation would look like Waino, Carpenter, Gallardo, Garcia, and W. Rodriguez.

[MikeThierry]

The other thing I forgot to add is coaching. There is a lot of dislike for TLR inside Cardinals nation and outside but he is still the best manager in the NL Central. Dave Duncan would also be pitching coach of the all NL central team.

[HalMorrisRules]

According to ESPN's Player Ratings here are the best lineups and rotations for the NL Central.

NL Central's Best Lineup

NL Central's Best Rotation

There are 4 different ratings that combine to form the players and it is interesting to look at the 4 different ratings systems and see their lineups and rotations.

[Vottomatic]

1B Albert Pujols
DH Joey Votto
2B Brandon Phillips
SS Starlin Castro
3B Casey McGehee
LF Ryan Braun
CF Andrew McCutcheon
RF Matt Holliday
C Yadier Molina

Starting pitchers based on 2010 wins:
1. Wainwright 20-11
2. Arroyo 17-10
3. Carpenter 16-9
4. Dempster 15-12
5. Brett Myers (Houston) 14-8
6. Gallardo 14-7
7. Jaime Garcia 13-8
8. Randy Wolf 13-12
9. Johnny Cueto 12-7
10. Narveson 12-9

Starting Pitching based on ERA:
1. Wainwright
2. Garcia
3. Myers
4. Carpenter
5. Zambrano (20 starts)
6. W. Rodriguez
7. Cueto
8. Gallardo
9. Dempster
10. Arroyo

Bullpen by Saves:
1. Cordero - 40
2. Marmol - 38
3. Franklin - 27
4. Lindstrom (Hou) - 23
5. Lyon (Hou) - 20

Bullpen by ERA:
1. Meek - Pitt - 2.14
2. McClellan - StL - 2.27
3. Rhodes - Cin - 2.29
4. Marmol - 2.55
5. S. Marshall - ChC - 2.65

[urdun]

McCutchen CF
Votto 1B
Pujols DH
Braun LF
Bruce RF
Ramirez 3B
Phillips 2B
Molina C
Castro SS

Carpenter
Wainwright
Gallardo
Rodriguez
Cueto

Hanigan C
Rasmus OF
Holliday OF
Fielder 1B/DH
Escobar SS/2B

Marmol
Masset
Hanrahan
Rhodes
Meek
Marshall

[MikeThierry]

I would switch Votto and Pujols at 1st. Votto is a good defensive 1st baseman but Pujols has to be up there as one of the best in the game. He won the Fielding Bible Awards for like 4 straight years.

There is also no way, right now at least, I would replace Bruce with Holliday. Bruce would be a good defensive OF to bring in later in games but I'm not going to take away a career .317 BA and .931 OPS with Holliday.

I would also find a way to add Kyle McClellan in the pen. He is one of the best right handed setup guys in the NL. Of course, if you do the crazy lineup that La Russa has, he usually has 12-13 pitchers available so he could be added to a pen that has Marmol, Masset, Hanrahan, Rhodes, Meek, and Marshall.

[Hondo]

I think you guys are way off... Janish should be the Starting SS on this Ultimate NL Central team, afterall he is awesome according to some of you...

:fineprint

This post is not to be taken seriously.

:fineprint

[MikeThierry]

Hondo, maybe I should create a list of the All Bad NL Central team. He might make that list