Welcome to the "Your guess is as good as mine" division, where four, maybe even five teams are likely to split the votes pretty evenly!

I went with Milwaukee, for no other reason than they haven't been to the Series since I was starting high school. They're not gonna get there tihs year, either, but it'd be fun to see someone "different" in the post-season.

My head says Milwaukee, but my impulses say the Astros.  (Stupid impulses!)

I went with the Cubs, but it is really a dartboard selection in a sorry division. How many wins takes it?
I say 85.

How many wins takes it? I say 85.

You may recall I had the Reds finishing 81-81 this year in that preview. Someday, somewhere, that record is going to win a division. It's unlikely to be this year and even less likely to be the Reds, but could .500 win the NL Central?

 

They were close last year.  It's hard for a division winner to win only 81 games with the unbalanced schedule.  The division has to very bad and very balanced.  I suppose the AL Central might fit the bill this year, if the Pirate pitching comes along well.  Heck, the PIrates might win the division (Pirates 81 wins, Cardinals 78, Cubs 78, Brewers 76 and Astros 76 is a result I can see). 

Pirates 81 wins, Cardinals 78, Cubs 78, Brewers 76 and Astros 76 is a result I can see

Ah, but in that scenario, wrote the Ohio-born guy, the Reds are conveniently missing and I assume you have them with 118 wins or so in that case?

OK, the Reds win 77, Mick.  No offence intended.

Of course, if all the teams are within spitting distance of .500, the logical winner is the Astros who make fetish out of .500  Can you imagine it- the Cardinals winning the World Series in 2006 after winning 83 games during the regular season and the Astros one-upping them by winning the World Series in 2007 after winning 81 games?