It’s not surprising that 7, 9 and 5 are the most popular numbers.  Even numbers get knocked down a bit because MLB games can’t end in a tie, and when you think about baseball scores, 7-0, 6-1, 5-2, and 4-3 are pretty common.  Maybe the most surprising is 11 total runs at almost 8% of all games, which seems like a high final score in baseball.

While looking through all of this past data, I came across the highest scoring game in MLB history:

8/12/2008
Red Sox 19, Rangers 17 (36 total runs)

This game featured 37 total hits, 5 homeruns, 4 errors, 11 different pitchers and six players with at least 3 RBI.

Key Numbers for MLB Totals

Originially posted at Locksmith Sports Picks

AL East: The AL East was perhaps the most entertaining division in 2011 because of all the drama down the stretch. The Red Sox entered the final month of the season with the best record in baseball but a monumental choke job gave the Yankees the division and allowed the Rays to grab the AL wild card. These three will likely all be in the mix for playoff spots again in 2012. I give the Yankees the edge in the division as they have won at least 90 games in 14 of the last 17 seasons and have captured 12 of the last 16 AL East titles.

1st – New York Yankees

2nd – Boston Red Sox

3rd – Tampa Bay Rays

4th – Toronto Blue Jays

5th – Baltimore Orioles

AL Central: The Tigers won the division by 15 games in 2011 and are the overwhelming favorite to win it again. They have arguably the best pitcher in baseball in Justin Verlander and added Prince Fielder to an offense that was already among the best in the majors. The White Sox, Indians and Royals will likely battle it out for second while the Twins, who finished 32 games back last season, appear destined for a second straight last place finish.

1st – Detroit Tigers

2nd – Chicago White Sox

3rd – Cleveland Indians

4th – Kansas City Royals

5th – Minnesota Twins

AL West: The Rangers have been the cream of the crop in the AL West the past two seasons, but that looks like it could change in 2012. The Halos have added former Ranger C.J. Wilson and Albert Pujols, who is arguably the best hitter in the game. The A’s finished third in 2011 but will likely sink to the bottom this year as they take on a major rebuilding project.

1st – Los Angeles Angels

2nd – Texas Rangers

3rd – Seattle Mariners

4th – Oakland Athletics

NL East: The Mets clearly appear to be the bottom dweller, but the other four teams all have enough pieces to win the division. The Phillies are the favorite of course because of their insane starting rotation. The Braves should be hungry following last year’s collapse, which opened the door for St. Louis. The Nats are looking forward to making some noise with ace Stephen Strasburg on the hill for a full season, and the new-look Marlins are excited about their additions of Ozzie Guillen, Mark Buehrle and Jose Reyes.

1st – Philadelphia Phillies

2nd – Atlanta Braves

3rd – Miami Marlins

4th – Washington Nationals

5th – New York Mets

NL Central: The Brewers ran away with the division with a strong 96-win season, but it was the Cardinals who parlayed a late surge into a World Series title. With Prince Fielder and Albert Pujols finding new homes, it opens the door for the 2010 NL Central champion Reds to make a run at another division title. The Central could go right down to the wire between these three teams.

1st – Milwaukee Brewers

2nd – Cincinnati Reds

3rd – St. Louis Cardinals

4th – Chicago Cubs

5th – Pittsburgh Pirates

6th – Houston Astros

NL West: The D-backs were a big surprise in the West last year, and they don’t look like a one-season wonder. With that said, I believe the 2010 World Series champion Giants will reemerge as the division champs. They have the most proven starting rotation and will benefit from a healthy Buster Posey and the addition of Melky Cabrera.

1st – San Francisco Giants

2nd – Arizona Diamondbacks

3rd – Los Angeles Dodgers

4th – Colorado Rockies

5th – San Diego Padres

Originially posted at Locksmith Sports Picks

The Padres came back down to earth in 2011. After winning 90 games and finishing second in the division the previous year, they went just 71-91 and ended up in last place.

Projected Pitching

Starting rotation: Tim Stauffer (R) – Stauffer appears to be on the verge of a breakout season after going 9-12 with a 3.73 ERA in his first full season as a starter. The Padres need to find a way to get hit a little more run support in 2012.

Edinson Volquez (R) – Pitcher-friendly Petco Park will give Volquez an opportunity to bounce back from a disastrous 2011, during which he went 5-7 with a 5.71 ERA in 20 starts.

Cory Luebke (L) – Luebke has earned a spot in the rotation after posting a 3.48 ERA in 16 starts last season.

Clayton Richard (L) – Richard will be looking to bounce back after a shoulder injury limited him to just 18 starts in 2011. San Diego is hoping he has another season in him like 2010 when he finished 14-9 with a 3.75 ERA.

Dustin Moseley (R) – Moseley went just 3-10 in an injury-shortened season, but his win-loss record isn’t indicative of how well he pitched. The 29-year-old boasted an impressive 3.30 ERA.

Closer: Huston Street (R) – Unable to re-sign Heath Bell, the Padres decided to make a play for Street, who converted 29 of 33 save chances for Colorado last season.

Projected Lineup

Nick Hundley (Catcher) – The Padres desperately need Hundley healthy this season. His production was solid last year when he batted .288 with nine homers and 29 RBI in only 281 at-bats.

Yonder Alonso (First Base) – Jesus Guzman could be the first baseman on Opening Day, but I expect Alonso to be the everyday guy before long. He batted .330 with five homers and 15 RBI in 45 games last season with the Reds and projects as a powerful cleanup hitter.

Orlando Hudson (Second Base) – The Padres are hoping Hudson’s 2011 campaign was an aberration. The .277 career hitter batted a career-worst .246 last year.

Chase Headley (Third Base) – Headley batted a career-best .289 last season but saw his power numbers drop due to missed time with a broken finger. He has been a 10 home run-60 RBI guy for the Padres.

Jason Bartlett (Shortstop) – Pitcher-friendly Petco didn’t treat Bartlett well as he batted just .245 with two home runs and 40 RBI.

Carlos Quentin (Left Field) – The Padres are counting on Quentin to be a major run producer. The outfielder hit 24 round trippers and totaled 77 RBI in just 118 games for the White Sox in 2011 and has blasted at least 21 homers each of the past four seasons.

Cameron Maybin (Center Field) – Maybin started to show his potential last season, using his speed as an asset in the field and on the base paths. He had 40 steals and led the team with 82 runs.

Will Venable (Right Field) – Venable is known as a streaky hitter but seemed to be on a bad streak all last season. He ended up batting .246 with nine homers and 44 RBI.

Prediction – 5th Place NL West: It’s unlikely the Padres will surprise in 2012 the way they did in 2010. They have finished no better than fourth and have won no more than 75 games three of the past four seasons. The Padres are listed at +2500 to win the NL West.

Originially posted at Locksmith Sports Picks

They finished fourth in the division with a 73-89 mark, and the expectations aren’t anywhere near where they were last year as we head into the 2012 season.

With less pressure, however, the Rockies may be able to sneak into the postseason for a third time in six years. They have the lineup to do so, but much will depend on how well the pitching staff performs.

Projected Pitching

Starting rotation: Jhoulys Chacin (R) – The Rockies are counting on Chacin to step up and become a true No. 1. He has pitched well the past two seasons, going 9-11 with a 3.28 ERA in 2010 and 11-14 with a 3.62 ERA in 2011, but the organization wants more.

Jeremy Guthrie (R) – While Coors Field is no pitcher’s park, Guthrie should still benefit from getting out of the AL East. He went 11-14 with a 3.83 ERA in 2010 before going 9-17 with a 4.33 ERA last year, but he could be a pleasant surprise in the NL this season.

Guillermo Moscoso (R) – Moscoso is another newcomer who should add some stability to the rotation. He posted a 3.38 ERA for Oakland in 2011 but only went 8-10 due to a lack of run support at times. He should get better run support in Colorado.

Tyler Chatwood (R) – Chatwood still has plenty of upside and should be willing to work hard after going 6-11 with a 4.75 ERA for the Angels last year.

Juan Nicasio (R) – Nicasio could end up with the final spot in the rotation. The 25-year-old showed promise while going 4-4 with a 4.14 ERA in 13 starts last season.

Closer: Rafael Betancourt (R) – Its unclear how well Betancourt will do in the ninth. The 36-year-old veteran reliever, who has been used primarily as a setup man, only has 27 career saves.

Projected Lineup

Ramon Hernandez (Catcher) – Hernandez is a stopgap at catcher until Wilin Rosario is ready to be an everyday backstop. The veteran free agent produced well in limited action for Cincinnati last year, batting .282 with 12 homers and 36 RBI.

Todd Helton (First Base) – Father time has caught up with Helton, one of the all-time great Colorado Rockies, but he’s still a solid option at one-bag. He batted .302 with 14 round trippers and 69 RBI is just 124 games last season.

Marco Scutaro (Second Base) – The Rockies are hoping Scutaro will be at least the player he was last season when he hit .299 with seven homers and 54 RBI in 113 games with the Red Sox.

Casey Blake (Third Base) – Health was an issue for Blake last season, but he can give the Rockies 15-20 home runs and around 70 RBI if he plays 140 games.

Troy Tulowitzki (Shortstop) – There might not be a better shortstop in baseball. The 27-year-old, batted .302 with 30 homers and 105 RBI last season.

Carlos Gonzalez (Left Field) – Gonzo’s 2011 numbers weren’t what they were in 2010 when he batted .336 with 34 home runs and 117 RBI. Still, it’s hard to complain about his .295 average, 26 homers and 92 RBI.

Dexter Fowler (Center Field) – Fowler doesn’t have home run power, but his speed makes him a doubles and triples machine. He had 35 doubles and 15 triples in 2011. It was his third straight season with at least 20 and 10 in each category.

Michael Cuddyer (Right Field) – The long-time Minnesota Twin should benefit from flighty Coors. He batted .284 with 20 jacks and 70 RBI last season, and I wouldn’t be surprised with 30 round trippers this year.

Prediction – 4th Place NL West: Colorado could surprise in the West, but it’s going to take a much better season from the pitching staff to do so. The Rockies are listed at +750 to win the NL West.

Originially posted at Locksmith Sports Picks

Projected Pitching

Starting rotation: Clayton Kershaw (L) – Kershaw, who is just 24 years of age, has quickly established himself as one of the best pitchers in baseball. He won the NL Cy Young in 2011 while posting a 21-5 record and 2.28 ERA.

Chad Billingsley (R) – Billingsley’s drop off is one of the reasons the Dodgers have sunk in the NL West. Since a promising 2008 campaign, in which he went 16-10 with a 3.14 ERA, he has gone just 35-33 with a 3.94 ERA. His 4.21 ERA in 2011 was the worst of his career.

Ted Lilly (R) – Steady Teddy gives the Dodgers an experienced performer in the middle of the rotation. He won 12 games and posted a 3.97 ERA last season.

Aaron Harang (R) – Harang had been on the decline since 2007, but he showed some life last season by going 14-7 with a 3.64 ERA. Similar production would certainly help the Dodgers’ chances in the west.

Chris Capuano (R) – Capuano won 11 games for the Mets last year but posted a 4.55 ERA and gave up 27 home runs.

Closer: Javy Guerra (R) – Guerra was consistent to say the least, converting 21 of 23 save opportunities after landing the closer job late last season.

Projected Lineup

A.J. Ellis (Catcher) – Ellis must perform well behind the plate because he doesn’t provide much at the plate. He batted .271 last year but has just two home runs and 27 RBI in 75 games over the past two seasons.

James Loney (First Base) – Loney saw a decline in production in 2011. He batted .288 but only drove in 65 runs. He had at least 88 RBI each of the previous three seasons.

Mark Ellis (Second Base) – Ellis played some pretty solid ball for Oakland from 2005-2010, but it appears the 34-year-old has already played his best baseball. Whatever the Dodgers can get out of Ellis at the plate is a plus. He batted just .248 a year ago.

Juan Uribe (Third Base) – Uribe was a big disappointment in his first season with the Dodgers. After blasting 24 home runs and totaling 85 RBI with the Giants in 2010, he only batted .204 with four homers and 28 RBI in 77 games in 2011.

Dee Gordon (Shortstop) – Big things are expected of the 23-year-old, who batted .304 with 24 stolen bases in 56 games last season.

Juan Rivera (Left Field) – Rivera batted .274 with 46 RBI in 62 games after coming over from Toronto last season. That audition has earned him the starting job in left.

Matt Kemp (Center Field) – Kemp is coming off some kind of a season. Not only did he win the Gold Glove in center, he batted .324 with 39 round trippers (led NL), 126 RBI (led the majors) and 40 stolen bases.

Andre Ethier (Right Field) – The Dodgers desperately need Ethier at his best in order to steal the West. He batted .292 in 2011 but only had 11 home runs and 62 RBI. Consider that he had at least 20 homers and 77 RBI the previous three seasons.

Prediction – 3rd Place NL West: The Dodgers are capable of winning the West, but it won’t be easy. The Giants and Diamondbacks both appear to have better pitching staffs. Kershaw is legit ace, but the rest of the rotation doesn’t quite stack up. The Dodgers will need big seasons from Billingsley and Harang to contend. The Dodgers are listed at +350 to win the NL West.

Originially posted at Locksmith Sports Picks

However, after back-to-back last place finishes, the Snakes managed to win the division last season with a 94-68 record. Will they be one-and-done or are they at the top to stay? Get my take on the 2012 D-backs below.

Projected Pitching

Starting rotation: Ian Kennedy (R) – Kennedy emerged as an elite starter in 2011. After going 9-10 with a 3.80 ERA in 2010, he went 21-4 with a 2.88 ERA last season.

Daniel Hudson (R) – Hudson was a solid No. 2 for the Diamondbacks in 2011. He went 16-12 with a 3.49 ERA while tying Kennedy with a team-high 222.0 innings.

Trevor Cahill (R) – Cahill is coming off a down year. He went 18-8 with a 2.97 ERA for Oakland in 2010 but fell to 10-12 with a 4.16 ERA a season ago. The Snakes could make it back-to-back division titles if Cahill can pitch like he did in 2010.

Joe Saunders (L) – After a couple down seasons, Saunders showed some life in 2011 by going 12-13 with a 3.69 ERA. He gives the D-backs a nice southpaw presence in the rotation.

Josh Collmenter (R) – Collmenter surprised in 2011, going 10-10 with a 3.38 ERA in 24 starts. Don’t be surprised to see a decline in his numbers this season now that hitters are more familiar with him.

Closer: J.J. Putz (R) – In his first season closing for the Snakes, Putz converted 45 of 49 save chances.

Projected Lineup

Miguel Montero (Catcher) – Montero was a big part of Arizona’s success last season. Not only did he do an excellent job managing the staff, he batted .282 with 18 home runs and 86 RBI.

Paul Goldschmidt (First Base) – Goldschmidt was pretty golden after an August call-up, batting .250 with eight round trippers and 26 RBI in 49 games.

Aaron Hill (Second Base) – Hill’s home runs were way down in 2011, but he was still a solid run producer with 61 RBI. After struggling in Toronto, Hill batted .315 in 33 games for the Diamondbacks.

Ryan Roberts (Third Base) – Roberts is coming off a season in which he posted career highs in home runs (19), RBI (65) and steals (18).

Stephen Drew (Shortstop) – Drew will be looking to bounce back strong following an injury-shortened campaign. He batted just .252 with five round trippers in 86 games before going on the shelf with a fractured right ankle.

Jason Kubel (Left Field) – The former Minnesota Twin has been brought in to provide more power in the lineup. Kubel batted. 273 with 12 jacks and 58 RBI in 99 games last season. The 29-year-old showed 30 home run-100 RBI power in 2008 when he batted .300 with 28 long balls and 103 RBI.

Chris Young (Center Field) – Young saw his numbers dip in 2011. He hit six less home runs (21) and 20 less RBI (71). A bounce back campaign would certainly help Arizona’s chances in the West.

Justin Upton (Right Field) – Upton is the top stick on the team. He batted .289 with 31 homers, 88 RBI and 21 stolen bases in 2011. The 24-year-old could could have a couple MVP awards to his name before he calls it a career.

Prediction – 2nd Place NL West: The D-backs made a surprise leap to the top of the division last season, but I don’t think they’re a one-hit-wonder. I think the division comes down to the Giants and D-backs again with the Giants owning the slight edge because their pitchers are more proven. The Diamondbacks are listed at +170 to win the NL West.

Originially posted at Locksmith Sports Picks

The pitching staff sizzled again in 2011 with a 3.21 ERA – second-best in the majors – but it was not able to overcome a historically bad offense. As a result, the Giants finished second in the NL West with an 86-76 record.

If the offense can turn things around, the pitching is still in place to make another run at the World Series.

Projected Pitching

Starting rotation: Tim Lincecum (R) – The two-time NL Cy Young winner is coming off his first losing season. He went 13-14 despite a 2.74 ERA because the Giants scored one run or fewer in 16 of his 33 starts.

Matt Cain (R) – Cain, who went 12-11 with a 2.88 ERA in 221.2 innings last year, has won at least 12 games each of the past three seasons.

Madison Bumgarner (L) – The 22-year-old southpaw went 13-13 with a 3.21 ERA while logging 204.2 innings in his first full season as a starter.

Ryan Vogelsong (R) – Vogelsong hadn’t had an ERA better than 4.43 in five previous major league seasons before going 13-7 with a 2.71 ERA last year.

Barry Zito (L) – Zito hasn’t been the star the Giants thought they were getting when they signed him to a $126 million deal, but he’s serviceable at the bottom of the rotation.

Closer: Brian Wilson (R) – Injuries kept Wilson from building on a sensational 2010 campaign, during which he tied Rod Beck’s franchise record for saves with 48. Wilson still saved 36 games last season.

Projected Lineup

Buster Posey (Catcher) – The Giants really missed Posey’s bat when he was lost for the majority of  the season with a broken left leg. We’re talking about a guy who batted .305 with 18 home runs and 67 RBIs in 108 games in 2010.

Aubrey Huff (First Base) – Huff must produce to keep a hold of the everyday first base job. He slugged 12 homers and knocked in 59 runs but only batted .246 last year.

Freddy Sanchez (Second Base) – Sanchez hits well when healthy enough to play. He’s batted at least .271 each of the past seven seasons.

Pablo Sandoval (Third Base) – Sandoval was one of the Giants’ few bright spots at the plate in 2011. He batted .315 with 23 home runs and 70 RBIs.

Brandon Crawford (Shortstop) – The Giants like what they see from Crawford and will give him every opportunity to be the everyday shortstop.

Melky Cabrera (Left Field) – Cabrera is a good pickup. He batted .305 with 44 doubles, 18 round trippers and 87 RBIs for Kansas City last season.

Angel Pagan (Center Field) – Pagan should supply the Giants with more offense as well. He hit .262 with 56 RBIs in 123 games for the Mets a year ago.

Nate Schierholtz (Right Field) – He bounced back from a rough 2010 and hit .278 with 41 RBIs in 115 games.

Prediction – 1st Place NL West: With a healthy Posey and the addition of Cabrera to go along with a stellar pitching staff, I think the Giants have enough weapons to return to the top of the West. The Giants are listed at +130 to win the NL West.

Originially posted at Locksmith Sports Picks

A 59-52 finish to their 2010 campaign provided some life heading into 2011. That life, however, was completely sucked out by a 59-106, worst-in-baseball, season.

Projected Pitching

Starting rotation: Wandy Rodriguez (L) – The consistent southpaw, who has won at least 11 games each of the past three seasons, led the Astros in wins (11), ERA (3.49) and WHIP (1.31) in 2011.

Bud Norris (R) – Norris’ 6-11 mark didn’t tell the whole story as he posted a 3.77 ERA and struck out 176 batters in 186 innings.

J.A. Happ (L) – Houston desperately needs a bounce back season from Happ, who went 6-15 with a 5.35 ERA last year. I hope the 29-year-old can get it together. He looked so promising in 2009 with the Phillies when he went 12-4 with a 2.93 ERA.

Jordan Lyles (R) – The 20-year-old showed glimpses after a late-May call-up, but ultimately wasn’t ready for the show. He ended up 2-8 with a 5.36 ERA. We could see Livan Hernandez in the rotation early in the season if Houston thinks Lyles needs more time in the minors.

Kyle Weiland (R) – The 25-year-old went 0-3 with a 7.66 ERA in seven games while getting his feet wet with Boston last year.

Closer: Brett Myers (R) – After making 66 starts in his first two seasons with the Astros, it appears Myers is headed for the pen. He saved 21 games for the Philadelphia Phillies in 2007 and seems excited about the opportunity to close in Houston.

Projected Lineup

Jason Castro (Catcher) – The Astros are excited to have their catcher of the future back behind home plate after he missed all of 2011 with an ACL tear.

Carlos Lee (First Base) – The biggest star on the roster bounced back from a down season to hit .275 with 18 home runs and 94 RBIs in 2011.

Jose Altuve (Second Base) – The Astros are hoping for big things from this kid, who has a minor league batting title on his resume.

Jimmy Paredes (Third Base) – Paredes hit Houston like wildfire with nine extra-base knocks in his first 20 games and ended up batting .286 in 46 games.

Jed Lowrie (Shortstop) – Lowrie could have a breakout season if he can stay on the field. That, however, was something he wasn’t able to do in Boston.

J.D. Martinez (Left Field) – Martinez made an improbable jump from Division II to the bigs in two years and showed well as the starting left fielder. He was on fire in the month of August with 29 RBIs.

Jordan Schafer (Center Field) – Schafer deserves praise for his work in center but he’s lacking at the plate. He’ll need to improve his on-base percentage to become a long-term solution.

Brian Bogusevic (Right Field) – Bogusevic showed well late in the season, batting .313 in 48 games in August and September.

Prediction – 6th Place NL Central: The pitching staff ranked last in the NL in ERA (4.51), and the offense ranked 26th in baseball in runs per game (3.80) last season. Some improvement is expected on the mound but it looks like the Astros could struggle to score runs again. The Astros are listed at +10000 to win the NL Central.

Originially posted at Locksmith Sports Picks

The Bucs went 72-90 (a 15-game improvement) in 2011 but still endured their 19th straight losing campaign.

Projected Pitching

Starting rotation: Erik Bedard (L) – Bedard will attempt to replace southpaw Paul Maholm, who had served as the staff anchor since 2006. Bedard, who has dealt with a heavy dose of the injury bug in recent seasons, has been very good when healthy. He has posted an ERA of 3.76 or better each of the past five seasons.

James McDonald (R) – In his first full season as a starter, McDonald went 9-9 with a 4.21 ERA while logging 171 innings. Not bad considering he hadn’t logged more than 64 innings in a season previously.

Jeff Karstens (R) – Karstens, who finished 9-9 with a 3.38 ERA, sizzled in June and July, going 5-1 with a 1.77 ERA.

Kevin Correia (R) – Correia has posted at least 10 wins each of the past three seasons and could enjoy more success if he can get his ERA down. He has a 5.10 ERA the past two seasons after posting a 3.91 ERA in 2009.

Charlie Morton (R) – Morton went 6-2 with a 2.52 ERA in his first 11 starts before trailing off. He still finished 10-10 with a 3.83 ERA.

Closer: Joel Hanrahan (R) – Hanrahan earned an All-Star nod in 2011 and finished with 40 saved.

Projected Lineup

Rod Barajas (Catcher) – He’s only batted .246 the past two seasons but has produced 33 home runs. The Bucs are counting on him to provide some pop at the bottom of the order.

Garrett Jones (First Base) – Jones has been on the decline. He batted just .243 with 16 home runs and 58 RBIs in 2011. He hit .293 with 21 homers in nearly half as many games in 2009.

Neil Walker (Second Base) – Walker proved his rookie campaign was no fluke by hitting .273 with 36 doubles, 12 home runs and 83 RBIs last season.

Pedro Alvarez (Third Base) – The Pirates were very disappointed with the former No. 2 overall pick last season. He hit only .191 in 235 at bats. They’re praying something will click in 2012.

Clint Barmes (Shortstop) – Unsatisfied with the production of Ronny Cedeno, the Pirates signed veteran Clint Barnes, who batted .244 with 12 home runs and 39 RBIs for Houston a year ago.

Alex Presley (Left Field) – He doesn’t have big time pop but is a quality hitter. After batting .330 in the minors in 2010, he hit .298 in 215 at bats for the Bucs last year.

Andrew McCutchen (Center Field) – Despite seeing his average dip to .259, McCutchen made his first All-Star team in 2011. He finished with 23 round trippers and 89 RBIs and played an excellent center field.

Jose Tabata (Right Field) – The Bucs desperately need more production from Tabata, who only has eight homers in two years of steady play.

Prediction – 5th Place NL Central: The Pirates won 72 games last season because they got their best pitching in years. The staff will have to be every bit as good, if not better, for the Bucs to keep climbing the ladder in the Central because the offense is one of the weakest in baseball. The Pirates are listed at +1800 to win the NL Central.

Originially posted at Locksmith Sports Picks

They did end the 2010 season on a 24-13 run under Mike Quade after Lou Piniella stepped down.  That finish gave them some hope heading into 2011, but it didn’t take long for that hope to be squashed.

The Cubs finished 2011 with another fifth place finish and a 71-91 record.  Theo Epstein has been brought in to be the savior, and he’s wasted no time getting the rebuilding project underway.

Projected Pitching

Starting rotation: Matt Garza (R) – Garza quietly turned in a quality season for a struggling club in 2011. He went 10-10 with a 3.32 ERA and recorded 197 strikeouts in 198 innings.

Ryan Dempster (R) – He’s not a No. 1 but can be a solid No. 2 or No. 3 on a lot of staffs in the league. He has won at least 10 games and logged at least 200 innings each of the past four years.

Travis Wood (L) – Wood endured a bit of a sophomore slump for Cincinnati in 2011 but the Cubs felt he was worth the gamble. He dazzled at times as a rookie, especially when he dealt a near-perfect game against Philadelphia in his third career start.

Paul Maholm (L) – Maholm’s 6-14 record for the Pirates in 2011 didn’t tell the story. His 3.66 ERA did.

Randy Wells (R) – Since going 12-10 with a 3.05 ERA as a rookie, Wells has taken a step back the past two seasons. He posted a 4.99 ERA last year. If Maholm or Wells are struggling, we could see the Cubs go with former Marlin Chris Volstad.

Closer: Carlos Marmol (R) – Marmol, who saved 34 games last season, has some nasty stuff but walks continue to be an issue.

Projected Lineup

Geovany Soto (Catcher) – Soto has taken a step back since batting .285 with 23 home runs and 86 RBIs in 2008 when took home NL Rookie of the Year honors. Still, he remains an asset in the lineup and a durable backstop. He hit 17 round trippers and drove in a total of 54 runs last year.

Bryan LaHair (First Base) – Last year’s Pacific Coast League MVP, who led the minors with 38 homers, batted .288 in the majors after a September call-up.

Darwin Barney (Second Base) – Barney quietly had a solid season for the Cubs, batting .276 with 23 doubles and 43 RBIs.

Ian Stewart (Third Base) – The Cubs are hoping they get the Ian Stewart who averaged 21.5 home runs and 65.5 RBIs for Colorado from 2009-2010.

Starlin Castro (Shortstop) – Castro led the NL with 207 hits while batting .307 with 36 doubles, nine triples, 10 home runs and 66 RBIs.

Alfonso Soriano (Left Field) – Soriano hit 26 homers and had 88 RBIs in 2011 but his .289 on-base percentage was atrocious.

Marlon Byrd (Center Field) – Byrd could be primed for a bounce back season after missing considerable time last season with a broken cheekbone. He hits for average (has batted at least .276 the past five seasons) and is a doubles machine.

David DeJesus (Right Field) – The Cubs are hoping DeJesus can find the form that saw him average 12.5 homers and 72 RBIs for Kansas City from 2008-2009.

Prediction – 4th Place NL Central: Though it’s a rebuilding year in Chicago, Epstein has quickly assembled a team capable of winning 75-80 games.  The Cubs are listed at +1600 to win the NL Central.

Originially posted at Locksmith Sports Picks