The National League Central had arguably the worst collective offseason of any division in baseball, losing two perennial MVP candidates in free agency and watching the reigning MVP have his reputation ripped to shreds following a positive test for performance-enhancing drugs. Ryan Braun is still the NL MVP and will be on the field for the Brewers on Opening Day after winning an appeal of his 50-game suspension, but Prince Fielder (Tigers) and Albert Pujols (Angels) are now members of the American League. Despite the roster turnover this winter, the cream of the crop should remain the same, with Milwaukee, St. Louis and Cincinnati fighting for first place deep into September 2011 Standings (Offensive Rank/Pitching Rank) 1. Milwaukee: 96-66 (11th, 9th) 2. St. Louis: 90-72 (5th, 12th) 3. Cincinnati: 80-81 (7th, 20th) 4. Pittsburgh: 72-90 (27th, 17th) 5. Chicago: 71-91 (19th, 25th) 6. Houston: 56-106 (26th, 28th) The Brewers Milwaukee dodged a bullet when Braun had his suspension lifted, but you have to wonder if his offensive numbers will dip without Fielder alongside him in the lineup. He has only played a handful of games without the protection of Fielder and teams will be able to attack him more with Aramis Ramirez and Corey Hart as his main supporters. Milwaukee had one of the best starting staffs in baseball last season and it will be essentially the same this year. Unfortunately, the Brewers cannot count on having such exceptional health for the second-straight season. Shaun Marcum, Yovani Gallardo and Randy Wolf all made 33 starts, while Zack Greinke and Chris Narveson hopped on the mound 28 times. They only needed seven spot starts from Marco Estrada to complete the 162-game season. The Question Mark: Yovani Gallardo -- Can he put it all together this season? The Key: Aramis Ramirez -- He must be Prince Fielder Lite for Milwaukee. The Lock: Shaun Marcum -- Quietly one of the most consistent pitchers. The Cardinals St. Louis did not win the division last fall, but they won the final game of the 2011 season regardless thanks to heroic performances from Pujols, Chris Carpenter and David Freese. The biggest of those names, Pujols, who is most beloved player in franchise history not named Stanley, now plays for the Angels. His departure has left a big hole in the lineup, but an even bigger one in terms of their identity. While they will certainly miss Pujols, they are not without stars. They have dangerous hitters in Lance Berkman, Matt Holliday, Carlos Beltran and the emerging Freese. The problem is that Berkman, Holliday and Beltran are all on the wrong end of their careers and simply remaining on the field could be an issue. They will not score the fifth-most runs in baseball this year, but the return of Adam Wainwright should make an above-average rotation even better. The Question Mark: Carlos Beltran -- Can he hit like he did with SF? The Key: David Freese -- Emerging star or playoff legend? The Lock: Chris Carpenter -- He will be among the best in the game. The Reds Walt Jocketty dealt some young talent to get Mat Latos from the Padres, strengthening a pitching staff that finished with an ERA (4.16) that ranked them just twentieth in baseball. The Reds are hoping Latos will help lead them to a division title by making their staff as dangerous as their offense. Speaking of the offense, Cincinnati signed Joey Votto to a lucrative extension on Monday. Votto is a complete hitter, but he does fair slightly better away from Great American Ballpark. The Reds have a ton of talent around Votto, including Scott Rolen, Brandon Phillips, Jay Bruce and Zack Cozart. The Question Mark: The Bullpen – Very depleted due to injuries. The Key: Mat Latos -- He must live up to his pricetag. The Lock: Joey Votto -- You can count on 30 HRs and 100 RBIs. The Pirates Pittsburgh is hoping to end their run of losing seasons and the departure of Pujols and Fielder helps their cause. The Pirates made headlines this offseason by signing Andrew McCutchen to a contract extension and trading for A.J. Burnett in a deal that actually saw them take on some salary. The key for the Pirates will once again be how their young talent fares. Pedro Alvarez has been given a long leash to mature at the Major League level and should begin producing as a second overall pick (2008) should. Neal Huntington has assembled a respectable roster that features a nice mix of young and old, 82 wins in a slightly-weakened division is definitely within reach. The Question Mark: A.J. Burnett -- Once healthy, will he be born again in Pittsburgh? The Key: Pedro Alvarez -- Has yet to click in Big Leagues. The Lock: Andrew McCutchen -- He must continue to mature and improve. The Cubs The future is brighter for the Cubs than it was before Theo Epstein arrived, but simply adding him to the front office is not going to make them a better team. Chicago has nice pieces in Starlin Castro and Matt Garza, but there is little else to count on past 2012 or 2013. Epstein will not hesitate to be aggressive while rebuilding the roster, meaning an Alfonso Soriano trade is likely. The Question Mark: Roster -- How stable will it be? The Key: Starlin Castro -- He needs to continue to mature on and off the field. The Lock: Matt Garza – Will pitch well enough to earn a long-term deal. The Astros Houston was the worst team in baseball by seven games in 2011, earning themselves the first overall pick and little else. They will not finish much better, if at all, in their final season in the National League. Carlos Lee is their best hitter, but he will turn 36 this season. They have some young talent (Jose Altuve), but not enough to make noise past midseason. The Question Mark: Wandy Rodriguez -- How long will he be in Houston? The Key: Jed Lowrie -- They could use a young staple in their infield. The Lock: Last place -- Fifth place would be a huge step in the right direction. The Projected Finish 1. Cincinnati: Their second division title in three years. 2. Milwaukee: The pitching will carry a diluted offense. 3. Pittsburgh: Finally, a winning season for the Pirates. 4. St. Louis: A rookie manager cannot squeeze a playoff berth out of the Cards. 5. Chicago: Give Theo a few years to build a contender. 6. Houston: Not much room for any better.