Christian Cieri, Illustrator
As the MLB regular season starts to wind down, the full extent of the performances by clubs and their players can be put into perspective. Outliers can be discovered, trends can be pointed out and bodies of work can be appreciated in full. After a long season of speculation and prediction, it’s nice to have some certainty.
One thing that no one was certain about at the beginning of the season was the NL Central division: How would the Cubs fare under Joe Maddon, and how would they incorporate all of their stud prospects? How long can the Cardinals continue to trot out nobodies that become somebodies? Will the Pirates turn out to be too top heavy?
All of those questions were answered this season. The Cubs are on pace to win 94 games, which will be their highest total since 2008. The kids, from Kris Bryant to Kyle Schwarber, have all performed better than could have been expected, playing and acting like veterans from day one.
The Cardinals have, once
again, overcome injury after injury to post the best record in baseball, largely behind the strength of one of the best pitching staffs in recent memory, which is devoid of any big names.
Finally, the Pirates have found production from every member of their lineup, and Gerrit Cole has truly become the ace that Pittsburgh expected him to become when they drafted him first overall in 2011. Put all of that together, and you’re looking at a division that lays claim to three of the four best records in baseball up to this point.
According to STATS LLC, that has only happened twice since divisional play began in 1969. The 1978 AL East had the eventual champion Yankees winning out over the Red Sox (yes, that was the year of Bucky Dent) and a Brewers club that featured mustache aficionado Robin Yount. Five years later, the AL East once again had three of the top four record. It consisted of the Yankees, Tigers and another eventual champion, in Orioles.
Those two instances came at a time when there were two fewer teams and there were only four divisions. Now, there are 30 teams and six divisions, which makes this year’s NL Central even more impressive.
Here’s to an absolute bloodbath of a playoffs.
Bernstein is a member of the class of 2018.
