NL Central

Fans of the Milwaukee Brewers have watched many of their favorite players on the All-Star Game stage since the team came to Milwaukee in 1970.

It’s been 20 long years since the Pittsburgh Pirates have finished a regular season with a winning percentage of over .500. However, after the first 51 games in the 2012 regular season, the Pirates are one game over that magical number with a record of 26-25.

Could this be the year that Pirates fans have been dreaming of, the year that a once proud franchise finally finishes with a winning season? 

Unless you gave up on the Reds after their 4-8 start, you are well aware that this team has hit a stride.

Not only have we seen the usual heroes like Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce, we're also starting to also see a bit of a youth movement.

Devin Mesoraco has found a little pop in his bat and young guys in the pen like JJ Hoover are joining in on the fun, but the one name who stands out over all these young men is third baseman Todd Frazier.

Theo Epstein’s introduction as President of the Chicago Cubs was impressive.  You won’t see a sports executive as glib and articulate as the 38 year-old Epstein. When it comes to “winning the press conference,” few have won as convincingly as he did.  Some six months later, what stands out most from that October morning is Epstein’s proclamation that “every opportunity to win is sacred.” 

Milwaukee Brewers catcher Jonathan Lucroy's breakout season is expected to be put on hold for four to six weeks while he recovers from a "boxer's fracture." Bernie Augustine of The New York Daily News passed along the timetable on his recovery.

The Chicago Cubs have only the abysmal Minnesota Twins and San Diego Padres to thank for keeping themselves out of the basement of baseball following Tuesday's 5-3 win over San Diego.

Adam Wainwright has gotten off to a pretty rough start this season, posting an ERA of 5.77 prior to Tuesday's action.

After Tuesday night's contest against the Padres though, it's safe to say that his ERA will see a nice drop.

Wainwright pitched a shutout against the Padres, throwing just 111 pitches over nine innings while allowing just five baserunners—four hits and one walk. He also struck out nine.

Tuesday night's victory over the Atlanta Braves proved to be an encouraging sign for the Cincinnati Reds.

The Cincinnati Reds have begun a resurrection of sorts.  

For the first month and a half, we watched a lineup that couldn't seem to hit when its collective life and the games, depended on it. The lineup was complemented by a starting pitching staff that seemed to only throw two decent arms out every five days.

But, if you have been watching the ol' ball club of late, you will have noticed a slight change.  

Yet more worrying news came out of the Cincinnati Reds camp today.