NL Central

Milwaukee Brewers star outfielder Ryan Braun was scratched from the lineup prior to his team's game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday night.

The club's official Twitter account reported the scratch before game time, citing neck spasms as the culprit:

The Cubs and city of Chicago are on the precipice of a deal that will keep fans singing during the seventh-inning stretch at Wrigley Field for the foreseeable future as well.

According to Dan Gelston of the Associated Press, the team and its home are on the precipice of a $500 million renovation deal for the historic ballpark:

Johnny Cueto is the ace of the Cincinnati Reds pitching staff.

This season, that role will come with a lot of notoriety as the Reds currently have the sixth best odds to win the World Series in 2013 (per Betvega.com).

The Cincinnati Reds spent the offseason expecting Aroldis Chapman to join the starting rotation in 2013, but now they will have to face the pros and cons of their decision to keep him as the closer.

One of the new advertising billboards for the Chicago Cubs is a simple saying: "Not if. When." Although this is a clever campaign that will give fans hope, there should probably be a question mark at the end of the second sentence. 

There is something to be said about anchoring your fantasy baseball team with players that have already reached their potential.


That said, there is always a new crop, often made up of younger players, that take their game to the next level. Here’s a look at some National League Central fantasy baseball breakout candidates. 

You don't win 11 World Series championships by stumbling upon them blindly. The St. Louis Cardinals, with the second-most World Series titles in the history of baseball, have almost always been a shrewdly run organization.

Throughout their history, the Cardinals have consistently managed player evaluation, player development and the team's payroll with world-class precision.

The Pittsburgh Pirates' starting rotation has been a key component of the team's first-half success in 2011 and 2012, keeping the team afloat while the offense struggled at the start of the season.

While there are many question marks in this year's rotation, the Bucs also boast several higher ceiling pitchers in addition to more credible depth than they have had in previously.

With Shelby Miller preparing to make an impact at the major league level to start the season, the focus on prospects within the St. Louis Cardinals farm system will continue to shift toward the next generation.

If there’s one young hitter capable of making a successful jump from Double-A to the major leagues, it’s Oscar Taveras.