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Monday, Sept. 23

Lincoln vs. Midwest Central

[SEPT. 23, 2002]  MANITO — Midwest Central defeated Lincoln 7-1 and 6-3 in wooden bat league competition here Sunday afternoon.

Lincoln didn’t score until the seventh inning of the first game, when Matt Gleason doubled, stole third and scored on an error. Ryne Komnick was the starting and losing pitcher for Lincoln, giving up six hits and four runs (two earned) while striking out two.  Trent Kavelman worked one inning, giving up three runs on four hits, and Jason Williams pitched one inning, striking out two.

In the second game, Lincoln scored three times in the first inning but was unable to dent the scoreboard again. Gleason doubled and scored on a single by Kyle Atteberry. Josh Sherwood singled and both runners scored on a double by Paul Phillips.

Steve Shanle worked the first two innings and took the loss, giving up four hits and four runs while striking out one and walking one. Gleason pitched three innings, allowing one run on three hits, and Phillips hurled the final two innings, giving up one unearned run with a walk and a strikeout.

Williams had three hits on the day, while Komnick, Gleason, Sherwood and Phillips each had two hits. Atteberry and Neil Rohrer had the only other Lincoln hits.

[Bill Martinie]

High school cross country

[SEPT. 23, 2002] 

Morton Invitational

11. Lincoln 308

Lincoln:  46. Alejandro Valdes; 53. Andy Schreiber; 56. Jordan Schmidt; 76. Trent Ravelman; 77. Jaron Harnacke.

High school swimming

[SEPT. 23, 2002] 

Peoria Woodruff Relays

10. Olympia 62

200-yard medley relay:  11. Olympia, 2:24.13

450 freestyle relay:  10. Olympia, 5:40.23

300 medley relay:  7. Olympia, 3:56.09

150 freestyle relay:  10. Olympia, 1:46.52

150 butterfly relay:  10. Olympia, 1:52.77

300 freestyle relay:  7. Olympia, 3:36.47

500 freestyle relay:  9. Olympia, 6:11.39

200 freestyle relay:  9. Olympia, 2:13.39

200 freestyle relay:  9. Olympia, 2:16.42

High school volleyball

[SEPT. 23, 2002] 

Kansas Invitational

Hartsburg-Emden placed second.

Hartsburg-Emden def. Kansas, 15-12, 15-12.

Newton def. Hartsburg-Emden, 15-11, 17-15.

Hartsburg-Emden def. Neoga, 9-15, 15-12, 15-4.

Hartsburg-Emden def. St. Anthony, 15-7, 15-3.

Record:  Hartsburg-Emden  11-3

Congratulations to Danielle Bergman for making the all-tournament team.

East Peoria Tournament

Lincoln placed first.

Lincoln def. Limestone 13-11, 15-13.

Lincoln def. East Peoria 10-15, 15-10, 15-12.

Lincoln def. Champaign Centennial 15-12, 15-6.

Record:  Lincoln 12-2

[to top of second column in this article]

Mount Pulaski Fall Festival

Mount Pulaski def. Edwardsville 15-7, 15-6.

Gold division

Wheaton St. Francis def. Mount Pulaski 15-5, 15-12.

Mount Pulaski:  Service points, Mallory Clements 4, Laura Reeter 4; kills, Bethany Dulle 10; blocks, Mary Olson 3; assists, Clements 25.

Mount Pulaski def. Red Bud 15-7, 15-9.

Mount Pulaski:  Service points, Clements 10; kills, Reeter 9, Olson 9; blocks, Olson 5; assists, Clements 31.

Mount Pulaski took third place.

Lincoln College men’s soccer vs. Southwestern Illinois

[SEPT. 23, 2002]  The string of shutouts ended for the Lincoln College men’s soccer team Saturday as Southwestern Illinois Community College handed the Lynx a 2-0 setback Saturday afternoon on the winners’ field. LC had recorded three straight shutouts and had outscored their opponents 8-0 in the last three games. 

Lincoln will return to action against Parkland in Champaign Wednesday and will be at home Friday against Illinois Central.

"We just didn’t play very well," said coach Mark Howard. "It was a very disappointing loss. They scored a goal at the 19th minute of the first half, and we didn’t allow another goal until only eight minutes was left in the game. Fernando (Delgado) had four saves in goal for us, but we were unable to get on the board."

[Bill Martinie, Lincoln College
sports information director]

Lincoln College volleyball team plays at Shawnee

[SEPT. 23, 2002]  Lincoln College played three matches at the Shawnee quad Saturday and returned to Lincoln with three losses. The Lynx lost to Rend Lake 30-20, 30-23 to open the events for the day. Lincoln College then lost to Shawnee 30-13 and 30-22. John Wood handed the Lynx a 30-28, 30-24 setback in their final match of the day.

Janine Buettner was the leader for the Lynx with 15 points, eight kills and three blocks, while Beth Guy had 11 points, four aces and 34 set assists. Amy Cox contributed nine kills and five blocks, while Angela Maestas had six digs and Amy Day finished with four digs.

"We didn’t seem very comfortable on the court today," said coach Mark Tippett. "We didn’t pass very well and made some mental mistakes that cost us some key points. I am confident that the team can rebound from the weekend and get back to playing at the level we are used to next week."

Lincoln will be at home Monday at 6 p.m. against Springfield College.

[Bill Martinie, Lincoln College
sports information director]

Lost weekend in Champaign – part one

Illinois upset by San Jose State

By Greg Taylor

[SEPT. 23, 2002]  The Illinois football team fell to an embarrassing 1-3 on the season with a 38-35 loss to a very average San Jose State team. Illinois struggled from the very beginning (two crucial 15-yard "roughing the punter" penalties on the very first possession of the game) and never seemed to take the Spartans very seriously.

Illinois’ offense looked very good at times, but defensively, coordinator Mike Cassity has much work to do with his troops. Junior Jon Beutjer was very impressive for the second straight week as a starter, throwing for over 400 yards and four touchdowns, and senior receiver (and former walk-on) Aaron Moorhead played the best game of his career, with two touchdowns receptions, including one with just 81 seconds left in the game that tied the score at 35-35.

But Illinois could not stop San Jose State in the fourth quarter, and when kicker Dan Gilliam kicked a 38-yard field goal as time expired, Illinois fell for the third time in four non-conference games.

The really bad news is this: Michigan is coming to town on Saturday, and the game will be a national TV game. If Illinois brings the same defensive effort this coming Saturday, the Wolverines might score 60 points.

1.  Jon Beutjer — The junior transfer from Wheaton is showing he should have been the QB from the very beginning. He is really looking comfortable with the offense and is not afraid to throw into traffic.

2.  Aaron Moorhead — Without a doubt, the best game of his career. He made huge catches in traffic, and both were very difficult. The TD catches came at the end of the first half and in the final two minutes of the game.

3.  The other Illinois receivers — Walter Young had his best game of the year, and both Brandon Lloyd and Greg Lewis made big catches, Lloyd catching 44-yard bomb from Beutjer for a score.

4.  Carey Davis — Ran very hard when his number was called and excelled on the screen pass three times during the game, bringing back memories of Jameel Cook and the success of 1999 with the fullback position.

5.  Illinois play calling in the last two minutes of both the first and second half — Beutjer was unstoppable in the two-minute drill. Maybe Illinois should go with the hurry-up all the time.

[to top of second column in this article]

Illini crudos to:

1.  Illini defense as an entire unit — For a defense that returns seven starters, Illinois looks really sad (I think my soon-to-be 3-year-old son could get a couple of first downs this season). Illinois continued to give up big plays on third and long and never seemed to play with the passion seen last year.

2.  Illinois running game (or lack thereof) — Why does your stud back get only three carries in the first half? Why does your stud back fumble at the most crucial moment of the second half? Where in the world was speedy Morris Virgil?

3.  Illinois defensive backs — I know — let’s play a soft zone all day long against cat-quick receivers we can’t even begin to figure out. Sounds like a great plan! If you play peewee ball.

4.  Undisciplined defenders — Illinois took four personal foul penalties, including two on the very first SJS possession after the defense had stopped them with three and outs.

5.  Play calling in the second half — Why did Beutjer stop throwing the ball after the half after going 14-for-18 for 274 yards and three touchdowns in the opening two quarters?

Illinois is at a crossroads. The defense better figure out how to stop someone, and the team better recover the passion they found last season. Otherwise, Illinois fans could see a season of first-to-worst in the Big Ten unfold before their very eyes.

Upcoming Illinois schedule

Sept. 28 — Michigan (in Champaign), 2:30 p.m., ABC

Oct. 3 (Thursday) — at Minnesota, 7 p.m., no TV

Oct. 12 — Purdue (in Champaign), TBA, TBA

Oct. 26 — Indiana (in Champaign), 1 p.m., no TV

Nov. 2 — at Wisconsin, TBA, TBA

Nov. 9 — at Penn State, TBA, TBA

Nov. 16 — Ohio State (in Champaign), TBA, TBA

Nov. 23 — at Northwestern, TBA, TBA

[Greg Taylor]

Lost weekend in Champaign – part two

Bears surrender big lead
and lose to New Orleans

[SEPT. 23, 2002]  The Chicago Bears and New Orleans Saints met in Champaign on Sunday in a battle of unbeaten teams. The teams last met in October 2000, when New Orleans came to Chicago and beat the Bears 31-10. The Bears were one-point favorites going into the game Sunday, and most experts felt it would be very close throughout.

Look for photos tomorrow!

Early on, however, it looked like New Orleans was still asleep, as the Bears took advantage of three early New Orleans turnovers. First, they converted a Deuce McAllister fumble into a 31-yard Paul Edinger field goal and an early 3-0 lead. Then, after late starter Reggie Austin intercepted an Aaron Brooks pass, Jim Miller found Dez White (Mayfield’s pick to click for the season) from 10 yards out for a 10-0 Chicago lead. After a three and out by the Saints, Chicago marched 57 yards in just over three minutes for another score, as Jim Miller found Marty Booker from 22 yards out for a 17-0 lead.

On their next possession, New Orleans committed their third turnover of the half, as the center snapped the ball over Brooks’ head and rookie Brian Knight recovered his second fumble of the game at the New Orleans 13-yard line. Chicago had to settle for a 25-yard Paul Edinger field goal, but Champaign was rocking as the Bears led 20-0 with just under 12 minutes left in the half. New Orleans, with three turnovers in their first four possessions, looked like they might get blown out.

However, football is a game of momentum, and New Orleans was about to get back into the game. Brooks led New Orleans on a long touchdown drive during their fifth possession, capping the drive with a 16-yard TD pass to Jerome Pathon. Seconds later, Leon Johnson fumbled the kickoff and New Orleans recovered at the Chicago 6-yard line. On their second play of the possession, Brooks ran in from 7 yards out, and New Orleans had two touchdowns in less than a minute, reducing the Chicago lead to just 20-14. The teams traded possessions before the Bears took over at the N.O. 20 with just over a minute left in the half. Miller moved the Bears to the N.O. 40 before Edinger tried unsuccessfully on a 58-yard field goal (long enough, but wide right). The halftime lead for Chicago was 20-14.

The second half began with N.O. starting from the Chicago 35. New Orleans moved the ball all the way down the field, converting three third downs on the drive. The Saints took the lead on a 5-yard touchdown catch by Joe Horn at the 8:15 mark of the third quarter, and it appeared to many that the Saints had all the momentum. The Bears gained just one first down on their first possession of the second half, and punter Brad Maynard pinned the Saints at their 8-yard line. After gaining a negative 5 yards in three plays, Toby Gowin was forced to punt from his end zone.

[to top of second column in this article]

The Bears should have started at the Saints 35, but an unnecessary roughness penalty on the Bears moved them back to midfield. After a three and out by Miller and the Bears, the Saints were again pinned inside the 10, starting at their 9-yard line. Once again, the Saints could not move the ball, and the fourth quarter began with the Bears receiving a punt at their own 25-yard line, still trailing by a point.

Miller promptly led the Bears on an extended drive deep into New Orleans territory. Passes to tight ends John Davis and Fred Baxter mixed with strong running by Anthony Thomas gave the Bears a chance to regain the lead. However, the Bears couldn’t get past the New Orleans 7-yard line and had to settle for another 25-yard field goal by Edinger and a 23-21 lead with 8:43 remaining in the game. After both teams failed to move the ball beyond midfield, New Orleans got the ball back with just over three minutes to play and scored what would be the final points of the day. Brooks found Donte Stallworth on second down from the Bears’ 29-yard line with 1:11 left, and after the 2-point conversion, Chicago found itself in "miracle" territory once again, trailing 29-23.

However, the Bears’ streak of winning 12 straight games decided by seven points or less was about to come to an end. Miller drove the Bears to the Saints’ 20 with 11 seconds left, but his desperation toss to Marty Booker was intercepted with three ticks left, and New Orleans won after outscoring Chicago 29-23 over the last 2½ quarters of the game.

In the locker room post-game, most Bears felt they let a great opportunity slip away and now face the challenge of traveling to Buffalo, N.Y., and facing Drew Bledsoe and the upstart Bills. Next Sunday’s game time is noon and the game will be televised on FOX-TV.

[Greg Taylor]

Articles from the past week

[SEPT. 23, 2002]  Regardless of how far the Redbirds go this year in the playoffs, this division title is one for the ages.

This team encountered adversity from spring training to getting ready for postseason play. Have you ever seen a starting rotation so decimated? In the midst of lots of tears and heavy hearts the St. Louis Cardinals celebrated I believe the third flag since Tony LaRussa’s arrival. And even though there was lots of bubbly on hand, as I stupidly stayed up late to watch all of Al Hrabosky’s interviews, you had to feel that the celebration was subdued in many ways. These men truly miss their friend Jack Buck. They also ache for the absence of their teammate Darryl Kyle.

All the experts say that the Birds have no chance versus Arizona or Atlanta, and they’re probably right. Speaking as just a baseball fan and not as a Bird backer, just for this one time I hope they are wrong!

But even if they’re right, this divisional championship is a fitting tribute to two (and actually there are more) of the really good guys in sports. People like Kyle and Buck really make sports attractive. They both recognized that baseball is only a game. They enjoyed it, respected it and never took it for granted.

ESPN’s Chris Berman said it best when he named this clinching as his No. 1 highlight in this week’s Top Ten!

Go, you Redbirds!!!

People thought we had gotten into Greg Taylor’s stash of Cubs Kool-Aid when we predicted success for this year’s Lincoln Railer football team. As they came back to smack down one of our favorite schools, the Jacksonville Crimsons, 21-14, the boys have magically raised their record to a respectable 2-2. AND, it very easily could have been 3-1 at this point in the season.

When was the last time you heard the words "respectable" and "Railer football" used in the same sentence? I’m just so proud of these young men and their coaches! Don’t be too surprised to see them win two or three more along the way either. There is a feeling in the air that this team can still get a lot better and has not even approached their best football yet.

CONGRATULATIONS, John Oaks and you football Railers! Let’s get another one this Friday night!

The Lady Railers volleyball team continues to roll. They smoked the best Peoria had to offer and ran their record to 9-2. Mount Pulaski continues to roll along as well. Lincoln golf, soccer and tennis are also holding their own. We are trying to make contact with these teams to promote them as well.

...for the Illini to fix all of the problems that they have and make something out of their season. Saturday’s 38-35 loss to the San Jose State Spartans was very hard to watch. While SJSU is a much better team than most central Illinois fans realize, that does not explain why Illinois is a team playing with little leadership or emotion. This game was a chance to even the record and prepare for Michigan. Instead of just stubbing the toe, I fear they twisted their ankle and, even worse, may have kissed their season bye-bye!

In the preseason we stated a 7-5 projection due to a tougher schedule and breaking in new players like a QB. But, we never expected a 1-3 start. Ouch! Hopefully there’s still time to circle the wagons and make something out of this train wreck. Hey, how ’bout upsetting Michigan on Saturday? And pass me some more of Greg’s Kool-Aid…

The weekend did have some other thrilling moments. How ’bout the thrilling 24-23 outing turned in by the Redbirds of ISU? Down 17-3 in the third quarter, the last thing you were thinking of was a win… You were thinking, how about a TD?! Then it happened. The offensive line opened up some holes for Quincy Washington; he made some great runs on his own; and 21 unanswered points later, ISU was on top 24-17.

However, Murray State did not roll over and play dead. They came roaring back down the field in the game’s final two minutes and scored a TD with 26 seconds left. A gutsy call had them go for two and the road win, but Boomer and the boyz stuffed the Racers out and set off a wild celebration in the twin cities!

Too bad the refs never want to have any fun and the Birds were whistled for an excessive celebration penalty. Murray State used that momentum to recover an onsides kick, and you just had a sick feeling in your stomach. But Reggie Redbird had his way as ISU amazingly intercepted a sure TD pass to seal the squeaker and send their record to 2-1.

[to top of second column in this article]

This team is so exciting and they have a tremendous upside as far as potential is concerned. If you want a fun family outing, may we suggest ISU sports?

When the Bears went up 20-0 over the Saints on Sunday, the last thing you were probably thinking was how would they lose it? But sure enough, New Orleans outscored them 29-3 the rest of the way for the win.  [Look for photos of this game tomorrow!]

It seems like the team let down after getting the big lead and never got back into the flow. As they came out for the third quarter, both offensively and defensively the units seemed too relaxed. A killer instinct would keep them in an attack mode, but that was not what was displayed on Sunday. There never seemed to be much pressure on New Orleans QB Aaron Brooks, and he picked them apart with all of the time he was given. Special teams weren’t very special either. The Bears will need to shore that up to make a good run.

Tough game in Buffalo next week, and then the carnival comes to town on Monday night Oct. 7! If you want to cover our kids’ college tuitions, we know where you can get some tickets… Seriously, there are still tickets remaining for the NY Jets on Dec. 15 and for Tampa Bay on Dec. 29. Everything else is sold out!

Good nominations in LA Dodgers Paul La Duca and Marquis "Nintendo" Grissom. La Duca made the greatest catch I’ve ever seen by a catcher, when he slid into the dugout making a play last week. Grissom, on the other hand, made two stellar plays in the outfield trying to keep the Dodgers in the race.

BUT, my catch of the week or catches of the week, have to go to Scott Rolen. You might call me a homer… UNTIL you see the plays for yourself… especially the diving catch Rolen had to clinch the NL Central Division title. It was a great exclamation point to put on the sentence of this season.

That’s easy. We’ve been touting the Lincoln Community High School football team all year long and they haven’t disappointed us. With the 21-14 win over Jacksonville, they evened their record at 2-2 and now aim to set their sights even higher. The LDN unanimously gives the Railers this week’s game ball as our team of the week!

On a side note: I could easily name the offensive line my O-line of the week — and I will! I probably should name Zach Gahr as my special teams player of the week, too. Also, the Railer defense gets the game ball as the defense of the week.

Too bad the Bears and the Illini couldn’t use the Railer defensive scheme in their games!

...is broadcast LIVE on Monday nights from 6 to 7 p.m.! We invite you to join us. Tonight’s guests include LCC volleyball coach Kevin Crawford and members of his 12-3 Angel squad! Also, on the docket we hope to have more Railer football players rejoicing over yet another win. In addition, we’ll ask Greg Taylor to explain to us how the defending Big Ten champions could be 1-3 and how the Bears lost a heartbreaker to the Saints. We hope to have time to celebrate the ISU win and the Cards’ Central Division crown and give a few prizes away as well.

Call us with your question or comment because you’re the reason that this show has the highest ratings of any sports show in Logan County! So, set your Web browser to www.lincolndailynews.com and hit the link in "Hear it here!" Or turn your TV dial to No. 15, or No. 5 IF they’ve switched you to digital, and turn your radio dial to FIX 96.3 FM. We can’t wait to see you tonight!

[Jeff Mayfield]

• Quick mutterings, Sept. 16
• We win! We win! We win!, Sept. 9
• More...

NL Central is center of potential

By Brandt Wilson

[SEPT. 19, 2002]  In 2000, the National League Central added Ken Griffey Jr. to its impressive resume of sluggers, which already included Mark McGwire, Sammy Sosa, Brian Giles, Jeff Bagwell and Geoff Jenkins. Now Big Mac is gone, Griffey hasn’t stayed healthy, Bagwell’s numbers are down, and Jenkins hasn’t quite met his potential. While Sosa and Giles are still solid, the NL is now the division budding with young talent and just waiting to explode. Young phenoms such as Albert Pujols and Lance Berkman thrill us with monstrous home runs, disciplined hitting and even sensational defense. As September rolls by and the playoffs draw near, the NL Central seems to be wrapped up. But as we look at the future and current stars in this division we realize the best years are yet to come.

Let’s start with the division-leading Cardinals. Even though their farm system may be thin, they have the best young player in the game in Albert Pujols. Pujols surprised everyone last year when he came out of nowhere to play 161 games, hit 37 home runs and drive in 130 runs. The young star has proved to everyone that last year was not a fluke. So far, through 142 games, he’s all but matched those numbers, hitting 32 home runs and driving in 115. This young outfielder will be a mainstay for the division leaders and will give NL Central pitching fits for years to come.

J.D. Drew showed promise when he came up in 1998. However, injuries have limited Drew the past four seasons, and he has yet to show people what he can really do. Last year, in only 109 games, Drew had 27 bombs and 73 RBIs, while his average was well above .300. His defense and arm are also above average. However, nagging injuries this season have caused his numbers to drop. If J.D. can play a full season avoiding injury, he could put up Pujols-like numbers, and the Cardinals could potentially have an outfield of Pujols, Edmonds and Drew, all with 30-plus HRs and 100-plus RBIs. And they’ve won the division two years in a row and look to be running away with it this year. It’s hard to imagine how powerful that offense will be with a healthy J.D. Drew in the mix.

Now turn to the Houston Astros. Once famous for the killer "B’s," Biggio, Bagwell and Derek Bell, Houston has a new killer "B" in town. That of course is Lance Berkman. In just his third full season, this switch hitter is putting up impressive numbers. He has a career average of .306 and is already approaching the 100-homer mark in his career. He’s on pace to hit 50 home runs this season — no small task even in Minute Maid field, a ballpark notorious for the long ball. Berkman has also made some eye-popping plays in center field, which is not even his natural position. He is a phenomenal athlete with tremendous power. If Richard Hidalgo and Daryl Ward ever reach their full potential, Houston could also have a pretty solid run-producing outfield.

But the young stars on this team don’t swing a bat, they bring the heat. Roy Oswalt, Wade Willer, Carlos Hernandez and Peter Munro are four of the best up-and-coming pitchers, not only within their division but in the entire National League. Roy Oswalt is only 25 but has shown the poise of a veteran. In his second full season, he is proving he can get just about anyone in the league out. He has a 2.83 ERA and is just one win away from the magical number 20. Twenty-game winners are rare in this day and age; 20-game winners this young are even more rare. His 190 K’s in 216 innings will almost guarantee him third place in the Cy Young voting, behind a guy named Schilling and a guy named Johnson. If Oswalt were to win the award, he would become the youngest since Doc Gooden won it in 1985 at the age of 20. Wade Willer has also turned some heads. He has proved this year that he was not just a "one-hit wonder" by posting a 3.58 ERA and 13 wins through Sept. 14. Hernandez and Munro are young and inexperienced, but with the leadership of Oswalt and Miller they are well on their way to completing what could potentially be the best staff in the division.

Who better than to lead the Cincinnati Reds into the opening of their new ballpark in 2003 than Ken Griffey Jr., right? Not so fast. Cincinnati fans aren’t turning their heads at leaping catches and monstrous home runs by the future Hall of Famer. Instead they’re turning their eyes on two promising outfielders who were taken in the same draft in 1998.

[to top of second column in this article]

Adam Dunn and Austin Kearns have Cincinnati talking about more than Junior’s injuries and Skyline Chili. Had it not been for Pujols last year, Adam Dunn had a good case for Rookie of the Year. He put up monstrous power numbers between A, AA, AAA and the Big Show. In just 66 games he hit 19 homers and drove in 43 runs. He has struggled in his first full season, not putting up near the numbers everyone thought he could. But he has proved to be a very patient hitter, drawing 122 walks in 490 at-bats. That ranks second only to Barry Bonds in the NL. Dunn is only 22 years old and the sky is the limit.

Austin Kearns has a pretty good case for NL Rookie of the Year this season. The youngster from Lexington, Ky., has 13 HRs and 56 RBIs in 372 at-bats. Like Dunn he is only 22. Like Dunn, he was taken in the 1998 draft, a draft that is turning out to be a pretty good one for the Reds. Dunn, Griffey and Kearns will be the big three christening the Great American Ball Park in 2003. Dunn and Griffey could hit at least 40 HRs each, and Kearns could be right behind them. They match up evenly with the Big Three in Houston and in St. Louis IF they stay healthy.

The Chicago Cubs have perhaps the most young talent of any team in the NL Central. With exception of Mark Prior, the results just aren’t there yet. Hee Seop Choi, Bobby Hill and Corey Patterson have yet to reach their full potential. Roosevelt Brown is running out of time, and Kerry Wood still hasn’t recovered from his injury in 1999. Prior is solid — 147 strikeouts in 116.2 innings is enough said. However, questions remain with the others. While Dunn, Berkman and Pujols seem to have reached their full potential, these young stars may still be a year away.

At one time a staff anchored by Kris Benson in Pittsburgh looked extremely promising. But injuries and salary constraints left Pittsburgh with only a new stadium and a lot of empty seats. Pittsburgh looks forward to September not because the pennant race heats up but because football season begins and they can take their mind off their miserable Pirates. However there may be a small light at the end of the tunnel. Josh Fogg and Kip Wells put up honest numbers this year with a 4.32 and 3.61 ERA respectively. These two combined to win 24 games for the Pittsburgh Pirates. If Benson can bounce back from injury and Wells and Fogg pan out, this pitching staff could be better than average. They’re going to have to be because the Pirates aren’t going to score any runs.

Now we come to the Milwaukee Brewers. Richie Sexson? Maybe. Geoff Jenkins? No, his time has passed. Alex Sanchez? Who? With 37 SBs and a .289 average, he might be a diamond in the rough. He’s not a Pujols or Berkman, but the Brewers aren’t the Cardinals or the Astros either. Sanchez has showed promise, but Milwaukee has a way of breaking promises. See Jenkins, Sexson and Sheets. Maybe if they brought back those old royal blue and yellow jerseys with the glove and ball on the hat they would attract more free agents. It’s just a thought.

So in the years to come, fans of the NL Central will be entertained by the likes of these young stars. In one year, chances are the Central will be a race much like the AL West is today. Houston’s strong young pitching, Cincinnati and St. Louis’ powerful outfield, and Chicago’s potential could make for a very exciting race… in 2003.

[Brandt Wilson]

[Click here if you are thinking, "I’d like to read more of Brandt’s thoughts."]

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