MLB preview: Cincinnati Reds

I got ahead of myself in picking the Reds to compete in 2009. They started the year terribly, but their young talent allowed them to finish the season strong. As long as manager Dusty Baker doesn't get in their way too much, I expect them to continue their improvement in 2010.

2009 record: 78-84 (13 games back in NL Central)

2010 projected record: 85-77 (8 GB)

Probable starters:

C — Ramon Hernandez

1B — Joey Votto

2B — Brandon Phillips

SS — Orlando Cabrera

3B — Scott Rolen

LF — Chris Dickerson

CF — Drew Stubbs

RF — Jay Bruce

SP — Aaron Harang, Johnny Cueto, Bronson Arroyo, Homer Bailey, Justin Lehr

CL — Francisco Cordero

RP — Arthur Rhodes, Nick Masset

Strengths: The aforementioned young talent. If Votto stays healthy, he's got a chance to become one of the five best hitters in baseball this year. Bruce oozes talent, although he struggled in 2009. Stubbs, the positionless Yonder Alonso and Dickerson also have loads of promise. Phillips remains a nice offensive player, even if he's a bit of an unconventional cleanup hitter. Cordero was great last year, and leads a bullpen that rather surprisingly finished third in the NL in ERA last season. Edinson Volquez could give the rotation a huge lift if he returns healthy and effective in the second half of the season, as could Aroldis Chapman if he pitches his way to a roster spot.

Weaknesses: Harang has followed a nice three-year stretch with back-to-back down seasons and hasn't posted an ERA below 3.73 in nine seasons. Yet he'll be called on to be the ace of this staff, ahead of the inconsistent Cueto, Arroyo and Bailey and whichever unproven gets the No. 5 spot. Hernandez, Rolen and even Cabrera are well past their primes. We'll see if Masset and Rhodes can replicate their fantastic 2009 seasons. Oh, and Aaron Miles is inexplicably occupying a roster spot for the Reds.