NL Central 10/13: Everyone is getting outrighted

The Chicago Cubs are going to the NLCS and are one step closer to ending their curse, but not before ending to Giants “even year” lore. Want to relive their NLDS win at least 24 times a day? Don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

David Ross is still pretty sure he will be retiring at the end of the season, per Jesse Rogers on Twitter. Ross has spent 15 years in the majors as a catcher, collecting a slash line of .229/.316/.423. He won a World Series title with the Red Sox in 2013.

We can expect the Pirates to be shuffling around a lot of players this offseason. Reports suggest that they won’t extend RHP Gerritt Cole. Given Cole’s recent health issues, it isn’t difficult to see why the Buccos would walk on the side of caution. In minor league news, the Pirates have re-signed LHP Jared Lakind. Lakind was drafted as a first baseman in 2010, but then made the transition to pitcher in 2013. If he stays healthy, he could be a useful member of the team’s bullpen in the future.

A notion that may be ridiculous to some but a no brainer to others, many are wondering if Andrew McCutchen is destined to be traded. The payout could be much more beneficial than holding on to Mccutcheon, especially with the year he’s coming off of. Personally, I could see him in a Mets uniform next year, but that’s my humble opinion.

The Reds recently announced the outright of five players, doing some fall cleaning on their 40-man. This trip to Triple-A includes .Tyler Holt, Jon Moscot, Matt Magill, Patrick Kivlehan, and Raffy Lopez. This purge will be the first of many this offseason.

Chris Carpenter is very good. There’s no debate there. But the Cardinals pitcher will always have his performance in Game 5 of the 2011 NLDS attached to him. This is far from Carpenter’s best outing, and not even his greatest performance of that series. So why is it so vital to who he is as a pitcher?

Some less than stellar news came out of the Brewers farm system today. Corey Ray, their first round draft pick just underwent surgery for a torn meniscus.

Surgery of this caliber usually requires 6-8 weeks of recovery, so Ray will be good to go for Spring Training. The lefty outfielder put up some impressive numbers in high-A Brevard County with .247 with five homers and nine steals.