The National League Central is one of Major League Baseball's six divisions. This division was created in 1994, by moving two teams from the National League West (the Cincinnati Reds and the Houston Astros) and three teams from the National League East (the Chicago Cubs, the Pittsburgh Pirates, and the St. Louis Cardinals) of the National League. In 1998, the Central became the largest division in Major League Baseball when the Milwaukee Brewers were moved in from the American League. In 2013, the Houston Astros will be moving to the American League West as part of a realignment by Major League Baseball.
This division has been dominated by the St. Louis Cardinals, who have accounted for eight of the seventeen division championships, plus two "wild cards." Aside from the Cardinals, the Houston Astros have the next most division championships with four, as well as two wild card wins. The Chicago Cubs and Cincinnati Reds are tied with three division titles, while the Milwaukee Brewers have one. The Pittsburgh Pirates have not made the playoffs since the division was created. The Brewers and Cubs also have one wild card to their credit.
Read more about National League Central: Current Members, Former Members, Division Lineups, NL Central Division Regular Season Champions, National League Championships, Wild-card Winners, NL Central Titles Won By Team
Famous quotes containing the words national, league and/or central:
“But for the national welfare, it is urgent to realize that the minorities do think, and think about something other than the race problem.”
—Zora Neale Hurston (1891–1960)
“Stereotypes fall in the face of humanity. You toodle along, thinking that all gay men wear leather after dark and should never, ever be permitted around a Little League field. And then one day your best friend from college, the one your kids adore, comes out to you.”
—Anna Quindlen (b. 1952)
“Friends serve central functions for children that parents do not, and they play a critical role in shaping children’s social skills and their sense of identity. . . . The difference between a child with close friendships and a child who wants to make friends but is unable to can be the difference between a child who is happy and a child who is distressed in one large area of life.”
—Zick Rubin (20th century)