Daily Dirt: Brewers, Birds on the Bat should rule in NL Central

Birds on a bat, fuku chicken and a little yay or nay… Welcome to Vol. 247 of The Daily Dirt.

1. We’re just a shade over a week away from the start of the Major League Baseball season. Beginning today, the Daily Dirt will off a quick synopsis of each of MLB’s six divisions. We start with the National League Central:

Order of finish: 1. Milwaukee, 2. St. Louis, 3. Chicago, 4. Cincinnati, 5. Pittsburgh.

Why: This division is guaranteed to be a two-horse race between the Brewers and Cardinals. The other three clubs have absolutely no chance — the Cubs are probably at least another year away from seriously contending again, while the Reds and Pirates have sold off most of their legitimate talent and refuse to spend money for any of the big free agents.

I like Milwaukee’s overall pitching depth when it comes to comparing the Brewers and the Cardinals. That will be the difference. The Brewers’ rotation of Corbin Burnes, Brandon Woodruff, Freddy Peralta, Eric Lauer and Adrian Houser figures to be deeper than the Cardinals’ ancient Adam Wainwright, Steven Matz, Miles Mikolas, Dakota Hudson and Jake Woodford.

Wild card: How much the rather fragile Jack Flaherty can pitch for the Cardinals. If he can assume his spot atop the St. Louis rotation, the Cards become the team to beat.

NL Central MVP: Nolan Arenado, Cardinals. NL Central Cy Young: Corbin Burnes, Brewers.Best manager: Craig Counsell, Brewers. Best uniforms: As I’ve said before, nothing beats those crazy birds on the bat.

2. Where does the ballpark food at Busch Stadium and Wrigley Field rank among the other 28 MLB clubs?

According to thrillist.com, Busch ranks No. 24 and Wrigley No. 12.The rankings say your palate will be best-served by the food at the following stadiums:

Gold medal: Seattle Mariners’ T-Mobile Park, where high-quality won tons and pork bao buns, lobster rolls sitting atop a King’s Hawaiian roll or the customizable ice cream sandwiches with gourmet cookies or brownies as buns will make you think you are in concessions heaven.

Silver medal: Minnesota Twins’ Target Field, which offers up a scrumptious sausage sandwich.

Bronze medal: New York Mets’ Citi Field, where the fuku chicken sandwich always earns high marks

3. Yay or Nay, you decide.

Yay: Sue Bird. Her commercials are better than her namesake’s.

Nay: Larry Bird. He has a face for radio.

Yay: Walleye, especially the dinner at State Street Bar and Grill in Quincy.

Nay: Catfish. Anywhere, anytime, any place the answer is no.

Steve Thought O’ The Day — Steve said when his dad used to take him to Cleveland Indians games as a youngster, there were four choices of food items: hot dog, hamburger, popcorn and/or peanuts. Nothing more, nothing less.

Steve Eighinger writes daily for Muddy River News. He and J. Robert Gough will attend a Cardinals game together this season.