How do fans view N.L. Central teams as contenders in 2020?

In the final SB Nation FanPulse survey for MLB for the 2019 season, members were asked whether they thought their team could contend for the World Series in 2020. This was asked of fans of all 30 teams.

Here’s how the N.L. Central results stacked up:

The specific numbers are:

Brewers: 91 percent
Cubs: 84 percent
Cardinals: 67 percent
Reds: 41 percent
Pirates: 10 percent

The numbers that surprise me here are for the Cardinals and Reds. Despite being defending N.L. Central champions, Cardinals fans seem to have a lack of confidence in their team for 2020.

The Reds had a decent season in 2019, improving eight wins over their 2018 total and playing five games under their Pythagorean projection. That sometimes foretells a better season the following year. Yet fewer than half of Reds fans surveyed thought their team could be a WS contender in 2020.

Cubs fans, you’re pretty confident, based on that survey sample. Of course, we’re still early in the offseason and the composition of the 2020 Cubs roster could change quite a bit before Opening Day. But 84 percent of fans in the survey thought the Cubs, under new manager David Ross, could be a World Series contender in 2020. Let’s hope you all turn out to be correct.

As I mentioned, this was the final FanPulse survey among the SB Nation MLB sites for 2019. It’ll return in the spring. Thanks to everyone who participated. If you want to get in now to be notified of surveys when the 2020 season begins, sign up HERE to join FanPulse.