The Pittsburgh Pirates are solid both offensively and defensively, but the pitching staff has more questions than an episode of Jeopardy.

Manager Jim Leyland needs a healthy return from lefty starters Zane Smith and Randy Tomlin, who combined for just seven wins last season, if Pittsburgh is to improve on its 4.77 team ERA (only lowly Colorado had a higher team ERA). Steve Cooke (10 wins) and Paul Wagner showed flashes last season as rookies.

The bullpen is young and inexperienced. If Alejandro Pena can't return from arm troubles that sidelined him for all of last season, the closing duties will probably fall to New York Met cast-off Mark Dewey. Ouch.

Cincinnati Reds -- Injuries doomed the Reds to a disappointing fifth-place finish last season. If John Smiley returns from elbow trouble, he and Jose Rijo are a formidable 1-2 punch in the rotation. If Rob Dibble recovers from shoulder problems, he could resume his role as one of the best closers in the league. If Kevin Mitchell, Barry Larkin, Bobby Kelley, Hal Morris and Reggie Sanders play a full season, the Reds can slug with anyone. Too many ifs.

Chicago Cubs -- Ryne Sandberg, Mark Grace, Rick Wilkins and Sammy Sosa anchor an offense that clubbed 161 home runs and batted .270 last season.

Problem is Cub pitchers yielded 153 gopher balls last season and had a team ERA of 4.18. And Greg Hibbard, who led the team with 15 wins, signed with Seattle in the off-season. Randy Myers saved 53 games last year, but the bullpen lost several key set-up men to free agency.

Houston Astros -- First-year Manager Terry Collins inherits a team that is favored to win what many consider a wide-open division. If Doug Drabek and Greg Swindell return anywhere close to their pre-1993 form, the Astros will have the best starting pitching in the division. While Mark Portugal (18 wins) was lost to free agency, fireballers Pete Harnsich and Darryl Kile return. Mitch Williams, who assumes closing duties, should be an improvement over Doug Jones.

Houston should score plenty of runs, thanks to emerging stars Jeff Bagwell and Craig Biggio. Third baseman Phil Nevin, the No. 1 pick of the 1992 draft, could be ready as early as May.

St. Louis Cardinals -- The outfield -- Mark Whiten, Bernard Gilkey, Ray Lankford and Brian Jordan -- may be the best in the National League; first basemen Gregg Jefferies (.344 last season) is a future batting champ and the ageless Ozzie Smith is still one of the game's premier shortstops.

But the Cardinals' pitching is suspect. Control artist Bob Tewkbury anchors a rotation that was dealt a major blow when Donovan Osborne (10 wins) was lost for the season. Manager Joe Torre must also find a replacement for all-time save leader Lee Smith, who was traded last August.