MLB: Looking at the National League in Early August

Posted on | August 3, 2009 | No Comments

While things in the American League are pretty much unsettled (at least no team is running away with anything), things in the National League are nearly so chaotic. In fact, the NL Central is the only division that appears to be up for grabs right now.

Just about since April the Los Angeles Dodgers have enjoyed a comfortable lead in the NL West. Right now they’re up 7 games on both the San Francisco Giants and the Colorado Rockies. And that’s after winning just 4 of their last 10 games. Well, at least there is a chance that they might come back to the pack. But I doubt it.

Meanwhile, in the NL East the Philadelphia Phillies suddenly look like they just might be the best team in baseball. Yeah they’ve lost 2 in a row and the Marlins are now just 5 games back, but I don’t see the Marlins or the Braves or any other team catching the Phillies.

But in the NL Central things are crazy. Right now the St Louis Cardinals have a half game lead over the Chicago Cubs. The Houston Astros and the Milwaukee Brewers are both just 4.5 games back. But I still think this is a 2 team race. It will come down to the Cubs and the Cards. And I still think the Cardinals will be left standing when the season is over.

So, we should be looking at something like the Phillies, the Cards, and the Dodgers all winning their division. Then we just might get a great battle for the Wild Card between the Giants and the Rockies. I still like the Giants because of their pitching.

But the real fireworks in the National League just might be if and when the Dodgers and the Phillies battle in the playoffs. The Dodgers looked to be the team to beat for about the first 81 games, but now the Phillies are looking like the best. We might have to wait until October to see which team is really the best.

Related posts:

1. MLB: Looking at the National League
2. MLB: A Look at the National League
3. MLB: Looking at the American League in Early August
4. MLB: The National League
5. MLB: National League Starting to Sort Itself Out

Comments