NL Division Races Heating Up

It’s only July, but the National League’s pennant races are already beginning to take shape. As many as eight teams could be playing meaningful baseball in September, insuring heightened interest in baseball even as the NFL season starts; all three divisions have gotten more convoluted as the season has progressed. The senior circuit has been infested with parody, a theme that assures the final two and a half months of the season are going to be quite a treat. Without a dominant team anywhere, it’s anybody’s guess as to who the last four teams standing will be.

Let’s start out West where the division has regressed back to its 2005 level when an 82-80 record was good enough to take the title. That year, San Diego’s sub-par season made them the worst division winner in the history of baseball. The division was bad then, and it’s not much better now with a 500 record being good enough for the lead here. The Diamondbacks and Dodgers are threatening the Padres’ dubious record, sitting at 49-50. It’s been an ugly couple of months for Arizona, who have no excuse for their prolonged slump with Brandon Webb and Dan Haren headlining the rotation. LA has quietly entered the fray with an interesting group of aging veterans and prospects that could have been used to acquire more “name” talent. GM Ned Colleti has taken quite a bit of heat for holding on to his young talent instead of trading for a Johan Santana or CC Sabathia, but the kids may end up proving him right in the long run. 10 games remain between the division rivals, with seven at Dodger Stadium. I say, advantage Dodgers.

The NL Central has seemed like the Cubs’ division to lose ever since the season started, but things are starting to veer off course. The acquisition of Sabathia has given the Brewers more than just a hard throwing left-hander; it’s given the entire team a psychological boost. They’ve won five in a row and kicked off a crucial series in Busch Stadium with an extra inning win against the Cardinals, the team they are now tied with in the wildcard. St. Louis and Milwaukee have closed to only two games behind Chicago, who have lost three of four since the break. St. Louis has to feel lucky to be where they are right now, but their bullpen issues are beginning to catch up. As wonderful as Albert Pujols is, you have to think the Cardinals will fade and make this a two-team race. The Lovable Losers haven’t gotten the same kind of lift ever since they traded for Rich Harden, even though he’s pitched brilliantly. The Cubs head to Milwaukee for a crucial four game set, starting next week. If they aren’t in first after that series, they may never be there for the rest of the season. Watch out for the Brewers the rest of the way, they are playing great baseball at the moment.

The National League East may be the league’s most exciting division race to watch as the season reaches its climax. Between all the trash talking between the Mets and Phils and the way the Marlins continue to win without fanfare, the NL East has plenty going on. New York and Philadelphia embark on a crucial three-game set, beginning tonight at Shea. The Mets season is looking eerily reminiscent of what Philadelphia was able to accomplish a year ago when they resurrected a hugely disappointing start by winning an improbable division title. New York has flaws everywhere, including the back of the rotation, and a dependable third outfielder, but they have clawed their way into a tie for first with their hated rival. No one is going to talk about Florida and no one is going to watch them play either, but that is probably going to allow them to compete until the very end.

It’s worth mentioning that the eight teams mentioned in this piece are only two games out of a potential playoff spot. It’s doubtful that any of the three division races or the wildcard will see a runaway winner, which will make every night at the park one for scoreboard watching.