NL West
1. San Diego Padres
2. San Francisco Giants
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
4. Arizona Diamondbacks
5. Colorado Rockies
At the break…
1. San Diego Padres
2. Arizona Diamonbacks
3. Los Angeles Dodgers
4. San Francisco Giants
5. Colorado Rockies
What a lousy division. The Pads are the only West team over .500, and they seem poised to ride one really killer month all the way to a division title. Arizona has been better than I expected, LA quite a bit worse. Without Barry the Giants are awful. The Rockies are thinking about, oh… 2007 or so.
I said…
NL Central
1. St. Louis Cardinals
2. Chicago Cubs
3. Houston Astros
4. Milwaukee Brewers
5. Cincinnati Reds
6. Pittsburgh Pirates
At the break…
1. St. Louis Cardinals
2. Houston Astros
3. Chicago Cubs
4. Milwaukee Brewers
5. Pittsburgh Pirates
6. Cincinnati Reds
The Cardinals are easily the class of the NL. The ’Stros and Cubs each flirt with making a serous run at the Wild Card, but haven’t really put it together. One will, the other will fall by the wayside. My money is on Chicago. The Brewers fantastic future is just about there. Rickie Weeks is here to stay, and Lyle Overbay might be moved to open up 1B for Prince Fielder. The Pirates play hard, if not particularly well. The Reds imploded about 2 weeks out of the gate.
NL East
1. Florida Marlins
2. Atlanta Braves
3. Philadelphia Philies
4. New York Mets
5. Washington Nationals
At the break…
1. Washington Nationals
2. Atlanta Braves
3. Florida Marlins
4. Philadelphia Phillies
5. New York Mets
The opposite of the NL West. This is a cutthroat division where even the last-place team is over .500. The Nats are a great story, but the best bet of the current division leaders not to make the playoffs. They’ve been outscored by their opponents. You can’t keep stealing games in the 9th all summer. The Braves have held on despite a bewildering rash of injuries. I have no idea what to think of Florida. The Phils and Mets are better than last year, and everyone in this division could finish at 500.
Posted by Frinklin at July 11, 2005 10:18 PM | TrackBackI think Florida is the biggest disappointment in the NL. In fact, I suspect they'll finish last now. I don't think their starters will be as good in the second half and their bull pen is just too bad. They're not scoring like I thought they would, although Lowell's been ice cold. He could still get it together.
Hard to pick against Atlanta now. I think Washington will find it hard to keep up the pace in the second half, but they'll probably hang in long enough to compete. I know I'm just about the only one alive who wishes this was happening in Montreal.
The Mets are one Carlos Delgado from serious contenders and with Trachsel coming back they have too many starters (already do with Heilman in the pen). I'd like to imagine they can deal a starter or two (and/or Cameron) for a big bat, but I don't know if there are any out there.
Posted by: John at July 12, 2005 07:45 AM