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scott@scottlongonline.com
There are 10 teams within 5.5 games in the NL wild card race. Add to this that the Dodgers and Cardinals are only a couple games ahead of Cincinnati and the National League has become Pete Rozelle's wet dream. It's time to handicap the race again. How do you see think the overall records will wind up, 1-12? The person who comes closest to being right will win a signed copy of my CD and book of essays, plus a baseball book that I will try to get out of the Will Carroll prize ditch. (Point system for our contest will be to guess where each of these 12 teams will wind up overall record wise. So if you get the teams in perfect order, you wind up with 12 points. Tie breakers will be how many of the playoff teams you get right.)
1. NL West Winner: San Diego
2. NL Wild Card Winner: Los Angeles
3. NL Central Winner: St. Louis
I'm sticking to who I picked at the midway point of the season, though I do like the direction my pre-season NL wild card choice (Phillies) are heading. I suspect that the Cards will just barely hold on to the NL Central spot, as the Reds and Astros will be in the race until the last week of the season. The Padres and Dodgers are the best teams going down the stretch in the National League, which will hurt the other NL West squads, as they will beat up on the other 3.
4. Philadelphia
5. Cincinnati
6. Houston
7. Milwaukee
8. Atlanta
9. Arizona
10. Colorado
11. San Francisco
12. Florida
Now it's your turn. List out your choices and why?
2. Los Angeles - NL West
3. Philadelphia - Wild card
4. San Diego
5. Arizona
6. Houston
7. Colorado
8. San Francisco
9. Atlanta
10. Cincinnati
11. Florida
12. Milwaukee
I think the Padres lack of offense and poor play at home will keep them out of the playoffs.
vr, Xei
2. St Louis (NL Central)
3. Philadelphia (WC)
4. Cincinnati
5. Arizona
6. San Diego
7. Houston
8. Atlanta
9. San Francisco
10. Colorado
11. Milwaukee
12. Florida
2. Cincinnati
3. Los Angeles
4. St. Louis
5. Atlanta
6. Philadelphia
7. Arizona
8. Florida
9. Colorado
10. Milwaukee
11. Houston
12. San Francisco
2) Cardinals (Central)
3) Reds (Wild Card)
4) San Diego
5) Philadelphia
6) Arizona
7) Houston
8) Atlanta
9) Milwaukee
10) Florida
11) San Francisco
12) Colorado
Grady Little is good at making adjustments, and while the Dodgers don't have Pujols, they have the most depth in their rotation and lineup. The Rockies will get close, but won't quite make it out of last place. The Reds have hung in so long, and I think they'll manage the wild card.
2) Cardinals (Central)
3) Arizona (Wild Card)
4) Philadelphia
5) Cincinnati
6) Atlanta
7) Houston
8) San Diego
9) Florida
10) Milwaukee
11) Colorado
12) San Francisco
1) LA Dodgers (West)
2) St. Louis(Central)
3) Florida (Wild Card)
4) Cincinnati
5) Atlanta
6) Arizona
7) Philadelphia
8) Houston
9) San Diego
10) Colorado
11) Milwaukee
12) San Fransisco
I have a feeling Girardi can get the young phenom pitchers to gel in the final month, and it will be a push like 2003. Of course, the Marlins have never lost a playoff series before, so I guess this will mean they also win the World Series. And that Jeff Loria will be named Owner of the Year. Ugh... starting to get sick...
NL West – Dodgers
NL Wildcard – Colorado
San Deigo
Cincinnati
Arizona
Philly
Houston
Atlanta
San Fran
Florida
Milwaukee
Cardinals (Central)
Reds (WC)
DBacks
Phillies
Astros
Padres
Rockies
Brewers
Marlins
Nationals
Braves
Cards (Central)
Padres (WC)
Cincy
Arizona
Philadelphia
Florida
Atlanta
Houston
Colorado
San Francisco
Milwaukee
Pretty much wild guess work, plus some wish-casting, for if both LA and SD get in, the odds are better I'll get to see a live Mets playoff game in California.
Reds (Central)
Phillies (WC)
Cardinals
Braves
Rockies
Diamondbacks
Marlins
Giants
Astros
Padres
Brewers
I just don't think that the Cardinals have it this year...
2. Dodgers (West)
3. Atlanta (WC)
4. SD
5. Cin
6. Phils
7. DBacks
8. Rockies
9. Brewers
10. Marlins
11. Houston
12. SF
1. Dodgers - West
2. Cardinals - Central
3. Houston - WC (if Phillies were in Central or west I'd have them here)
4. Cincy
5. Atlanta
6. Philly
7. Arizona
8. San Diego
9. San Fran
10. Milwaukee
11. Colorado
12. Marlins
I think the East teams will beat each other up. The Stros may have switched their closer situation just in time, but this is still the one thing that may keep them from the postseason. Would not be shocked to see Cincy and Houston make it and St Louis sit at home.
I think Marlins young pitchers will (and already are) wear down. Atlanta is tough to count out. Arizona too young, San Diego too boring, San Fran just old enough to stay in contention but too old to finish it off without '04 Bonds available.
2. NL Central-Cardinals
3. NL WildCard-Phillies
4. Astros
5. Cincy
6. San Diego
7. Arizona
8. Marlins
9. San Francisco
10. Atlanta
11. Millwaukee
12. Colorado
I believe the Phillies will take the wildcard. As of today the rest of there schedule they do not play a team thats over 500. With new additions to the team they have a shot. They play the Astros for 2 series one home and away in September. The winner of these series will take the wildcard and I believe it will be the Phills.
The Reds will fade out in the next month a long with the Padres. I dont believe Arizona has what it takes for the Playoffs. The rest of the NL East teams dont have a shot against the Phillies in the stretch the way there playing now. Even know they lost 2 of there last 3.
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