NL Division Series Preview

Here come some NL Division series predictions. Yes they’re a day late, and after a Roy Halladay no-hitter, but maybe I would have predicted a no-no … probably not though.

Philadelphia (1-0) vs. Cincinnati (0-1)

OK, so as stated Halladay made an impressive playoff debut by throwing the first no-hitter in the playoff since Don Larsen’s perfect game in the 1956 World Series.

A five-game series favors the team with the best pitching, and the Phillies have it. Roy Oswalt will take the hill Friday and Cole Hamels is up Sunday. That’s a tough first three games for Joey Votto and the Cincinnati Reds.

Bronson Arroyo has the tall task of taking the mound for the Reds in an attempt to pitch his team back into this series. Arroyo has playoff experience, but so does the heart of Philadelphia’s lineup.

The combination of big playmakers up and down the lineup and the impressive starting rotation should end this series quickly in favor of Philadelphia.

Phillies in three

Atlanta (0-0) vs. San Francisco (0-0)

The Braves were the best team at home this season. However, as the Wild Card winner, they will have to play two games at San Francisco to start the series.

The Giants boast a strong group of pitching led by Tim Lincecum. Matt Cain, Jonathan Sanchez and Madison Baumgarner will join Lincecum in taking on the Braves.

Atlanta will send Derek Lowe to the mound in Game 1 followed by Tommy Hanson and Tim Hudson. The Braves are a slightly better hitting team, holding a .258 team batting average. The Giants batted .257.

This should be a tight series all the way through. If the Braves can take one of three in San Francisco, they could take control of the series.

Atlanta in five

Phillies are in, Reds will be soon

Central

As of Tuesday, the Reds’ magic number was one, all but locking up the team’s first NL Central championship since 1995. The Reds have a three-game series with the Astros to wrap up the week. If Cincinnati wins one of those games they will be in the post-season.

The Reds lost two-of-three to the Padres over the weekend and the Cardinals have won four-of-five to keep their slim chances alive. The Red-birds need to win out in addition to the Reds losing their last six.

It appears Albert Pujols’ 42 home runs and 117 RBIs (both NL best marks) will not be enough to get his team into the post-season. Matt Holliday has come on strong down the stretch. He is currently batting .313 with 103 RBIs.

In Cincinnati, Joey Votto is tied for second with 37 home runs and third with 111 RBIs. Bronson Arroyo (16 wins) and Francisco Cordero (38 saves) are among the league’s pitching leaders.

West

The West Division is the only one legitimately up for grabs. The Padres, who have lost two straight games, are one game back of the Giants.

San Francisco took two-of-three from both the Padres and Cubs last week to give their playoff hopes a boost. Meanwhile, San Diego also took two-of-three in their last two series, but were shut-out by the Cubs Monday night.

San Francisco wraps up the week with three games with Arizona while San Diego, who is a half game back of Atlanta for the wild card, will play Chicago three more times.

The two teams face each other for a three-game, (likely) winner takes all series in San Francisco to finish out the regular season.

The Rockies were red-hot two weeks ago. However, Colorado has lost seven of its last 10 to fall far from playoff contention. The Rockies are now five games back from the Division lead. Carlos Gonzalez is leading the NL with a .340 batting average. He also has 34 home runs and 115 RBIs.

East

The Phillies locked up the NL East crown with a victory Monday. It is Philadelphia’s fourth straight Division title, which was capped by a Roy Halladay two-hitter.

Halladay has a Major League best 21 wins on the season to go with a 2.44 ERA and 219 strikeouts. The Phillies will be tough to beat in the playoffs with Halladay, Cole Hamels, Roy Oswalt and Joe Blanton in the rotation.

The Braves are clinging to a slim half-game lead in the Wild Card hunt. Atlanta has played .500 baseball over the last week and a half.

Tim Hudson (16-9, .280 ERA) is pitching tonight against Florida. The team’s ace will need to come up big as the Braves have two games against the Marlins before wrapping up the season with three against Philadelphia.

Weekly Top-5

Philadelphia – Has a spot in the post-season and can relax

Cincinnati – Congrats Reds, barring a catastrophe, you’re in!

Atlanta – Needs to finish strong, but they’re in the driver seat

San Francisco – Has a favorable matchup with Arizona to build a lead

San Diego – Thinking NL West showdown this weekend

Reds stable, NL West & East getting interesting

Central

The NL Central is the one Division that has remained steady this week. The Cincinnati Reds hold a seven-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals.

Cincinnati didn’t look sharp last week as the Rockies swept a four game series. The Reds rebounded over the weekend, winning two of three from the Pirates. Cincinnati has a light schedule with four games against Arizona and a three-game set versus Houston.

The Cardinals have lost five of their last seven games to slip behind. St. Louis has not been taking care of business against weaker teams, losing three of those five games to the Brewers and Cubs.

Albert Pujols took the National League lead in home runs (39) and RBIs (104). Pujol’s .308 is seventh in the league and he needs to make up 29 points if he hopes to attain the NL’s Triple Crown.

Joey Votto (.321 average – third; 34 home runs – third; and 103 RBIs – second) is still in the hunt for the Triple Crown too, but has some work to do.

West

The Padres’ fall from the power in the NL West has made the division race very exciting. San Diego was swept by Division rival San Francisco in a four-game series over the weekend. However, the Padres’ win at Colorado Monday helped put them back in first.

San Francisco is only half a game back of the Padres in the Division standings. The Giants have won seven of their last 10, but are not even the hottest team in the Division right now.

Colorado’s loss to the Padres snapped the Rockies’ 10-game winning streak. The winning streak started when the Rockies swept Division-leading San Diego Oct. 3-5. The Rockies’ Carlos Gonzalez is among the league leaders in the three major offensive categories. He currently leads the NL with a .337 average. He is fourth in home runs with 32 and is third with 101 RBIs.

The Rockies sit 2.5 games out of first place in the West and are 3.5 back in the Wild Card chase.

East

The Phillies have taken over the NL East lead. They hold a one-game lead over the Atlanta Braves thanks in part to winning six of their last seven. Philadelphia has not lost a season since Houston swept a four-game set in August.

Atlanta is still putting up gaudy numbers at home where they are 31 games over .500 at 52-21. However the Braves are 10 games under .500 on the road at 31-41. The Braves are essentially in a must-win situation this week. Though they are only one game out of the NL East race and lead the Wild Card. The team in the West are red-hot right now and Atlanta could fall behind in both races quickly.

Weekly Top-5

Cincinnati – Looking very steady atop the Cental

Philadelphia – Big name players doing what they are supposed to

Colorado – Has a history of closing the season strong. Are they doing it again?

San Francisco – Can hold smell the NL West lead and the Wild Card would be a nice consolation prize

San Diego – Sinking badly and needs to prove they can right the ship fast

Padres losing streak snapped at 10, Giants now in the hunt

Central

The Cincinnati Reds lost a weekend series, 2-1, to St. Louis but remain a comfortable six games ahead of the Cardinals in the NL Central.

Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman as demonstrated his lively arm warranted the hype it got in Spring Training. Coming out of the bullpen, he has dazzled crowds with a fast ball that hits 103 miles per hour.

In the Triple Crown chase, Joey Votto is first in RBIs with 98 and second in average with a .321. He is third with 32 home runs, where Albert Pujols leads with an NL best 35. Pujols is batting .309 (fifth) and has 97 RBIs (second).

The Reds need to survive a four-game series at Colorado – Ubaldo Jimenez beat Cincy in the first game – then they have a much easier schedule, hosting Pittsburg and Arizona before traveling to Houston.

St. Louis, on the other hand, has a four-game weekend series with Atlanta, the team with the best home record in the league. The Cardinals can’t look past a three-game series versus the Brewers. Milwaukee has played the division rival tough all year, splitting the season series, 6-6.

West

The Padres’ tumbled to a 10-game losing streak before San Diego beat the Dodgers Monday to right the ship. The long week and a half allowed the Giants to re-enter the playoff picture as potential NL West champions.

San Francisco, despite only winning six of its last 10, is now just one game back of the Padres for the Division lead.

Elsewhere in the West Division, Colorado’s Carlos Gomez deserves to be mentioned in the Triple Crown race with Pujols and Votto. Gomez is leading the NL with a .340 batting average by 19 points. He is also fifth with 31 homers and tied for second with 97 RBIs. Jimenez’s win over the Reds bumped him to a league-best 18 victories for the Rockies.

East

Atlanta’s lead in the NL East is just a half-game. The Braves need the team and players like Tim Hudson (15 wins, 2.30 ERA) to step on an upcoming home stand. The Braves are 49-19 this season at Turner Park and will host St. Louis this weekend followed by the Nationals.

The Phillies, who lead the Wild Card race, have won seven of their last 10. They are submersed in NL East Division games, currently playing a four-game set with the Marlins. They will travel to play the Mets and down to Miami to play Florida again. The Phillies need to take care of business against division opponents, considering they don’t play outside of the NL East the rest of the season.

Weekly Top-5

Cincinnati – Chapman makes this team even tougher

Atlanta – Can hold on to NL East if they keep playing well at home

Philadelphia – Aren’t thinking Wild Card, they want the Division

St. Louis – Cincy is slipping away

San Diego – 10-game losing streak this time of year is a perfect reason to panic Padre fans

Cardinals slumping, Reds gapping

Central

The Cardinals are imploding in the NL Central and Cincinnati has opened a six-game lead over the Red Birds.

St. Louis is currently on a three-game losing streak. Last week, the Cardinals lost series to the lowly Pirates and the Stephen Strasburg-less Nationals.

Meanwhile, the Reds have run five of their last eight, expanding its lead over St. Louis.

In the Triple Crown chase neither Albert Pujols nor Joey Votto are letting up. Pujols leads the National League with 35 homers and 95 RBIs and is currently third with a .318 batting average.

In Cincy, Votto is second with a .325 average, third with 32 home runs and second with 94 RBIs.

West

The Padres have faltered, losing five straight. San Diego lost a weekend series to Milwaukee Aug. 20-22, then won two versus Arizona and hasn’t won since. San Diego is facing the last-place Diamond backs again, and need to get back on track.

The Giants trail in the Wild Card race by 1.5 games. San Francisco has a losing record over its last 10 games and has fallen behind Philadelphia. Andres Torres leads the National League with 42 doubles.

East

The Braves are riding a three-game winning streak and lead the Phillies by three games in the East. Tim Hudson won his 15^th game and has the best ERA in the NL at 2.24.

Martin Prado hasn’t slowed down after a stint on the disabled list, he is batting .316 with a league-best 156 hits and 88 runs scored.

The Phillies are the current Wild Card leader. Roy Halladay is among the best NL pitchers in the major categories. He has 16 wins and a 2.27 ERA. He’s pitched 214 innings, the most among all Major League pitchers.

The NL East is seeing some of the most dominant pitching right now Hudson (2.24), Halladay (2.27) and Florida’s Josh Johnson (2.28) boasting the best ERAs in the NL.

Weekly Top-5

Cincinnati – Playing consistent baseball

Atlanta – On a nice hot streak

Philadelphia – Pulling away in the Wild Card chase

San Diego – Needs to get of the losing streak

St. Louis – Losing sight of Cincy

Two team races across the NL

Central

The St. Louis Cardinals are on a three-game winning streak, but have won just five of their last 10. Needless to say, the Cardinals aren’t gaining ground on the Division-leading Reds.

Cincinnati has won eight of 10 and hold a 2.5 game lead over the Red Birds.

The Reds need to make the most of a weekend series at home versus the Cubs and closing out the month of August versus the Brewers.

Both Joey Votto and Albert Pujols are doing their part for their respective ball clubs. Both are Triple Crown candidate in the top three for batting average (Votto .323; Pujols .319), home runs (Pujols 33, Votto 29) and RBIs (Pujols 92, Votto 86).

Elsewhere in the Division, the Cubs were surprised to find out manager Lou Piniella would be leaving sooner than expected. He announced his retirement effective Sunday. Chicago sent off its manager with a 16-5 loss to the Braves.

The Cubs bench coach Alan Trammell appeared to be a suitable candidate to replace Sweet Lou, but general manager Jim Hendry announced Trammell was not in the running to take over as full-time manager and put Mike Quade at the helm on an interim basis. The move to eliminate Trammell from consideration makes it likely Hall of Fame second baseman Ryne Sandberg, currently managing AAA Iowa, will be the next Chicago Cubs manager.

Other candidates include Quade, Bob Brenley, Joe Girardi and Joe Torre.

West

San Diego had the best week in the NL West and increased its lead over San Francisco to 5.5 games. The Padres have a great opportunity to increase its lead with an upcoming series versus last-place Arizona.

The Giants on the other hand saw a second consecutive mediocre start from Tim Lincecum and have lost six of their last 10. Tiny Tim is still third in the NL with 173 strikeouts, but has dropped out of the top five in virtually all other pitching categories. He has been a mainstay among the leaders all season.

San Francisco Andres Torres is currently second in the National League with 39 doubles. However, the Giants need more consistent performance up and down the lineup with they wish to keep pace with the Padres or overtake Philadelphia for the Wild Card, of which San Fran currently sits a game back.

East

Atlanta has the fewest losses at home with 17 – that’s five less than the next closest team. Tim Hudson is among the NL’s best pitchers, sporting a 14-5 record, 2.28 ERA in 177.2 innings pitched. Billy Wagner has saved 30 of Atlanta’s 73 wins in 37 opportunities.

The Phillies still trail the Braves by 2.5 games, but have assumed the lead in the Wild Card race, one game ahead of San Francisco. Roy Halladay is third in the league with 16 wins and boasts the second best ERA at 2.16.

The East – like the other NL divisions – is a two-team race with third place Marlins and fourth place Mets 10 games or more back of Atlanta.

Weekly Top-5

San Diego – Consistency is key, Giants take note

Atlanta – Prado picked up where he left off when he returned from the DL

Cincinnati – Has the upper-hand in the Central with their upcoming schedule

Philadelphia – In good shape, and Ryan Howard has traditionally been a good finisher

St. Louis – Just one game out of the Wild Card, but are still thinking Division title

NL Central, East races living up to hype

Central

The much-anticipated matchup between the Reds and Cardinals was dominated by St. Louis. The Cardinals swept the three-game series at Cincy, winning by at least four runs in each game.

Since then, the Reds haven’t lost. They swept a weekend series against the Marlins and begin a road trip in Arizona, Los Angeles and San Francisco. Joey Votto is hanging tough in his Triple Crown campaign. He leads the NL with a .322 batting average, sits second with 28 home runs, and is tied for third with 79 RBIs.

After their impressive series against Cincinnati, St. Louis tanked at home versus the Cubs. Chicago took the final two games of the series and the Red Birds trail Cincy by a game in the Central race. The Chicago series was a missed opportunity to stay in first place.

Individually, Albert Pujols’ name needs to be mentioned in the Triple Crown race. He is first in RBIs with 86, second with 30 homers (only Adam Dunn has more with 31), and is fourth in batting average at .315.

Adam Wainwright is the only starting pitcher in the Majors to boast an ERA under 2.00 and is tied with Ubaldo Jimenez for the most wins in the league (17).

Both Cincinnati and St. Louis have won seven of their last 10.

West

The Padres became the first team to win 70 games this season, following a 9-5 win over Chicago Monday. San Diego has won seven of their last 10 and are on a modest two-game winning streak.

More importantly they have increased the Division lead to four games over the chasing Giants.

Matt Latos owns the fifth-best ERA in the NL at 2.32 and Heath Bell leads the Majors with 35 saves for the Friars.

San Francisco has played .500 ball over the last 10 games to fall back of San Diego. The two losses that hurt the most were the two of three San Fran lost to the Padres over the weekend. Division losses are even more costly this time of year, and the Giants need to make the most of the NL matchups.

The Rockies’ Carlos Gomez (.321) is just one point behind Votto for the league lead.

East

The Braves have won 20 games in their last at bat. They never give up and they protect their home field (42-16 at Turner Field).

With the Phillies charging, the Braves are taking care of business by matching their Division rival win-for-win.

Atlanta has won its last four series. Marin Prado is batting .315 and Tim Hudson has 14 wins to go with his 2.13 ERA. Billy Wagner is now at 29 saves, although he may be the most nerve-wracking pitcher in the league.

Like the Braves, Philadelphia has won seven of 10, but can’t make up any ground on the Tribe.

Placido Polanco has a .319 average and Ryan Howard has pounded 81 RBIs. Roy Halladay is doing his job on the bump, earning his 15^th win and touting a 2.24 ERA. With Chase Utley back in the lineup, Philadelphia will need to win their upcoming series against San Francisco, Washington and Houston.

Weekly Top-5

San Diego – Just keeps winning

Atlanta – Aren’t giving up out East

Philadelphia – Happy to have Utley back for the NL East chase

Cincinnati – Rebounded well from ugly St. Louis series

St. Louis – Gotta kick opponents when they’re down

Exciting races in all NL Divisions

Central

The Reds entered their series with the Cardinals on a four-game winning streak and off a three-game sweep of the woeful Cubs.

The Reds-Cardinals series going Monday through Wednesday is crucial for both teams, as it gives them both an opportunity to gap the other in the standings. The teams will only meet head-to-head one more time in a September series at St. Louis.

St. Louis won three of four games entering the series. The Cardinals got the better of the Reds in the first game, winning 7-3. Whichever team comes out ahead at the end of the series has a very real possibility of riding that momentum to a bigger lead in the Central.

On an individual note, Joey Votto’s pace as dipped if he hopes to be a contender for the Triple Crown. He is still second in average (.320) and third in home runs (28), but he is beginning to fall behind the leaders.

West

The San Francisco Giants ended August on a tear. They won 10 of 12 to end the month and begin August. They have improved their home record to 34-20 and are now just 1.5 games back of division-leading San Diego. The Giants are the current Wild Card leader as well.

San Diego has lost six of their last 10, but begin a series against Pittsburgh Tuesday. The Pirate series is a must-win for the Padres to regain their winning ways and maintain a comfortable buffer over the Giants.

Elsewhere in the division, Colorado’s Carlo Gomez has been red-hot and now sits atop the league’s batting race. The center fielder’s average is now at .327, seven points ahead of Votto. Gomez is now in the top-five in Triple Crown categories, boasting 25 home runs and 77 RBIs. The Rockies’ Ubaldo Jimenez is tops in the Majors with 17 wins.

East

Philadelphia is just 1.5 games back of Atlanta in the East. While the Braves continue to play good ball at Turner Field (39-15) their record on the road (25-33) is abysmal for a first place team.

Amid a five game winning streak, the Phillies took care of business within the division, sweeping Florida and taking two of three from the Mets. Phillies players are climbing the ladder as far as stats are concerned as well, with Placido Polanco sitting third in average (.319) and Ryan Howard position second in RBIs (81). Roy Halladay is anchoring the loaded starting rotation with 14 wins and a 2.34 ERA.

Down in Washington, Adam Dunn is making teams who missed out at the trade deadline drool, recently hitting his NL-leading 30^th home run. Done also has 77 RBIs for the Nationals.

Weekly Top-5

Philadelphia – Smells blood in the water

San Francisco – Red hot with a dependable closer in the bullpen

San Diego – Treading water right now, but no reason for fans to give up

St. Louis – Needs to prove they’re among the elite while facing Cincy

Cincinnati – Good chance to make a statement versus St. Louis

NL contenders getting tougher as trade deadline passes

Central

In an effort to make me look like a fool, the Reds are back on the upswing and in first place once again. Cincinnati has won three games in a row and seven of their last 10 to overtake St. Louis for the Central lead. However, the Reds did not make any moves at the trade deadline to bolster their roster. Pitching is a must down the stretch, and Dusty Baker has a reputation for wearing his pitchers out.

The Cardinals, on the other hand, added Jake Westbrook to their pitching staff. St. Louis was interested in Houston’s Roy Oswalt, but he was dealt to the Phillies. The Cardinals are half a game back of first place, and primed to make a deep run.

Elsewhere in the division, the Brewers followed their five-game winning streak last week with a five-game losing streak. They got out of their slump Monday night when they whooped the Cubs, 18-1.

The Cubs are making everyone look good these days, mostly due to their lackluster pitching. Check out the Rockies below, for more details.

West

In an effort to extend its two-game lead over San Francisco, the Padres added a couple of veteran players at the deadline. San Diego brought in Ryan Ludwick from St. Louis and Miguel Tejada from Baltimore. The Padres have also reached the 20 games above .500 mark, currently sitting at 62-42.

San Francisco brought in two relievers to help with their second half run, but it was the Los Angeles Dodgers who made the most noise at the trade deadline.

The Dodgers acquired Ted Lilly and Ryan Theriot from the Cubs, Scott Podsednik from the Royals and landed Octavio Dotel to bolster their bullpen. It remains to be seen if the shake-up can help the team overcome a nine-game deficit in the division race, or the seven-game deficit in the wild card chase.

The Rockies are lingering in third place in the division, but they did have a hell of a series against the Cubs. On Friday, the Rockies set an MLB record by scoring 12 runs with two outs in the eighth inning. Then on Saturday, Carlos Gonzalez hit a walk-off home run to compete the cycle.

East

The Phillies landed one of the biggest names in the trade market when they got Roy Oswalt from the Astros. However, the right hander was beaten up by the Nationals, 8-1, in his first start with Philadelphia, snapping the squad’s eight-game winning streak.

Nonetheless, Philadelphia is creeping up behind Atlanta, losers of six of the last 10. The Braves were not silent at the deadline, bringing in a handful of players. Atlanta got Kyle Farnsworth and Rick Ankiel from Kansas City.

Though, the Reds and Cardinals are in a tight race in the Central, keep an eye on the race in the East. The Phillies quest to reclaim the division could be the most interesting storyline in the next month.

Weekly Top-5

San Diego – Made enough moves to hold of San Francisco

Philadelphia – Be afraid Atlanta, very afraid

St. Louis – Already the NL Central champs in my mind

Atlanta – Needs to correct current losing trend

Cincinnati – Fans still clinging to hope

Padres still tops in NL

Central

The Cardinals are back in first place thanks to a six-game winning streak. St. Louis’ pitching has been rock solid. Adam Wainwright (14 wins) and Chris Carpenter (10 wins) are second and tied for third, respectively, in the National League. Wainwright’s 2.02 ERA is second to only Josh Johnson and Jaime Garcia is third with a 2.27.

The Reds’ lead over the Cardinal evaporated when the Phillies swept a four-game series prior to the All-Star break. Cincinnati rebounded after the break, winning two of three versus Colorado. They have Washington for four games before traveling to Houston. The light schedule this week is filled with must-win game if they hope to keep pace with the red-hot Cardinals.

Milwaukee’s Prince Fielder currently sits atop the NL with 23 home runs with teammate Corey Hart sitting tied for second with 22.Marlon Byrd is batting .316 for the Chicago Cubs. However, outside of some individual statistics, both teams continue to find consistency as a team.

West

San Diego is still sporting the best record in baseball. Starter Matt Latos has reached the 10-win mark for the Padres (54-37). San Diego is on a four-game winning streak and leads the NL West by the same four-game margin.

San Francisco is the closest challenger. The Giants have won eight of their last 10. Closer Brian Wilson is tied with the Padres’ Heath Bell with a league-high 26 saves. Tim Lincecum is 10-4 with a league-high 136 Ks.

The Los Angeles Dodgers are an intriguing team. Despite sitting six games back in the division, a number of players are beginning to play good baseball. Rafael Furcal leads the league with a .338 batting average and Andre Ethier is sporting a .314. James Loney has driven in 64 runs and has 26 doubles. Matt Kemp has scored 59 runs.

If Clayton Kershaw (3.16 ERA, 129 Ks), Hiroki Kuroda, Chad Billingsley and the rest of the pitching staff put together quality outings, the Dodgers could make a big run down the stretch.

East

The Atlanta Braves got off to a so-so start to the second half of the season, splitting a four-game set with the Brewers. What’s most shocking is that Atlanta split the series at home where they are a whopping 32-12.

Martin Prado is batting .323 for the Braves, and Troy Glaus has 59 RBIs.

The Mets and Phillies are lurking in second and third place.

Philadelphia is in a similar situation as L.A. They have a lot of players performing individually. If they put together a team-effort, good things could be in the near future.

Ryan Howard has an NL-best 74 RBIs. Roy Halladay has struggled in his last couple outings, but still has 10 wins and a 2.40 ERA.

In Florida, Josh Johnson continues to pitch well, giving the Marlins an opportunity to win every five games. He has a Major League best 1.62 ERA and 10 wins to go with 130 strikeouts.

Weekly Top-5

San Diego – A model of consistency

St. Louis – Scorching hot and likely scaring the pants of Cincy fans.

Atlanta – Can’t rule out anyone who plays as well as the Braves do at home

Cincinnati – They’re not dead yet; Votto and the gang won’t roll over easily.

San Francisco – Hitting and pitching well.

Atlanta, St. Louis boast five all-stars each

Central

The Cincinnati Reds were recognized with three all-stars when the National and American league teams were announced. That’s two less than the Cardinals, who trail the Reds by two games in the NL Central standings.

The Reds have won seven of their last 10 and the Cardinals split a four game series with the Brewers.

Cincinnati will be represented at the all-star game by reliever Arthur Rhodes as well as Brandon Phillips and Scott Rolen.

St. Louis’ Yadier Molina and Albert Pujols were named starters on the National League team. Pitchers Chris Carpenter and Adam Wainwright were named to the team in addition to Matt Holliday.

Other NL Central representatives include Milwaukee’s Ryan Braun (starter), Yovani Gallardo and Corey Hart; Pittsburgh’s Evan Meek; Houston’s Michael Bourn; and Chicago’s Marlon Byrd.

The NL Central’s 14 all-stars is best among NL divisions.

West

With eight all-star selections, the NL West had the fewest in the league.

The Padres, who lead the West with a National League best 49-33 record, received only one all-star recognition.

First baseman Adrian Gonzalez will represent San Diego as a reserve.

The second placed Dodgers will send Andre Eithier (starter) and Jonathan Broxton. Colorado’s Ubaldo Jimenez was named to the team. The Rockies’ Troy Tulowitzki was named an all-star but will not play.

San Francisco pitchers Tim Lincecum and Brian Wilson will represent the Giants while Chris Young will be Arizona’s lone representative.

East

The Atlanta Braves tied the Cardinals for the most all-star selections with five. Outfielder Jason Heyward was voted a starter for the Braves and second baseman Martin Prado will replace Chase Utley as the starter. Tim Hudson, Brian McCann and Omar Infate will also represent Atlanta at the all-star game.

Utley was voted a starter for the Phillies but is unable to play due to injury. Pitcher Roy Halladay and Ryan Howard will also represent Philly.

Other NL East players include David Wright (starter) and Jose Reyes (replacement player) of the Mets; Josh Johnson and Hanley Ramirez (starter) of the Marlins; and Matt Capps of the Nationals.

Rookie phenom Stephen Strasburg was not included on the NL Roster despite his 2.45 ERA and 53 strikeouts in six starts.

Weekly Top-5

Atlanta – The team to beat in a top-to-bottom talented division.

San Diego – Best record in the NL.

Cincinnati – Done doubting this team.

New York – Only two games back of Atlanta.

St. Louis – The Cardinals and their five all-stars could make a big second half push.

Atlanta can't lose at home, San Diego playing consistently

Central

The Cincinnati Reds hold a half-game lead over the St. Louis Cardinals. However, if the Reds hope to be contenders down the stretch, they need to gap St. Louis as much as possible now. St. Louis pitchers Brad Penny and Kyle Lohse will be returning from the disabled list soon and will give the Cardinals more weapons to chase down Cincy.

Lohse is on schedule to come off the 60-day disabled list in late July. Penny is expected to rejoin the team when he is removed from the 15-day list after the all-star break.

Both the Cardinals and Reds have won six of their last 10, and so has the Milwaukee Brewers. The Brewers have been lifted by their starting pitching, which has delivered 10 quality starts in the Crew’s last 15 games. Starter Yovani Gallardo has improved his ERA to 2.36. Plus outfielder Corey Hart is leading the NL with 18 dingers to go with 60 RBIs.

The Chicago Cubs are imploding. AS they sit in fourth place with a 33-43 record, their season took an ugly turn Friday when Carlos Zambrano went on a tirade in the dugout. Zambrano’s frustration was directed toward first baseman Derek Lee and the two were separated. It was announced Zambrano received an indefinite suspension, and he has since been put on the restricted list. If he returns to the Cubs he will pitch out of the bullpen.

West

Edwin Jackson’s no-hitter for the Diamondbacks Friday marks the fourth of the year and the second time the Tampa Rays were victimized by another hitless day at the plate.

Jackson’s no-hitter was anything but routine – or as routine as a no-hitter can be. It took the right-hander 149 pitches to complete the feat, and he walked eight Rays in the process.

Nevertheless, Jackson joins Ubaldo Jimenez, Roy Halladay and Dallas Braden (and it deserves mentioning Amrando Galarraga’s near perfect game) as pitchers to throw a no-no this season. Jackson is now 5-6 on the season.

Jimenez is still dominating on the mound for the Rockies. His 14 wins and 1.83 ERA are still tops in the Majors.

Though pitchers have been a hot topic recently for the two teams Colorado and Arizona are fourth and fifth, respectively, in their division. The Rockies’ are battered injuries to Brad Hawpe, Todd Helton and Troy Tulowitzki, though.

The San Diego Padres, who have won an NL best seven of their last 10, have the top record in the National League at 43-31. The Padres are sitting a half-game ahead of the Atlanta Braves (see below) for the No. 1 record in the NL.

The Padres aren’t a tremendously flashy team, but they are getting the job done. San Diego is the only team in the NL West with a winning record on the road, which has helped them build a four-game lead over the Los Angeles Dodgers. San Diego is getting consistency from the closer role as Heath Bell is now tied for second in the Majors with 21 saves.

East

The Braves are still the team garnering the most buzz in the National League. Atlanta is a gaudy 27-8 at home!

Atlanta beat Washington’s Stephen Strasburg, 5-0, to move 1.5 games ahead of the Mets. More on Strasburg in a minute. Martin Prado still leads the NL with a .331 batting average

Now that the Braves have gotten past the Nationals; biggest threat, the rest of the series should be a cinch and the division lead should grow with New York playing division rival Florida.

The Mets are playing well, considering Carlos Beltran and Luis Castillo are on the DL. They are also without utility player Angel Pagan. As players get healthy, the Mets should improve. Third baseman David Wright does lead the National League with 61 RBIs.

The Nationals’ Strasburg has made a strong case to be an all-star even after just five starts. Strasburg is now 2-2, but has received one run of support over his last three starts. He has a 2.27 ERA and 48 strikeouts. The strikeout mark is two shy of the record for most Ks in a pitcher’s first five starts. It should also be noted his 48 strikeouts have been accompanied by just seven walks, and he boasts a WHIP of 1.01.

Weekly Top-5

Atlanta – 27-8?! Who would want to play at Turner Field – except for the Braves that is.

San Diego – Consistency is the name of the game for the Padres.

New York – Hanging around despite Atlanta’s tear through the league.

Cincinnati – Looks to be for real, but how long will the pitching last, and how long can they hold off St. Louie?

St. Louis – No. 5 by default. After the Cards and Phillies, not much to talk about in the NL.

Halladay's perfect game highlights week in NL

Central

Johnny Cueto (5-1, 3.25 ERA) and the Reds continue to pace the NL Central, but the Cardinals have tied them atop the standings. Cincy won 5-of-7 games against the Pirates and Astros to continue setting the pace in the Central. The two teams are currently playing each other, and it is an excellent opportunity for the Reds to establish themselves. The Cardinal won Monday’s matchup, 12-4.

The Cubs won a Memorial Day weekend series against the Cardinals. Even despite Chicago’s losing record, it always helps to beat a rival. Brewers right fielder Corey Hart had a huge week, and now leads the NL with 13 home runs. Casey McGehee is leading the NL with 41 RBIs and Ryan Braun is at the top of several offensive categories. However, pitching woes continue to torture Milwaukee and its fans.

West

If things continue the way they have been, the Rockies will have to change their name to the Colorado Ubaldo Jimenez’s. The Colorado starter is now 10-1 with a 0.78 ERA in 11 starts this season. He’s struck out 70 batters and walked 26 while allowing seven earned runs to this point.

Behind starters Jon Garland (6-2, 2.15 ERA) and Clayton Richard (3.00 ERA) the Padres are now 11 games over .500 and lead the L.A. Dodgers by two games and the Giants by 3.5.

East

Another week, more Philadelphia headlines. If you didn’t hear, starting pitcher Roy Halladay threw a perfect game versus the Marlins Saturday night, in a game the Phillies won, 1-0. The 27-up, 27-down performance was just the 20^th perfect game in Major League history, but it is the second this season, and the third no-hitter of the season.

Despite, Halladay’s perfect evening, the Phillies have slipped into second place behind the Braves. Atlanta won six straight games after Monday’s contest, a 9-3 win of Philadelphia. The Braves have won eight of their last 10.

Weekly Top-5

Philadelphia – The Phills are in second, but the bats are asleep; they’ll wake up soon.

Atlanta – Can’t ignore their hot streak, but they have to make a statement against the Phillies.

San Diego – Looking tougher each week out West.

St. Louis – Lurking behind the Reds; it would scare me if I was in Cincy.

Cincinnati – Pitching staff is making them look like a legitimate contender as each week passes.

Cincy overtakes Cards, Padres have Giants number

Central

The Cincinnati Reds are in first place in the NL Central and got there by playing consistent baseball against division rivals. The Reds have won 10 of their last 13 games, including series wins over Chicago, Pittsburgh and St. Louis. Bronson Arroyo (3-2; 4.78 ERA), Johnny Cueto (3-1; 3.67) and Mike Leak (4-0; 3.09) have been rock solid in the rotation. Cincy does not have a regular position player batting .300, however. They will need consistent hitting to stay in the playoff chase through the dog days of summer.

West

Out west, San Diego is 1.5 games over the Giants, thanks to a sweep last week over San Francisco. The Padres, who are 6-0 against the Giants, are in the midst of another series and San Diego has taken the first game. It’s far too early to count Frisco out of anything, but the Padres are certainly establishing themselves in the West early.

The Dodgers are creeping up behind the Giants, thanks to an eight-game winning streak. It looks like the west could be the most entertaining division to watch as the season wears on.

East

The Phillies have the largest division lead in baseball, sitting five games ahead of Florida. Philadelphia has won eight of its last 10 and is playing good baseball at home (11-6) and on the road (13-7). Shane Victorino is an extra-base hit machine, racking up five doubles, five triples and eight home runs in the early going. The starting rotation continues to pitch extremely well.

The Marlins are the best candidate to challenge the Phillies. They are sitting at 20-19 and aren’t playing particularly well at home (11-10) or on the road (9-9). Ricky Nolasco and Josh Johnson have been solid on the mound for the fish.

Weekly Top-5

Philadelphia – Playing good baseball in the field, on the mound and at the plate. Just wait to Jimmy Rollins gets in the mix.

St. Louis – Dropped into second place, but won’t hit the panic button.

San Diego – Beating division foes and staying atop the division.

San Francisco – Needs to beat the Padres at some point if they want to overtake them.

Cincinnati – Looking good. Should stick around if Dusty Baker doesn’t pitch his rotation’s arms off.

Consistency is key in NL Central - signs point to St. Louis with Cubs and Brewers chasing

Chicago Cubs

2009: 83-78 - second place

Key Players

1B Derek Lee .306 avg., 35 HR, 111 RBI

3B Aramis Ramirez .317 avg., 15 HR, 65 RBI

LF Alfonso Soriano .241 avg., 20 HR, 55 RBI, 118 Ks

P Ted Lilly 12-9, 3.10 ERA, 151 Ks

RP Carlos Marmol 15 saves, 93 Ks, 3.41 ERA

Key Additions

OF Marlon Byrd

1B Kevin Millar

OF Xavier Nady

P Carlos Silva

The Cubs received Silva in a trade for disgruntled outfielder Milton Bradley. Silva could very well be Chicago’s fifth starter this season, as the rotation dips off after Randy Wells. Byrd will replace Bradley in the outfield and allow Kosuke Fukudome to move to right field where he is more comforatable. Millar and Nady will bolster the bench.

Key Subtractions

OF Milton Bradley

RP Kevin Gregg

P Rich Harden

OF Reed Johnson

Bradley was a cancer in the clubhouse and Gregg was a cancer on the pitching mound. Cubs fans didn’t shed any tears when those two left town. Harden’s departure leaves some question marks in the starting rotation. Johnson gave the team some options in the outfield.

Stats breakdown

Pitching 3

Offense 4

Defense 3

Overall 10

On paper, the Cubs should be competing for the NL Central title again. But, the squad will have to stay healthy and get production out of the top of the order, something they struggled with last year. A big concern for Chicago will be finding a fifth starter – either Silva, Sean Marshall, Jeff Samardzija or Tom Gorzelanny will need to step up.

Cincinnati Reds

2009: 78-84 – fourth place

Key Players

1B Joey Votto .322 avg., 82 runs, 25 HR

2B Brandon Phillips .276 avg., 161 hits, 98 RBI

P Bronson Arroyo 15-13, 3.84 ERA, 3 CG, 127 Ks

RP Francisco Cordero 2.16 ERA, 39 saves, 58 Ks

Key Additions

SS Orlando Cabrera

SP Aroldis Chapman

2B Aaron Miles

Chapman is a Cuban defector with a lively fastball. The left-hander caught MLB scouts’ attention when he starred on the mound for the Cuban team during the World Baseball Classic. He will solidify a starting rotation that features Aaron Harang, Arroyo and Johnny Cueto.

Key Subtractions

3B Adam Rosales

OF Willy Taveras

Both players were traded to bring in Miles and player to be named. The Reds lose speed with Taveras leaving, but it’s not the end of the world be any means.

Stats breakdown

Pitching 3

Offense 3

Defense 3

Overall 9

Cincinnati finished last season playing good ball. The outfield is inexperienced, but the infield should be solid. If young pitchers Cueto and Chapman stay steady this season, the Reds could surprise a few people.

Houston Atros

2009: 74-88 – fifth place

Key Players

1B Lance Berkman .274 avg., 25 HR, 80 RBI

CF Michael Bourn .285 avg., 12 3Bs, 61 SB

SP Roy Oswalt 8-6, 4.12 ERA, 3 CG, 181.1 IP

Key Additions

P Bret Meyers

RP Jose Valdez

Meyers was brought in from Philadelphia to assist Oswalt and Wandy Rodriguez shoulder the load of the starting rotation. Valdez came into to help the bullpen, but won’t make up for the losses the Astros took in relief pitching.

Key Subtractions

P Brandon Backe

RP LaTroy Hawkins

SS Miguel Tejada

RP Jose Valverde

Valverde leaves town and takes 25 saves with him. Hawkins recorded 11 of his own. It will be hard to replace them in the bull pen. With Tejada gone, Tommy Manzella needs to step up at short stop.

Stats breakdown

Pitching 2

Offense 3

Defense 2

Overall 7

The Astros outfield will produce in the field and the plate, anchored by the speedy Bourn and reliable Carlos Lee and Hunter Pence. The left side of the infield is a question mark with young players filling rolls. Pitching woes could doom Houston.

Milwuakee Brewers

2009: 80-82 – third place

Key Players

LF Ryan Braun .320 avg., 32 HR, 114 RBI, .551 slg.

1B Prince Fielder .299 avg., 46 HR, 141 RBI, 110 BB

SP Yovanni Gallardo 13-12, 3.73 ERA, 185.2 IP, 204 Ks

RP Trevor Hoffman 1.83 ERA, 37 saves, 48 Ks

Key Additions

P Doug Davis

CF Carols Gomez

RP LaTroy Hawkins

P Randy Wolf

C Gregg Zaun

Davis and Wolf will improve the starting rotation behind Gallardo, with Manny Parra and Jeff Suppan rounding out the starters. Hawkins brings a good set-up man to the bullpen. Gomez will fill the void left by Mike Cameron.

Key Subtractions

CF Mike Cameron

SS JJ Hardy

C Jason Kendall

RP Seth McClung

Hardy was streaky, but was part of a group of solid young players. Cameron will be missed by the Brewers more. Kendall played well while in Milwaukee, but the crew will be happier with Zaun.

Stats breakdown

Pitching 3

Offense 4

Defense 3

Overall 10

The Brewers will need good starts from Davis, Suppan and Parra to get the ball to a reliable bullpen. The offense will carry Milwaukee, and if everyone stays healthy, this is a team that can compete with St. Louis and Chicago for the central title.

Pittsburgh Pirates

2009: 62-99 – sixth place

Key Players

3B Andy LaRouche .258 avg., 135 hits, 64 RBI

OF Garrett Jones .293 avg., 21 HR, 44 RBI

P Zach Duke 11-16, 4.06 ERA, 3 CG, 213 IP

Key Additions

SS Bobby Crosby

RP Octavio Dotel

2B Akinori Iwamura

OF Ryan Church

Iwamura is expected to start at second base on opening day. Church and Crosby will be bench players but could see plenty of playing time when starters Garrett Jones or Ronny Cedeno struggle.

Key Subtractions

RP Matt Capps

CF Nyjer Morgan

P Ian Snell

The Pirates kept up with their rich tradition of seeing their best players leave the team. Morgan’s speed was crucial at the plate and in the field, and Capps was a solid closer.

Stats breakdown

Pitching 1

Offense 2

Defense 3

Overall 6

It’s going to be a long season for Pittsburgh, and an even longer season for the fans paying for tickets. The Pirates will be a team other central teams get fat on.

St. Louis Cardinals

2009: 91-71 – first place

Key Players

1B Albert Pujols .327 avg., 47 HR, 135 RBI, .658 slg., 1.101 OPS

OF Matt Holliday .353 avg., 13 HR, 55 RBI

P Adam Wainwright 2.63 ERA, 19-8, 233 IP, 212 Ks

P Chris Carpenter 17-4, 3 CG, 2.24 ERA, 144 Ks

Key Additions

P Rich Hill

P Brad Penny

These are great additions to compliment Carpenter and Wainwright. Penny and Hill can fill the rotation behind Kyle Lohse and give the Cardinals the toughest core of starting pitching in the league.

Key Subtractions

OF Rick Ankiel

Util Mark DeRosa

3B Troy Glaus

P Joel Piniero

P Todd Wellmeyer

The Cardinals can lose Piniero and Wellmeyer without too much concern, because of pitching depth. DeRosa and Ankiel were solid players for the redbirds, but again depth allows them to depart with the outfielders. Glaus’ best days are behind him, so no loss there for St. Louis

Stats breakdown

Pitching 5

Offense 4

Defense 3

Overall 12

It is St. Louis’ division to lose. They have excellent pitching and the best all-around player in Albert Pujols. Holliday anchors a good outfield with Colby Rasmus and Ryan Ludwick. Yadier Molina behind the plate bolsters the batting order too.

Final NL Central breakdown

Champion:

The Cardinals have people in place to compete for a division title and possibly a pennant. The Cubs and Brewers have the potential to chase St. Louis down, but they will need consistency from at the plate and on the mound – right now it looks like the Cardinals are more likely to get the best performances in all three phases of the game.