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

Phillies, Brewers boast five-game streaks

Central

The Milwaukee Brewers won their fifth straight game Monday, matching the Phillies for the best streak in the National League. They have made up a few games on the Cardinals but will soon be forced to decide if they want to be buyers or sellers at the trade deadline. Prince Fielder’s name has been included in trade rumors. He currently is second in the NL with 24 home runs.

The Cardinals are still in first place in the Central, however, they lost a three-game series over the weekend to the rival Chicago Cubs. St. Louis needed extra innings to salvage the final game of the series. Nonetheless, they still looked to be poised to take the title with Chris Carpenter, Adam Wainwright and Jaime Garcia bolstering the rotation.

The Reds have lost two games in a row and are 5-5 over the last 10 games. They are moving the wrong way in the standings but will definitely be looking to add an impact player, or two, at the trade deadline.

West

The Padres are for real. They have won eight of their last 10 games and are rivaling the Braves gaudy home-field record. San Diego is 30-19 at home and 58-39 overall, the best in the Majors. They have accomplished these feats without having one player in the Top 5 of any major offensive statistic. On the pitching side of things, Matt Latos leads the staff with a 11-4 record, with Jon Garland (9-6) and Clayton Richard(7-5) helping the team. Heath Bell has a co-Major League best 29 saves – and he’s collected those saves in 32 opportunities.

Brian Wilson of the San Francisco Giants also has 29 saves, and his ball club is the current leader for the NL Wild Card spot. The Giants have been matching the Padres hot streak, but can’t make up any ground as long as SD keeps winning. With the Giants young pitching staff – boasting Tim Lincecum (143 strikeouts) – the Wild Card is definitely an attainable goal for this team.

East

Martin Prado (.319; 71 runs, 134 hits, 28 doubles) and the Atlanta Braves still lead the NL East, but teams behind them are getting hot.

The Philadelphia Phillies are starting to play like they were expected to be. Philly is currently riding a five-game winning streak. They still trail Atlanta by 4.5 games and the Giants by 2.5 in the Wild Card race. But players are performing: Placido Polanco’s batting average ranks third in the NL (.317), Ryan Howard leads the league with 78 RBIs and is second with 117 hits, Jason Werth has a league-high 32 doubles and Shane Victorina leads the NL with eight triples.

Weekly Top-5

San Diego – Still chugging along

Philadelphia – Red hot = five game winning streak

St. Louis – Ready to reclaim the NL Central crown

San Francisco – Would look great if the Padres were in another division

Atlanta – Starting to come down from their high a little

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.

Tasers OK if fans are stupid

A man ran on to the field at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia during a Phillies-Cardinals game Monday. It’s not the first time a numbskull has interrupted a professional sports game, but this time around numerous cameras captured the 17-year-old Steve Consalvi being hit with taser gun.

Question No. 1 – Why did Consalvi think this “once in a lifetime opportunity” was a good idea?

Question No. 2 – Why are people upset that Consalvi was tasered?

He was on the field of play. There is a sacred boundary between players and fans, which is commonly called the seating area. Fans stay on their side, players stay on theirs. Only bad things happen when someone crosses this boundary.

Tennis star Monica Seles was stabbed by a man who ran onto the court and Ron Artest started a brawl in Detroit when he entered the stands. When people cross the barrier that is the viewing area/playing area, terrible and tragic things happen.

So why should Philadelphia police and Citizens Bank Park security act differently?

When someone leaps onto the playing service, it is not known what their intentions are. For Consalvi, it was his moment of fame. Well, he got it. They tased him bro’. And it’s a good thing they did.

I would say strong action like tasing someone who enters the field would deter the behavior, but another Philadelphia idiot ran on the field last night and was not tased, likely because of the scrutiny the first incident is receiving.

Consalvi’s father, Wayne, was quoted saying: “I don’t recommend running on the field, but I don’t think they should have tased him at all,” he said to the Philadelphia Daily News, according to ESPN.

However Philadelphia Police Commissioner Charles Ramsay had this to say: “It was inappropriate for him to be out there on the field. Unless I read something to the contrary, that officer acted appropriately. I support him 100 percent,” he said on KYW Radio, according to ESPN.

I hope the police commissioner wins this one, because if every person who runs onto the playing field is tased, then maybe it will finally stop. Dear Phillies fans, please stop.

To view the video click here.

St. Louis still tops in NL

Central

Another week gone by, another week of the Cardinals atop the NL Central. St. Louis swept Atlanta in a four-game series and took two of three from Cincinnati. The Cards have won eight of their last 10 games and are 10-3 at Busch Stadium.

The Cubs have fought back to a .500 record, but remain streaky. In Milwaukee (10-15), there is already talks about Ken Macha and whether he should keep his job as manager.

West

San Diego and San Francisco are duking it out in the NL West with Colorado close behind. Arizona took two of three from the Rockies and have a great opportunity to gain ground on the rest of the division during the team’s four-game series at Houston.

Likewise, the division leading Padres can get fat on the Astros this weekend.

East

New York has lost three games straight, but had won the seven before that. The three-game slide has put the Mets a half game back of the Phillies, who have struggled at home.

The Marlins are only a game back of Philadelphia with series against San Francisco and Washington this week.

Weekly Top-5

St. Louis – Best record in the majors; great home record.

San Diego – 10-4 at home; can make early statement in the West with series vs. Colorado.

Philadelphia – Big hitters in the lineup, leading the team back to top of East.

New York – Hanging around the top of the East division; Johan Santana looking better as of late.

Chicago – Starting pitching looks good; Alfonso Soriano on a hot streak.

Cardinals, Phillies starting season off right

NL Central

No real surprise the Cardinals are atop the central division. They’ll be there all year. St. Louis was involved in the second-most notable game of the week when they battled for 20 innings with the New York Mets. The Cardinals lost 2-1 in 20. Albert Pujols is off to a hot start with five home runs and .327 average.

The Pittsburgh Pirates are still sitting a game back of the Cards after sweeping Cincinnati over the weekend.

Chicago and Milwaukee could each be in for a long season after the way their bullpens have performed through two weeks of play. The Astros look bad, but they did win their weekend series against the Cubs.

NL East

The Phillies look good early on with Ryan Howard – three homers, .309 avg., .600 slugging – and Chase Hutley - .341 avg. six home runs – performing well. High-profile offseason acquisition Roy Hallady is off to a 3-0 start with a 1.13 ERA and 21 strikeouts.

Elsewhere in the division, Florida has played well. Atlanta has a winning record, but was no-hit by Colorado (see NL West). Washington is playing .500 ball, but Jason Marquis got hammered by the Brewers and did not finish the first inning. Marquis has a 20.52 ERA after three starts.

NL West

The performance of the week was Colorado’s Ubaldo Jimenez throwing a no-hitter to beat the Braves Saturday. Jimenez, who threw the franchise’s first no-no, had six walks on the game. He adjusted and pitched out of the stretch exclusively from the fifth inning on. After that, he did not have another walk. Jimenez, 26, finished the game with seven strike outs.

The Giants are leading the division. They swept the Pirates to open the season, and won their first four games of the year. San Francisco lost its weekend series with the Dodgers. No reason to hit the panic button, but if Frisco wants to win the division, they will need to win the season series against L.A.

TOP FIVE NL TEAMS APRIL 20:

St. Louis Cardinals – One name Albert Pujols. Two other names Adam Wainwright (3-0, 1.50 ERA) and Chris Carpenter (2-0, 3.50 ERA).

Philadelphia Phillies – Roy Halladay looks to be fitting in nicely and Cole Hamels in the second spot of the rotation is scary. Plenty of offensive power too.

Florida Marlins – Won series against Mets, Dodgers and Phillies. Nate Robinson and Ricky Nolasco pitching well and Leo Nunez has three saves.

San Francisco Giants – Playing good ball and can get fat against San Diego during three-game set. Tim Lincecum and Barry Zito throwing well. Just wait for Matt Cain to join in. The offense is showing some unexpected power at the plate too.

Colorado Rockies – No one has more than three home runs, but the team hits a lot of extra base hits, creating opportunity. Carlos Gonzalez off to good start with .368 avg. Plenty of talent up and down the lineup.

St. Louis has pitchers, bats to take NL Pennant

Predicted NL playoff teams

East – Philadelphia

Central – St. Louis

West – Los Angeles

Wild Card – Chicago

NLDS

No. 1 Philadelphia Phillies vs. No. 4 Chicago Cubs

The good news for Chicago fans is Lou Piniella can finally get his first post-season victory since becoming the Cubs’ manager. The bad news is, the Phillies’ pitching staff will likely overpower the Chicago lineup.

Chicago’s pitching staff is realistically three-men deep with Carol Zambrano, Ted Lilly and Ryan Dempster. Randy Wells had a good season in 2009, but needs to prove he’ll be reliable and from there the Cubs’ rotation drops off.

Philadelphia on the other hand has Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels, Joe Blanton, J.A. Happ and Jamie Moyer. The Phillies probably won’t need to get to Moyer as they take the five-game series in four.

The Phillies also have a more consistent defense and more dangerous bats with the likes of Ryan Howard, Chase Utley and Jimmy Rollins.

No. 2 St. Louis Cardinals vs. No. 3 Los Angeles Dodgers

The team with the best starting pitching yields supreme in a five-game series and that tips the scales toward the Cardinals’ favor. Adam Wainwright and Chris Carpenter have the ability to put the Redbirds on their soldiers and carry them to the NLCS. Kyle Lohse and Brad Penny solidify the rotation.

Albert Pujols is dangerous and comes up with clutch hits at the most opportunistic times. Add Matt Holliday and Yadier Molina into the mix and the Dodger will find themselves out-matched in a hurry.

Manny Ramirez brings a big bat for L.A., but also a lot of distractions. If the Dodgers fall behind in the series, Ramirez is likely to check out mentally and end the L.A. post-season run.

St. Louis takes the series in four games.

NLCS

No. 1 Philadelphia Phillies vs. No. 2 St. Louis Cardinals.

The Cardinals have enough bats in the lineup to steal a win in Philadelphia. Headed back to St. Louis with the series tied 1-1, the Cardinals have the upper-hand.

But the Phillies aren’t a team that gives up easily. The series will go seven games, but the advantage goes to St. Louis because of Tony La Russa. When a game (or a series for that matter) is on the line La Russa pulls out all the stops. He can out-manage Charlie Manuel and get his team its NL best 17th pennant.

NL Pennant winner

The St. Louis Cardinals will be the most primed for the play-off push. The Cardinals won the World Series in 2006 with much less. After a season of tough competition in the NL Central - battling the Cubs and the Milwaukee Brewers – St. Louis will be battled tested for anything the NL West or NL East can throw at them, including Halladay, Hamels and the Phillies.

Wainwright and Carpenter will need to have a good post-season, but they are certainly capable of it. Pujols has been on the big stage before and he’s the most consistent offensive player in the game.

The Cardinals have the supporting cast around the starting pitching and the heart of the lineup, plus a bullpen that features Jason Motte and closer Ryan Franklin. All the pieces are in place for the Cardinals to have a great 2010.