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Other than the Pirates, and LA's resurgence, the NL has definitely rendered itself irrelevant this season. Yet somehow, the World Series winner tends to come out of the National League more often than not, so we can't write them off completely.
The two best teams in the NL IMO are Atlanta and St. Louis. There's also a good chance they'll be playing each other in the NLDS. Pittsburgh's inexperience I think will hurt them and they'll lose with or without home field. Then again, people said the same thing about Tampa Bay in '08. With LA, I think their inability to consistently score runs will hurt them. I think the World Series will be Boston and St. Louis.
Other than the Pirates, and LA's resurgence, the NL has definitely rendered itself irrelevant this season. Yet somehow, the World Series winner tends to come out of the National League more often than not, so we can't write them off completely.
"Other than the Pirates?" What about the two teams they're in a race with, the Cards and Reds? What about the Nats ever so slowly clawing their way into wild card contention?
Call it "irrelevant" if you must. For those of us following the NL Central, it's been an absolute nail-biter all season.
"Other than the Pirates?" What about the two teams they're in a race with, the Cards and Reds? What about the Nats ever so slowly clawing their way into wild card contention?
Call it "irrelevant" if you must. For those of us following the NL Central, it's been an absolute nail-biter all season.
Heh, heh....Reds made it real clear the are not going away without a fight. And the Cards had a bad break today with Yadi, but maybe it's nothing.
Even for those of us who follow NL East, the race is on. The Braves will have to retain their luck to nail down that all important top seed spot against the Dodgers.
If the Braves gotta play the Dodgers, I would like for the Braves to have the home field advantage. That goes particularly for the Dodgers because they are so far away.
Same with the World Series. Home field advantage. It's important.
When I started this thread on August 12th the closest any of the non leading teams to a post season spot was 5.5 games back. Three weeks later the closet any of the non leading NL teams is 7 games back. Arizona lost a game and a half, Washington gained a game and a half, but the leaders have actually put even more distance between them and the hopes of any other teams.
If the Nationals can continue to gain a game and a half every three weeks, then in only seven and a half weeks they will have tied for the wild card. Of course by then the post season will be in its third week of play.
When I started this thread on August 12th the closest any of the non leading teams to a post season spot was 5.5 games back. Three weeks later the closet any of the non leading NL teams is 7 games back. Arizona lost a game and a half, Washington gained a game and a half, but the leaders have actually put even more distance between them and the hopes of any other teams.
If the Nationals can continue to gain a game and a half every three weeks, then in only seven and a half weeks they will have tied for the wild card. Of course by then the post season will be in its third week of play.
Are we just not paying attention to the NL Central? baseball's best division!
I think you're trying to say they are out of it.......
No, no. I avoid making absolute statements, I never promise to eat anything if so and so doesn't...etc.
As of the close of play today, the probability of reaching the post season:
Pittsburgh..99.7%
St. Louis..99.5 %
Cincinnati..95.9%
Arizona..3 %
Washington..1.9%
So, the Nationals are not out of it, they have a 50-1 shot of making it. The calculations are based on examining all seasons and seeing how frequently teams in specific positions after the same number of games were played in previous seasons, went on to make the post season. Out of every fifty one seasons one team as far back as the Nats are now manages to make it.
Are we just not paying attention to the NL Central? baseball's best division!
Second best division. AL East is still the best. Even the 4th place Yankees are nine over .500.
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