NL Teams Keep Competition Tight As Wild Card Standings Heat Up

By Mark Hoerrner

You really have to give the Atlanta Braves some credit after a relatively unimpressive season on the diamond—they’ve come back with a winning streak that’s put them within four games of the NL Wild Card slot. Last night saw the Braves win their fifth straight victory with more than 10 runs scored, a Major League Baseball record. Their 14-5 win over St. Louis was their seventh straight win in the last few weeks. If the sweep of the Cardinals continues, they could move within just one game of the top Wild Card spot by next week.

What’s curious is how long Atlanta’s run will last. Currently, they are the on NL wild card contender with a current winning streak longer than a single recent game. Several of the teams ahead of Atlanta seem to be losing their grip on the wild card position as their positions seem to be as tenuous as a lasting peace in Lebanon.

Arizona dropped to just 2.5 games out of the first seat with a 4-1 loss to the Los Angeles Dodgers last night, allowing the Dodgers to tie San Francisco for the second spot in the NL lineup. The much-needed victory brought the Dodgers out of a five-game losing streak and marked the first major league win for 21-year-old Dodger Chad Billingsley.

Though it’s unlikely that the Chicago Cubs will see any kind of postseason miracle, that didn’t stop them from beating the Houston Astros 4-2. The Astros, just four games behind top-seated Cinncinati, are currently tied with Atlanta for Wild Card hopes. The two teams will face each other again tonight, with long-time Braves pitcher Greg Maddux on the mound for the Cubbies leading off against former Yankee pin-striper Roger Clemens. While it’s not truly a contention game, it will be worth watching to see those two go head to head.

The Milwaukee Brewers are 3.5 games out, having just barely lost to the San Francisco Giants 4-3. The Giants-Brewers series now stands at 2-2, with tonight being their last meeting until another five-game stretch in September.

Also just 3.5 games out are the Colorado Rockies who pounded the Pittsburgh Pirates 13-4 to stop an eight-game losing fest. They lead the Pirates 3-2 in the series that started back in June.

What’s fascinating about these pair-ups is that most of the leaders who are above Atlanta have been facing massive losing streaks or have up and down performances. If the Braves continue their streak, they might be successfully predicted as the NL Wild Card winner, though with so many teams vying for the spot, it’s a little early to make the prediction. The Braves club is a strong one—Francouer, the Jones boys, Bettemit and others keep the hitting lineup breaking records—and could pull out a come-from-behind upset.