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  • May 21, 2007 04:54 PM ET

The NL Wildcard will come from the NL West.

panthersfan10 (24-5-0) vs Chris Cole (24-11-0)
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The NL West is arguably the most complete division in baseball, and is surely the most complete in the NL. I would say all three of the top runners for the division are some elite teams in baseball, and San Francisco is not that bad, either. The Dodgers have great pitching, and their 3.58 ERA is third behind the Padres and Mets right now. The Padres are getting by, since they're 8-10 in one-run games, but they are still catching the Dodgers. Justin Germano is also pitching great, 2-0 in three starts with a 0.47 ERA. Randy Johnson may be back to his elite self, with 28 K's in last three starts, 2-0 with a 2.55 ERA, and this keeps the Diamondbacks up there. The division is also just way to close to count the Giants out, too, and the overall talent level is there, top to bottom. The wildcard came from this division last year, and will again.


I'm going to argue it is too early to even suggest this at all. Too many factors. The first of which the the great teams that you ignore from the Central and East. In the East both New York and Atlanta are playing great. Philadelphia is a historical second half team. Florida has great young players and can make a run also. In the Central the defending Champs may wake up and th Cubs are loaded. Houston and Milwaukee will be good also. That is eight possible playoff teams. Too early to call.


The Braves and Phillies are good teams, but the other teams in the NL West don't have many problems, and odds are that they will be the ones with the better records, since they will be trying to keep up with the Dodgers. They are also relying on pitching to get them their wins, which is what teams need to move to the postseason, and the Cubs will probably not get their bullpen together. Philadelphia may be good later in the season, but they came up short last year, and I think they will again. Milwaukee will win the division, so they won't win the wildcard, and Houston has too questions.


I think Arizona has just as many questions. They have a lot of young players. Young players = questions. San Diego is in better shape but right now I'd take the loser of Mets/Braves over them.

Sit back and wait until after the All Star Break to really evaluate the Standings and see which teams can make a run.


This is true, but although New York and Atlanta are playing well, the NL West has consistently shown in recent years that they have the most complete teams. Arizona may have some questions, but both them and San Fransisco could make a run, and overall the NL West is just the most underrated team in baseball. The NL West is the most complete top to bottom, with some of the best pitching, and although the Braves showed early, they could fall short again, as they did in their abyssmal season last year. I know it will not be as bad as that, but I think the NL West will put enough pressure on the teams in its own division, and will produce the NL wildcard winner.


Your arguments are all good. But with 25% of the year gone by you can make plenty of arguments for the East and Central also. I count at least 13 teams across all divisions that have a shot at the playoffs. It's too early for me to pick which one.

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May 21, 2007  05:03 PM ET
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It will be New York or Atlanta, whoever doesn't win the division.

May 21, 2007  05:04 PM ET
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Ditto what Carter said.

May 21, 2007  05:06 PM ET
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Don't count out Philly, Florida, or the Central teams from making a run. And don't count out the West either. My argument is that 25% into the season this argument can't really be made. We have too much ball to play.

May 21, 2007  05:16 PM ET
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either the Mets or the Braves will get wildcard

May 21, 2007  05:43 PM ET
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If you think it's too early to be arguing about this than why did you accept this throwdown?

 
May 21, 2007  05:51 PM ET
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Braves or Phillies.

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