Nunnie on the Sideline
By Nunnie Robinson, The Westside Gazette Sports Editor
With your permission, NOTS readers, I’d like to get you acquainted with the machinations of Major League Baseball as it moves with deliberate speed towards the division playoffs, pennant chase and ultimately the World Series.
In the National League West, the favorite LA Dodgers have struggled to dominate because of bullpen issues, injuries and star players like Mookie Betts and Freddie Freeman experiencing prolonged batting slumps. In addition the talented San Diego Padres actually took over the division lead before losing three in row to the Dodgers, eventually falling two games behind LA.
In the NL Central, after winning a remarkable twenty-nine out of thirty-four games, then winning 14 consecutive games before succumbing to the third place division rivals Cincinnati Reds, the Milwaukee Brewers sit solidly in first place, having an eight game lead over the second place Chicago Cubs. The Central is theirs to lose.
The NL East, for which you are probably most familiar because of our Marlins, has the first place Phillies leading the New York Mets by five games, while the Marlins linger in third place twelve games back. Bringing up the rear in the East are the competitive Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals.
The American League West is undoubtedly a two-team race between the first place Houston Astros who lead the Seattle Mariners by a game and a half. Lurking in third place are the Texas Rangers – seven and a half games back – and those familiar with baseball understand how quickly teams can go on a winning or losing streak. You can’t count them out.
In the AL Central, the upstart, surprising Detroit Tigers enjoy a commanding eight and a half game lead over the Cleveland Gaurdians while the Kansas City Royals are in third place, a half game back of Cleveland.
The favorite but disappointing New York Yankees sit third the AL East, one half game behind rival Boston, who are in second place five games behind the division leading Toronto Blue Jays. The silver lining here is that the Red Sox, Yankees and Mariners are the leading contenders for a Wild Card spot in the American League while the Cubs, Padres and Mets lead the National League Wild Card contenders.
A comparison of similar League divisions may prove revealing. The AL and NL East Divisions are eerily similar. Toronto and Philadelphia lead their divisions by five games with the East seemingly more competitive because of Red Sox Yankees rivalry. Milwaukee and Detroit, NL and AL Central leaders, enjoy a significant advantage over their closest competitors, practically assuring themselves division titles and playoff participation. The regular season concludes in approximately five weeks with under forty games remaining. Both AL and NL West Divisions won’t be decided until the season’s end, This is a great time to focus on MLB and its phenomenal, gifted athletes. Go Marlins