Wild World of Baseball's National League

Perhaps the only thing hotter than the weather in the dog days of August is baseball’s wild card race in the wide open National League. The non-waiver trading deadline has come and gone, yet a staggering eleven teams remain in hailing distance of a spot in the 2006 playoffs. With so many teams bunched so close together, a modest winning streak could spell the difference between October baseball and October vacation. Let’s examine the chances of the teams fighting for a chance at postseason glory in no particular order.

Cincinnati Reds – The Wild Card leaders in the clubhouse heading into mid-August, but can they hang on? Whether they do or don’t will be no fault of first year general manager Wayne Krivsky. It was Krivsky who brokered arguably the best trade of the offseason by shipping Willy Mo Pena to Boston for starter Bronson Arroyo, who has quickly emerged as one of the NL’s top pitchers. He’s attempted to reinforce a porous bullpen by trading everyday players Austin Kearns and Felipe Lopez to Washington for Gary Majewski and Billy Bray. He’s made a pair of deals with Philadelphia to net Rheal Cormier and Ray Franklin and brought in closer Eddie Guardado from Seattle. But will it be enough? The offense is respectable, but, despite leading the league in home runs, doesn’t strike fear into an opponent. After Adam Dunn and Ken Griffey, the offensive star power is severely lacking. The starting pitching after Arroyo still needs work and pitching into the bandbox known as Great American Ballpark will not help. The Reds have been a surprise team in 2006, but expect them to level off in the next six weeks and fall short of the playoffs.
Rank among Wild Card teams: 4th