The 2010 Major League Baseball regular season is underway and after the first five weeks of action some teams have already made a statement while some others are already digging themselves an early hole in their division. Every National League team has a dream of making it all the way to this year’s World Series, but in reality there are only a handful of teams that actually have a chance. Here is a look at my top four teams in the NL after week five and their current odds to win the Pennant and the World Series.
Philadelphia Phillies Odds to Win the NL Pennant 3-1 World Series 6-1
By virtue of Philadelphia taking three out of four games against St. Louis last week, they have regained the top spot in the National League rankings. They have gotten off to a great start in the month of May with a record of 7-2, winning all three series they have played. They lead the East by two games over the Mets and Nationals with a record of 19-12. Their hitting has remained solid with a team average of .271 ranking them fifth in the NL. The big turnaround this month has been the improvement in their overall pitching. They currently have a team ERA of 3.70, ranking them sixth overall.
St. Louis Cardinals Odds to Win the NL Pennant 15-4 World Series 8-1
St. Louis was able to bounce back from their series with the Phillies by taking two out of three from Pittsburgh over the weekend. At 20-12 they have the best record in the NL and a 3 ½ game lead over Cincinnati in the Central. With a team batting average of .259, the Cardinals find themselves in the middle of the pack in the NL, ranked eighth. Their pitching has been another story as the lead the MLB with a team ERA of just 2.68. With continued production from their starters and a solid bullpen, St. Louis is poised to lead their division for the long haul.
San Diego Padres Odds to Win the NL Pennant 100-1 World Series 200-1
We are only around thirty games into the new season, but San Diego continues to be the biggest surprise in the NL. They remain on top in the West with a record of 19-12 and a precarious ½ game lead over San Francisco. They are 6-4 in their last 10 games, coming off taking two out of three from Houston this past weekend. With a team batting average of .243 and only 137 runs scored, they are near the bottom of the NL in team hitting. The pitching staff has more than made up for the lack of offensive production as they are currently ranked second with a team ERA of 2.73. This week should provide a good test as they begin a big three game series with the Giants on Tuesday.
San Francisco Giants Odds to Win the NL Pennant 15-1 World Series 30-1
San Francisco continues to remain on the Padres heels in the West with a record of 18-12, best among all non-division leaders. While they lost two out of three to the Mets over the weekend, they did manage to sweep the Marlins in three games last week. With a team batting average of .273, the Giants are ranked second in the NL in hitting. Their team ERA of 3.04 ranks their team pitching third overall, making them one of the most balanced teams in the league.
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