National League weekly recap

Recapping the NL's week ending April 20th

In the third week of the season, preseason predictions have started to look better as the favorites have risen toward the top of all three divisions.

The Arizona Diamondbacks remain atop the West at 13-5, and are the only team in that division with a winning record. Colorado and San Diego are chasing the D’backs. The Dodgers inconsistent offense has them trailing in the division, half-a-game behind the Giants at week’s end.

In the Central, the hot Chicago Cubs win five-of-six during the week to jump into first place, just ahead of surprising St. Louis. The Milwaukee Brewers, expected to challenge the Cubs for supremacy in the Central, kept pace with the Cardinals. Cincinnati, Pittsburgh and Houston trail. The Pirates are 7-11 overall and 0-6 against Chicago.

New York had a 5-1 week and moved to within half-a-game of front-running Florida in the East. Atlanta moved closer and Washington continues to struggle scoring runs.

Milwaukee and St. Louis square off in a Central series during the coming week while the Cubs travel to Colorado for a pair of games and then to Washington for three.

NL WEST

Arizona 4-2 week (13-5 total) — Won series from SF; took advantage of tired Padres

Colorado 4-2 week (9-9 total) — Beat SD & Houston; energized by marathon win over Padres

San Diego 2-4 week (9-10) — 22 inning loss to Colorado stressed Pads’ pitching against hot D’back bats; lost four straight

San Francisco 3-3 week (8-11 total) — Young pitching occasionally brilliant; team working hard for manager Bruce Boche

Los Angeles 2-4 week (7-11 total) — Swept in Atlanta; slumping at the plate

WHO’S HOT in the NL West

D’backs’ Conor Jackson had 3-4 and 4-5 games against San Diego to raise average to .377; 4-hit game included HR, two triples and a double.
Giants Tim Lincecum is 3-0 with 1.57 ERA
Arizona’s Brandon Webb is 4-0 with 1.86 ERA
Rafael Furcal of LA batting .391 to keep Dodgers afloat
Diamondbacks leading majors with .498 slugging percentage, and leading NL in team ERA at 2.93

WHO’S NOT in the NL West

Dodgers Andruw Jones still struggling but raised average to .169; Russell Martin

also under .200
Giants lefty Barry Zito drops to 0-4 with 4.50 ERA and Matt Cain is 0-2 with 6.64 ERA
Padres power — broke up 107-inning homerless streak

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NL CENTRAL

Chicago 5-1 week (12-6 total) — Red-hot Cubs swept Pirates again; Lee leading way as all bats are booming

St. Louis 3-3 week (12-7 total) — Took two-of-three in early faceoff with Brewers

Milwaukee 3-3 week (11-7 total) — Lost series to Cards, took Reds; some bullpen worries

Cincinnati 2-4 week (8-11 total) — Dropped series to divisional foes Chicago and Milwaukee

Pittsburgh 1-5 week (7-11 total) — Swept by Cubs again; 7-5 against everyone else; poor pitching neutralizing some good hitting

Houston 2-4 week (7-12 total) — Bullpen shaky; but Roy Oswalt coming around

WHO’S HOT in the NL Central

Cubs’ Derrek Lee with 3 consecutive three-hit games; Lee has 7 HR after having only six at the All-Star break last season.
Brewers Ben Sheets, 3-0 with 0.96 ERA, but some arm soreness may cause him to miss some time.
Pirates Nate McLouth with .382 average and 10 doubles; hit a three-run ninth-inning HR to beat the Dodgers
Reds’ Joey Votto is supplying some punch while Adam Dunn struggles
Cubs’ hitters with league-leading .364 on-base percentage

WHO’S NOT in the NL Central

Adam Dunn at .189 for Cincinnati, with just two HR
Brewers' Eric Gagne, blew his third save of the season in loss to Reds, and has seven blown saves in his last 29 opportunities going back to last season
Pirates' Tom Gorzelanny has 9.35 ERA, while the Bucs team ERA is worst in the majors at 5.71

NL EAST

Florida 4-2 week (11-7 total) — Divisional series wins at home vs. Atlanta and Washington

New York 5-1 week (10-7 total) — Won five in a row behind David Wright’s bat; swept Nationals

Atlanta 4-2 week (9-9 total) — Swept at Colorado, took two from hapless Nats

Philadelphia 3-3 week (9-10 total) — 3-3 at home behind ultra-hot Chase Utley

Washington 1-5 week (5-14 total) — 2-14 in last 16 after 3-0 start; offense non-existent

WHO’S HOT in the NL East

Mets’ David Wright at .359 after 8-for-11 streak including three doubles and a triple against the Phillies
Phillies Chase Utley at .351 with league-leading 8 HR, including three this week
Braves John Smoltz with 3-0 record and 0.56 ERA
Leadoff man Hanley Ramirez of Florida batting .366 with five stolen bases
Chipper Jones of Braves continues to lead NL with .458 BA and 33 hits

WHO’S NOT in the NL East

Willie Mo Pena of Washington is batting .115
Nationals offense with MLB low .219 BA and only two starters batting over .222
Marlins (4.86) and Nationals (4.73) pitching with two of the three worst team ERAs in NL, ahead of only Pittsburgh

That’s a wrap on another week of baseball in the National League.

By Reed Nessel
ProBaseball-fans.com Guest Writer

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