NL West: Giants Slide While D-Backs Emerge
Kirby Lee-US PRESSWIRE
How do the Miami Marlins go into visit the San Francisco Giants and come away with three wins for the third year in a row? How is it at the end of June, the only team over .500 in the N. L. West is the Arizona Diamondbacks? Where did the San Diego Padres go after getting .500 last week? These are the questions we are left to ponder after the past week in the National League West.
The D-Backs have opened up a 3.5 game lead after going 3-3 over the past week. Turns out .500 ball was a good week in the division. The second place Padres went 2-4 since we checked in a week ago. The Giants went 1-5 after losing three of four to the Marlins and being swept by the Los Angeles Dodgers, two last place teams. The Colorado Rockies went 2-4 and the Dodgers went 5-1 to claw back into the race a bit.
There is now only six games separating the first place Diamondbacks and the last place Dodgers. The division is now the tightest in baseball, even surpassing the A. L. East where the last place Toronto Blue Jays trail the first place Boston Red Sox by 7.5 after last night’s Sox 7-4 win over the Jays.
This weekend in the N. L. West has the Rockies against the Giants, the Padres in Miami, the Dodgers going up against the Philadelphia Phillies at home and the Diamondbacks visiting the Atlanta Braves.
The Marlins are a lot better team in June than they were in April and May. The Fish are 13-9 this month and have won five of six going into this series. The Padres had better be ready to play this weekend or they could wind up like the Giants.
The Braves have been struggling as of late. They have lost five of their last eight games and are 13-12 in June after starting off 5-0. Arizona could be catching them at the right time.
The Dodgers already got off to a good start on Thursday against the Phillies with Zach Grienke getting the win 6-4. The Dodgers have to be the team that scares the others the most because if Matt Kemp ever gets going, with their pitching, they could end up running away with this division. -110.
TopBet has odds on today’s N. L. West games:
Diamondbacks at Braves– D-Backs are +1.5 -145Â and the Braves are -1.5 +135 ATS. Moneyline is D-Backs +150 and the Braves -170. Over/Under is 8 with over +105 and under -125. We are going to take the D-Backs +150 and the over +105
Padres at Marlins– Padres are +1.5 -200 and the Marlins are -1.5 +125. Moneyline is San Diego +110 and Miami -120. Over/Under is 7.5 with over and under -110. We like the Padres +1.5 -200 and the under -110
Giants at Rockies– Giants are +1.5 -160 and the Rockies are -1.5 +140 ATS. Moneyline is Rockies -137Â Â and Giants +127. Over/Under is 8 with over +105 and under -125. We like the Giants +127 and the under -125.
Phillies at Dodgers– Phillies are +1.5 -155 and the Dodger are -1.5 +135 ATS. Moneyline is Phillies +145 and Dodgers -160. Over/Under is 8 with both -110. We like the Dodgers -1.5 +135 and the over -110.
