MLB Baseball: National League Wild-Card Race

Heading into the final six games of the Major League Baseball season, the National League wild-card race is about as interesting as anyone could hope for.

Entering Tuesday, the Padres and Phillies are tied atop the wild-card standings, with the rampaging Rockies a game back and the Braves still clinging to hopes three games behind.

Here?s a look at the four teams battling for the final playoff spot in the senior circuit:

*-San Diego Padres: The Padres, despite being tied for the lead, may be the team in the worst shape to win the wild card. They have lost four games in a row after Monday?s defeat in San Francisco, have lost outfielder Milton Bradley for the season after he tore his ACL while being tackled by his manager on Sunday, and outfielder Mike Cameron likely won?t start this week because of a thumb injury - suffered, incidentally, when Bradley stepped on his hand in that same game Sunday. The Padres did acquire outfielder Jason Lane from the Astros to try and fill the holes for the remainder of the regular season. "We still determine our own fate," said Bud Black, San Diego's first-year manager. "For us and for the Phillies and for the Rockies and for the Diamondbacks, it's a six-game season. It's exciting. There are a lot of teams that would trade places with us." San Diego finishes with two more games in San Francisco and then four in Milwaukee. San Diego is +105 on WagerWeb.com for tonight?s game against the Giants, with Brett Tomko taking the hill for the Padres.

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*-Philadelphia Phillies: Philly has been rolling, winning eight of 10 and still has a shot to win the NL East, just two games behind the Mets. Shortstop Jimmy Rollins is making a case for NL MVP with a .293 average, 29 HRs, 90 RBIs, 132 runs and 37 steals. It?s what Rollins did while stars Ryan Howard and Chase Utley were injured that bolsters his MVP case. The Phillies have no pitching to speak of, but they rank first in the NL in runs, on-base percentage and slugging, among other categories. The good news for Philadelphia is its final six games are at home, where it is 43-32 on the season. Tuesday night, Atlanta comes to town to begin a crucial series. Chuck James faces Jamie Moyer in that game, with Philly -137 on the WagerWeb.com money line. After the Braves series, Washington comes to town for three. Philly is my pick to win the wild card.

*-Colorado Rockies: No team is hotter than Colorado. The Rockies have won eight in a row, including coming off a sweep of San Diego. Colorado has its own MVP candidate in Matt Holliday, who has a .337 average, 36 HRs, 131 RBIs and 113 runs scored. Holliday took Sunday off due to a strained oblique but says he will be back in the lineup Tuesday night when Colorado begins a series at the Dodgers. L.A. is a big -142 favorite on the WagerWeb.com money line with ace Brad Penny facing Colorado?s Ubaldo Jimenez. The Rockies finish the season with three games against NL West leader Arizona. The schedule seems too tough for Colorado to get in.

*-Atlanta Braves: Atlanta is the longest shot of this group, but the Braves have done just enough to stay in the race. Chipper Jones is having one of his best seasons in years, and pitchers John Smoltz and Tim Hudson give Atlanta a chance to win any time they pitch. The bad news is that Hudson and Smoltz are each only scheduled to get one more start, Wednesday and Thursday, respectively, against the Phillies. Atlanta also has a tough road this week, with three at the Phillies, then three at Houston. Atlanta pretty much needs a sweep of Philadelphia, beginning tonight as Chuck James opposes Jamie Moyer, with Moyer?s Phils -137 on the WagerWeb.com money line. As hot as Philly has been, don?t expect an Atlanta sweep, so the Braves won?t make the postseason for the second straight year.

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