NL Central = Thunderdome

by Jack Cobra, Cobra Brigade

What happens when up becomes down, in becomes out, right becomes wrong and rules become forgotten? Thunderdome, that's what happens. That is exactly what the National League Central is these days. There are no rules. Whatever you think might happen....won't. Whatever you think absolutely can't happen.....will.

Right now in the NL Central you have a rookie making a run at the NL MVP Award while trying to help his fading team win the division. You have a former pitcher with a scary past coming up from the minors and hitting home runs like A-Rod to help pull his team back in the playoff race. You have a supposed 'ace' faltering multiple times to get his team out of a slump and back on track. Things aren't exactly what you thought they would be and it doesn't look like it's going to get 'normal' any time soon.

Three months ago it looked like the Milwaukee Brewers were going to run away and hide with the National League Central. I believe the team had already started printing up playoff tickets and families in the Milwaukee area were trying to find a way in which to name their children 'Prince' without brutal beatings. Fast forward three months and we've seen the Brewers falter, the Cubs surge....and then falter and now the defending World Champion Cardinals surge to make this into a three team race.

As of this morning there are three teams within shouting distance of first place in the NL Central and there are some huge games coming up this week. The Cardinals have two more games against the Brew Crew, the Cubs play the Reds two more times and then......the Cubs play the Cardinals four times over the weekend at Wrigley Field while the Brew Crew plays the Reds. As you can see, things are getting hectic in the NL Central.

We'll know more about the NL Central playoff race after this weekend, but based on how things have gone so far....we many not know anything more than we already do. Welcome to the NL Central....where there are no rules.