Wildcard Weekend Primer

Here's what we're looking at this weekend in the pseudo-race for the National League wildcard spot: The Padres enter Friday as leaders in the wildcard standings,but they have their eyes on another prize. They trail the Dodgers by just a half-game in the NL West standings, and are set to visit Chavez Ravine for a four-game series beginning today. While this would seem to benefit the Phils, San Diego is 5-0 in Los Angeles this season, with a .322 batting average in those five games. The Phillies being the day in second place in the wildcard standings, 2.5 games behind San Diego. They head to Houston for a three-game set, where (a)they face Roger Clemens first, and (b)they've been swept in three of their last four series in Minute Maid Park. The Giants enter the day tied with the Phillies at 2.5 games behind San Diego in the wildcard standings and just 3 games back in the NL West standings. San Francisco will be in St. Louis for three games this weekend, and is sporting a 32-39 away record this season. Once they get past the Cardinals this weekend, the Giants have a favorable stretch with 10 straight against the Rockies, Brewers, and Diamondbacks. The Marlins begin their weekend series in Atlanta 3.5 games behind San Diego in the wildcard standings. This will be the first season since 1991 that the Braves have not made the playoffs, and they just might take pleasure in knocking someone out of the race. Florida could be a prime target as they travel to Atlanta this weekend, having lost 20 of their last 25 at Turner Field dating back to start of the 2004 season. The Reds will kick off the weekend action with an afternoon game in Chicago. 4.5 games behind San Diego in the wildcard standings, Cincinnati looks to make up a lot of ground against a "Dead Man Walking" club in the Cubs. There It Is take: I predict a split in the San Diego-Los Angeles series, with the Phils and Giants both losing 2 of 3, while the Marlins and Reds win 2 of 3.