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A20 SPORTS
Friday 12 July 2019

Party of 5? Competitive NL Central in for taut 2nd half

the end of the season.”
Then again, so does every-
one else, which is one of
the reasons the Central is
so competitive. No one is
rebuilding or transitioning
from one core to the next.
“Each of us has our flaws,
but there’s a deep level
of talent in this division,
and you do, you have five
teams that their ambition
is to make the postsea-
son,” Pittsburgh general
manager Neal Huntington
said. “That’s not the case in
some of the other divisions.
That’s not criticism. Teams
cycle in and cycle out. It’s
part of the industry. It’s part
of the game. It’s been part
of the game for decades.”
So have pennant races. The
Central’s figures to go right
down to the wire as it did a
year ago, when Chicago
and Milwaukee needed a
163rd game to determine
a division winner. The Brew-
ers emerged and eventu-
Chicago Cubs manager Joe Maddon, center, yells toward the Pittsburgh Pirates dugout as he is restrained by umpire Joe West and ally reached the National
Cubs’ Kris Bryant (17) during the fourth inning of a baseball game in Pittsburgh, Thursday, July 4, 2019. Maddon was ejected. League Championship Se-
Associated Press ries. The Cubs had to settle
By WILL GRAVES first half in which five divi- “We’re in it,” Reds second cushion over Washington. for a wild-card berth.
AP Sports Writer sions reached the All-Star baseman Scooter Gen- “You can slow it way down There may not be any sort
PITTSBURGH (AP) — Joe break with at least a 5½- nett said. “It’s pretty close, knowing that we’re only a of consolation prize for the
Maddon didn’t let the free game gap between first pretty tight. There’s plenty few games back,” Cardi- runner-up this time around.
time created by a rare and second. of time to make a run.” nals infielder Paul deJong The four teams running be-
ejection go to waste. There are no front-runners Maybe, but that will require said. hind Chicago are as close
Shortly after getting tossed in the NL Central. No room one team in the Central “Today’s important, so to the division lead as they
by home plate umpire Joe to breathe either, some- finding a way to get the we’re focusing on today. are to the second wild
West on July 4 following an thing Maddon saw coming better of the other four on a We’re not thinking, ‘Oh, card, leaving all five clubs
outburst in which the Chi- long ago. consistent basis. That didn’t we’re 7½ back and we’ve potentially vying for one
cago Cubs manager ap- “I’ve been talking about happen in the first half. Mil- got to win 10 in a row.’ All postseason spot.
peared ready to take on this for the last two years waukee is the only NL Cen- of a sudden you’re thinking It’s why Maddon — whose
any and all comers from how teams are getting bet- tral team with a winning re- 10 games ahead and not job status is tenuous at best
the Pittsburgh dugout af- ter in our division,” Maddon cord within the division (24- focusing on winning today. just three years removed
ter taking exception to the said. “It’s not going to go 18) but has been unable to For us, with the small deficit from leading the Cubs to
way the Pirates kept pitch- away. It’s going to be really create any separation. or small lead, every game’s their first World Series victo-
ing up and in to his play- difficult to really separate, “It doesn’t make me com- important so it locks us in ry in more than a century —
ers, Maddon retired to the especially by the fact that fortable that we’ve been the now.” wants his players to buckle
visiting manager’s office at everybody is catching up spotty,” Brewers manager And leaves each team up and block out the noise.
PNC Park. He eased into a right now. The second half Craig Counsell said. “The with some interesting deci- “You have to circle the
chair, opened a bottle of is going to be very similar to division, we haven’t, no- sions to make as the trade wagons at some point,”
wine, flipped on the televi- what you’ve seen in the first body has jumped out. deadline approaches. Maddon said. “Because
sion and watched his wildly half.” Somebody will. It almost The resilient Pirates entered today’s world, the way the
uneven team put the fin- That’s exactly what the has to happen that some the break just 2½ games speed of information and
ishing touches on an 11-3 Reds had in mind when team is going to start play- behind the Cubs despite the way it’s generated
victory that avoided a four- they retooled over the ing really well. Nobody has having 80% of its starting and the vitriol that’s carried
game sweep. winter in an effort to stop dug a hole for themselves, rotation spend time on the with it and the promotion
Veteran move. Opportuni- a streak of four straight and I think every team feels injured list at some point. of vitriol, you’ve got to get
ties to relax over the next 90-loss seasons. Cincinnati good about that in our divi- All-Star first baseman Josh beyond that at some point
two-plus months will be upgraded its starting rota- sion for sure.” Bell’s breakout season has and you have to insulate
scarce in the most compet- tion over the winter, added First place, after all, is only a helped. So has the impact yourself.”
itive division in the majors. swagger when it acquired weeklong hot streak away. of rookie outfielder Bryan And are they circled in Chi-
The National League Cen- outfielder Yaisel Puig from Not so much in the NL West Reynolds and rookie infield- cago?
tral enters the second half the Los Angeles Dodgers — where the Dodgers have er Kevin Newman. “They’re circled,” Maddon
with the first-place Cubs and overcame a shaky smashed their way to a “We feel like we’re here for said with a smile. “Circled.”
and last-place Cincin- 1-8 start to stay within strik- 13½- game lead — or the the fight,” Bell said. “We’re Considering what the Cubs
nati separated by just 4½ ing distance in a division in NL East — where Atlanta’s ready for it. I like the guys are up against in baseball’s
games, an outlier during an which sustained momen- young core has given the that we have. We trust our- tightest division, they better
otherwise yawn-inducing tum has been nonexistent. Braves a healthy six-game selves to be celebrating at be.q