NATIONAL LEAGUE STANDINGS
By glancing at the NL standings today, I noticed that 12 teams are at .500 or above. Twelve!

Obviously this can't last, so which teams are the most likely to dip below .500? Here are my thoughts.

1. Milwaukee
Yes, they are my team, but I can't imagine them finishing up at 81-81. They have been playing good ball, but there are still too many holes on this team, and to finish over .500 in the NL Central this year would be a real chore.

2. San Francisco
If only Barry Bonds could pitch and hit in like seven spots in the batting order. The fact that they have been outscored 278-240 might have something to do with the fact that I feel like they are overacheiving at .500 right now. With nobody infront of or behind Bonds and a pitching staff that isn't anything special, it would be difficult to maintain a .500 record.

3. Cincinnati
I know they are ten over .500 right now and have a good offense, but it's only a matter of time before Griffey, Jr. is hurt and somebody like Ryan Freel or Wily Mo Pena is starting in CF. I still don't believe that a rotation of Paul Wilson, Jose Acevedo, Todd Van Popple, Aaron Harang and Corey Lidle can hold up over an entire season.

4. New York
A team with Karim Garcia, Todd Zeile, and Ty Wiggington all in the everyday lineup cannot finish over .500. The Mets don't have the 2003 Dodgers' pitching staff, but so far they have a staff ERA of 3.46. The Mets have a decent pitching staff, but not one that is going to post a sub-4.00 ERA.

Those are my four leading candidates to fall below .500 by season's end. Of course somebody has to because no matter how poorly Montreal and Colorado play, twelve teams cannot finish over .500.