2011 MLB Second Half Picks and Predictions
The All-Star break this week signals the start of the stretch run of the MLB regular season and the 2011 edition features some of the tightest division races in years.
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There are four divisions that are separated by a game or less and the largest lead in any one of the six is 3.5 games.
Pulling out the crystal ball, here is a look at each division along with a prediction of which team should end up on top in each of the six races. 
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National League
East
The Philadelphia Phillies have jumped out to the largest lead in the Majors behind the arms of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, and Cole Hamels who have a combined record of 31-13. The overall staff leads the league with a 3.02 ERA and a WHIP of 1.16. There is still a ton of fight in Atlanta, but pitching wins championships and the Phillies still have the slight edge over the Braves in this category.
My Pick- Philadelphia (11/4)
Wildcard- Atlanta (15/1)
Central
The Milwaukee Brewers find themselves atop the division at the break, but St.Louis and the surprising Pittsburgh Pirates remain right on their tails and should for the remainder of the year. The Cardinals have suffered through some injury woes during the first half of the season, but remain well-positioned for the second-half run with a powerful lineup and respectable pitching.
My Pick- St. Louis (20/1)
West
The West appears to be a two-team race between the defending champion San Francisco Giants and another surprise this season, the Arizona Diamondbacks. The Giants took a huge hit with the loss of Buster Posey for the season, but their pitching remains strong with a 3.19 team ERA. Arizona is getting it done with a bit of smoke and mirrors as it ranks in the middle of the pack of the NL in both hitting and pitching.
My Pick- San Francisco (16/1)
American League
East
In what is easily the best division race in baseball, the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees continue to slug things out with Tampa Bay hanging on for the ride. The Red Sox and Yankees are each averaging over five runs a game and have team ERA’s below four. This race comes down to the final three-game series between the two at Yankee Stadium in late September. [dfads params=’groups=10&limit=1&return_javascript=0′]
My Pick- Boston (7/2)
Wildcard- New York (6/1)
Central
Detroit went into the break with a half-game lead over Cleveland, which is showing no signs of fading after a surprisingly fast start. Both teams are closely matched in terms of team ERA and runs scored, but the Tigers (18-8) have played better within the division than the Indians (13-12) which could actually end up being the deciding factor is such a tight race.
My Pick- Detroit (18/1)
West
The Texas Rangers and the Los Angeles Angels both went into the break with 8-2 records in their last 10 games, putting some distance between themselves and the rest of the division. The Rangers have the better bats with a .272 team batting average and 457 runs scored, but the Angels’ pitching is much more solid with a 3.26 team ERA. Pitching tends to trump hitting in a tight race.
My Pick- Los Angeles (30/1)
