Kuzul

The National League Division Series kicks off tonight as the Cincinnati Reds visit the San Francisco Giants for Game 1.

Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce hit homers to put Reds on top. Buster Posey responds in the sixth to put the Giants on the scoreboard.

The Reds are the No. 2 seed in the National League and the Central Division champions, while the Giants are the No. 3 seed and the Western Division champions.

Stay tuned for all the latest updates, commentary and analysis from the game.

UPDATE:

Reds starter Johnny Cueto left the game in the 1st with back spasms. As if losing your ace is not bad enough news already, Game 3 starter Mat Latos has pitched four innings in relief and has looked pretty good.

SCORE UPDATE:

Bottom 9th: Reds 5-1 Giants

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

As we approach the 2012 MLB playoffs, many pundits are high on the Washington Nationals and New York Yankees. But when analyzing these front-runners more closely, there are several reasons to believe that they’re bound for an early exit from the postseason.

Washington Nationals

Forget about Stephen Strasburg not being in their playoff rotation; the Nationals have bigger concerns.

While some point to Washington’s 93-60 record, the best record in baseball, as the reason it will make a deep postseason run, other things must be mentioned.

For starters, Washington is 4-6 in its last 10 games and has struggled with consistency. Although it split a four-game series with the Milwaukee Brewers recently, Washington failed to be consistent at the plate.

In fact, the Nationals haven’t produced six or more runs in consecutive games since September 7 and 8 against the Miami Marlins.

While the Nationals have been a feel-good story all year, inconsistency is what will doom them.

As the St. Louis Cardinals proved last year, a team clicking at the right time will go far in the playoffs. A team that is not will struggle just to get into the playoffs. The Boston Red Sox and Atlanta Braves can attest to that.

While the Nationals won’t miss the playoffs like last season’s Red Sox and Braves did, they could end up like the Philadelphia Phillies.

Entering the 2011 postseason with the best record in baseball, the Phillies had a 2-1 lead on the Cardinals in the divisional series. A 5-3 loss in Game 4 and 1-0 loss in Game 5 sent the Phillies and their star-studded pitching staff home.

Sound familiar?

Even without Strasburg, the Nationals have a good pitching staff with Gio Gonzalez, Jordan Zimmermann, Ross Detwiler and Edwin Jackson. While you can’t compare them to the likes of Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee and Cole Hamels, each can be equally as dominant on any given night.

If you don’t think the Nationals can lose 1-0 or 2-1, then you’re missing some key stats. The Nationals have scored one run or less 12 times since the All-Star break. Simply put: It can happen.

New York Yankees

The New York Yankees are guaranteed to struggle in the playoffs as well. Whether it’s in the one-game playoff or the divisional series, the Yankees aren’t going much of anywhere this year.

The biggest question is why can’t the Yankees shake the Baltimore Orioles? The Yankees are 4-6 in the second half against the Orioles, but luckily won’t have to see them again in the regular season.

The Yankees have struggled against possible American League playoff teams in the second half, going 11-17. Losses include a four-game sweep by the Oakland Athletics (July 19-22) and a three-game sweep by the Chicago White Sox (Aug. 20-22).

Let’s not forget the Yankees have lately feasted on teams under .500.

New York has faced the Toronto Blue Jays (67-86) 12 times in the second half, going 9-3 with three games still to go. Then there is the six games with the Red Sox where the Yankees won four. And there’s still three to go with them.

The pitching staff is decent with CC Sabathia and Phil Hughes. However, can you expect a team with Ivan Nova or Hiroki Kuroda as its No. 3 pitcher to succeed in the playoffs?

A few years ago you could. But with the offense not hitting like it used to, more has to be done on the mound.

Kuroda has given up three or more runs in six straight starts, and Nova is struggling with a 4.94 ERA.

The Yankees are a good team over the course of an entire regular season, just like the Braves were in the 1990s.

When it comes to playoff time, though, the Yankees simply don’t stack up against other teams in the league.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

For the next two weeks, the Atlanta Braves will be using a six-man rotation.

According to a report by the Associated Press, Braves manager Freddi Gonzalez said the team will move to a six-man rotation for the next two weeks. After two weeks, Gonzalez said he will pick the best five starters to go the rest of the season.

Gonzalez said he is moving to the six-man rotation “for the concerns of taking care of some of the guys.”

“We need to be able to go into September with all of the cylinders hitting and everybody healthy,” Gonzalez said. “This is one way to keep those guys healthy.”

With that said, here are five reasons why a six-man rotation is good for the team.

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As the 2012 MLB season nears its end, only two teams in the NL East can say they’re in the thick of the playoff race.

Those teams are the Atlanta Braves and the Washington Nationals. The other three will miss the playoffs and are left wondering what might have been.

But, there’s hope for the New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies and Miami Marlins. The offseason will be here before they know it, and each of those three teams will get a chance to spend in free agency to try to make its team better.

The Nationals and Braves are expected to do the same, although probably not with as much money.

Taking free agency and minor league players into account, here is a look at my projected Opening Day lineups for each team in the division.

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Atlanta Braves starter Ben Sheets showed he is in the rotation to stay after Saturday’s performance against the Nationals.

Sheets went six innings, gave up five hits, allowed no runs and struck out six.

But what showed me the most was Sheets’ fortitude to get through tough innings, when it looked like he was in trouble.

In four of the six innings, Sheets allowed Washington baserunners to get in scoring position.

But, each time that happened, the right-hander hunkered down and got the needed outs to get out of the inning.

In the first inning, it was a strikeout to Adam LaRoche. The second saw Danny Espinosa strike out, and Jesus Flores and Edwin Jackson fly out.

The third inning saw Michael Morse ground into a double play to end the inning, and the sixth had LaRoche striking out (again) and Ian Desmond flying out to center.

Although the frustration was evident on Sheets’ face when Washington runners got on, it didn’t affect him as he went after the hitters at the plate.

And, for a team that needed another veteran in the rotation, that’s very important.

For the season, Sheets has now pitched 12 innings, given up seven hits, no runs and struck out 11. Even more, his season WHIP is 0.92.

Although it’s only two starts, it’s still something the Braves have been looking for in terms of consistency.

In an article I wrote on July 17, I stated that after Sheets’ first start for the Braves, he deserved a longer look in the rotation.

After Saturday’s performance, I don’t think he deserves a longer look.

Instead, slot him in the No. 3 spot in the rotation behind Tim Hudson and Tommy Hanson. He’s earned it in just two starts.

Sheets’ next start will either be Wednesday against the Marlins or Friday at home against the Phillies, depending on if the Braves make a trade for another starter, or if they call up Randall Delgado or Julio Teheran to make a spot start on Wednesday to allow Sheets to get full rest.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

After a few years of being mentioned in trade rumors, it looks like current Atlanta Braves‘ left fielder (and heir apparent to Chipper Jones) Martin Prado will be staying with the club…at least if the Braves get their way.

And the move couldn’t come at a better time for the Braves.

According to a tweet by ESPN’s Buster Olney:

The Braves are going to try to sign Martin Prado to a multi-year deal, given his current standing as heir to Chipper Jones’s spot at third.

— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) July 17, 2012

All I have to say is, it’s about time.

Prado has been one of the more consistent players on the Braves’ roster and no doubt deserves a multi-year extension from them. I’m sure other teams would have no problem giving him one.

Rumored to be on the block during the offseason, it seemed like the Braves were close to pulling off a trade with the Colorado Rockies for outfielder Seth Smith. But for some reason, terms of a deal could never be fully worked out, and the trade fell dead.

Now, that move seems to be a blessing in disguise given that Prado has been one of the best hitters on the Braves this year.

Currently batting .318 with five home runs and 39 RBI, Prado gives the Braves a solid No. 2 hitter behind Michael Bourn.

And, given the fact that he is ultra-versatile, he gives the Braves options when it comes to the lineup.

For instance, when Jack Wilson injured his thumb at shortstop and Andrelton Simmons was already on the disabled list, Prado moved to shortstop for a few games to solidify that position.

Next year, when Jones retires, the Braves can slot Prado in at third base and then go look for an outfielder on the open market.

Honestly, I think it’s a lot easier to find a decent left fielder than it is a decent third baseman.

Keep in mind, however, that if this does happen (or the Braves take Prado off the trade block), Arizona outfielder Justin Upton will not be coming to Atlanta.

Of course, this is all a given if the Braves can sign Prado to a multi-year deal, which I think they will.

Most of all, signing Prado to a multi-year deal will allow the Braves to put money towards re-signing Michael Bourn (instead of going after David Wright), and then to go after a good option in left field.

If, and only if, these pieces can fall into place, we Braves’ fans will be able to breathe a sigh of relief in knowing that we’ll have a good offense for many years to come.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

We’re at the All-Star break, and the Boston Red Sox aren’t exactly where they want to be in the standings, as they sit with a record of 43-43.

The Sox are 9.5 games behind the hated Yankees in the American League East, tied with the Blue Jays for last place.

Injuries have been commonplace for the team this year, which may explain why it’s had its struggles.

When it comes to starting pitching, the Red Sox haven’t exactly been the best in the American League this year.

Combined, Boston starters have a 4.81 ERA (12th of 14) and a 1.38 WHIP (11th of 14).

As I’m sure most of Red Sox Nation knows, the second half is huge for the Red Sox, and possibly the future of manager of Bobby Valentine.

And it’s all going to start with their starting pitching.

Here is one prediction for each of the Red Sox starting pitchers.

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I know I’m a few weeks late on a draft analysis for the San Diego Padres, but it’s better to be late than never.

The Padres have some massive rebuilding to do, which they already started with the Mat Latos trade.

But, there are still some areas the Padres needed to improve upon heading into this year’s draft, mainly pitching.

And, I think it’s safe to say, they addressed that in the early rounds.

Here’s a look at the Padres’ picks in the first round and the compensation first round.

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This may be a little early, but catcher Yasmani Grandal‘s eventual permanent promotion to the big leagues is going to mean the end of Nick Hundley‘s time in San Diego.

In a surprising move on June 3, just one day after he made his major league debut, Grandal was sent back to Triple-A. So, apparently, it was just a temporary move to put another bat on the bench.

Regardless, at some point later this season, Grandal will be back in San Diego, which spells doom for Hundley and his time as the Padres‘ starting catcher.

Grandal was the second-biggest piece in an offseason deal with the Cincinnati Reds, in which the Padres also acquired first baseman Yonder Alonso.

Hundley is currently batting .172 with three home runs and 18 RBI, and backup John Baker isn’t doing much better. Grandal, on the other hand, is batting .322 with five home runs and 28 RBI in Tucson.

Things aren’t changing in San Diego, and it’s mainly because the players on the big league roster aren’t producing. And when guys aren’t producing, normally they’re benched and/or sent down to the minors.

I’ve never really been a fan of Hundley, either. He’s a lifetime .244 hitter, and he has never reached double-digits in home runs.

And Hundley is not the only one. There are many others.

Then again, the Tucson Padres are doing equally as poorly in the Pacific Coast League as they struggle at the bottom of the standings.

So, what do the Padres have to lose? Certainly it won’t make a difference in Triple-A, but it could in the big leagues.

Read more MLB news on BleacherReport.com

The Major League Baseball draft is set to begin Monday, and there’s still a lot for teams to figure out between now and then.

For starters, this year has no clear-cut, No. 1 overall pick, making it a crap shoot as to who will be selected with the top five picks.

But, just like everyone else, I’ve come up with pick-by-pick projections for every team in the draft for the first round.

While in some instances it will be similar to other people’s mock drafts, there will also be a degree of difference with mine.

So, here’s a look at my projections for the first round.

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