Pittsburgh Pirates – Tied for 1st (Odds to win World Series: 35-1)
At the start of the season, most sportsbook had the Pirates as 100 or 200-1 odds to win. But after having a very solid first half of the regular season, the sportsbook have now boosted their position and dropped the odds on the Bucs winning the World Series. with one of the best young pitching staffs in baseball, this could be the year Pittsburgh makes some noise heading to the post season.

St.Louis Cardinals – Tied for 1st (Odds to win World Series: 22-1)
The Cardinals were seen as outsiders when it came to capturing the division and having a chance at winning the 2011 World Series. To date, the Cards have performed a bit better than expected and have hung in, sitting in a 3-way tie for top spot in the NL Central. And with first baseman Pujols back and hitting, St.Louis may just surprise.

Cincinnati Reds – 3 games behind (Odds to win World Series: 35-1)
The Reds have struggled a bit at times this year, but are still a solid club and as good a bet as any to lead the NL Central come September. The defending divison champs were ranked much higher than they currently are, and may be good value heading down the stretch to the post season.

Chicago Cubs – 11.5 games behind (Odds to win World Series: 300-1)
At the start of the 2011 season, and with the additions of Garza and Pena, the Cubs were certainly expected to rise out of the basement, but no further than fourth. Well to date, they have done that, sitting 8.5 games up on last place Houston but with no chance to move out of fifth. Another long year for the Cubbies faithful.

Houston Astros – 20 game behind (Odds to win World Series: 1000-1)
Houston was expected to finish last in the division and be one of the worst teams in baseball. They have surpised or dissappointed anyone. They are just a bad team on their way to a very bad record.

Mat Latos injury was as unexpected as his quick success. He was the midst of an outstanding run. Latos (10-4, 2.45 ERA) is responsible to put San Diego (56-39) into first place in the NL West by strong pitching. Last year, Latos had 10 inconsistent starts. He has become one of the majors’ top young pitchers. In 106 2/3 innings, the 22-year-old right-hander has struck out 99. Before a strained left oblique landed him on the 15-day DL, Latos was 5-0 with a 1.12 ERA in six starts.

On Friday night, the Pirates were beaten 5-3 in the opener of this three-game set, San Diego got yet another effective effort from its pitchers. Adrian Gonzalez, Padres first baseman is 1 for 13 over his past four contests. In his last 17 games against Pittsburgh (34-62), he has 19 RBIs. At Pittsburgh, the Padres have won 22 of their last 31 games.

Jeff Karstens (2-5, 4.84) will now get the ball from Pittsburgh. In his past three outings, he is 0-2 with a 6.35 ERA. This is his first start against the Padres. Surrendering five runs in 2 1/3 innings, he has faced them twice in relief. After scoring five runs over their last two games, the Pirates’ lineup will try to give him some support.

Following a 16-for-27 (.593) stretch, Pittsburgh rookie Neil Walker went 0 for 3. He entered this series batting .400 in 21 home games.

Against NL opponents this season, the Oakland has not fared well. This series against the Pittsburgh Pirates could help them conclude interleague play on an encouraging note. By remaining perfect against the visiting Pirates on Friday night, the Athletics look to avoid a fourth consecutive defeat.

Against NL opponents, Oakland (34-40) has lost 10 of 12, after being swept at home by Cincinnati this week. In interleague play in 2010, the A’s are 5-10. against the Pirates (25-47), the A’s have an excellent chance to do so as the Pirates have lost 14 straight away from home including a 6-5 loss at Texas on Thursday.

To lose for the 15th time in 17 games overall, the Pirates blew a 4-0 lead Thursday. Oakland must improve at the plate after scoring 20 runs in its last eight games, seven of them losses and look to extend Pittsburgh’s misery.

With three RBIs in nine games, Jackson is 10 for 29. For the first time this Friday, Oakland will face Pittsburgh’s scheduled starter Brad Lincoln with 0-1, 6.50 ERA. On Sunday’s, 5-3 win over Cleveland, the rookie right-hander allowed three runs in six innings.

Oakland’s Ben Sheets (2-7, 4.95), hopes to avoid a fifth consecutive loss, while Lincoln seeks his first career victory. Sheets have a 2.92 ERA in 22 starts against Pittsburgh, though he is 8-8 all-time versus the Pirates.

Pittsburgh’s Garrett Jones is batting .423 in his last 14 games after going 3 for 4 on Thursday and he is yet to face Sheets.

In interleague play, the Pirates seek to end their winless ways and avoid a 13th consecutive overall defeat Saturday as they play the Cleveland Indians.

Pittsburgh (23-44) fell to 0-7 against AL teams this year following Friday’s 4-3 defeat in the series opener. In NL, Pittsburgh has the worst record. Since 1900, its 12-game skid is its third longest.
“Everybody’s … frustrated that this losing is going on, It’s one of those things when you go out and finally get that one and end this streak, then we can move on ” said Ryan Church.

Pedro Alvarez, rookie third baseman went 0 for 4 in his third game, continuing his early struggles. Since being called up for his major league debut Wednesday, the highly touted 23-year-old is 0 for 10 with five strikeouts.

To try to end their woes, the Pirates will turn to Jeff Karstens (1-2, 4.50 ERA). In three starts, the right-hander is winless. After pitching 1 1/3 hitless innings of relief against the Indians last year, Karstens is making his first start against them.

Cleveland (26-40) remains in last place in the AL Central, even though it snapped a four-game losing streak. To snap a scoreless tie, the Indians scored all their runs in the top of the seventh.

The Indians versus the NL, improved to 4-6. A win can do the same for David Huff (2-8, 5.82). From a promising 2009 rookie year in which he went 11-8, and is 0-5 with a 7.29 ERA in seven road starts, the left-hander has already matched his loss total. In his last four starts, he is winless with a 7.41 ERA.

In 13 tries against Central opponents, The Braves seek their 12th win on Saturday night.

Against the Central, Atlanta (26-22) was 2-5, after suffering a four-game sweep in St. Louis in late April but it seems they have moved on well.

This month before Pirates catcher Ryan Doumit’s walk-off homer snapped that streak on Sunday, They had won all nine meetings with Central opponents. They went back to work Friday against Pittsburgh (20-29), after winning two of three in Florida. For an injured Brian McCann, David Ros has replaced and had hit a two-run double to highlight a four-run first inning before Atlanta had to sit through two rain delays to earn a 7-3 win. In a division where all five teams are within four games of the top, the Braves remained 1 1/2 games behind first-place Philadelphia.

After improving to 9-0 in nine career starts against the Pirates, starter Derek Lowe said, “We’re starting to play like we feel we should have all year.”

The star rookie, Jason Heyward, is hitting .367 (22 for 60) with 5 homers and 19 RBIs in 17 games against the Central and he has enjoyed facing the Central the most of all. He too has six hits and four walks in 15 plate appearances versus Pittsburgh.

Brian Burres (2-2, 5.40 ERA), in his last three outings after walking four and allowing five runs over 3 2/3 innings of a 7-5 loss at Cincinnati has a 7.90 ERA.

For the second straight start, Atlanta right-hander Kris Medlen (1-1, 2.57) will oppose Pittsburgh. On Sunday, he gave seven hits over 5 2/3 innings and gave up two runs.

This season, the Pittsburgh Pirates have found themselves on the wrong end of plenty of blowouts. Late-inning homer from Pittsburgh’s catcher made a big difference and Pirates would like to continue the same against the Cincinnati Reds. By at least six runs, Pittsburgh (20-26) has lost 15 games.

Ryan Doumit’s ninth-inning homer gave Pittsburgh a 2-1 win and a major league-best 15-7 record in games decided by two runs or fewer and broke a 1-all tie Tuesday in Cincinnati. For the Pirates’ prowess in close contests, Doumit’s heroics have been a big reason. In the eighth inning or later, all five of his homers have come, with the past four either tying the score or giving Pittsburgh the lead. Doumit has been batting .413 (19 for 26) with three homers and nine RBIs in 12 games and over the past month, he has been one of baseball‘s most dangerous hitters away from home.

For the Cincinnati Reds (26-20) against Bronson Arroyo (4-2, 4.85 ERA), Doumit had just 1 for 7. Arroyo will get the ball on Wednesday. While posting a 3.22 ERA, Arroyo has won four consecutive decisions. In his last five starts against the Pirates, the lanky right-hander is 4-1 with a 2.12 ERA.

Ross Ohlendorf (0-2, 5.30) after missing a month with back spasms, gave up a run and three hits but lasted just four innings in that loss. On Friday, in a 7-0 loss to Atlanta, he gave up six runs, seven hits and three walks over 3 2/3 innings which made things very interesting from a baseball betting perspective.

“It was just one of those starts where he didn’t have much on the ball, With a team like this, you can’t have that kind of stuff and get through it very easily” said Russell.

Philadelphia Phillies get another weapon in their team’s lineup. Jimmy Rollins has returned after five weeks. At Citizens Bank Park, in Roy Halladay’s first three starts, he was nearly untouchable. When the Phillies try to complete a brief two-game sweep of the Pirates, he will look to improve to 4-0. With flu-like symptoms, Monday’s opener against Pittsburgh was missed by Chase Utley. Rollins did a great job and hardly looked rusty even though he was on DL with a strained calf. He had two hits and an RBI. Manager Charlie Manuel has to do some shuffling in the lineup with Utley’s return.

For the ninth time, the Pittsburgh Pirates were held to five hits or fewer. Andrew McCutchen went 0 for 4 and it lowered his average this month to .396. The rest of the team is hitting .211. On Pittsburgh’s rotation, even more pressure was put on because of that lack of production. With a 2.37 ERA, the left-hander Zach Duke (2-4, 5.56) was 2-0, through his first four starts. In a 5-0 loss to Cincinnati, on Wednesday, Duke over his five innings gave up five runs and nine hits, two homers. In four career starts versus Philadelphia, Duke is 1/3 with a 4.78 ERA. In 19 combined at-bats (.211), he has held Utley and Rollins to four hits. The team’s two RBIs leaders, Werth and Victorino, with three extra-base hits combined 6 for 10 against Duke and that makes for some pretty fine betting.