Has an entire league ever been this close?

The National League has tightened up to a ridiculous level with only four days to go in the regular season.

Every single playoff spot is still up for grabs, and no one can clinch until Friday at the earliest (in comparison, all four playoff spots in the American League have already been decided).

Let’s look at each race individually:

NL EAST:

NY Mets … 87-71 (1 vs StL, 3 vs Fla)
Phillies … 86-72 (1 vs Atl, 3 vs Wsh)

Wednesday, the Mets lost 9-6 to Washington while the Phillies beat Atlanta 5-2 to gain ground on the Mets.

What the hell has gotten into the Mets? They just got swept by Washington and have gone 4-9 in the last two weeks. The best Mets’ blog I’ve seen, Faith and Fear in Flushing, tries to explain it:

And really, honestly, how can you care about this pathetic baseball team? Horrifying mental mistakes, stupefyingly dumb tantrums at umpires, ludicrous mismanagement of the bullpen and roster, listless play and innings and innings and innings of bad baseball — which part of this rancid stew makes you want to remember your boyhood heroes, or daydream about green fields and summer nights?

Not exactly a ringing endorsement. And what’s stranger is that the Mets could still realistically finish with the best record in the NL — or miss the playoffs completely by Sunday. What a league.

The Phillies are also one game behind San Diego for the wild card (more on that later).

NL CENTRAL:

Chi Cubs … 83-75 (1 @ Fla, 3 @ Cin)
Milwaukee … 81-77 (4 vs SD)

The Cubs lost 7-4 on Wednesday, but the Brewers couldn’t take advantage of it, losing 7-3 to St. Louis.

The Cardinals, rivals of the Cubs, came threw for them by beating the Brewers. How weird is it that the Cardinals could help the Cubs make the playoffs? The Cubs play the easier opponents this week, but the Brewers get to be at home.

NL WEST:

Arizona … 88-70 (1 @ Pit, 3 @ Col)
*San Diego … 87-71 (4 @ Mil)
Colorado … 86-72 (1 @ LA, 3 vs Ari)

* also the Wild Card leader

Arizona has lost three in a row, losing yet another great chance to solidify their lead when they lost to Pittsburgh 5-1 on Wednesday. Meanwhile, the Padres destroyed the hapless Giants 11-3. Colorado is the hottest of all, as their 2-0 win over the Dodgers gave the Rockies won their 10th win in a row. Some guy named Franklin Morales is getting the start today in their biggest game of the year. I don’t know who he is, which is part of the reason I’ve temporarily adopted the Rockies as my NL team — root for the unkowns.

Hell, Colorado could sneak in and take the division if they sweep Arizona in Denver — and since they’ve won 10 in a row, it’s certainly doable.

NL WILD CARD:

San Diego … 87-71
Philly … 86-72
Colorado … 86-72

Yeah, the wild card truly is wild. The Phillies have the easiest schedule to finish the year, but do get John Smoltz today, which is never easy.

What a fun league to follow. It may be inferior in quality to the American League, but the National League is extremely compelling.