Joey Votto

In Wednesday’s series finale with the San Francisco Giants, the Reds looked like they were going to beat them as if they stole something.

Joey Votto, Jonny Gomes, and Ryan Hanigan all homered to stake Homer Bailey to a 4-0 lead in the first inning. It looked like payback time for the boys from the Queen City.

Votto hit another homer in the third inning, his 31st of the season, to cap a four-run inning and the Reds were on top 8-1.

During Monday night's St. Louis Cardinals loss to the last-place (and worst record in baseball) Pittsburgh Pirates, Albert Pujols was 3-for-5 with a double, raising his batting average to .322.

I know this stat is not important to saber heads (please bear with us), but for this argument it is imperative.

Winning a Triple Crown is one of the rarest feats in all of baseball. Very rarely do we even see one player contending for the average, home run, and RBI titles.

And you're telling me that there are three contenders in the National League this year?

Colorado's Carlos Gonzalez, Cincinnati's Joey Votto, and St. Louis's Albert Pujols are all in the hunt for the Triple Crown. And if none of them wins the honor, it will be one of them that keeps another from winning.

All season long, these three have been hitting absurdly for average and power.

Since the dreadful series against the St. Louis Cardinals, the Reds have reeled off six-straight wins, sweeping both the Florida Marlins and now the Arizona Diamondbacks.

In doing this, they have become the hottest team in the major leagues.

They are currently 19 games over .500 and have their biggest lead of the season in the National League's Central Division.

With the playoff races heating up, and everything starting to take shape, I am here to put in my opinion on who will win each MLB division, who will win each pennant, and who will win the Fall Classic.

The only division in the MLB right now with possibly a clear outlook is the AL West, but anything can happen.

I'll keep it short and sweet, so here we go.

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This is what Baseball is all about! This season is shaping up to have some phenomenal finishes.

With only 1 division in baseball having more that a 3 game lead atop the division this is sure to be one historic finish. 

The Wild Card spots are all but decided with only 1 game separating teams in the NL and only 4 in the AL.

With divisional races this close, and this much drama coming down to the end, it is guaranteed to be one hell of a finish!

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Considering that it is August, post-season baseball is just two months away. With the playoffs looming, the way the standings will ultimately shake out could be determined relatively soon. 

Many of these determining factors come down to how teams can mesh, second half track records, and team health.

However, on each contending team, there are certain individuals that hold the key to contention for the remainder of the regular season. Heading into the second week of August, now is the time for the difference-makers to stand up and propel their team to meaningful wins.

The Reds and Cards are in one of the longest running one and two pennant races in history. Neither team can really put substantial distance between themselves and the other.

Both squads have strong talent and deep rosters.

Let's take a look at the way the teams stack up against each other, position by position.

CATCHER

The first base position in fantasy baseball produces a lot of depth from owners to choose from either via their drafts back in March, or a waiver wire pick-up during the season. With the second half of play underway, let's take a look at how the first basemen will finish out the season.

With less than a half of a season to be played, little has been decided as far as the playoff picture goes.

As what has been a slow trade deadline season thus far starts to pick up, we will have a better idea of what teams will be playing in October and what teams are looking to the future.

So with so much baseball left to be played, here are 10 bold predictions on who will be playing in October and who will take home some of baseball's biggest awards, among other things.

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