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Bold predictions for MLB’s second half

Tim Tebow to the MLB this year? Why not

Dodgers and Diamondbacks each win 100 games

MLB youth movement, Cody Bellinger

The Los Angeles Dodgers and Arizona Diamondbacks have dominated the National League in 2017.

The Dodgers have baseball’s second-best record and are on pace to win 106 games. Still, they’ve gained only 2.5 games of separation from the Diamondbacks, who are on pace to win 102 games.

Now, crazy paces are not uncommon during the early season. We’ve played a lot of baseball, but there’s still a lot left to play. So, why aren’t we expecting a drop from either team?

One reason is that they’re both good, complete teams. They have deep rotations anchored by legitimate aces (Clayton Kershaw, Zack Greinke). Both teams have good offenses headlines by MVP candidates (Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt). More than pointing out their strengths, when looking over the rosters, it’s hard to find a glaring weakness.

The other reason that we’re not expecting a drop off is that these teams have each other to push them. If one team was running away with the division, it may look to rest starters down the stretch and settle for 96 wins. But that’s not really an option this year. Winning the division and avoiding the one-game wild card playoff is too big of a deal. Only one team will do it, but both will push.

Now, how rare would both teams winning 100 or more games be?

Since 2010, any team winning 100 games is noteworthy. It’s happened only three times. By comparison, it happened 11 times from 2000-2006. The last time two teams won 100 games was 2004. Since MLB went to division play in 1969, one division has yielded two 100-win teams only three times (1980, 1993, 2001). Throw in the Colorado Rockies (who are sliding but still on a 93-win pace) and the NL West has the potential to be one of the best divisions in MLB history.

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