MLB: Weekend Betting Preview

Playoff races are getting tighter around Major League Baseball, even in the National League's East Division where the defending World Series champion Philadelphia Phillies had threatened to run away and hide. But the Phillies have slipped back toward the field in recent days. And the NL wild-card race remains a wide-open affair.

At least a couple of this weekend's National League series match playoff contenders. In one, the Atlanta Braves host the Phillies for a three-game set at Turner Field. And the Colorado Rockies visit south Florida for three games with the feisty Marlins.

The Phillies have led the NL East for most of this season, by as much as seven games just two weeks ago. But they've gone cold lately, and have seen their lead in the NL East dwindle in the process. Philly just got swept three games at home by Florida, and has lost eight of its last 11 games, averaging a paltry 2.9 runs per over that span. So going into the opener of a three-game series Tuesday night in Chicago vs. the  Cubs, the Phillies still sit in first place in the NL East, but they've allowed the second-place Marlins to creep within 3.5 games of them.

And the Braves have made up ground on the Phils, too. Atlanta just took three of four games from the Dodgers out in LA, capping off a 5-2 road trip. So going into the opener of a quick two-game series at home vs. the Nationals, the Braves now trail the Phillies by just 4.5 games in the NL East.

Atlanta has had the upper hand in the season series with Philly this year, taking seven of the first nine games the teams have played. The Braves took two of three games from the Phils in Philadelphia to open the season, and did the same a month later. And back in early July Atlanta swept a three-game series from the Phillies at The Ted.

Also, while those nine games averaged 10 total runs per, the over/unders went 3-5-1.

Just before this season began, Oddsmaker.com was listing the Phillies at +150 to win the NL East again, +500 to repeat as champs of the National League, and +1,200 to win a second straight World Series title. As of Tuesday morning, Oddsmaker is listing Philly at -800 to win the East, +250 to take the  pennant, and +600 to win the Series.

Atlanta opened the season at +300 at Oddsmaker.com to win the NL East this year, +1,000 to win the NL pennant, and +1,500 to win the World Series. Tuesday morning Oddsmaker was offering the Braves at +500 to win the division, +1,500 to win the pennant, and +2,500 to take the Series.

The Rockies just took three of four games from the Cubs, and have now won eight of their last 11 games. Going into the opener of a three games series vs. the Pirates in Denver Tuesday, Colorado occupies second place in the NL West, 5.5 games behind the first-place Dodgers. But more importantly at the moment, the Rockies also lead the NL wild-card race by a game over the second-place San Francisco Giants.

Florida, meanwhile, extended its winning streak to four games by taking the opener of a four-game series with Houston on Monday night in Miami. So going into Tuesday's MLB action, the Marlins sit in second place in the NL East (as mentioned above), 3.5 games behind the division-leading Phillies. And the Fish are just three games back of the first-place Rockies in the NL wild-card race.

In the only previous meeting this season between these two teams, the Marlins took two of three games from Colorado at Coors Field back in early May. Two of those games stayed under the totals, as the teams combined to score 20 runs in the series.

Oddsmaker.com sent Colorado off at +800 to win the NL West this year, +2,500 to win the NL pennant, and +5,000 to win the World Series. As of Tuesday morning the Rockies are still getting +800 to win the division, but they've been bet down to +800 to win the pennant and +2,500 to win the Series.

And Florida started the season listed at +800 to win the NL East at Oddsmaker.com, +2,500 to win the NL championship, and +5,000 to win the World Series. Tuesday morning the Marlins were getting +600 to win the East, +1,000 to win the pennant, and +4,000 to take the Series.    

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