If a baseball pennant race is a marathon, we’re nearing mile 18

The baseball pennant race has often been described as a marathon, not a sprint. If that’s true, then we’re nearing the 18-mile mark of the season this week. Here’s Kevin Baxter’s handicap of the race so far. (Records through games of Friday.)

Setting the pace

1. PHILADELPHIA (66-39): Fifth starter Vance Worley is 7-1 with a 2.02 ERA, and now they have Pence.

2. BOSTON (64-40): Leads division despite having had 4 starting pitchers spend time on DL.

3. N.Y. YANKEES (61-42): Only team in majors with more than 100 steals and more than 100 homers.

4. TEXAS (60-47): Balanced Rangers have six players with at least 12 HRs and five pitchers with at least 9 wins.

5. SAN FRANCISCO (61-45): Staff with MLB-best 2.58 ERA in July now has Carlos Beltran in the outfield.

6. MILWAUKEE (58-49): Brewers have baseball’s best record at home and an MLB-high 35 losses on the road.

7. ATLANTA (62-45): 25-year-old Jair Jurrjens, 24-year-old Hanson are 23-8, 2.74 combined.

8. ANGELS (58-49): Have baseball’s best record at 27-13 since June 13.

9. DETROIT (56-50): Bullpen has both MLB’s second-highest ERA (4.70) and AL saves leader in Jose Valverde (27).

10. PITTSBURGH (54-50): Team ERA of 3.37 is more than 11/2 runs better than last season.

11. ST. LOUIS (56-50): Leads NL in batting (.269) and runs (501).

Looking for a second wind

12. ARIZONA (57-49): Leads National League with 122 home runs.

13. CLEVELAND (52-51): Tribe is 14 games under .500 after 30-15 start.

14. TAMPA BAY (55-50): With 2,678 hits, Johnny Damon could be next to 3,000.

Trying to make up for a slow start

15. CHICAGO WHITE SOX (52-52): 11 games over .500 since May 6.

16. MINNESOTA (50-56): Have division’s best record (33-20) since June 1.

17. N.Y. METS (55-51): Reyes, NL’s leading hitter, one of four Mets batting over .300.

18. CINCINNATI (51-55): Defending Central champs are 26-17 since May 17.

19. TORONTO (54-52): John Farrell has his team above .500 in his managerial debut.

Already hit the wall

20. COLORADO (50-56): Rockies relievers have allowed fewest walks in the NL (94).

21. OAKLAND (47-59): A’s have most errors (85), second-lowest ERA (3.42) in the AL.

22. FLORIDA (52-54): Marlins are 95-63 all-time under Jack McKeon.

23. WASHINGTON (49-56): Nats have slipped well below .500 since Davey Johnson took over.

24. DODGERS (48-57): Last in the NL in hitting (.214) and runs (70) in July.

Why bother continuing?

25. SAN DIEGO (46-61): Lead league with 115 steals; bullpen has lowest ERA in baseball (2.76).

26. BALTIMORE (42-60): Orioles have been outscored by a league-high 109 runs.

27. CHICAGO CUBS (42-64): And Aramis Ramirez questions his team’s commitment to winning?

28. KANSAS CITY (45-61): A quarter of Royals’ wins have been walkoff victories.

29. HOUSTON (35-71): Owns baseball’s worst record and league’s second-worst ERA (4.57).

30. SEATTLE (44-61): 17-game losing streak. Nuff said.