Like a Jackson Pollock painting, its colors flung on canvas, or an Ingmar Bergman movie, with characters drowning in symbolism, the Major League Baseball standings Friday morning begged analysis.

BOTTOM LINE: The San Diego Padres and St. Louis Cardinals play on Sunday with the three-game series tied 1-1. San Diego has a 61-50 record overall and a 35-19 record in home games. The Padres have ...