We’re just a few days away from the end of the regular season, and the race is on for the MLB playoffs, and other plots will fill the baseball scene. The National League has its teams set, but the seeding is still in question. The American League still has a lot of questions to answer with the Royals, Tigers, A’s and Mariners all fighting to get in.
The NL Central is where all eyes will be focused on in the senior circuit. Heading into play tonight, the St. Louis Cardinals lead is down to just 1.5 games. The Pittsburgh Pirates have been on fire and have turned the coals up on St. Louis. This weekend both teams will be on the road. St. Louis travels to Arizona and Pittsburgh goes to Cincinnati. No real advantage here. Whoever doesn’t win the division will not have the luxury of setting their rotation to put their best foot forward in the play in game versus San Francisco.
The Giants won’t win the NL West division and play San Diego this weekend. Madison Bumgarner or Jake Peavy will likely be waiting in the play-in game.
The American League will take more of a mathematician, instead of a sports writer to explain. The Royals and Tigers and going all out for the AL Central Division crown. The A’s and Mariners are focused on the Wild Card. The loser of Royals/Tigers will look to grab a Wild Card slot too. All four teams are separated by just four in the loss column.
The weekend brings Oakland to Texas, Angels to Seattle, Kansas City to the White Sox and Minnesota to Detroit. Advantage: Tigers and Oakland.
The Tigers will likely win the AL Central, so the other three are looking at two spots in the playoffs. K.C. has a couple of games up on Oakland and Seattle, and are in line to make the playoffs for the first time in 31 years!
That leaves the realistic chase between the A’s and the M’s for one playoff spot. Seattle’s Felix Hernandez came up small on Tuesday in a big spot. King Felix was rocked in Toronto by the Blue Jay bats. That puts Seattle 3 wins behind Oakland with just 5 to play. The Mariners’ starters have had a 6.40 era (not counting Felix Hernandez) since August 27th. That will be the demise of the Mariners in the end, and might cost Hernandez the Cy-Young as well.
Oh yeah, some shortstop from New York says his goodbyes too. Derek Jeter, as you have all heard by now, will play his last games in pinstripes in enemy territory. Boston’s Fenway Park will be the sight this weekend for one of the game’s most beloved to say his final farewell against the Red Sox. There couldn’t be a better setting. It’s only diminished because these two perennial powerhouses are out of the October sweepstakes.
Many stories will be told and written this week about the Yankee Captain. Most are of admiration, some from jealous fans that loathe success. I’ve heard and read many points of view on this and I’ll leave you with this: In the past 20 years there is nobody, in his prime, that I’d rather have at the plate in October with my team’s life on the line. Absolutely nobody! And though he’ll take his last steps in Boston, Massachusetts, there won’t be a dry eye from the Bronx to Kalamazoo, Michigan.
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