Conor O'Neill
We have 25 days left before the end of the baseball season. So, with no further ado, here is a division by division breakdown of each playoff race.
AL East: The World Series Champion will come from this division. Sorry about the spoiler, but the Yankees and Rays are the two best teams in baseball. Nevermind that the Yankees might not have the most starting pitching depth in the world. Have you seen that lineup? They will put up runs, and the pitchers will have no pressure after the third inning. And the Rays have a strong lineup in their own right. B.J. Upton is heating up at the right time, and with the bullpen the Rays have, they won't lose many games in the playoffs.
AL Central: The Twins shouldn't fade, but this race is far from over. As it looks like Justin Morneau won't be back this year, the Twins have done a phenomenal job replacing him with Michael Cuddyer and Jim Thome. But Ozzie Guillen's Sox aren't out of it yet, and the addition of Manny only boosts an already solid lineup.
AL West: This is the AL division where the race is over. The Rangers have been the best team in this division all season, and are rewarded with an eight game lead. And the news gets better for the Rangers, although it might not look that way on the surface. Several of their best players have gone down to injury in the past month, which would be cause for concern if they were in a race for their division crown. But since they aren't, Josh Hamilton, Ian Kinsler, Elvis Andrus and others have been able to rest. That means they'll be fresh for the Yankees or Rays come October, which can only help.
NL East: It's hard to pick against Bobby Cox and his team's great starting pitching, but I don't see this team regaining its lead on the Phillies by the time the season ends. Philadelphia has too much experience, too much talent, and despite Brad Lidge's woes they have a capable bullpen. The Braves should win the wild card, and will be dangerous in the playoffs, but this is now the Phillies' division to lose.
NL Central: The surprise team of the year, the Reds, will hold off the Cardinals. No shocker, but the Reds winning this division is a great testament to Dusty Baker's work, getting a young team that was supposed to be a few years away from competing to win the division now. And for the Cardinals, Tony La Russa should be ashamed. How do you sweep your rival in three games to take a division lead and then lose 14 of 18?
NL West: It's about time. The Padres have been lucky all season, and are finally slipping away. They have little offensive pop, starting pitching that is in way over its head, and a bullpen that has over-achieved all season. Now the Giants and Rockies are close on their heels, and one of them will overtake San Diego at some point soon. My guess is the Giants. This team has great starting pitching (yes, Tim Lincecum seems to have fixed his motion), and their offense has just enough production to get them to the postseason.