Hey America, did you know football is starting up this week? Of course you did. How can you not?
Did you also know that baseball season is not done? “Fascinating,” you say! In fact, there are some exciting playoff races going on this month.
While history has shown that even large deficits can be overcome, we’ll only look at the three races that are within five games.
American League West
Ah, the AL West. That division the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim were supposed to win each of the last two years. The Angels and their massive payroll sit nine games under .500, well out of the division race. For the second year in a row, the Texas Rangers and Oakland Athletics have stolen the Angels’ flame. At the start of play on Sept. 5, the A’s and Rangers are tied for first place in the division. However, there are still four scheduled matchups between the two heading down the stretch, so that lead can easily swing.
The Rangers still have tough series against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Tampa Bay Rays left on their schedule, so I am going to give this back-and-forth division to the Athletics.
Fear not, Ranger fans, your team will still make the playoffs, as the West “loser” currently enjoys a 2.5 game cushion for the first AL wild card spot. Needless to say, however, this one will go down to the wire. No team wants to play the wild card game if not necessary. Just as the Atlanta Braves in regards to the "infield fly rule" being called late in the game.
American League Wild Card
What a logjam. At the start of play on Sept. 5, two teams occupy the two wild card spots and four more are within five games. As stated above, I believe the AL West loser will get the first wild card spot, but who gets the second? The five teams in question — the Tampa Bay Rays, New York Yankees, Baltimore Orioles, Cleveland Indians and Kansas City Royals — each have positives and negatives.
The Rays are fresh off of a five-game losing skid, and have tough machups this month against the Rangers, Boston Red Sox, Orioles and Yankees.
The Yankees, despite their injury parade, sit in position to make a run. However, I think inconsistent pitching will do them in. The Indians and Royals have both shown signs of streakiness this season, and I do not believe either one can put together a run that leapfrogs the teams above them.
My pick for the second wild card is the Baltimore Orioles. The O’s still play the Rays head-to-head four times, and recently added slugger Michael Morse to their potent lineup. Baltimore can hit, and I believe that carries them back to Texas for the AL wild card game for the second year in a row.
National League Central
The NL Central has been the home of three of the top five teams in the league all season. In fact, I believe the Central will become the first division in MLB history to send three teams to the postseason. As stated above, though, no team wants to play the one game wild card playoff if they do not have to.
The Pittsburgh Pirates clinched their first non-losing season since 1992 on Tuesday night, and enjoy a two game advantage over the St. Louis Cardinals. The Cardinals always have some October magic on their side, as recently demonstrated in 2006, 2011 and even in 2012.
Then, there is the Cincinnati Reds, who are eager to get back to the postseason after last year’s gut-wrenching National League Division Series loss to the San Francisco Giants. The Reds have hovered around three to three and a half games behind for the last several weeks, and I believe that is where they will stay. In fact, I see the current standings holding up for a division title in the Steel City and a thrilling wild card game in the shadow of the Gateway Arch.