Baseball Down the Stretch

[andtheyreoff]

At this point, it looks like about half the teams are still in it:

Yankees (79-61, +1 in AL East)
Orioles (78-62, -1 in AL East, wild card spot)
Rays (77-63, -2 in AL East, -1 in wild card)

White Sox (75-64, +2 in AL Central)
Tigers (73-66, -2 in AL Central)

Rangers (83-57, +3.5 in AL West)
Athletics (79-60, -3.5 in AL West, wild card spot)
Angels (77-63, -6 in AL West, -1 in wild card)

Nationals (86-54, +5.5 in NL East)
Braves (81-60, -5.5 in NL East, wild card spot)

Reds (84-57, +8.5 in in NL Central)
Cardinals (75-65, -8.5 in NL Central, wild card spot)
Pirates (72-67, -11 in NL Central, -2 in wild card)

Giants (78-61, +4.5 in NL West)
Dodgers (74-66, -4.5 in NL West, -1 in wild card)

Personally, I love that there's so many team still in the hunt, especially for one of those wild card spots. The fact that we're still talking about teams like the Pirates as wild card contenders is especially cool.

So how you do think it'll shape up during the last 20 games?

PS- here's the postseason picture from MLB; what the playoffs would look like if the season ended now: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/standings/postseasonpicture.jsp

[horses4courses]

Does anyone know why Kershaw was scratched tonight against SF?

That's a huge break for the Giants, facing Blanton instead.

[redshift1]

Does anyone know why Kershaw was scratched tonight against SF?

That's a huge break for the Giants, facing Blanton instead.

Sore hip, scheduled to pitch Tuesday vs Arizona.

Dodgers in free-fall unable to hit with RISP, one of the more memorable hitting collapses in Dodger history considering the big name line-up.

[ldiatone]

At this point, it looks like about half the teams are still in it:

Yankees (79-61, +1 in AL East)
Orioles (78-62, -1 in AL East, wild card spot)
Rays (77-63, -2 in AL East, -1 in wild card)

White Sox (75-64, +2 in AL Central)
Tigers (73-66, -2 in AL Central)

Rangers (83-57, +3.5 in AL West)
Athletics (79-60, -3.5 in AL West, wild card spot)
Angels (77-63, -6 in AL West, -1 in wild card)

Nationals (86-54, +5.5 in NL East)
Braves (81-60, -5.5 in NL East, wild card spot)

Reds (84-57, +8.5 in in NL Central)
Cardinals (75-65, -8.5 in NL Central, wild card spot)
Pirates (72-67, -11 in NL Central, -2 in wild card)

Giants (78-61, +4.5 in NL West)
Dodgers (74-66, -4.5 in NL West, -1 in wild card)

Personally, I love that there's so many team still in the hunt, especially for one of those wild card spots. The fact that we're still talking about teams like the Pirates as wild card contenders is especially cool.

So how you do think it'll shape up during the last 20 games?

PS- here's the postseason picture from MLB; what the playoffs would look like if the season ended now: http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/standings/postseasonpicture.jsp
one now can stop talking about the pirates as i think there done. as on fellow stated on another thread "cheap speed" and i say the team "spit the bit" :bang: sweeped by te cubs :mad: :bang:

[NJ Stinks]

I love baseball but hate the playoff grid. Baseball used to be above the BS. Now it's reminding me more and more of the NHL playoffs.

I want to go back to 8 teams (10 max) in each league - no freaking divisions - and one real pennant race per league. Oh yea - and a World Series played in September sunshine.

Since what I would like ain't happening, I don't pay to see them play anymore. I even dropped Comcast so I can't see the Phillies 90% of the time. That's alright. The Phillies aren't getting a dime from me via cable TV fees either.

I'll take HRTV and TVG on Dish anyday nowadays.

[andtheyreoff]

one now can stop talking about the pirates as i think there done. as on fellow stated on another thread "cheap speed" and i say the team "spit the bit" :bang: sweeped by te cubs :mad: :bang:

That sweep was brutal. Friday night was especially embarrassing.

But still, they're just 10 wins away. If they can catch the Reds on a downswing (which they can be on after losing 2 of 3 to the Astros, of all teams), that will help them gain momentum going into another 4 game set with the Cubs. As someone who has been rooting for the Pirates all year, I have faith.

BTW, check out the comments beneath Pirate articles on MLB.com. It is impossible to have a more neurotic fan base than the Pirates do (can't blame them, though).

[ElKabong]

Nice win by the A's tonight....They're proving me wrong but I'm happy to see a struggling franchise win

[Valuist]

Detroit is starting to feel the pressure. They feel they are entitled to the AL Central.

[ElKabong]

Poor Mike Illitch. He thought he had the current administration in his hip pocket (Verlander, Prince doing GM commercials and all). Now he finds out Baraq is a Sox fan...... Oh the disappointment. ;)

Sox' pitching is something of a worry for Rangers. That team left an impression 2 months ago when they swept Texas. That's the team I think they fear in the AL most

[andtheyreoff]

To me, this weekend is going to determine who's gonna be in it late in the game, and who's gonna be going home before October 5. Here's the profile of the series that count.

Pirates @ Cubs, 4 games
A split is the absolute minimum for the Pirates to remain in the hunt. Three would keep them as contenders. They showed they can still pitch against a potent Reds lineup, but absolutely terrible clutch hitting slowed them down. Considering Chicago is trotting out crap on the mound for the next three days, it's do or die time for the Bucs.

Tigers @ Indians, 3 games
While Cleveland's season is done, Detroit remains in the hunt in a big way. Tonight's game v. the White Sox was rained out, so Chicago will stay one game up on the Tigers going into the weekend. They just gotta win, against an Indians club that has gone 9-6 v. Detroit this year.

White Sox @ Twins, 3 games
Losers of 2 straight in a big set v. the Tigers, they'll try to bounce back against the sad Twins. Dunn's loss has turned them into a middling club, but at least 2 against Minnesotra will help.

Rays @ Yankees, 3 games
Like Pittsburgh, Tampa needs to win at least 2 games here to stay relevant. They've dropped back to 4 games out in the division, and 3.5 in the wild card following a sweep in Baltimore. The Yankees will be trotting out their two best pitchers this weekend, as they continue to go eye to eye with the Orioles.

Orioles @ Athletics, 3 games
The O's will be riding a sweep into Oakland, with the Athletics building up a solid cushion over the Angels when it comes to the wild card. Baltimore still can't afford to blink before going into a 3 game set with the semi-scrappy Mariners.

Nationals @ Braves, 3 games
Not much significance in terms of the division race, but a good series by the Braves will give them some distance over the other clubs in what's becoming a wild (no pun intended) NL wild card race. Nats' magic number is now 11.

Cardinals @ Dodgers, 4 games
Man, this is bad. Two teams that have lost 6 out of their last 7.
Regardless, this series is huge. If the Cardinals sweep this series, the Dodgers are for all intents and purposes done, despite having a tremendous amount of talent on the team (and a 7.5 game lead in the NL West at one point). The Dodgers, though, are still just 1 game back of St. Louis. If they can win this series, it might provide them with some momentum.

Phillies @ Astros, 4 games
The Phillies couldn't get any luckier. They're riding a hot streak and they get to play Houston. The winners of 7 straight going into tonight will put themselves legitimately in the hunt if they sweep and the others falter.

Mets @ Brewers, 3 games
Like Philadelphia, the Brewers come in on a hot streak to play a faltering Mets squad, who are losers of six straight. Winning this series keeps their name in the mix.

Angels @ Royals, 3 games
The barely alive Angels come to KC against the club that has actually won its last three. Regardless, it will take some big ballplaying to put themselves back in it and avoid the stigma of a very dissapointing season.

[Valuist]

A's 46-19 since July 1st. They also have an excellent road record this season.