AMERICAN LEAGUE
AL EAST: Red Sox lead the Yankees by 1.5
AL CENTRAL: White Sox lead the Tribe by 3.5
AL WEST: Angels lead the A's by 2.0
AL WILDCARD: Indians lead the Yankees by 1.5
NATIONAL LEAGUE NL EAST: Braves lead Phillies by 5.0, Marlins by 6.0
NL WEST: Pods still by default
NL WILDCARD: Astros lead the Phillies by 1.5, Marlins by 2.5, Nats by 4.5
Let's start with the American League..
We have SIX teams all in contention, and any two of the six could find themselves out of the postseason. It's that close..
Yankees now find themselves rooting for the White Sox, who host the Tribe for three starting tonight. BTW, will the Chisox fans come out? Chicago MUST win this series at home.. Millwood, tonight's Tribe starter, has a deceptive record..He's been very, very good of late..and his ERA this season leads ALL AL starters, and in his last 3 starts, it's 1.80. If Chicago loses tonight, they face MUST WINS the next two...
In the West, the A's are now effectively out of the Wild card race, and they have to catch the Angels, or go home. A's have to keep it under three games behind until the meet the Angels in the next-to-last series..However, even if they manage to do that, they end the season with 3 AT the Mariners, and that will be tough.. This looks like the Angels as division winners, and Bart Colon has been a stud the last month. He's also pitching for the AL CY YOUNG, if he needs more incentive..
In the AL EAST, it's tightened..but lots of factors tend to favor the Red Sox.
Sheffield will now DH for the rest of the season...and if Giambi's back is hurt..that means Torre loses one big bat every game...Alan Embree's ERA is now 7.07, and heading north rapidly.. The Yankees don't have an effective leftie in the bullpen. Al Leiter may get that roll...but he's no bargain of late either...that really hurts Torre'e options..The medium sized Unit's temper tantrum this weekend forced Torre to blow up his bullpen, and meant that Rivera wasn't available the last two games....Mussina may make his reguale start this weekk..
Red Sox have to wonder what's up with Clement? In four starts in September, he is 1-3 with a 7.36 ERA.....and yesterday's outing was pathetic. In the post season, look for Clement to be sent to the bullpen, and Arroyo to make the playoff rotation. He's won his last three straight decisions..and is pitching effortlessly. Clement needs to do something radical..like maybe shave off the stupid beard..then he can return as his alter ego..a $25 million pitcher..
Despite pitching woes, Boston of late hasn't been scoring, which is their real problem. Red Sox have the highest-scoring offense in baseball, yet have plated three runs or less i thier last 4 games..first time that's happened this season.
Boston is 5-6 and averaging 3.3 runs in their last 11 games. However, Manny shows signs of coming out of his batting funk...
Red Sox have 13 left..last 3 with the Yankees. If they go 7-3 their next 10..against Tampa, Baltimore, and Toronto, they force the Yankees to run the table..
My take is that Yankees and A's don't make it to the post season..The AL Wild Card will be either the Tribe or the White Sox.., and the way the Indians have been playig of late, 9-1 in thier last 10 games, they look now like the best team in the American league..BTW..anyone know if the White Sox and Tribe had a coin flip? Petronski, that means you....
In the National League..things are a little more settled..Cards have clinched, and the Braves and Pods have comfortable leads. Phills could make it REAL interesting, however, if they sweep the Braves in the series that starts tomorrow nght, and the Phils have been the hottest team in the NL EAST, going 7-3 in the last 10, including an early Christmas gift from the Marlins this weekend..4 Fish errors in the 9th gave Philly a huge win, though props to the Marlins for rebounding last night, and thumping the Phils. That had to help wash away the taste of a blown game..
Schedule seems to give the 'Stros the advantage in the NL WILD CARD, though 9 of their 13 remaining are on the road... There's NO smart $$$$ here for the Wild card..it's still pick'em among the 'Stros, Phils, and Fish..
BTW..unless anyone has any other suggestions on how best to do it..my thoughts are to do a new thread for every round of the playoffs..
Freudian typo...sorry...LOL..I was fantasizing..
Six more games against the White Sox for my Tribe, including the last 3 of season at home.
As for who I'd like my team to face in the playoffs, it really doesn't matter.
You're right. The Pale Hose will probably be out of it by next week. Interestingly, I'll be in Chi Town then and I have to tell you, the Sox are not a priority among the fans.
OTOH, I'll be seeing my first Bears game--that's where the love lies in Chicago.
Our aim is on the BoSox and they are prime for the taking. Yesterday would have been a great win but enemy plant Embree is doing his best to take us down. Sox have next six on the road and Yanks have the next seven at home. Our best chance to gain the lead I think.
If a game is needed to break a tie between Cleveland and the Chicago White Sox in the AL Central, the Indians would host.
Things are set up perfectly for them.
Good comments...
If you love drama then this is the best time of the year. The Indians are an enjoyable team to root for with their young talent and don't care attitude. If the Sox don't get in then I am riding Cleveland as my adopted team. They have good starting pitching, a great pen and bunch of hitters that can park the ball when needed.
The Sox have problems. Guys are wearing down, slumps, sloppy play and a starting pitching rotation that cannot figure out who or what they want to be. Clement is a head case and simply cannot keep his head in the game. He's either walking people or leaving the ball over the plate. I think that Tek calls too many pitches off the plate which extends his pitches per batter faced. Wakefield has been great at times but when that knuckleball don't dance, it becomes batting practice for the other team. Schilling is not back yet and that really hurts a team not having a #1 guy that they can turn to.
The Wankees are scoring runs and winning the close ones as of late. They are simply a scary offense. The starting pitching has actually been better than Boston's and they are simply hitting when the Sox cannot.
Oakland made it interesting when there was no way that they should have. Congrats to Billy Beane for retooling this team so quickly. They have some great young arms and a bullpen that is scary.
I pick the Cards to do it this year on the basis of the pitching staff. They will whack the Padres then outlast Houston or the Braves (another young team worth watching) and then beat the American League champs in 6.
Watch out for CLE!!!!
1) Houston Astros -- never won it and I live there now.
2) Chicago White Sox -- Blacksox Curse and 1917. Time to end all baseball curses.
3) Cleveland Indians -- Team hasn't won since 1948. City hasn't won since 1964. Had to watch the Ravens win a SB soon after they left. They have suffered long enough.
4) St. Louis Cardinals -- Nice way to leave Busch Stadium.
5) Philadelphia Phillies -- Curse of William Penn. Another curse to get rid off.
After that, don't care.
Would love to see the Yankees and their $208 million payroll miss the playoffs. Wonder how Mr. Stienbrenner will feel when the Cleveland Indians and their $41 million payroll (1/5th of the Yankees payroll) beats them out for the wild card?
He's this year's Javy Vazquez -- flourishing in his first three months with his new team, and stinking up the joint in the second half.
Where's the "Ladies and gentlemen, introducing your first place New York Yankees" thread? ;)