Down the Line and Into the Corner: A Look at September Playoff Races
Pretty big week for the playoff chases it seems, particularly how the AL Wild Card seems to be a 2 team race now. More and more teams are getting eliminated from either divisional or Wild Card races. And the NL Wild Card would have much more interest this week with the Giants and Rockies facing off. Anyways, moving right along...
AL East
New York...X...X...X
Boston...7.0 GB...13...-3
Tampa Bay...19.5 GB...E...-8
Toronto...26.5 GB...E...0
Baltimore...33.0 GB...E...0
Analysis: Boston is the only one with a chance here. Odds are that the Yankees will wrap this up before the Red Sox/Yankees series. Red Sox had a pretty good win streak and only went down by 3 games. Tampa, on the other hand, what happened to them?! Toronto and Baltimore unchanged.
AL Central
Detroit...X...X...X
Minnesota...5.5 GB...15...-5
Chicago...6.0 GB...14...-4
Cleveland...15.0 GB...6...-6
Kansas City...19.5 GB...1...-2
Analysis: Detroit is holding on. They look like they could get this wrapped up pretty soon depending on if they don't fuck up like they did vs Kansas City this past weekend. Odds are that won't happen though. They got a really strong 1-2 punch and their other guys aren't slouches either. Minnesota does have the Mauer and Morneau connection. Offense doesn't really mean a whole crapload in the playoffs, but it could mean everything GETTING there. But I think Detroit has this.
AL West
Los Angeles...X...X...X
Texas...6.0 GB...15...-7
Seattle...13.0 GB...7...-7
Oakland...22.0 GB...E...-6
Analysis: Looks like LA is starting to fire it up again. Though they do have 7 games against the Rangers left so nothing is certain. Those 7 games could be crucial in the long run. Seattle has done alright this season, they're almost there. Oakland is eliminated from the AL West race. Yeah not much else to say here. I'm not counting the Rangers out just yet but they just can't win this week for the Red Sox/Angels series.
NL East
Philadelphia...X...X...X
Florida...6.5 GB...14...-7
Atlanta...7.5 GB...13...-6
New York...20.0 GB...E...-11
Washington...32.5 GB...E..0
Analysis: Damn the Mets suck huh? Then again, it's almost like a pandemic with them. Yes, I took that from a Fark headline. The Marlins have 3 more against the Phillies but that may not be enough. If they can take advantage of the Mets and Reds, there could be some chance. Of course this hinges on how the Phillies do against the creampuff teams too. So this will be interesting to watch.
NL Central
St Louis...X...X...X
Chicago...9.5 GB...11...-3
Houston...13.5 GB...6...-5
Milwaukee...14.0 GB...6...-4
Cincinnati...19.5 GB...E...-7
Pittsburgh...27.5 GB...E...0
Analysis: Yeah I don't even know why I'm showing this one. St. Louis has this wrapped up. I give them a week before they clinch. Short and sweet.
NL West
Los Angeles...X...X...X
Colorado...3.0 GB...16...-5
San Francisco...7.5 GB...12...-7
San Diego...20.0 GB...E...-3
Arizona...23.0 GB...E...-3
Analysis: Now this race is starting to get very interesting. LA has the strength of schedule behind them while Colorado could just as easily lose ground with the San Francisco series. This is further made interesting by the fact that there's also the NL Wild Card which is between the three NL West teams that aren't eliminated here. LOL remeber when the NL West was the sucky division? Not anymore.
AL Wild Card
Boston...X...X...X
Texas...4.0 GB...17...-7
Seattle...11.0 GB...9...-9
Tampa Bay...12.5 GB...8...-10
Minnesota...13.5 GB...7...-9
Chicago...14.0 GB...6...-8
Toronto...19.5 GB...1...-7
Oakland...20.0 GB...1...-7
Cleveland...23.0 GB...E...-8
Baltimore...26.0 GB...E...-3
Kansas City...27.5 GB...E...0
Analysis: Boston has really done themselves some favors with this winning. Texas is down by 4 games and they do have a decent chance of capturing the AL West should Los Angeles falter against them and Boston. So maybe not all is lost for them. Toronto and Oakland are officially eliminated any day now. As is KC. Balty is eliminated though.
NL Wild Card
Colorado...X...X...X
San Francisco...4.5 GB...15...-8
Florida...5.5 GB...14...-6
Atlanta...6.5 GB...13...-5
Chicago...7.5 GB...13...-5
Houston...11.5 GB...8...-7
Milwaukee...12.0 GB...8...-6
San Diego...17.0 GB...2...-5
Cincinnati...17.5 GB...2...-9
New York...19.0 GB...E...-10
Arizona...20.0 GB...E...-7
Pittsburgh...25.5 GB...E...-3
Washington...31.5 GB...E...0
Analysis: Mets, DBacks, Pirates, and Nats are all officially out of it. Cincy and San Diego are almost there. Then there's Milwaukee, Houston, and Chicago who are kinda just there. Atlanta, Florida, and San Fran are alright. Florida and San Fran are probably the only ones who'll legitly threat and I say that because of their competition. I guess Atlanta as well. It'll be interesting to see how this all pans out. Something tells me this Wild Card race isn't quite over yet
Layman's Terms Time!
Pretty Much In
New York Yankees
St Louis Cardinals
Still Up in the Air
Boston Red Sox
Texas Rangers
Philadelphia Phillies
Florida Marlins
San Francisco Giants
Colorado Rockies
Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Detroit Tigers
Minnesota Twins
Chicago White Sox
Doubtful At Best
Seattle Mariners
Tampa Bay Rays
Atlanta Braves
Cleveland Indians
Houston Astros
Milwaukee Brewers
Chicago Cubs
Hanging By a Thread
Cleveland Indians
San Diego Padres
Cincinnati Reds
Kansas City Royals
Oakland Athletics
Toronto Blue Jays
Officially Eliminated
New York Mets
Arizona Diamondbacks
Baltimore Orioles
Pittsburgh Pirates
Washington Nationals
AL East
New York...X...X...X
Boston...7.0 GB...13...-3
Tampa Bay...19.5 GB...E...-8
Toronto...26.5 GB...E...0
Baltimore...33.0 GB...E...0
Analysis: Boston is the only one with a chance here. Odds are that the Yankees will wrap this up before the Red Sox/Yankees series. Red Sox had a pretty good win streak and only went down by 3 games. Tampa, on the other hand, what happened to them?! Toronto and Baltimore unchanged.
AL Central
Detroit...X...X...X
Minnesota...5.5 GB...15...-5
Chicago...6.0 GB...14...-4
Cleveland...15.0 GB...6...-6
Kansas City...19.5 GB...1...-2
Analysis: Detroit is holding on. They look like they could get this wrapped up pretty soon depending on if they don't fuck up like they did vs Kansas City this past weekend. Odds are that won't happen though. They got a really strong 1-2 punch and their other guys aren't slouches either. Minnesota does have the Mauer and Morneau connection. Offense doesn't really mean a whole crapload in the playoffs, but it could mean everything GETTING there. But I think Detroit has this.
AL West
Los Angeles...X...X...X
Texas...6.0 GB...15...-7
Seattle...13.0 GB...7...-7
Oakland...22.0 GB...E...-6
Analysis: Looks like LA is starting to fire it up again. Though they do have 7 games against the Rangers left so nothing is certain. Those 7 games could be crucial in the long run. Seattle has done alright this season, they're almost there. Oakland is eliminated from the AL West race. Yeah not much else to say here. I'm not counting the Rangers out just yet but they just can't win this week for the Red Sox/Angels series.
NL East
Philadelphia...X...X...X
Florida...6.5 GB...14...-7
Atlanta...7.5 GB...13...-6
New York...20.0 GB...E...-11
Washington...32.5 GB...E..0
Analysis: Damn the Mets suck huh? Then again, it's almost like a pandemic with them. Yes, I took that from a Fark headline. The Marlins have 3 more against the Phillies but that may not be enough. If they can take advantage of the Mets and Reds, there could be some chance. Of course this hinges on how the Phillies do against the creampuff teams too. So this will be interesting to watch.
NL Central
St Louis...X...X...X
Chicago...9.5 GB...11...-3
Houston...13.5 GB...6...-5
Milwaukee...14.0 GB...6...-4
Cincinnati...19.5 GB...E...-7
Pittsburgh...27.5 GB...E...0
Analysis: Yeah I don't even know why I'm showing this one. St. Louis has this wrapped up. I give them a week before they clinch. Short and sweet.
NL West
Los Angeles...X...X...X
Colorado...3.0 GB...16...-5
San Francisco...7.5 GB...12...-7
San Diego...20.0 GB...E...-3
Arizona...23.0 GB...E...-3
Analysis: Now this race is starting to get very interesting. LA has the strength of schedule behind them while Colorado could just as easily lose ground with the San Francisco series. This is further made interesting by the fact that there's also the NL Wild Card which is between the three NL West teams that aren't eliminated here. LOL remeber when the NL West was the sucky division? Not anymore.
AL Wild Card
Boston...X...X...X
Texas...4.0 GB...17...-7
Seattle...11.0 GB...9...-9
Tampa Bay...12.5 GB...8...-10
Minnesota...13.5 GB...7...-9
Chicago...14.0 GB...6...-8
Toronto...19.5 GB...1...-7
Oakland...20.0 GB...1...-7
Cleveland...23.0 GB...E...-8
Baltimore...26.0 GB...E...-3
Kansas City...27.5 GB...E...0
Analysis: Boston has really done themselves some favors with this winning. Texas is down by 4 games and they do have a decent chance of capturing the AL West should Los Angeles falter against them and Boston. So maybe not all is lost for them. Toronto and Oakland are officially eliminated any day now. As is KC. Balty is eliminated though.
NL Wild Card
Colorado...X...X...X
San Francisco...4.5 GB...15...-8
Florida...5.5 GB...14...-6
Atlanta...6.5 GB...13...-5
Chicago...7.5 GB...13...-5
Houston...11.5 GB...8...-7
Milwaukee...12.0 GB...8...-6
San Diego...17.0 GB...2...-5
Cincinnati...17.5 GB...2...-9
New York...19.0 GB...E...-10
Arizona...20.0 GB...E...-7
Pittsburgh...25.5 GB...E...-3
Washington...31.5 GB...E...0
Analysis: Mets, DBacks, Pirates, and Nats are all officially out of it. Cincy and San Diego are almost there. Then there's Milwaukee, Houston, and Chicago who are kinda just there. Atlanta, Florida, and San Fran are alright. Florida and San Fran are probably the only ones who'll legitly threat and I say that because of their competition. I guess Atlanta as well. It'll be interesting to see how this all pans out. Something tells me this Wild Card race isn't quite over yet
Layman's Terms Time!
Pretty Much In
New York Yankees
St Louis Cardinals
Still Up in the Air
Boston Red Sox
Texas Rangers
Philadelphia Phillies
Florida Marlins
San Francisco Giants
Colorado Rockies
Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
Detroit Tigers
Minnesota Twins
Chicago White Sox
Doubtful At Best
Seattle Mariners
Tampa Bay Rays
Atlanta Braves
Cleveland Indians
Houston Astros
Milwaukee Brewers
Chicago Cubs
Hanging By a Thread
Cleveland Indians
San Diego Padres
Cincinnati Reds
Kansas City Royals
Oakland Athletics
Toronto Blue Jays
Officially Eliminated
New York Mets
Arizona Diamondbacks
Baltimore Orioles
Pittsburgh Pirates
Washington Nationals