MLB Playoff Update: They are still sprinting!

Every part of me wants to take this opportunity to rant and rave about my fantasy football exploits. Because let me tell you, there is no more infuriating feeling then playing against a player that you placed a Waiver on earlier in the week, but did not get because you are too a high a priority. Said player, then goes on to rack up 30 points against you! I’m sure you fantasy geniuses can connect the pieces and determine who I am referring to, perhaps can even relate. However, there are more important issues to recap; besides the GIGANTIC HOLE my team needs to climb out of this week. Let’s not forget citizens of Pond Scum, we are in a MLB playoff race!

My goal is to keep this summary short and sweet. The last time we left off, no team had a guaranteed spot in October. As of Thursday night, the Reds and Nationals each secured their place in the post season. Neither team can take their foot off the gas, as the Nats are eight wins from clinching the NL East, while the Cincinnati only needs two victories to earn the NL Central title. The SF Giants have a 10 game lead in the NL West and only need three wins to capture the West championship.  

This leaves the two Wild Card spots as the only opportunity for the remaining NL contenders. The Braves and Cardinals are holding strong, but the Milwaukee Brewers are proving they still have a lot of fight left in them. They have won 23-29 and are only 2.5 GB from a Wild Card spot. The Dodgers continue to be weak in the batter’s box and have fallen to 3 GB. They have scored the second fewest runs this September.In addition, the Phillies have leap frogged the Pirates as the final NL contender, pulling within four games of the Wild Card. This weekend’s (9/21-9/23) series versus Atlanta has turned into a must watch. If the Braves win, they can solidify their place in the post season, if the Phillies can pull the upset, they could prove to be the biggest surprise in September.  

In the AL, it is becoming evident that the Yankees and Orioles will be battling until the final game of the season for an AL East champion. New York earned some breathing room, moving one game over the O’s in the standings. Ichiro Suzuki is an absolute beast, collecting nine hits in the past three games. Despite their horrendous season, the road for the division winner will go through Boston. Baltimore must play the Red Sox six times, while the Yankees face their rivals in the final three games of the season. Perhaps they can introduce the Sox to Garlic Fries, yum yum Garlic Fries.

Detroit is continuing to creep up the AL Central standings, pulling within two games of the White Sox. This race could go down to the wire as well. All of the Tigers remaining games are against teams under .500. Meanwhile, Chicago has some tougher match ups versus the Angels and Rays left on their schedule. Texas is sitting comfortably four games ahead of Oakland in the AL West. The OAK/TEX series scheduled for next week (9/25) will be vital in determining the West champions and the Wild Card race. The L.A. Angels are hanging in there, 4.5 GB from the Athletics, but have lost their last two games.

In case this update has not convinced you to flip over from the college football games this weekend, to watch the MLB clubs make a final push for the postseason. I leave you with a quote from the legendary announcer, Vin Scully;

"Football is to baseball as blackjack is to bridge. One is the quick jolt. The other the deliberate, slow-paced game of skill, but never was a sport more ideally suited to television than baseball. It's all there in front of you. It's theatre, really. The star is the spotlight on the mound, the supporting cast fanned out around him, the mathematical precision of the game moving with the kind of inevitability of Greek tragedy. With the Greek chorus in the bleachers!"