It's Not Over Yet!

There may only be one week left in baseball’s regular season, but things are just starting to heat up.  Wild Card slots have to be determined, batting races are wrapping up, and teams with losing records are already looking forward to next season (like the poor Houston Astros, with their 51-105 record).

So if you read this blog just to be nice and you’re not sure what’s going on, let me fill you in on which teams are moving on to the post-season so you have a clue as to what the people on the Metro or at the water cooler are talking about when they reference players like Puig, Miggy, and Yadier.  Here is your quick tutorial to the post-season.  

First of all, as of today (Monday, September 23), not all playoff spots have been filled.  There are still Wild Card slots up for grabs, and the AL Central champion hasn’t been determined yet.  But that’s what makes this last week so exciting, so please pay attention.

In the American League East, the Boston Red Sox have clinched their division.  Many of the players have scraggly beards, which must be what makes them play well (since they won the World Series in 2004 with scraggly guys like Manny Ramirez, Johnny Damon, and Pedro Martinez).  They were in last place early in the season but can possibly end the season with 100 wins.

In the American League Central, the Detroit Tigers are 5 games in front of the Cleveland Indians, but unless they lose every game and the Indians win the next five, they pretty much have the division title to themselves.  As much as I would like to see Cleveland win it, the Tigers would certainly make the playoffs more exciting with players like Miguel Cabrera (this is where the “Miggy” reference comes in), Justin Verlander, and Matt Scherzer.  Plus that poor city needs some excitement.

In the American League West, the Oakland A’s have clinched their division.  I hope they get eliminated early in the playoffs so they don’t have to play any games in the west coast time zone and I can get my regular amount of sleep.  Yes, Oakland is a very good team, but they need to understand that I need my sleep!

Regarding the AL Wild Card, there are four teams in the running for the two available spots - Tampa Bay, Cleveland, Texas, and Kansas City.  The Orioles aren’t far behind, but I’m afraid that mathematically they’re probably not going to make it.  The two Wild Card teams will face each other in a one-game elimination, so that will leave four teams in the American League to play the American League Divisional Series (ALDS).  That will then leave two teams that will face each other to crown the American League Champion that goes on to the World Series.  (Did you notice I didn't mention the Yankees?  They're not going to the playoff this year - ha ha!)

Now for the National League… The Atlanta Braves have clinched the NL East after pretty much dominating for the entire season.  The team that led the league in Disabled List transactions hopes to overcome their opponents and make it to the World Series.  I hope they don’t make it, because that “tomahawk chop” that their fans do during games is downright obnoxious.  I'm banning it when I become Commissioner.

In the National League Central, things aren’t so clear.  The St. Louis Cardinals have clinched a playoff spot, but not necessarily as the Division champs.  This is because both the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates are 2 games out of first place, and they still have 3 games to play against each other this coming weekend.  This division is going to come down to the wire at the last possible minute, and that's the excitement I love.

In the National League West, the Dodgers clinched their division what seems like months ago, and they’re not letting that stop them from wanting to win the last few games of the season.  I like the Dodgers, but again, they’re in the wrong time zone, and that Yasiel Puig guy is kind of an enigma.  I’m curious to see how he will handle the pressures of the post-season.

Regarding the Wild Card slots in the National League, the two will probably go to the Reds or Pirates, unless one of them ends up clinching the division and then the remaining spot will go to the Cardinals.  The Washington Nationals are not mathematically out of it yet, but they would have to win their last 7 games and the Reds and Pirates would have to collapse.  I’m afraid my Nats will not be going to the post-season this year.  L

So what are my predictions?  I think it will be a Dodgers-Red Sox World Series, though I hope the Pirates make it to the post-season somehow.  There is still a LOT of baseball to be played before then though, so stay tuned for updates.  All I know is that If the World Series ends up being between the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Oakland A’s and they play in the evenings so the players don’t have to contend with shadows on the field, I definitely won’t be getting much sleep!