Baseball playoff update 9-25

I actually have the Election Calendar ready to go, it will be posted above this once the games are settled.

Some teams are idle on Monday, and Sunday’s results were the end of the playoff road for the two NL teams on the bubble, Arizona and Atlanta. Monday could be cruel to others.

American League:

In:

DETROIT (94-62, lead AL Central by 1 1/2 games over Minnesota). The black cloud hanging over the Tigers for the last 20 seasons is finally dissipating as they have assured themselves at least a wild-card berth! Even better, by beating the Royals today combined with another stumble by the Yankees in Tampa, they now are in the catbird seat for home field advantage, at least for one day. The Yankees won the season series against the Tigers so they win the tiebreaker if it comes to that. The Tigers are idle Monday, they begin a series with Toronto on Tuesday. Magic number for the division title is now 6, for home field throughout is 7.

New York (93-62, AL East champions). The Yankees still control their own playoff destiny, but they need to figure out how to beat the D-Rays. Jaret Wright (10-7, 4.52) will get the chance against Tampa Bay’s Jae Seo (3-10, 4.85 between the Mets and Rays). After this game the Yankees are home the remainder of the season.

Possibly in after today:

Oakland (90-65, leads AL West by 6 over Los Angeles). Now that chilled champagne needs to be flown north with the team as they couldn’t clinch the AL West against the Angels. On Monday the Athletics send Esteban Loaiza (11-8, 4.70) to the hill against Seattle’s Cha Seung Baek (4-1, 3.67).

Minnesota (92-63, leads wild card by 5 1/2 over Chicago). The Twins took 2 of 3 in Baltimore but lost ground on the Tigers, who swept the Royals by a combined 33-11 score. Now those same Royals pay a visit to Minnesota before once again facing Detroit next weekend. The games have to be played though and the Royals will soldier on with Jorge De La Rosa (5-5, 6.66 between Milwaukee and Kansas City) facing the Twins’ Boof Bonser (6-5, 4.36). A win combined with a White Sox loss ends the one-season reign of Chicago as world champions.

Could be gone today:

Chicago (87-69). The White Sox hit the road for their last chance needing a LOT of help from the Royals. Chicago’s in Cleveland to start their last road trip, it’s Jon Garland (17-6, 4.37) for the Pale Hose facing the Tribe’s Cliff Lee (12-11, 4.58).

Los Angeles (84-71). The Angels try to stay alive to face the Athletics again next weekend, but first things first. Texas arrives in town and the Rangers will start Edinson Volquez (1-5, 6.53) against Joe Saunders (6-3, 4.29) for the Halos.

National League:

In:

New York (93-62) is in and has home field throughout.

Possibly in after today:

Nobody. This may not happen until about Thursday.

Working on that magic number:

San Diego (83-72, leads NL West by 1 1/2 games over Los Angeles). A huge series between the NL West and NL Central leaders begins Monday night. If things break right, it’s a possible playoff preview and would be a rematch of 2005’s NLDS. San Diego will send the veteran David Wells (2-5, 4.80 between Boston and San Diego) to the mound while the Cardinals counter with Jeff Suppan (12-7, 4.07).

St. Louis (80-74), leads NL Central by 3 1/2 over Houston). See San Diego above. The Cards had a lost weekend in Houston but now get home cooking where they’re 46-27. The magic number stays at 5.

Philadelphia (82-73, leads wild card by 1/2 game over Los Angeles). A makeup game tonight as the contest scheduled against Houston was rained out earlier this month. Now the Phillies will get the opportunity to eliminate the Astros. Houston is slated to send out rookie Matt Albers (0-2, 6.00) to face Randy Wolf (4-0, 5.47) but that’s subject to change.

Falling away:

Los Angeles (82-74). The Dodgers are idle on this Monday, Tuesday they start a series in Colorado.

Houston (77-78). See Philadephia above.

Could be gone today:

Cincinnati (76-79). Finishing their home season with an afternoon contest against the Cubs, they’ll face the slants of Chicago’s Wade Miller (0-2, 4.97) and counter with Bronson Arroyo (14-10, 3.38). The season’s on the line for the once-hot Reds in this one.

Florida (76-80). They can only watch and root for the Astros because the Marlins are idle.

San Francisco (75-80). It could be over playoff-wise before they begin, but San Francisco is slated to face the Arizona Diamondbacks on the banks of McCovey Cove. Arizona will toss out Edgar Gonzalez (2-3, 4.41) while the Giants place their hopes on Jason Schmidt (11-8, 3.50).

The update might be a lot shorter for Tuesday’s action as there’s now 3 teams on the bubble. With 3 late games and me not necessarily wanting to stay up half the night to find out how they came out, there’s going to be a partial update for Tuesday.

Author: Michael

It's me from my laptop computer.