Over the past decade or so, baseball’s popularity has taken a nosedive, partly due to the fact that not enough teams contend each year. This year, however, with less than a month remaining in the season, an amazing 15 of the 30 Major League teams are still in tight races for playoff spots, playing meaningful games. In case you haven’t been paying attention, here’s what is happening and why you should pay attention.
Let’s start with the American League East, and the classic Yankees-Red Sox rivalry. Much as I hate to admit the good qualities of anything relating to the Yankees, I must admit this is the most classic rivalry in baseball. This year, both teams have made their already-top-notch pitching staffs better, and both have improved already-nasty lineups. The Sox have recently fallen 5 1/2 games behind in the race, but their remaining games are all against teams with losing records, while the Yanks still have a series against the White Sox, who are in quite a race of their own in the AL Central.
The White Sox currently are 1 1/2 games behind the lovable, low-budget Minnesota squad that started slow but hung in there and, with the help of midseason acquisition Shannon Stewart, has climbed to the top of the division. But nipping at their heels are the Sox, who boast three ace pitchers in Esteban Loaiza, Bartolo Colon and Mark Buehrle, and MVP candidates Frank Thomas and Magglio Ordoñez; and the Royals, who came out of nowhere this with a no-name pitching staff and one of the league’s lowest payrolls. All three teams have very realistic chances at making the playoffs, a rarity this late in the season.
In the AL West, the Athletics and Mariners are battling it out. The small-market A’s, who seem to lose another star each year due to payroll constraints, have the best young starting rotation in the league with Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, Barry Zito, Rich Harden and Ted Lilly. The Mariners have quite a squad of their own, though, led by a strong pitching staff and the electric play of outfielder Ichiro Suzuki.
To make things even better, there is the wild card. If all the aforementioned contending teams in the AL, the best second place team will make the playoffs. At this point it is a close race between the Red Sox and Mariners.
In the National League, there are not quite as many races. The Braves and Giants have run off with the NL East and West titles, respectively. However, the Central and the Wild Card are there for the taking, and almost every team in the NL is in the hunt.
In the NL Central, the Astros currently hold a slim lead over the Cubs and the Cardinals, but whichever teams don’t win that division still have a shot at the wild card. The Astros have a veteran lineup led by Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell and Jeff Kent, as well as a young pitching staff led by starter Roy Oswalt and closer Billy Wagner. The Cubs have an impressive staff of their own, led by Mark Prior and Kerry Wood, and let’s not forget about the King of Cork, Sammy Sosa. The Cardinals, well, they are the anti-Philly team, with the likes of Scott Rolen and J.D. Drew leading their lineup.
The wild card leaders right now are the Phillies and Marlins, both from the NL East. The Phillies have a daunting lineup led by Jim Thome, Bobby Abreu, Mike Lieberthal and Marlon Byrd, as well as a quartet of starting pitchers that can match up with any in the league: Kevin Millwood, Randy Wolf, Brett Myers and Vicente Padilla.
The Marlins have a stellar pitching staff also, led by rookie phenom Dontrelle Willis. Their offense is sparked by two burners at the top of the order, Juan Pierre and Luis Castillo. The Marlins have somehow persevered this season after a terrible start that led to a managerial change, and season-ending injuries to their ace pitcher (A.J. Burnett) and top hitter (Mike Lowell), though Lowell may return for the postseason.
While they are ahead of the pack currently, the Phillies and Marlins play four more games against each other, which bodes well for the other contending teams. If the Phils and Marlins beat each other up, that could leave the door open for the Cubs, Cardinals, Dodgers, Diamondbacks or Expos.
Many combinations of teams could end up comprising this year’s playoff teams. One this is for sure, though: September will be an exciting month in Major League Baseball. And the Phillies will win it all.
http://ogb.wfu.edu/sports/sports_more.php?id=620_0_7_0_C
Let’s start with the American League East, and the classic Yankees-Red Sox rivalry. Much as I hate to admit the good qualities of anything relating to the Yankees, I must admit this is the most classic rivalry in baseball. This year, both teams have made their already-top-notch pitching staffs better, and both have improved already-nasty lineups. The Sox have recently fallen 5 1/2 games behind in the race, but their remaining games are all against teams with losing records, while the Yanks still have a series against the White Sox, who are in quite a race of their own in the AL Central.
The White Sox currently are 1 1/2 games behind the lovable, low-budget Minnesota squad that started slow but hung in there and, with the help of midseason acquisition Shannon Stewart, has climbed to the top of the division. But nipping at their heels are the Sox, who boast three ace pitchers in Esteban Loaiza, Bartolo Colon and Mark Buehrle, and MVP candidates Frank Thomas and Magglio Ordoñez; and the Royals, who came out of nowhere this with a no-name pitching staff and one of the league’s lowest payrolls. All three teams have very realistic chances at making the playoffs, a rarity this late in the season.
In the AL West, the Athletics and Mariners are battling it out. The small-market A’s, who seem to lose another star each year due to payroll constraints, have the best young starting rotation in the league with Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder, Barry Zito, Rich Harden and Ted Lilly. The Mariners have quite a squad of their own, though, led by a strong pitching staff and the electric play of outfielder Ichiro Suzuki.
To make things even better, there is the wild card. If all the aforementioned contending teams in the AL, the best second place team will make the playoffs. At this point it is a close race between the Red Sox and Mariners.
In the National League, there are not quite as many races. The Braves and Giants have run off with the NL East and West titles, respectively. However, the Central and the Wild Card are there for the taking, and almost every team in the NL is in the hunt.
In the NL Central, the Astros currently hold a slim lead over the Cubs and the Cardinals, but whichever teams don’t win that division still have a shot at the wild card. The Astros have a veteran lineup led by Craig Biggio, Jeff Bagwell and Jeff Kent, as well as a young pitching staff led by starter Roy Oswalt and closer Billy Wagner. The Cubs have an impressive staff of their own, led by Mark Prior and Kerry Wood, and let’s not forget about the King of Cork, Sammy Sosa. The Cardinals, well, they are the anti-Philly team, with the likes of Scott Rolen and J.D. Drew leading their lineup.
The wild card leaders right now are the Phillies and Marlins, both from the NL East. The Phillies have a daunting lineup led by Jim Thome, Bobby Abreu, Mike Lieberthal and Marlon Byrd, as well as a quartet of starting pitchers that can match up with any in the league: Kevin Millwood, Randy Wolf, Brett Myers and Vicente Padilla.
The Marlins have a stellar pitching staff also, led by rookie phenom Dontrelle Willis. Their offense is sparked by two burners at the top of the order, Juan Pierre and Luis Castillo. The Marlins have somehow persevered this season after a terrible start that led to a managerial change, and season-ending injuries to their ace pitcher (A.J. Burnett) and top hitter (Mike Lowell), though Lowell may return for the postseason.
While they are ahead of the pack currently, the Phillies and Marlins play four more games against each other, which bodes well for the other contending teams. If the Phils and Marlins beat each other up, that could leave the door open for the Cubs, Cardinals, Dodgers, Diamondbacks or Expos.
Many combinations of teams could end up comprising this year’s playoff teams. One this is for sure, though: September will be an exciting month in Major League Baseball. And the Phillies will win it all.
http://ogb.wfu.edu/sports/sports_more.php?id=620_0_7_0_C
