MLB Weekly

MLB Weekly
Cody Goggin
9-24-13  1:05 pm

OWENSVILLE, MO-We are right in the thick of pennant races right now as it is all heating up. Right in the middle of September in the autumn weather, many teams have locked up spots while others are fighting for their lives. This is the time of the season that the future World Series Champion could be making a run for the title. Even a team that just barely squeaks into the playoffs as a wild card could go the distance to win it all.

            In the American League East, the Boston Red Sox are blowing everyone away with the best record in baseball. They lead the division by __ games. This does not mean that the other teams are out of the race, but rather all locked up in a close wild card race. Tampa Bay is clinging on to the last wild card spot by half a game. Baltimore is third place in the division and just two and a half games out of the wild card while the New York Yankees have made a late season push to move into a position only three games behind the Rays. All three of these wild card teams are going to be battling it out over the next couple of weeks and only two have the potential to make it, and it could be that the Red Sox are the only team in the division that could possibly make it.

            The American League Central is just as exciting as Detroit has a pretty commanding lead at five games, but two other teams have a potential playoff spot on the line. The Cleveland Indians are only a half game back of the Rays for the last wild card spot. The Kansas City Royals are surprisingly only three and a half games back. Both of these teams are dark horses in the race, but have played great and are dangerous.

            The West has been a two horse race all year long. In the past couple of weeks, Oakland has pulled away, leaving the Rangers six and a half games in their dust. Texas, however, is still tied with the Rays for a wild card spot.

            In the National League, things are a little bit different. Only one race is even close. The Braves lead their division by ten games and the Dodgers lead theirs by ten and a half. The National League Central is the only close division.  All three teams are tied right at the top. As of right now, the Cardinals and Pirates are tied for the lead in the division, meaning the other team takes the first wild card spot while the Reds have fallen three and a half games back. Washington has pulled within four and a half games of the Reds and will try to take over the final spot. No other team really has a chance to make the playoffs.

            All of these playoff races, especially the American League Wild Card race, will be exciting all the way up to game 162. Make sure you are watching your prescribed dose of baseball in these next two weeks as all of these teams make their final attempts to be written in history.