Six months into a 162 game season all comes down to this: the final two weeks where teams can earn the right to play in the post season or falter and start preparing for spring training earlier than expected. These next few weeks are shaping up to be a photo finish in the American League West, and the slumping Red Sox are in what David Ortiz referred to as “panic” mode as the surging Tampa Bay Rays are closing in on the A.L Wild Card spot. The National League is pretty much squared away but things could get interesting in the central division as the once white hot Milwaukee Brewers are playing mediocre .500 baseball over their last 10 games, and the St. Louis Cardinals are only 5.5 games back.
Taking a look at the American League, if the playoffs were to begin today “shockingly” the New York Yankees would be on top of their division with the leagues best record. The Detroit Tigers rode the back of Justin Verlander’s 22 wins to an impressive 12.5 game lead over the Chicago White Sox in the A.L Central, clinching a division title.
The best race in baseball can be found in the A.L West, as Josh Hamilton and the defending American League Champion Texas Rangers hold a slim three game lead over the Los Angeles Angels. Coincidentally enough the teams are set to finish the year in a three game set in Anaheim. Texas is a team of experienced players who want nothing more than the chance to redeem themselves after losing in the World Series last year to the San Francisco Giants. With the number one overall seed, the Yankees would face off against either the Rangers or the Angels in the first round of the playoffs. Playing in the home run friendly Yankee Stadium with home run hitters Robinson Cano and Curtis Granderson should make their first round competition relatively easy. The other American League series should be the Red Sox squaring off with the Tigers. With the way the Red Sox have been playing lately and a recent injury to pitcher Josh Beckett, the Tigers should have no problem overpowering the Red Sox preparing themselves for an American League Championship Series in the Bronx.
In the National League the playoff picture is a little clearer cut. The Phillies have the best record in the National League and hold a commanding 10 game lead over the Braves for the Division title. The N.L West has taken a surprising turn over the past month, as the defending World Series Champion Giants have been all but eliminated from playoff contention. The Arizona Diamondbacks have taken an 8.5 game lead in and are setting up to face off against the Philadelphia Phillies in the first round of the playoffs. The Phillies have a pitching rotation that is comprised of 4 aces, and with the first round of the playoffs being a best of five series, I don’t think the Diamondbacks have a chance to win a game in that series. The N.L central leading Milwaukee Brewers have not made clinching the division easy for themselves as of late, dropping five of six games to the second place St. Louis Cardinals over the past two weeks. However, they still hold a 5.5 game lead in the division. Once they clinch the division Milwaukee will host the Atlanta Braves in the first playoff series for the Brewers since 2008. With former Cy Young winner Zach Greinke on the mound for game one, followed by the Shaun Marcum and Yovanni Gallardo, the Brewers should win this series in four games giving their city the first post season series victory since 1982.
Unfortunately for the Milwaukee Brewers, advancing to the NLCS will be the end of the road for this Cinderella team because Philadelphia’s starting pitching rotation and Ryan Howard’s powerful bat will be to much to handle during the NLCS. As for the ALCS, it’s usually a safe bet to pick the Yankees to prevail and make it to the World Series, but the way CC Sabathia has notoriously pitched in big time playoff games and his lackluster backups make the Yankees vulnerable in a long seven game series. When it’s all said and done Justin Verlander will make the difference in that series, starting two games giving the Tigers the edge to win the AL.
At the beginning of this baseball season many experts picked the Phillies to win the World Series, and frankly I must agree with them. Their experience in the post season, mixed with one of the best pitching rotations of all time will be too much for the Tigers to bear. The National League did win the All-Star game giving the first two games of the World Series will be played in Philadelphia. Chase Utley, Jimmy Rollins, and Ryan Howard are set to continue their dominance that has emerged over the past five years, and if a deal can be made to keep Howard in Philly Red long term then I have a feeling that many more championships are in this teams bright future.