Fall is here, which means that another Fall Classic is around the corner. With a couple of weeks still left to play in the regular season, it’s clear who has a shot of making into the playoffs division by division. Here’s a breakdown and predictions:
Starting on the West Coast in the National League West Division, the Los Angeles Dodgers are leading the reigning world champion San Francisco Giants by 8 games. Last night the Dodgers learned they need three more wins to clinch the division, which is do able given their lethal pitching staff which includes Clayton Kershaw and Zack Greinke. They still have a three game series against the soon to be former World Series Champions. The Giants will finish their season in style with an epic Bay Bridge series matchup featuring former A’s and Giants pitchers and former teammates Barry Zito and Tim Hudson on the rubber. It’s definitely one to watch for those sentimental baseball fans. An early Congratulations to the Dodgers on a playoff berth.
The American League West Division has been a roller coaster over the last few weeks as the Texas Rangers recently took over first place. All season long the Houston Astros, who have historically had the worst record in the MLB season after season were on the top of this division and currently trail the Rangers by 3 games. The Rangers go into the last two weeks of the season playing against the AL Central last place Detroit Tigers third place AL west division mates the Los Angeles Angels, who are only four games out of first place and are also still in contention to take the AL west crown. The Astros this season have been carried largely in part by second baseman, Jose Altuve who had a breakout year after being with the team since his 2011 debut. The Rangers have an all star cast on the field including Prince Fielder who has the team’s highest batting average at .307. This division is up in the air, but consistency is key to makeup a 4 game deficit, but the Astros could take this division back and get their first playoff berth; however the Rangers are on a hot streak, which can easily carry them into the postseason and either way both teams will get a berth because the Astros are in line for a wildcard spot as well.
Moving to the central division, the NL Central division is basically clenched. Although no team has officially won the pennant, the first place Saint Louis Cardinals are going to the playoffs being the only team in both leagues to achieve over 90 wins this season, leaving them with the best MLB record this season. The NL Central second place team the Pittsburgh Pirates are only four games behind but have a three game series against the Cardinals before the end of the regular season; however, the Pirates are in first place in the NL wild card race, so it looks as if both teams will make the playoffs regardless of who wins the division. The Chicago Cubs are second in the Wildcard race and if they win will get their first playoff berth since 2008. So an early congratulations to the three teams.
Over on the American league side, former division champs and World Series runner ups, Kansas City is leading the division by 11 games over the Minnesota Twins. Even without postseason star James Shields who signed a $75 million dollar contract with the San Diego Padres after the World Series loss, the Kansas City Royals remained on the track that got them to the World Series last year. Hats off to Kansas City for keeping up the momentum from last season and winning their division for the first time since 1985.
The National League east division has been followed with a close eye by the baseball world this season as the New York Mets and the Washington Nationals have been neck and neck. The Mets are in first place at the moment and have a 6 game lead over the Nationals, but both teams end the regular season with a three game series against each other. The division can go in either direction. The Mets have faced challenges this season having David Wright out with an injury for a large part of the season and Matt Harvey having a rough time with his comeback, but if they can persevere through those challenges then they can close out the season with the pennant in hand. The Mets also acquired Yoenis Cespedes before the trade deadline, and teams that have Cespedes on the field have had a good track record for winning divisions and playoff berths. The Met’s seem to have the edge.
Over to the American League east, the New York Yankees had the division in their hands for the better half of the season. That was until the trade deadline when the Toronto Blue Jays acquired the biggest names on the market: David Price (DET) and Troy Tulowitzki (COL). These two boosted an already flourishing offense, and the Blue Jays quickly snuck up behind the Yankees and took over the division. They just played a three game series which the Blue Jays won and they are currently three games head of the Yankees. The Blue Jays have a series against third place Baltimore and fourth place Tampa Bay Rays. If the Blue Jays keep up the momentum they will take the division easily, but either way, both teams will get playoff berths as the Yankees are ahead in the Al wildcard race by 4.5 games. Early congrats to both teams.
Here’s a shorthand breakdown of who is most likely to make the playoffs:NL West: LA DodgersAL West: Texas RangersNL Central: St. Louis Cardinals [already have playoff berth], (Pittsburgh Pirates & Chicago Cubs via Wildcard)AL Central: Kansas City Royals [already clinched]NL East: NY MetsAL East: Toronto Blue Jays (NY Yankees & Houston Astros via Wildcard)
We will have to wait and see who cliches the rest of the divisions before the end of the season, and wait for the postseason to see how these teams play out, and who will make it to the 2015 Fall Classic and take the title of World Champions.