And down the stretch they come, two weeks to go and there are two divisions which will have competition and of course Bud Selig's baby the Wildcard, so per Perras' request here's my stretch run predictions.
AL Central Race
Detroit Tigers: A one game lead is a far cry from where the Tigers were months ago, but a 5 game lead over the White Sox despite, a 3 game series in Chicago gives them a large amount of breathing room down the stretch. If they can win would in Chicago they should be home free having 5 games with the Royals remaining.
Remaining Schedule: 3 @CWS, 1 @BAL, 3 @KC, 3 TOR, 2 KC
Question Marks: How about their weak lineup, their incredibly inexperienced pitching, the slippage over the past two months and their inability this season to perform against good team. This squad better win the division or they can expect to get hammered by the New York Yankees in the first round.
What's Working in their Advantage: It's a nice story that the Tigers are having a great season, but they are the weakest team in the AL with a chance to make the postseason. They have a solid staff, but nobody is going to look at Verlander, Bonderman, Kenny Rogers, and Nate Robertson and not expect to win.
Loftiest Expectations: The farthest the Tigers should expect to get is the AL Championship series, too much inexperience to conquer the likes of the Yankees or White Sox.
Minnesota Twins: The Twins have expanded their lead to 4 games in the wildcard so they could make those two games at home versus the White Sox meaningless, this is needed as they will desperately want Santana to be their game 1 Wildcard series starter.
Remaining Schedule: 3 @BOS, 3 @BAL, 4 KC, 2 CWS
Question Marks: After Santana they have what starting pitching? A bunch of no named rookies, are you going to fear Boof Bonser, Matt Garza, or Carlos Silva in a playoff series don't think so.
What's Working in their Advantage: They have a team built for the Metrodome and they have Santana and Nathan the best one two punch starter closer in the majors.
Loftiest Expectations: Too much effort will be needed for the Twins to make the playoffs, they will get dumped round one after they win the Wild Card or sneak away with the division.
Chicago White Sox: The most disappointing team in the league this season, with limited injury problems the White Sox need to play out of their heads in order to make the playoffs.
Remaining Schedule: 3 DET, 4 SEA, 3 @CLE, 2 @MIN
Question Marks: Inconsistent all around, they played poorly in the first half and put themselves in a spot where they had the most difficult remaining schedule between their two division rivals. One day they look phenomenal the next they stink, you don't know what you're getting from their lineup or their pitchers.
What's Working in their Advantage: The slugfest of Dye, Konerko and
Loftiest Expectations: If they can get their they can win it all but they've put themselves in a position where they are going to need to sweep at minimum two of the four series to get in.
NL West & Wildcard
San Diego Padres: Taken the lead away from the Dodgers, tonights game pitting Peavy and Penny is huge to either give the lead back or strengthen their position.
Remaining Schedule: 1 @LAD, 3 ARI, 3 PIT, 3 @STL, 3 @ARI
Question Marks: Hitting. Wow a team with questionable hitting amazing. Giles has been better of late but they are still unsure as to how to form their lineup and Todd Walker in the heart of the order is pitiful.
What's Working in their Advantage: 4 solid above average starting pitchers. And the NL closer of the year in Hoffman who might be having his best season of all time.
Loftiest Expectations: Dumped in the second round, Peavy, Woody, Wells, Young could get them through the first round but it would be difficult for them to perform favorably offensively two consecutive series.
Los Angeles Dodgers:
Remaining Schedule: 1 SD, 3 PIT, 3 ARI, 3 @COL, 2 @SF
Question Marks: More Hitting, JD Drew underperformed, Kent injury prone, Nomar weak 2nd half, etc. They need to put up more runs.
What's Working in their Advantage: A good pitching rotation with solid playoff experience behind Maddux, Lowe and Penny, all holding World Series starts.
Loftiest Expectations: Dumped in the first round, if the Dodgers get in they will be dumped by either the Cards or the Mets in the first round, they just don't match up well with either.
Philadelphia Phillies:
Remaining Schedule: 3 CHC, 3 FLA, 1 HOU, 3 @WAS, 2 @FLA
Question Marks Can they get in? The matchups against the Marlins are more difficult than any of the remaining games than either the Dodgers or the Padres have on their schedule. The Phillies need to stay red hot in order to get in.
What's Working in their Advantage: They're streaking, the staved off division elimination by gaining a sweep this weekend, they are getting solid pitching from vets like Moyer and Lieber a rook in Hamels and a Wife Beater in Brett Myers.
Loftiest Expectations: NL Champion, the Phillies are the hottest team in the NL, and a Wild Card winner with a hot streak usually gets into the series, the Phils however need to get to the playoffs before they have the chance to exceed.
Locked Up
NY Mets: The Mets had a fun weekend getting swept by the Pirates of all teams but despite this they need a single victory to lock up the division and pretty much have homefield in the NL locked up as well.
Question Marks: Despite their NL dominance this team has many question marks. A smaller questionmark lies with how their young studs, Reyes and Wright will handle the pressure of their first playoff experience. However this concern is dwarfed by their starting pitchers concern. With a banged up and old Pedro and Glavine coming off a rough few months if neither are what they used to be the Mets could be one of those great regular season teams to be dropped early in the playoffs due to weak starting pitching.
What's Working in their Advantage: Homefield, the best line up in the NL. The possible re-emergence of the playoff god that was Carlos Beltran. Little fear of the wildcard team or anyone else in the NL for that matter.
Loftiest Expectations: World Series loser, the Mets do not have the pitching to match up and overpower an AL team.
NY Yankees: A 4 game magic number with 2 weeks to play will allow the Yankees to clinch while maintaining rest for Mariano and give them the time to arrange their postseason rotation accordingly.
Question Marks: Starting Pitching, is a New York worry for everybody. Who is the #4 starter, Wright or Lidle? Neither is a solid option. In addition the lack of consistency of Johnson as well as the incredible difference between Wang at home and on the road give other teams hope.
What's Working in their Advantage: The strength of the bullpen behind Proctor, Farnsworth, Villone and of course Mo. The depth of the lineup with the possibility of Robinson Cano, 3rd in the AL in average batting 9th. The competition, the fact that the Angels and Red Sox are all but eliminated from the playoffs makes any Yankee fan ecstatic that they may only have to go through the youthful As, Twins and Tigers to make the series.
Loftiest Expectations: World Series Champions, the Yankees have the best line up and arguably the best bullpen and the fact that the Angels and Sox are not around, a loss before the World Series would be even more disappointing then normal.
St. Louis Cardinals: A 7 game lead with two weeks to go is a lock and will find them battling the champion of the either the NL West or the Phillies if they can sneak away with the wildcard.
Question Marks: The theme of top 3 teams that have pretty much clinched is their biggest issue is who is going to step up in their rotations. Chris Carpenter and then what? Marquis, Suppan, Dreamweaver, that strikes the fear in no one. In addition Izzy has been one of the most unreliable closers this season. Finally Edmonds the third best hitter on the team is still recovering from his dizzy spells and they will need him in the pos season to advance.
What's Working their Advantage: Albert Pujols, this is what they have that no one else does, a clutch hitter who can single handedly carry a team through a playoff series.
Loftiest Expectations: National League Champions, will need to win the Wild Card series with enough time to give Carpenter the option of 3 starts and then they have the possibility to win the NL.
Oakland A's: Another team with a 7 game lead, this one slightly more under the radar. Frank Thomas is on fire during the month of September and they just toasted the White Sox in their weekend series.
Question Marks: Their question marks are similar to their strengths, what will their youth be able to do in the majorities first postseason. The A's have reloaded, but Blanton, Haren, Street, Duscherer, Crosby, etc. all have limited to no playoff experience, with Haren only having bullpen work with the Cards.
What's Working in their Advantage: Each of their pitchers have the ability to shut the opponents down. If Rich Harden comes back the 4 man rotation of Harden, Blanton, Haren and Zito will be the best in the AL if not baseball.
Loftiest Expectations: World Series Champions, the A's have never put it together in the playoffs largely to being matched up against superior Yankees and Red Sox rosters, this season if the A's pitching can get in line they have the talent to win it all.
AL Central Race
Detroit Tigers: A one game lead is a far cry from where the Tigers were months ago, but a 5 game lead over the White Sox despite, a 3 game series in Chicago gives them a large amount of breathing room down the stretch. If they can win would in Chicago they should be home free having 5 games with the Royals remaining.
Remaining Schedule: 3 @CWS, 1 @BAL, 3 @KC, 3 TOR, 2 KC
Question Marks: How about their weak lineup, their incredibly inexperienced pitching, the slippage over the past two months and their inability this season to perform against good team. This squad better win the division or they can expect to get hammered by the New York Yankees in the first round.
What's Working in their Advantage: It's a nice story that the Tigers are having a great season, but they are the weakest team in the AL with a chance to make the postseason. They have a solid staff, but nobody is going to look at Verlander, Bonderman, Kenny Rogers, and Nate Robertson and not expect to win.
Loftiest Expectations: The farthest the Tigers should expect to get is the AL Championship series, too much inexperience to conquer the likes of the Yankees or White Sox.
Minnesota Twins: The Twins have expanded their lead to 4 games in the wildcard so they could make those two games at home versus the White Sox meaningless, this is needed as they will desperately want Santana to be their game 1 Wildcard series starter.
Remaining Schedule: 3 @BOS, 3 @BAL, 4 KC, 2 CWS
Question Marks: After Santana they have what starting pitching? A bunch of no named rookies, are you going to fear Boof Bonser, Matt Garza, or Carlos Silva in a playoff series don't think so.
What's Working in their Advantage: They have a team built for the Metrodome and they have Santana and Nathan the best one two punch starter closer in the majors.
Loftiest Expectations: Too much effort will be needed for the Twins to make the playoffs, they will get dumped round one after they win the Wild Card or sneak away with the division.
Chicago White Sox: The most disappointing team in the league this season, with limited injury problems the White Sox need to play out of their heads in order to make the playoffs.
Remaining Schedule: 3 DET, 4 SEA, 3 @CLE, 2 @MIN
Question Marks: Inconsistent all around, they played poorly in the first half and put themselves in a spot where they had the most difficult remaining schedule between their two division rivals. One day they look phenomenal the next they stink, you don't know what you're getting from their lineup or their pitchers.
What's Working in their Advantage: The slugfest of Dye, Konerko and
Loftiest Expectations: If they can get their they can win it all but they've put themselves in a position where they are going to need to sweep at minimum two of the four series to get in.
NL West & Wildcard
San Diego Padres: Taken the lead away from the Dodgers, tonights game pitting Peavy and Penny is huge to either give the lead back or strengthen their position.
Remaining Schedule: 1 @LAD, 3 ARI, 3 PIT, 3 @STL, 3 @ARI
Question Marks: Hitting. Wow a team with questionable hitting amazing. Giles has been better of late but they are still unsure as to how to form their lineup and Todd Walker in the heart of the order is pitiful.
What's Working in their Advantage: 4 solid above average starting pitchers. And the NL closer of the year in Hoffman who might be having his best season of all time.
Loftiest Expectations: Dumped in the second round, Peavy, Woody, Wells, Young could get them through the first round but it would be difficult for them to perform favorably offensively two consecutive series.
Los Angeles Dodgers:
Remaining Schedule: 1 SD, 3 PIT, 3 ARI, 3 @COL, 2 @SF
Question Marks: More Hitting, JD Drew underperformed, Kent injury prone, Nomar weak 2nd half, etc. They need to put up more runs.
What's Working in their Advantage: A good pitching rotation with solid playoff experience behind Maddux, Lowe and Penny, all holding World Series starts.
Loftiest Expectations: Dumped in the first round, if the Dodgers get in they will be dumped by either the Cards or the Mets in the first round, they just don't match up well with either.
Philadelphia Phillies:
Remaining Schedule: 3 CHC, 3 FLA, 1 HOU, 3 @WAS, 2 @FLA
Question Marks Can they get in? The matchups against the Marlins are more difficult than any of the remaining games than either the Dodgers or the Padres have on their schedule. The Phillies need to stay red hot in order to get in.
What's Working in their Advantage: They're streaking, the staved off division elimination by gaining a sweep this weekend, they are getting solid pitching from vets like Moyer and Lieber a rook in Hamels and a Wife Beater in Brett Myers.
Loftiest Expectations: NL Champion, the Phillies are the hottest team in the NL, and a Wild Card winner with a hot streak usually gets into the series, the Phils however need to get to the playoffs before they have the chance to exceed.
Locked Up
NY Mets: The Mets had a fun weekend getting swept by the Pirates of all teams but despite this they need a single victory to lock up the division and pretty much have homefield in the NL locked up as well.
Question Marks: Despite their NL dominance this team has many question marks. A smaller questionmark lies with how their young studs, Reyes and Wright will handle the pressure of their first playoff experience. However this concern is dwarfed by their starting pitchers concern. With a banged up and old Pedro and Glavine coming off a rough few months if neither are what they used to be the Mets could be one of those great regular season teams to be dropped early in the playoffs due to weak starting pitching.
What's Working in their Advantage: Homefield, the best line up in the NL. The possible re-emergence of the playoff god that was Carlos Beltran. Little fear of the wildcard team or anyone else in the NL for that matter.
Loftiest Expectations: World Series loser, the Mets do not have the pitching to match up and overpower an AL team.
NY Yankees: A 4 game magic number with 2 weeks to play will allow the Yankees to clinch while maintaining rest for Mariano and give them the time to arrange their postseason rotation accordingly.
Question Marks: Starting Pitching, is a New York worry for everybody. Who is the #4 starter, Wright or Lidle? Neither is a solid option. In addition the lack of consistency of Johnson as well as the incredible difference between Wang at home and on the road give other teams hope.
What's Working in their Advantage: The strength of the bullpen behind Proctor, Farnsworth, Villone and of course Mo. The depth of the lineup with the possibility of Robinson Cano, 3rd in the AL in average batting 9th. The competition, the fact that the Angels and Red Sox are all but eliminated from the playoffs makes any Yankee fan ecstatic that they may only have to go through the youthful As, Twins and Tigers to make the series.
Loftiest Expectations: World Series Champions, the Yankees have the best line up and arguably the best bullpen and the fact that the Angels and Sox are not around, a loss before the World Series would be even more disappointing then normal.
St. Louis Cardinals: A 7 game lead with two weeks to go is a lock and will find them battling the champion of the either the NL West or the Phillies if they can sneak away with the wildcard.
Question Marks: The theme of top 3 teams that have pretty much clinched is their biggest issue is who is going to step up in their rotations. Chris Carpenter and then what? Marquis, Suppan, Dreamweaver, that strikes the fear in no one. In addition Izzy has been one of the most unreliable closers this season. Finally Edmonds the third best hitter on the team is still recovering from his dizzy spells and they will need him in the pos season to advance.
What's Working their Advantage: Albert Pujols, this is what they have that no one else does, a clutch hitter who can single handedly carry a team through a playoff series.
Loftiest Expectations: National League Champions, will need to win the Wild Card series with enough time to give Carpenter the option of 3 starts and then they have the possibility to win the NL.
Oakland A's: Another team with a 7 game lead, this one slightly more under the radar. Frank Thomas is on fire during the month of September and they just toasted the White Sox in their weekend series.
Question Marks: Their question marks are similar to their strengths, what will their youth be able to do in the majorities first postseason. The A's have reloaded, but Blanton, Haren, Street, Duscherer, Crosby, etc. all have limited to no playoff experience, with Haren only having bullpen work with the Cards.
What's Working in their Advantage: Each of their pitchers have the ability to shut the opponents down. If Rich Harden comes back the 4 man rotation of Harden, Blanton, Haren and Zito will be the best in the AL if not baseball.
Loftiest Expectations: World Series Champions, the A's have never put it together in the playoffs largely to being matched up against superior Yankees and Red Sox rosters, this season if the A's pitching can get in line they have the talent to win it all.
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