There are about 9 games left in the season, so let's see where everyone stands. In the National League, the Reds have clinched the Central Division and the Giants have clinched the Western Division. The Nationals -- who actually have the best record in the NL -- are stuck in the same division as the Atlanta Braves. So while the Nats have clinched one of the two wild-card bids, they have not yet locked up the division title. If the Nats can hang on and win the East, then the two NL wild cards will be the same two clubs who battled for the NL wild card last year -- Atlanta and St. Louis.
Meanwhile, over in the AL, things are not so cut-and-dried. Texas has a five-game lead over Oakland with nine games left, so they will probably win the West. But the Yankees lead Baltimore by only 1 1/2 games in the East, and in the Central the White Sox lead the Tigers by a mere half game. (Of course, neither the White Sox nor the Tigers deserve to be in the playoffs at all, but that's a rant for another day.) The wild card race is also up for grabs. Assuming that the Yankees and Rangers win the division, then the wild cards will probably go to the A's and the Orioles -- although the Rays and Angels are still hanging around.
Here are the standings by league. The percentage next to each team is that team's estimated chance of making the playoffs, according to coolstandings.com. Teams that have clinched their division are in all caps. Teams with less than a 10 percent chance of making the playoffs are in italics.
NATIONAL LEAGUE
1. Washington (100.0): 93-60 ---
2. CINCINNATI (100.0): 92-61 1
3. SAN FRANCISCO (100.0): 89-64 4
4. Atlanta (99.9): 88-65 5
5. St. Louis (88.5): 83-71 10 1/2
T6. Milwaukee (7.5): 79-74 14
T6. Los Angeles (3.4): 79-74 14
T8. Arizona (0.4): 77-76 16
T8. Philadelphia (0.1): 77-76 16
10. Pittsburgh (<0.1): 75-78 18
11. San Diego (0.0): 73-80 20
12. New York (0.0); 70-83 23
13. Miami (0.0): 66-87 27
T14. Chicago (0.0): 59-94 34
T14. Colorado (0.0): 59-94 34
16. Houston (0.0); 50-104 43 1/2
AMERICAN LEAGUE
1. Texas (99.8): 91-62 ---
2. New York (99.8): 89-64 2
3. Baltimore (92.0): 88-66 3 1/2
4. Oakland (75.1): 86-67 5
5. Los Angeles (22.5): 84-69 7
6. Tampa Bay (10.7): 83-70 8
7. Chicago (56.1): 82-72 9 1/2
8. Detroit (43.9): 81-72 10
9. Seattle (0.0): 72-81 19
10. Kansas City (0.0): 70-83 21
11. Boston (0.0): 69-85 22 1/2
12. Toronto (0.0): 67-86 24
13. Minnesota (0.0): 64-90 27 1/2
14. Cleveland (0.0): 64-91 28
In a game attended by Roger Staubach, the visiting A's beat the Rangers, 3-2, in 10 innings tonight. The Yankees, Orioles and White Sox lost; the Angels, Rays and Tigers won.
ReplyDeleteAs Stephen Drew, our leadoff-hitting shortstop, went four-for-five with two runs batted in and one scored, the A's beat Texas tonight, 8-2. Drew was batting .148 for Arizona this season before the A's traded a Class A outfielder for him on Aug. 21.
ReplyDeleteThe Yankees, Orioles, Rays and Tigers won today. The Angels and White Sox are both trailing their games tonight at the moment.
After tonight's games, here's where things stand in the AL:
ReplyDeleteEAST: Yankees by 1 1/2 over the Orioles
CENTRAL: Tigers by 1 over the White Sox
WEST: Rangers by 3 over the A's
WILD CARD RACE:
Baltimore: 89-67
Oakland: 88-67
Los Angeles: 86-69 (2 games out)
Tampa Bay: 85-70 (3 games out)
Chicago: 82-73 (6 games out)
Urgh. Rangers 9, A's 7. Tigers also won today. Angels trailing their game late. Yankees, Rays and White Sox play later.
ReplyDeleteAfter tonight's games, here's where things stand in the AL:
ReplyDeleteEAST: Yankees by 1 over the Orioles
CENTRAL: Tigers by 2 over the White Sox (Tigers have won 4 straight; ChiSox have lost 3 straight)
WEST: Rangers by 4 over the A's
WILD CARD RACE:
Baltimore: 89-67
Oakland: 88-68
Los Angeles: 86-70 (2 games out)
Tampa Bay: 86-70 (2 games out) (the Rays have won 8 in a row)