It's September 16th...

Do you know where your baseball team is? I promised some baseball commentary on here and with 12 to 14 games to go before October, raging thunderstorms tonight, and a steady internet connection, I've decided it's time. So here it is...

If the playoffs started today, the Angels, White Sox, Rays, and Red Sox would be representing the AL. The Twins are only 1.5 games back from the Pale Hose though with three head-to-head games coming up. The Chi Sox have a slightly easier schedule though with three games against the Yanks while the Twinkies play the Rays four times. Still, head to head games make all the difference. I'm calling a push on this one; it'll be decided in Minneapolis next week.

The other remaining question mark in the AL is the wild card. It's definitely coming from the East and it'll be between the Rays and the Red Sox but which one is decided only by mere percentage points at this point. Two more head to head games to go this week probably won't be decisive (I'm predicting a split of the last two), so we'll have to see if the Rays can keep it together under pressure as the season comes to an end. Their remaining schedule is 4 each against the Twins, at the O's, and at Detroit. The Sox on the other hand have three in Toronto and finish at home with 4 against the Tribe and 3 against the Evil Empire. With the Sox success at home and their superior Pythagorean, I'm calling it another Boston pennant this year. I'll admit a slight bias though...

In that other league (heh), the Cubs and Dodgers are the only teams that can feel confident they're in. In the East, the Mets only have a 0.5 game lead over the Phillies who also happen to be tied with the Brewers for a wild card berth after sweeping them in a four-game set at home. The Phillies definitely have the easier remaining schedule as they avoid the Cubs all together and have 9 of 12 against sub-.500 teams. The Mets get to face the Cubs 4 times and I'm sure they're thinking about last September's collapse. But the Brewers get to face the Cubs a whopping 6 times before the season's over. They're giving them everything they've got with Sabathia, Sheets, and Parra in the first three, but I'm afraid if they don't take at least 2 out of 3 this week, they're gonna need either another Mets Meltdown or hope the Cubs are in full rest mode for a sweep to end the season. Prediction: Phillies pass the Mets who erase last year's demons and hold off the Brew Crew. Sorry, no pissing their pants for joy for the Brewski-faithful this year; it'll be 1982 and counting...

So that would give us division series of Rays in LA, White Sox/Twins in Boston, Mets in Chicago, and Dodgers in Philly. Sounds exciting. I can't wait to get back and see some October ball!

P.S. In other news, the M's are half a game behind the Nats and basically tied with the Dads for the worst record in baseball and the no. 1 pick in next year's draft. Come on, M's! Lose! Think about the future!