Looking at the SSG Baseball playoff run in

The run-in:SSG Baseball Pennant

Twenty-five days left in the month of September and the end of the regular season (barring any one game playoff games), so we look at each respective divisional and wild card race and look at the teams involved and how possibly the races will pan out. American League East
  1. Toronto Blue Jays 84-54
  2. Tampa Bay Rays 70-68
Magic Number 11 With the demise of the Orioles in August after going 6-20 the Blue Jays has the inside rail for the divisional title. The key match up is currently on going as the Jays and Rays with the current three games series split with game three today, the Rays had to sweep the Jays to stand any chance of catching Toronto. What could be the deciding series? 20th-23rd September Blue Jays v Rays   American League Central
  1. Detroit Tigers 86-53
  2. Minnesota Twins 77-62
Magic Number 15 Look like the same scenario as the American League East, Tigers are well ahead in the standings and face the Twins six more times in September. If Minnesota can win all six it still leaves them three games behind. What could be the deciding series? 17th-19th September Tigers v Twins   American League West
  1. Texas Rangers 81-58
  2. Los Angeles Angels 76-63
  3. Houston Astros 74-65
Magic Number 19 The closest of the AL divisional races, Angels just five games back from Texas, with Houston a further two games behind. LA more so are fighting on two fronts with the chance to catch Texas but also clinch a wild card spot. What could be the deciding series? 21st-23rd September Astros v Angels 24th-26th September Angels v Rangers   National League East
  1. Philadelphia Phillies 85-53
  2. Washington Nationals 82-57
Magic Number 21 Reigning champions could find themselves having to make the playoffs via the wild card. Both sides play the same teams in the run-in, basically the other three NLE teams and Colorado. What could be the deciding series? 10th-12th September Phillies v Nationals Games involving Phillies/Nationals v Rockies   National League Central
  1. Chicago Cubs 78-60
  2. St Louis Cardinals 78-61
  3. Pittsburgh Pirates 71-68
Magic Number 24 The Cubs have crept back up on the Cardinals to take a narrow lead in the divisional race, Pittsburgh are clinging on and have a small chance of upsetting the apple cart. What could be the deciding series? 28-30th September Cubs v Cardinals Cubs play Nationals, Cardinals play Dodgers could also have a big say.   National League West
  1. Colorado Rockies 81-57
  2. Los Angeles Dodgers 81-58
  3. San Francisco Giants 74-66
Magic Number 24 The Rockies and Dodgers (like previous seasons) have gone toe to toe all season, and are now in the 15th round of a Heavyweight World Championship fight. Giants in same situation as the Pirates, clinging on and need a collapse from either Colorado or LA to have a chance of making the playoffs through the wild card. What could be the deciding series? 7th-9th September Rockies v Dodgers 17-19th September Dodgers v Rockies 24th-30th Rockies play Nationals and Phillies   Prediction ALE – Blue Jays ALC – Tigers ALW – Rangers   NLE – Phillies (on strength of remaining schedule for Nationals) NLC – Cubs (on strength of remaining schedule for Cardinals) NLW – Dodgers  

The run-in:SSG Baseball wildcard races

American League
  1. Twins 77-62
  2. Angels 76-63
  3. Astros 74-65
  4. Rays 70-68
  5. Red Sox 69-70
  6. Mariners 69-70
  7. Orioles 69-70
We have a three-horse race for two wild card places with the Rays just in reaching distance if they can keep up their late season form. The three teams on 69-70 are hoping for a massive dip in from any of the first three and an improvement on results from themselves to stand a chance of making the play-offs What could be the deciding series? Twins – do not have any series to play against any of the other wild card hopeful teams, but have six games against the Tigers. Angels – face Astros (three) and Mariners (four), also include nine games against Rangers. Astros – of their remaining twenty-three games Houston face five playoff hopeful teams in fifteen games. Rays – face divisional leaders Rangers (three) and Blue Jays (seven) along with Baltimore (three). Red Sox – only nine games against playoff hopeful teams, Astros (three), Blue Jays (three) and Orioles (three). Mariners – perhaps the toughest run-in and for a team on the outside edge of the playoff race, Rangers (seven), Angels (four), Astros (three) Orioles – thirteen of last twenty-three against Rays (three), Jays (three), Red Sox (three) & Astros (four). PREDICTION It’s looking like the teams in the wild card places will make the playoffs, Twins look like making the playoffs as a wild card but the Angels still stand a chance of catching the Rangers and if they do, Texas falls into the wild card game against Minnesota. Houston will miss out, they have a tough run in to the end of the season, the rest have left it too late this season or fallen by the wayside.   National League
  1. Nationals 82-57
  2. Dodgers 81-58
  3. Cardinals 78-61
  4. Giants 74-66
The NL wild card is more fluid than the AL race. The Nationals and Dodgers hold the positions at the moment, but this could easily change as both are embroiled in divisional title races also. The Cardinals could be the odd man out and be packing their bags for home on September 30th, they have a chance in NL Central race still and are close enough to take any chance that a downturn in form of any of the teams above them. The Giants are really in the last chance saloon and need a lot of cards to fall into place to stand a chance of making postseason action. What could be the deciding series? Nationals – Play each of the three divisional leaders for a total of nine games. Rockies – Thirteen against playoff hopeful teams including Washington the last series of the season. Cardinals – Ten games against playoff hopefuls, Cubs series last weekend of season could be a do or die series for St Louis. Giants – 14th-16th September, could be make or break for the Giants as they take on Colorado. PREDICTION I can see the wild cards coming from the NLE and NLW, so it’s Washington and Colorado. I think if St Louis make the playoffs it is as Central divisional champion, it’s either that or nothing for the Cardinals this season I am afraid.