The most feasible scenario for them to get in is with a tie. The one-game tiebreaker will be in L.A. That sets up a nightmare travel scenario, though. They'd have to play the tiebreaker in L.A., fly to Atlanta for the WC game, then fly back to L.A. if they win (because of the 2-3 format).
Originally posted by SchippeWreckThe Dodgers are totally teasing me.
The most feasible scenario for them to get in is with a tie. The one-game tiebreaker will be in L.A. That sets up a nightmare travel scenario, though. They'd have to play the tiebreaker in L.A., fly to Atlanta for the WC game, then fly back to L.A. if they win (because of the 2-3 format).
But...I'm getting ahead of myself.
It should be interesting. The Cardinals play the Reds, who still have a chance for best record. The Dodgers play the Giants. I don't know if the Giants have a chance to have the best record but I think they'd love to knock out LA out of the playoffs. Getting read for the playoffs should be SF's main priority though.
Originally posted by edoug It should be interesting. The Cardinals play the Reds, who still have a chance for best record. The Dodgers play the Giants. I don't know if the Giants have a chance to have the best record but I think they'd love to knock out LA out of the playoffs. Getting read for the playoffs should be SF's main priority though.
Giants can only tie for best record if they sweep the Dodgers and Washington and Cincinnati get swept. Then it goes to head-to-head records, and...I'm not looking that up right now.
By my research, Baltimore and Washington are sending teams to the playoffs in the same season for the first time ever.
Things that can happen today: 1) NY Y can win the AL East with a win AND Baltimore loss (Baltimore has the tie breaker on NY Y) 2) NY Y can clinch the AL East and the AL #1 seed with a win AND Baltimore loss AND a Texas loss (NY Y has the tie breaker over Texas) 3) Texas can win the AL West with a win over Oakland 4) Washington can clinch the NL #1 seed with a win AND Cincinnati loss (Washington has the tie-breaker) 5) St. Louis can clinch the NL WC #2 spot with a win OR The Angels Dodgers loss
E- Eliminated from Divisional title W- Eliminated from Wild Card X- Eliminated from playoffs
Games back listed are games back from the #2 wildcard team
AL 1. NY Y 93-67 (East leaders, Clinched playoff spot) (4-3 vs Texas) 2. Texas 93-67 (West leaders, Clinched playoff spot) (3-4 vs NY Y) 3. Detroit 87-73 (Central champions) (Can do no better than #3 seed)
4. Oakland 92-68 (WC #1) (5-4 vs Baltimore) (-1.0 from Texas) 5. Baltimore 92-68 (WC #2) (4-5 vs Oakland) (-1.0 from NY Y)
6. X-LA A 89-70 -3.0 7. X-Tampa Bay 89-71 -3.0 8. X-Chicago WS 84-76 -8.0 9. X-Seattle 73-87 -19.0
Division #3 Detroit @ #2 Texas WC Winner @ #1 NY Y
NL 1. Washington 96-64 (East champions) (5-2 vs Cincinnati) 2. Cincinnati 96-64 (Central champions) (2-5 vs Washington) 3. San Francisco 93-67 (West champions) (Can do no better than #3 seed)
Originally posted by Me back in DecemberBut no one should be crowning the Angels champions. I'm not even going to do that. And here's why.
The Angels' bullpen still BLOWS! The bullpen was among the worst in the league last year and, to my knowledge, they've done NOTHING to address it. And considering they've just blown about $400M in free agency, I can't imagine they'll be signing anybody. They'd better hope Pujols can give them 10-2 or 7-0 leads every night, because that Angels bullpen is awful!
Blown saves - 22 (1st in AL) Save percentage - 63% (tied for last in AL)
I really...REALLY hate it when I'm right.
I also strongly dislike the Oakland A's and anxiously await their usual first-round out.
If the Orioles make it far in the playoffs (Orioles...playoffs...this still doesn't sound right), I wonder if we'll get a token appearance from Grimis?
MLB Playoff Standings -- only game 162 left to play
What can happen today: 1) NY Y will win the AL East with a win OR Baltimore loss 2) NY Y will win the AL East and clinch the #1 seed with a win 3) Baltimore will force a one game playoff with a win AND NY Y loss 4) The winner of the Oakland/Texas game will win the AL West 5) Texas can win the AL West and clinch the #1 seed with a win AND NY Y loss (I think. Texas has a tiebreaker over both NY Y and Baltimore) 6) Oakland can win the AL West and clinch the #1 seed with a win AND NY Y loss 7) Oakland will clinch the AL #4 seed with a loss AND Baltimore loss 8) Baltimore will clinch the AL #4 seed with a win AND NY Y win AND Oakland loss 9) Washington will clinch the NL #1 seed with a win OR Cincinnati loss 10) Cincinnati will clinch the NL #1 seed with a win AND Washington loss
E- Eliminated from Divisional title W- Eliminated from Wild Card X- Eliminated from playoffs
Games back listed are games back from the #2 wildcard team
AL 1. NY Y 94-67 (East leaders, Clinched playoff spot) 2t Oakland 93-68 (West leaders, Clinched playoff spot) (10-8 vs Texas) 2t Texas 93-68 (West leaders, Clinched playoff spot) (8-10 vs Oakland) 3. Detroit 87-74 (Central champions) (Can do no better than #3 seed)
4t Oakland 93-68 (West leaders, Clinched playoff spot) (10-8 vs Texas) (5-4 vs Baltimore) 4t Texas 93-68 (West leaders, Clinched playoff spot) (8-10 vs Oakland) (5-2 vs Batimore) 5. Baltimore 93-68 (WC #2) (4-5 vs Oakland) (2-5 vs Texas) (-1.0 from NY Y)
6t X-LA A 89-72 -4.0 6t X-Tampa Bay 89-72 -4.0 8. X-Chicago WS 84-77 -9.0 9. X-Seattle 74-87 -19.0
Division #3 Detroit @ #2 playoff winner WC Winner @ #1 NY Y
NL 1. Washington 97-64 (East champions) (5-2 vs Cincinnati) 2. Cincinnati 97-64 (Central champions) (2-5 vs Washington) 3. San Francisco 94-67 (West champions)
Originally posted by It's FalseBlown saves - 22 (1st in AL) Save percentage - 63% (tied for last in AL)
I really...REALLY hate it when I'm right.
I'd be interested in seeing in what part of the season those blown saves occurred. Frieri put up some staggering numbers, and has the potential to be a huge closer for the Angels. Trading Darren Oliver was a bad move - I didn't like the trade when it happened and I still hate it.
And I don't think it was just closing - the entire pitching staff, save Weaver, wasn't pitching well until later in the season. Even when we went on the post April roll, the pitching was still allowing 5, 6, 7 or more runs. The Angels just had the offensive power to overcome those numbers. Didn't they even blow an 8 run lean against Tampa Bay at one point?
The scariest thing about this season - if Vernon Wells had not gotten injured, we would have likely never seen Mike Trout - or, at least, THIS Mike Trout.
Originally posted by Zeruel8) Baltimore will clinch the AL #4 seed with a win AND NY Y win AND Oakland loss
I'm pretty sure the Orioles clinch the #4 seed with just a win. If they make 94-68, the loser of A's/Rangers falls to 93-69. Even a Baltimore (or NY) loss in a potential one-game playoff for the division title would drop them to 94-69, leaving them 1/2 game ahead of the other WC team.
(FWIW, MLB Network has the AL West championship game this afternoon at 12:30 Pacific time.)
With the exception of not having more teams in the mix these past few days for wild card spots, this is probably what Selig was hoping for, three very meaningful games today plus the Nats and the Reds still playing for home field, plus a possible O's/Yanks playoff.. and then two 'winner-take-all' Wild Card playoff games.
The only hell they might catch is if a WC winner goes on to take the first two games at their home park in the best-of-five Divisional Round. (Apparently this is a one-time scheduling quirk due to implementing the 2nd WC idea on short notice)
I've got to say I like the way this is making the division win worth going all-out for, even if under the one WC system, only the Yankees would be able to half-ass it today. At least Bud will look good for a change - until we get a season with two teams tied for a division at 102-60, who are forced into a playoff game to determine which is the division winner, and who has to play one game against a rested 85-77 second WC team to survive.
Otherwise, Miguel Cabrera is +.007 for batting average (Trout would need a 6-6 to pass him, if Cabrera sits today), he's +1 over Hamilton and +2 over Encarnacion for HRs, and +11 in RBI. As good as Trout's been, and even with the gaudy wins-over-replacement number, You have to give the first Triple Crown winner in 45 years who led his team to the playoffs the MVP nod over someone who's sitting at home after today, don't you?
And really? The Marlins give Adam Greenberg his one at-bat against a freakin' knuckleballer? Really? He didn't even touch the ball striking out on three pitches. Would have sucked if Archie Graham did that in "Field of Dreams".
Originally posted by Zeruel8) Baltimore will clinch the AL #4 seed with a win AND NY Y win AND Oakland loss
I'm pretty sure the Orioles clinch the #4 seed with just a win. If they make 94-68, the loser of A's/Rangers falls to 93-69. Even a Baltimore (or NY) loss in a potential one-game playoff for the division title would drop them to 94-69, leaving them 1/2 game ahead of the other WC team.
When I mean "clinch" at this late in the season, I really meant "assigned". Where I went wrong was saying Oakland had to lose. Doesn't matter who wins or loses the Texas/Oakland game. I shouldn't do these at 3am.
If NY wins, they are 95-67 and AL East champs Oakland/Texas winner is 94-68 and AL West champs Loser is 93-69 If Baltimore wins, they are 94-68
NY is #1, Oakland/Texas #2, Baltimore #4, Texas/Oakland #5.
--- I have the Baltimore/NY tie scenario covered in point #3 already:
If NY loses, they are 94-68 and tied for 1st in East If Baltimore wins, they are 94-68 and tied for 1st in east Oakland/Texas winner is 94-68 and AL West champs
-- 2006 Time magazine Person of the Year -- -- July 2009 Ordained Reverend --
OAKLAND, Calif. -- The Oakland Athletics captured the AL West with another improbable rally in a season full of them, coming back from four runs down and a 13-game division deficit to stun the two-time defending league champion Texas Rangers 12-5 on Wednesday.
Josh Hamilton dropped a fly ball in center field for a two-run error that put the A's (94-68) ahead 7-5 in a six-run fourth inning. Hamilton's Rangers (93-69) are headed to the new one-game, wild-card playoff on the heels of just their second three-game sweep of 2012.
It's hard to say the Cardinals came out of nowhere to win the NL pennant last year after they'd been in the playoffs three of the previous five seasons, but it wasn't until they finished 2004 with the best record in baseball (and ran away with the NL Cent...