Big day in baseball, and a playoff rundown
Today is the last full day of Major League Baseball’s regular season. Most of the league’s divisional titles have been decided but there was still a lot of mystery in the AL Central. The Minnesota Twins started the day with a half-game lead over the Chicago White Sox, and needed a win over Kansas City to preserve that lead after news arrived in Minneapolis that Chicago had won.
The Royals, reverting back to their pathetic August form, obligingly scored no runs against Minnesota, which preserves the Twins’ lead for now. BUT the White Sox and the Tigers have to make up a game tomorrow from earlier in the season, so all Minnesota can do is wait and watch tomorrow to see if they’ll be part of the playoffs or watching from their homes.
As a Royals fan and an ardent White Sox hater, tomorrow’s game leaves me horribly conflicted. I have to root for the White Sox for one day, so they can push Detroit another half-game back from Kansas City, who is trying to finish in non-last. A Detroit win would send the much more likable Twins to the playoffs but would leave the Royals and Tigers tied for 4th, which would be pretty lame.
I’m not entirely sure what to do here. My hatred for the White Sox surpasses most other emotions that I know, but I have a deep desire to see the Royals’ improvement measured in the standings. I can’t fully win here!
In case you don’t follow baseball closely - and I really can’t fault you for that, because it takes a LOT of time every day - here’s who is in the playoffs and when that was decided.
AL East: It’s been mathematically certain for a while now that whoever didn’t win this divisional race would win the AL Wild Card, but the division title was finally bestowed on the Tampa Bay Rays last night, which means the defending champion Boston Red Sox are this year’s Wild Card entry in the postseason (just like they were when they won it all in 2004).
AL Central: As mentioned above, we don’t know yet. Either the Twins or the White Sox, depending on tomorrow’s makeup game between the White Sox and the Tigers, and a possible one-game playoff between the Sox and Twins on Tuesday.
AL West: The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (sigh) were the first MLB team to clinch a division title this year, getting it done on September 10.
NL East: The Phillies and Mets have been battling this one out for weeks now, but the Phillies finally wrapped up the East title last night. Before today, New York still had a shot at the NL Wild Card, but blew it by losing today. Take a moment and visit this site, which gives the only appropriate sound effect for the Mets’ repeat collapse.
NL Central: The Cubs clinched that division a week ago Saturday, placing them a step closer to their first World Series title in 100 years. The Cubs also played a pivotal role in the NL Wild Card decision today: Their loss to the Brewers meant that Milwuakee is the Wild Card winner and the Mets are toast.
NL West: Last week, the Dodgers punched their ticket to the postseason, without even doing anything. Their spot in the October scene was cemented when Arizona lost that day. I’m pretty happy that LA shortstop Angel Berroa gets to see some postseason action. He’s one of the most entertaining men in baseball today, and someone I have missed seeing (and being pranked by) after he was traded to LA.