Results tagged ‘ pennant races ’
How Do I Close This Properly…
Photo by Randy Stern
How do I begin to close out The Heirloom?
I was thinking how to recall the past four seasons inside this MLBlog by recalling the best moments doing it. Not just the games, but the experiences of being a blogger – Top 100 Fan’s MLBlogs for two seasons – and doing my best to bridge the game to you, dear reader.
Someone mentioned the importance of diversity. In a year where MLB clubs are trying to show sincerity in the face of helping all young people out, there were moments where it is done through example by fans and the ballclub. In a time when more people are standing up on either side of the culture war, attempts to find a path towards the middle were found only through the game itself.
I remember a long time ago when Jim McKay lamented that the Olympic Games were supposed to be devoid of politics. Baseball was never immune from such cultural politics for as long as the game’s been around. Sadly, it has not been filtered properly. I wished I did a better job doing so.
Not when a teenager in nearby Anoka took his life because the school district could not protect him from the bullying at his school. Not when you have politicians screaming to institute a program of Apartheid based on sexual orientation. Not when you have people on my side asking for money on one hand to protect us from political bullying, while feigning the true diversity of the people it’s lobbying to protect.
That’s why I failed to filter this crap out.
My approach has always been to discuss the game first and foremost. Not just Major League Baseball, but every level of the game where we as fans would come and enjoy in person. The Minors, independent leagues, summer collegiate leagues and college baseball – when a ball is pitched to a batter and a few people show up is a game worth watching. There’s enough of the game to go around and I attempted to interpret as much of the passion for it on here as possible.
Why put all my marbles into the automotive world? I found it to be a place where I can be out and open to the industry, my colleagues and my readership. Now that I have expanded my automotive coverage to a soon-to-be launched lifestyle blogsite from Minneapolis-based LGBT publication Lavender magazine, my time has been crunched to deliver to a wider readership.
I’m not giving up on baseball. I do keep an eye on certain teams. The Boston Red Sox looks like they’ll go to the wire with the New York Yankees in the AL East. The Los Angeles Dodgers have been on a tear with MVP talk of Matt Kemp. The Detroit Tigers are holding on with potential AL Cy Young Award winner Justin Verlander in control. There’s the Philadelphia Phillies with the best rotation in baseball – still. Not to mention the Milwaukee Brewers taking command of the NL Central.
Lastly, the St. Paul Saints are in their division playoffs in the American Association. If they could leave behind the Winnipeg Goldeyes, they’ll face the winner of Grand Prairie and Wichita for their first league title.
You see – I’ve been paying attention.
What memories should I recall in this last month of The Heirloom? Let me think about that and get back to you…
Waving Flags
Photo by Randy Stern
I guess there’s nothing else to say. I won’t sing K’naan’s biggest hit in the process, so here it goes…
2011 IN TARGET FIELD: It’s official – I’m done with the Minnesota Twins for 2011.
If you’ve followed what little I’ve contributed to this blog, you would sense my disappointment with my local ballclub. This would excuse me from stating the reasons for my disappointment.
Injuries are one thing, but the lack of intelligent moves on and off the field are frustrating. This team can be fun to watch. However, when they’re frightening – they’re embarrassing.
One bright side has been my affirmation that Luke Hughes will be a strong member of next year’s ballclub. His power is there, but what Hughes needs is to sharpen up his contact hitting and fielding. Once he gets to those spots, he will elevate himself to the level of Michael Cuddyer.
But, that’s next year. The Twins could spoil…like the Kansas City Royals often do.
MY POSTSEASON OUTLOOK (OTHER THAN THE AL EAST): It’s easier to simply punch the tickets of the New York Yankees and the Boston Red Sox into this year’s postseason. There are six other slots to decipher.
Perhaps the best chance at clinching a postseason berth at this point is the Milwaukee Brewers. Just when you thought the NL Central was going to be tight with four potential contenders, the Brew Crew ratcheted things up a few notches by creating a gap of 10-1/2 games between them and the rest of the pack. The talk has been of MVPs – Prince Fielder and Ryan Braun – and a cadre of strong talent across the board. Even Nyjer Moragn has been behaving himself. Perhaps being Tony Plush helped – a lot! Former Cy Young Award winner Zack Grienke has been the ace in a strong rotation, by augmenting Yovanni Gallardo, Shaun Marcum and Randy Wolf. Let’s not forget the emergence of John Axford as the name closer in the NL. Sorry, Brian Wilson.
Another so-called surprise is the Arizona Diamondbacks. I’ve already discussed how Kevin Towers had simply rebuilt this team around the leadership of manager Kirk Gibson. The proof of the reboot in Phoenix has been the dedication to a work ethic as laid out by Gibson using a no-nonsense approach to the game. Though the defending World Champs, the San Francisco Giants, are breathing down the D-Back’s neck, Gibson’s club remains running on all cylinders. What can happen in September would be if the D-Back’s motor would run out of gas long enough for yet another to-the-wire finish in the NL West. The Jints couldn’t wait for that to happen…
What’s happening in Sconnie and ‘Zona may be a surprise. Other places have not been so surprising. I expected the Philadelphia Phillies to become the most dominant team in baseball. The rotation of Cliff Lee, Roy Halladay, Cole Hamels and Roy Oswalt remain the best in the game – proof of Ruben Amaro, Jr’s ambition towards elevating the Phils to the next level. The Phils already have a comfortable lead in the NL east over the probable Wild Card, the Atlanta Braves, but they also contended with the injury bug. A healthy Phillies club is not one to take lightly. They could be beat, but not this year.
The Texas Rangers simply built upon a formula from last year. There are more claws and antlers to this year’s club that have built upon the core from the World Series debut in 2010. However, the Rangers are again being threatened by the Los Angeles Angels – a mere 3-1/2 games behind the defending AL champs. I would not call this one just yet.
As for the AL Central…um…well…
The Timing’s Right…
Video courtesy of Major League Baseball via YouTube
This week, the National Lesbian & Gay Journalists Association kicked off their annual convention in Philadelphia. One of the break-out sessions was about the coverage of gays in sports, or, rather, the reaction of the sports community to gays and lesbians. Moderated by ESPN’s LZ Granderson, the panel included Steve Buckley of the Boston Herald, Jemelle Hill of ESPN, athlete Joanna Lohman, Jeff McMillan of the Associated Press, and former athletes Hudson Taylor, now of Athlete Ally and Brian Sims, now President of the board of Equality Pennsylvania.
Damnit, I wished I was there…but, I’m not a member…yet!
However, no one knew what would happen the same time Irene was about to hit landfall down the Atlantic coast as it had Philly in its sights. Somewhere down Broad Street – off Pattison Avenue – the Philadelphia Phillies uploaded their 30-second PSA supporting the It Gets Better project and along with the Trevor Project. It’s a quick run-through featuring some familiar members of the NL East leading Phils.
Coincidence? Perfect timing? Not just on the hurricane, but of the NLGJA convention and the most important discussion on this topic by the scribes and other LGBT participants.
Good for you, Phillies…but, damnit, I wished I was there!
…but, wait, there’s more!
MORE BILL SMITH: Last week, the Minnesota Twins put “Mr. 600 Home Runs” Jim Thome on the waiver wire. The result was, to say the least, interesting. Thome is now back where he started from – the Cleveland Indians. He was there through the World Series appearances for the Tribe and is seen as potentially the pivotal piece for September’s run towards the Detroit Tigers and a possible AL Central crown. Last Friday’s home return was an amazing tribute to a guy who helped plot the course for Mike Hargrove’s Tribe clubs in the 1990s. His new teammates hiked up their socks to where they truly should be – up on the lower leg.
Fine. The Tribe can have him. Bill Smith may think he’s smarter than the rest of us, but one wonders who else would be put on waivers before the deadline is up. Jason Kubel was rumored to be heading that way. We also heard Denard Span was also considered for the same fate.
Yeah, we’ll miss Thome. I hope he can be the difference between a division title and no postseason for Cleveland. Yet, there’s a gap of 6-1/2 games to close for Manny Acta’s first division title as manager can happen.
C’MON IRENE: First, an earthquake hits somewhere outside of the Washington area – now a supposedly huge hurricane is blowing through the Mid Atlantic and Northeast corridors. In all, five scheduled game shave been postponed in Philadelphia, Baltimore and in Queens. The Red Sox moved their Sunday game to this evening ahead of Irene’s potential arrival into New England.
All the teams are doing what they can to accommodate the extra games this weekend and into Monday. The Yankees were scheduled to play the Baltimore Orioles tonight at Camden Yards. That game has been moved to Sunday evening as part of a day-night doubleheader. Another game was squeezed onto a travel day on September 8, as the O’s and the Yanks travel together back down to Baltimore after their three games series in The Bronx. Them, the Yankees take off immediately for their six-game road trip on the West Coast.
Gotta love natural disasters…or, something like that.
SIXTH GEAR: Next week is September. I don’t believe it…do you? If you believe the hype, you’ll know what’s in store for the next few weeks.
For example, there will be six more games between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees to play for the entire season. You’d think there would be more, but that’s show the schedule shakes out. The Yanks’ finale at Fenway is this coming Tuesday with three games on the slate. They will not play each other until September 23 for a weekend series in The Bronx. For either team to win the division or take the Wild Card slot in the AL postseason, both the Red Sox and Yankees will have to play a slew of division rivals – Baltimore, Tampa Bay and Toronto.
However, there could be an open opportunity for the Red Sox to take advantage of the Yanks. As mentioned above, hurricane Irene forced a reschedule of a previous postponement between the Yankees and the Orioles in Baltimore the day after they finished a three-game home series in The Bronx. Then, there’s the West Coast trip with Anaheim and Seattle – scheduled right after the make-up game in Baltimore. The magic date is September 15 for the Yanks – a travel day before a three-game road series in Toronto.
One more thing to take in consideration for the AL East race: Neither team will finish the season at home.
JUSTIN VERLANDER… Before anyone gives him the AL’s Cy Young Award, the Tigers’ ace won his 20th game against the Twins at Target Field on Saturday. Congrats, Justin…well deserved.
Those Other Pennant Races
One flag down, five to go…
With seven slots left to fill for the Postseason, it takes strategic analysis to understand who will fill these slots. So, I did. And here’s what I came up with…
NL CENTRAL: This will be the next flag to be won. Why? The Cincinnati Reds will culminate a rebuilding effort that has taken twenty years to complete. If you count the near misses the Former Big Red Machine had over this time, you’ll understand how important this year is to Dusty Baker. Love him or despise him, he can lead teams into the postseason. Baker also has plenty to work with: A mix of postseason-experienced veterans and farm-grown quality talent. You balance Joey Votto with
Scott Rolen, Jay Bruce with Orlando Cabrera and Edinson Volquez with Bronson Arroyo. For the most part, this is a young team with plenty of skill sets mixed in. They’re in it for beyond this season, but winning this pennant now helps boost this team for the future. THE CLINCHER: Sometime this weekend in San Diego – that’s if the Padres decide to sweep the Reds instead for the sake of their own pennant race.
NL EAST: Sometime after the Reds grab their pennant, it will be a goose race between the Philadelphia Phillies and the Texas Rangers. My view is that the Phils take their umpteenth-in-a-row NL East title in a resounding manner. Why? The nine-game win streak, for starters. Then, there’s the benchmarks: Roy Halliday winning 20 games and Ryan Howard smashing 30 dingers. Simply, the Phils are in Bugatti Veyron mode – they turned the secret key and poured on the 1,000HP twin-turbo V-16 engine with the foot mashed on the accelerator. Nothing can stop the Phils – with a magic number of four. As for the Atalnta Braves and Bobby Cox’s swan song – I’m not sure if they’ll even win the NL Wild Card, either. Just not seeing it manifest somehow… THE CLINCHER: Sorry Mike/BTB, but the New York Mets are looking like lambs to slaughter at Citizens Bank Park. It’ll be over by Sunday in the NL East.
AL WEST: Let’s talk about those Rangers, shall we? Depsite the magic number being four, the reason why I stated above that the Phils will clinch before the Rangers are lingering setbacks, such as injury recoveries and slumps. Josh Hamilton is scheduled to be back soon, but when can you count on him being 100% before the Postseason? Still, those who were injured and expected to return by this time are trying to acclimate to the final push towards clinching. It also doesn’t help that they travel to Oakland this weekend – the proverbial spoilers. It also creates a double whammy: An Athletics’ sweep this weekend not only postpones clinching the AL West for the Rangers – it also draws Oakland closer in the race. It could also halve the lead between these two teams. This may not bode well for the Rangers as they look to quickly close in on the division title. THE CLINCHER: The Rangers must win more than two games in Oakland to secure the clinch, but don’t count on it. Worst case scenario would be to wait until they get home next week against Seattle to grab the flag.
AL EAST: The New York Yankees began to put some serious distance this week on the Tampa Bay Rays in The Bronx. That ended last night. There’s one more battle between these two this evening before they part ways for the remainder of the regular season. However, there is a high probability they will meet again in ALCS. In owning a one-and-a-half game advantage on the Rays, the Yankees would have to string a series of victories starting at home with the incoming Boston Red Sox. All next week, the Yanks will be on the road in Toronto and Boston. For the Rays, making the Postseason again is not enough. They come home Friday for the Seattle Mariners (and Bret Michaels on Sunday) and Baltimore Orioles before closing the season in Kansas City. How the rest of the season will come into play depends on tonight’s series finale in The Bronx. A Rays’ win makes this division race a dash to the end. A Yanks’ win will make it elementary which one will repeat as division champs and the other being the AL Wild Card. THE CLINCHER: Stay tuned – the champagne will either pop in Boston or Kansas City in more than a week’s time.
NL WEST: Once again, this division is ending up tighter than Wayne Brady’s jeans. This is still a three-team race between the San Francisco Giants, San Diego Padres and the Colorado Rockies. The trouble is I cannot put my finger on which of these three teams has an advantage during these final 11 days of the season. It’s going to be down to the wire with the Rox not letting go of the rope. THE CLINCHER: The final day of the season – someone will win this division. Someone else could be the NL Wild Card. Even that’s another bucket of crazy…
First to The Flag
How apropos that the Minnesota Twins would be the first to clinch their division – considering their history of division championships!
As long as I’ve been around the Twin Cities, either the Twins won the AL Central on or close to the final game of the regular season or had to play another game to get there. Let’s not forget that this division had to be won using the extra game these past two seasons.
Not so this year. With eleven games to go, the Twins won the AL Central with some help by the Oakland Athletics. The evening began with the Twins winning their 91st game of the 2010 season over the Cleveland Indians at Target Field.
You can say that they proverbially won the division in the eighth inning. Down by two runs, Delmon Young doubled off of Justin Masterson to bring in Trevor Plouffe, edging the Tribe’s lead to one. To tie the game, Jose Morales hits into a sacrifice fly to bring home Young.
With Danny Valencia representing the go-ahead run, Denard Span became the hero by breaking the tie with a base hit off of reliever Tony Sipp. Valencia slid into home putting the Twins ahead for good. For insurance, Orlando Hudson hits the inning’s second double scoring Span over from second.
Closing the game was indeed sweeter. It took Matt Capps 13 pitches to gain his 41st save of the year – the most important save of his career at this point.
The win gave them a magic number of one. To finish the job, they would have to look at the proceedings in Oakland with the visiting Chicago White Sox. This was simply not the night for Ozzie Guillen’s team committing three errors to close out their 2010 pennant chase. It didn’t help that Trevor Cahill simply owned the Southsiders from the mound.
You can imagine the slew of near-cursing Hawk-isms being spat out on CSN Chicago last night.
It was already late in the Twin Cities after the White Sox were embarrassed on the East Bay for the magic number to turn to zero. Sadly, I was asleep trying to ward off a headache. It took the flashing light of my message indicator on my smart phone to clue me in. I was heading to the restroom as it was. A few e-mails gave it away. I tried to get back to sleep, but I needed to look at MLB atBat before I do. Alas, I saw the scores! I needed to read more. Now, I’m writing about it.
This calls for a happier commute today. A happier day at work. A sunnier day amongst us Twins fans. A day a community sets aside its differences and come together as one.
However, the job isn’t really done. The Twins cannot afford to coast here. Owning the second-best record in the Majors comes with responsibility. If the New York Yankees hit a brick wall and drop a few games behind the Twins, Target Field could be the focal point of up to three rounds of Postseason action. There’s no slouching here. With a home day game today, six more on the road and four to close the season at home, the Twins need to heal any injuries of players eligible for Postseason play and get ready to reverse some history after October 3.
In the meantime, a little celebration won’t hurt around here. Congratulations, Twins!
A Meaningful Sweep
In this game, some numbers matter more than others.
After last night’s series sweep of the Chicago White Sox at US Cellular Field, the Minnesota Twins come home with a nine-game lead in the American League Central. Their magic number is eight. Over the course of three nights on the South Side, the Twins outscored the White Sox 26-11. Again, if something strange would happen during these final 16 games each team has left, the Twins are done facing the White Sox for the season.
Honestly, I did not expect the Twins to sweep the White Sox like they did. However, I was amazed how resilient and dominating the Twins were during this tough road series against a key rival. Resilient for the fact that they overcome every gaffe they made with either brilliant pitching performances or edge-on-your-seat fielding. I was awestruck by the dominance the Twins had at bat. I am extremely pleased by the year Delmon Young had so far. In this series alone, Young hit two homers with four runs batted in. So far this season, Young has 102 RBIs. Finally we’re seeing the young promising hitter the Twins acquired from Tampa Bay a few seasons back.
This is all well and good, but I do not expect a cakewalk to another AL Central flag for the Twins. This weekend, a proverbial spoiler comes to town – the Oakland A’s. May I remind the readers that the last time the A’s showed up at Target Field, they were swept. I will also point out how dominant the Twins have been in their new home. Crunch the numbers and fold in the intangibles and you could see a clearer path through the weekend for the Twins.
In the meantime, the White Sox wrap up their home stand with the Detroit Tigers. One scenario would occur this weekend – the Tigers would be eliminated from contention by the end of Sunday. How? It will depend on how angry the Southsiders get after this mid-week embarrassment.
And, it doesn’t get any easier for the White Sox. They get Oakland on the road on Monday.
Seriously, I should talk about the other pennant races – especially the ones that are guaranteed to go to the wire. But, I have to admit to my glee of late now that the Twins are close to fulfilling their promise of christening their new home with a championship of some kind. I will also state that in my seven seasons watching this ballclub in my backyard – this is the best Twins squad I’ve seen.
For now, it’s time to walk it home.
The Battle Rages On
Looking up…at a seven-game gap. Photo by Randy Stern
It’s hard to be humble when you’re seven games up in first place.
The Minnesota Twins made a statement last night on the South Side of Chicago. With over two weeks left in the season, it’s still early to tell whether this 9-3 road victory over the second-place White Sox means anything to the AL Central race. For this series, winning last night puts some insurance and distance in this pennant race.
There are some significant points to be made. Francisco Liriano may not have pitched as well as he had all season long. He did get win number 14; however relief came and did the job – including key jams. Jesse Crain should be commended for handcuffing Manny Ramirez to close a major threat at the bottom of the seventh inning. That was Manny’s third strikeout of the evening. To strike out a very coveted player – regardless of whether one thinks he’s on the downward slide in his career – helps in establishing control in the game. If this continues, Ramirez might not play a factor for the White Sox at home in this crucial series.
Before Crain got Manny on strikes, he went after Paul Konerko. With bases loaded, Konerko would be the most likely Southsider to bring at least one home to re-tie the game at 4-all. Instead, Crain and Joe Mauer had other plans. Coming from a 1-0 count, Crain made Konerko swing. Some fouled off – others simply whiffed at air.
I believe both teams will remember the bottom of the seventh inning of last night’s game for days on end.
They could recall back to the top of the fifth with Delmon Young’s homer. Or, rather, Denard Span’s four RBI evening yielded from his two hits – including a double Alex Rios couldn’t handle in center field.
But, this is just one game – the first of a three-game set at US Cellular Field. These two teams have tonight and Thursday evening before any strange twist of fate brings them back together in another Game 163. The Twins have ten more home games before the Postseason. After six of them starting Friday evening, the Twins have a road trip through Detroit and Kansas City before their season-closing home stand with Toronto.
The White Sox also have ten remaining home games after this series. Unfortunately, the Southsiders have to travel on the road to the West Coast to Oakland and Anaheim before coming home to the Boston Red Sox. A West Coast road trip could be the difference on whether the White Sox can gain on the Twins or not. The Athletics have a history in spoiling pennant races whether they’re involved in one or not.
It is also worth noting that the A’s will be at Target Field this coming weekend.
I can’t predict what will happen in the next 18 games for both clubs. The only thing to note is that the Twins’ “magic number” is 12. At worst, the Twins and White Sox could reduce the gap down to five games between each other by late Thursday night. For the dominant team from Minnesota, that’s better than being swept on the South Side with the lead reduced to three games.
The Race is On: Hark! I Heard a Bell!
The best pennant race in the Minors will conclude here this coming weekend.
Photo by Randy Stern
The Pacific Coast League survived its second-to-last weekend of play, with two crucial five-game series accomplished. What happened? Well…
PCL AMERICAN NORTH: Ryne Sandberg’s Iowa Cubs remain in first place. They managed to push their hosts, the Omaha Royals, back to a three-and-a-half game distance, the series opened the door to another contender: The Memphis Redbirds. Last year’s PCL Champs wasn’t going to let Iowa and Omaha rule the show in the division. The ‘Birds ripped through the Round Rock Express at AutoZone Park to nudge up to a half-game behind the I-Cubs. This sets up a huge finale on Labor Day Weekend at Principal Park in Des Moines when the ‘Birds visit the Cubs. Before then, the Bird finish up their home season with the New Orleans Zephyrs, while the Cubs play five (including a day-night doubleheader on Tuesday) down in Albuquerque. This could get interesting by Labor Day.
PCL PACIFIC SOUTH: As I expected, the Sacramento River Cats flipped over the Fresno Grizzlies in a return to the top. As it stands, the River Cats are a game up on their Highway 99 rivals thanks to a strong showing by the former PCL Champs at Raley Field in West Sacramento. Is there a way for the Grizzlies to snag the lead again? They continue their road trip to Salt Lake City with the hostile Bees waiting, and then come home for Labor Day weekend with the Pacific North-leading Tacoma Rainiers set to play havoc at Chukchansi Park. The River Cats wrap up their home season with the Las Vegas 51s before wrapping up the year in Colorado Springs. The key to this division was the River Cats getting needed help from hot Oakland A’s prospect Jermaine Mitchell, jumping from Single-A Advanced Stockton. Because of this key addition, along with an apparently easier schedule, the path to wrapping up another Pacific South could be easier for Sacramento this time around. It would mean that Fresno would have to play some extraordinary baseball this week to ether pull even with Sacramento – or overtake them in the end.
THE INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE: Both the Durham Bulls and the Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees clinched their divisions with resounding distances. This week will decide the final two entrants in the IL’s playoffs. The only division unsettled is the West, with the Louisville Bats leading by a game-and-a-half over the Columbus Clippers. The Bats’ still have Cuban defector Aroldis Chapman on their roster, with a 9-6 record with a 3.57 ERA and 125 strikeouts. Cleary, Chapman is not the best arm on the Bats’ staff. That would belong to Matt Maloney with a win more than the marquee prospect. The Bats and the Clippers have Toledo and Indianapolis closing out their respective season. But, there is another contender for the Wild Card: The Buffalo Bisons. The Bisons are two-and-a-half games off the Clippers’ pace for that final spot in the playoffs with Syracuse, Scranton Wilkes-Barre and on the road at Lehigh Valley left on their schedule. If tonight’s pitching performance by the New York Mets’ hot prospect Jenrry Mejia is any indication how the rest of the season will go down – it’s anyone’s game for the IL Wild Card!
MIDWEST LEAGUE: Plain and simple, the Cedar Rapids Kernels will be back in the playoffs by virtue of winning the Western Division in the First Half of the season. So far, the Kernels will be joined by the defending Midwest League champs Fort Wayne Tin Caps – winners of the Eastern Division in the First Half – and the Lake County Captains. As it stands, the Second Half division leaders, the Great Lakes Loons and Quad Cities Bandits are on target for the playoffs. On the bubble are a whole bunch of Western Division clubs, such as the Clinton Lumberkings, Kane County Cougars and Beloit Snappers. Over in the East, it appears the West Michigan Whitecaps could take the final spot on that side of the playoffs. All will be revealed by Labor Day.
I’ll admit that I have not followed the rest of the minor leagues closely. Not due to being lazy, but how can anyone ignore these storylines when the big story is about some Hall of Famer who stated he wants the manager’s position at Wrigley Field in 2011. Not to mention passing by that building on the edge of downtown Minneapolis on my commute.
Believe me, you may want to keep an eye on the minors this week – especially when the big clubs make their call ups for September.
The Race Is On: Bring it!
Photo by Randy Stern
Don’t you think it’s time to discuss the pennant races in the Bigs? I think so…
NL CENTRAL: If the brawl at the Great American Ballpark two weeks ago was any indicator how intense this pennant race has become, we should be in for another month of insanity. The reason is simple: the Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals want this NL Central crown without compromise. There is one issue: Both teams have three more meetings against each other – over Labor Day weekend in St. Louis. After that, both teams are simply on their own to settle the fate of the division. Most of these games will be against division opponents, but it appears the Cards will have more challenging series ahead than the Reds. The Reds face the NL West-leading San Diego Padres once, while the Cards have the Padres and the NL East-leading Atlanta Braves. The Colorado Rockies may also play a key role in determining the fate of both the Cards and Reds as they both clubs each towards the last weeks of the season. If there’s a spoiler lurking in the woods – it’s the Rox. It’s not just about winning the NL Central as it’s also about the Wild Card race. The second place team could walk away with the postseason’s fourth spot, but there’s company in that group: The Philadelphia Phillies and the San Francisco Giants. Neither the Reds nor the Cards face either Wild Card contender in the weeks ahead.
AL EAST: Once again, this division hosts the best pennant race in baseball. Unlike two years ago when the Tampa Bay Rays clearly was on track to grab the flag, they got company. The defending World Series Champions New York Yankees are even with the upstarts from the Suncoast. Then again, should we even consider the Rays “upstarts” anymore? Not after its blazing start this season only to match win-for-win with the Yanks. Yet, where is the advantage between these two? In September, these two teams would face each other seven times (3 in St. Pete, 4 in the Bronx), but will finish their season on the road. The Rays travel to Kansas City while the Yanks head to Boston to face the Red Sox. Here’s a thought: the Sox as spoilers. Whether you like the Yankees or not, you’ll mark your calendars for the final weekend of the regular season where the pennant could be decided at Fenway (again). However, I’m not giving a pass to the Kansas City Royals, since they’ve historically been spoilers for many pennant races. Both the Red Sox and Toronto Blue Jays feature prominently on both team’s schedules in the weeks ahead – many spoiler opportunities. The Yanks have the extra weight of facing the Texas Rangers in September in Arlington where it has been difficult for a visiting team to win lately. There is a silver lining to this pennant race: Second place gets the Wild Card.
NL EAST: In case you missed it, the Philadelphia Phillies are giving chase to the Atlanta Braves for the division. You can tell they want another division flag on their mantle and a three-peat trip to the World Series. Not if the Braves can help it. There is motivation for the Bravos with the retirement of Bobby Cox from managing the club. Any past accomplishments and numbers are meaningless right now at Turner Field – it’s about this year. It’s about sending Cox off into the sunset as a champion. Nothing less is acceptable. This is perhaps the most emotional of the tighter races in the Bigs, but there has to be a path for the Braves to accomplish their return to the division title. It won’t be easy based on the schedule – both teams face each other six times, including the final three games of the season at Turner Field. If things tighten up all of the sudden, I’d watch that series closely – and not just for the tributes to Cox. Both teams also have their share of spoilers, not just from current pennant chasers, but of almost-rans that are capable of upending either team at the worst time. The Florida Marlins would be the most likely spoiler on the Braves’ and Phils’ schedule. I would also not count out the New York Mets from taking their frustrations out on the division’s top two. Since the Phillies have the advantage in the Wild Card race right now, this race can also affect the fourth spot in the NL’s postseason plans. Ending up in second place could possibly mean missing the postseason altogether – and that’s a risk neither the Braves nor the Phils can expend.
AL CENTRAL: Ozzie Guillen will not give up. Neither will his Chicago White Sox. He can spew all the expletives he wants, but that’s not going to make the AL Central pennant race better for him. Not with the Minnesota Twins wanting to do something in their new home. How do you cap the first year of this wonderful new ballpark? Give it a crown! Yet, the way things are going for the Twins, the only way to get there is to win on the road. This includes a key series in the middle of September at US Cellular Field against the Southsiders. Lucky for these two teams – these three games are the last they’ll face each other in for the year. Still, it could be worse. The White Sox host the Yankees this weekend at home, then two more series with the Boston Red Sox in September (three games at Fenway and four more on the South Side). If you want a party ruined, invite either one of these teams to it. Obviously, Guillen won’t let his team roll over and play dead with these AL East powerhouses ready to create havoc on this race. If you were the Twins, you find advantages to extend the lead at every home game possible. That’s where the pennant will be won – at Target Field. Yet, there is one issue looming for the Twins: Justin Morneau. Last year, they won the division without him. Can they do it again this year? If there is no resolution for Morneau’s return – they’ll grab the flag, but will again falter in the postseason.
NL WEST: Don’t crown the San Diego Padres just yet. You have to admit this is a great story – a team all the pundits thought would not win over .500 proved everyone wrong. Everyone thought Adrian Gonzalez was gone by the pre-waivers trade deadline – he wasn’t. In fact, Bud Black built the team around him. He also built a pitching staff that still induces open jaws when they take the mound – Heath Bell included. By adding Miguel Tejada and Ryan Ludwick to the roster, the Padres may be the team to beat getting into the World Series. Somewhere in the taillights are the San Francisco Giants. While Padres have a comfortable lead, the Giants are in the midst of a Wild Card race that stretches across all three divisions. These two teams will meet six times before the end of the season. In fact, the Padres will be at AT&T Park in time to determine the Wild Card – and could play in an assist for the other teams in contention. Still, for the Padres to clinch, they need to play well during a key home stand in early-to-mid September and into a tough road trip afterwards. If the Pads reach their final home stand with the same comfort zone between them and the remainder of the NL West, they’ll clinch the division before they jet down to San Francisco to close out the season.
AL WEST: Last year, the Texas Rangers commanded a strong lead in the division only to blow it by early September to the Los Angeles Angels. Could history repeat itself? Possibly. The Rangers have a comfortable distance between itself and the Oakland A’s at this point, but it could possibly change. One thing to watch is the injuries. With Nelson Cruz, Ian Kinsler, Scott Feldman and Christian Guzman set to come back by mid-September, the remainder of Ron Washington’s team needs to stay healthy. It takes one more key player to get injured for the division to be thrown into chaos – just like last year.
The Race Is On: A Good Year for the PCL
Photo by Randy Stern
With another week left in August, the focus has been turned onto the pennant races. There’s some good ones this season – and not just in the majors. That’s why I begin with looking at two of the biggest races in the minors – both in Triple-A. Significantly, one of these division races could produce a major league manager by next February.
So, hold off on your questions about the Yankees, Rays, Twins, White Sox, Cardinals and Reds, we’re going straight into the heartland…
PACIFIC COAST LEAGUE’S AMERICAN NORTH: Why am I revisiting Ryne Sandberg again? If you look at the standings in this division, he could become the next manager at Clark and Addison after Mike Quade’s interim shift is up. It may sound flippant and foregone, but think about it: The Cubs’ organization has been grooming Sandberg into the role. Not only that, Ryno publicly stated he wants the job. Before the Ricketts and Jim Hendry (if he’s still around after the end of the season) anoints one of their heroes this honor of running the big club, Ryno needs to get the job done in Des Moines. With two weekends to go, the I-Cubs hold a two-and-a-half game advantage on both the Omaha Royals and the Memphis Redbirds. Losing two in a row to the visiting Nashville Sounds had not helped things for the I-Cubs. Starting Wednesday, Ryno’s team heads across I-80 to Omaha for a five-game series with the O-Royals at Rosenblatt Stadium. To finish out the season, they have to ensure a short road stint in Albuquerque before coming home to four games with the Redbirds at Principal Park. If there’s an advantage for Ryno, the O-Royals close out their final weekend in Oklahoma City against the tough 89ers. It will all be decided by Labor Day, but I have a sneaking suspicion the I-Cubs will squeak this out by the last day.
PCL’s PACIFIC SOUTH: The last time the Fresno Grizzlies did anything good was a division championship in their first season since moving from Tucson – back in 1998. Since then, the San Francisco Giants’ Triple-A outpost had been the PCL’s doormat. History could change this weekend with a five-game set on the road starting Wednesday at Raley Field against the second place Sacramento River Cats. For starters, the Grizzlies have the same winning percentage as the O-Royals and Memphis Redbirds – that’s fine, but not impressive considering the amazing season the PCL this year. Also, the Grizzlies have the same two-and-a-half game advantage on the second place River Cats in a two-horse race. How critical is this five-game weekend series? The “Highway 99 Series” has many mathematical equations to parse out. Simply, three wins for the home River Cats means they take back the Pacific South by Sunday – if only by a hair. For the final week of the season, Fresno stays on the road in Salt Lake before coming home to the Tacoma Rainiers. The River Cats can extend their advantage as they stay home to host Las Vegas before finishing up on the road in Colorado Springs. Simply, whoever takes the “Highway 99 Series,” takes the division.
Randy Stern
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