The Race Is On!

I wonder if ER waiting rooms are filled with men and women in MLB gear every September because you know as well as I do that as comes September, so goes my mental and physical health. Just 2 days shy of the dreaded 9th month of the year, I have already succumbed to a variety of panic attacks, a few rageful tantrums and at least one hyperventilation. It only gets worse from here. So since everyone else thrown their 2 cents in on what they think the pennant outcomes will be, I figured I would deliver unto all my worthless opinion as well.


Before I begin, let me remind you of the picks Boogie, Ill Orange, and I made a little over a month ago. Please keep in mind these were all reasonable choices back in July.

Regular Season	Stars	Boogie	Ill Orange
NL East	NY Mets	NY Mets	NY Mets
NL Central	Cubs	Cubs	Cubs
NL West	LA Dodgers	Diamondbacks	LA Dodgers
NL Wildcard	Brewers	Cardinals	Brewers
AL East	Red Sox	Red Sox	Red Sox
AL West	LA Angels	LA Angels	LA Angels
AL Central	Twins	White Sox	White Sox
AL Wildcard	White Sox	TB Rays	Yankees

Postseason	Stars*	Boogie	Ill Orange
NL Champ	NY Mets	Cubs	NY Mets
AL Champ	LA Angels	Boston Red Sox	LA Angels
World Series Champ	NY Mets	Cubs	LA Angels**

AL East

Now this has been a fascinating turn of events. We all took the Red Sox and now it's looking like neither the Yanks or the Sox can be sure of October play. If neither of them make it, it will be the first time since the Wild Card was instilled that both teams watched the playoffs from the comfort of their couches. The BoSox still lead in the Wild Card race, but with that Twins team and the White Sox team looking strong, I am gonna say that both teams will be able to take a nice long nap when September ends. According to CoolStandings, based on the remaining schedule the Yanks have a 3 percent chance of making the playoffs (hold while I stifle a giggle.) The Sox look better at 86%, but I don't listen to everything CoolStandings says. I'm saying Rays for the NL East now. (And congrats to Boogie who was the only one to include them in her picks. But for the Wild Card, so she is still about to lose.) But this could be one of the most miraculous turnarounds in baseball histories if the Rays keep up at this break-neck pace. I can't wait to see what happens.

AL Central

Now part of me wants the White Sox to take this division as their hasn't been a Chicago-Chicago series since 1906 (2 years before... something.) And the lead in the division has been flip-flopping between the Twins and the Sox for quite some time, so this is gonna be another one I can't wait to see the outcome of. So I defer once more to CoolStandings and it tells me Chicago has the edge. I choose not to listen, for the love of Joe Mauer, and am keeping my original prediction of Twins for the division and White Sox for the WC.


AL West

With the Angels 16 games ahead of their division, I frankly don't give a flying rat's rear end what happens there anymore. The Angels could send out the Nationals in their place for the rest of the year and it wouldn't make a bit of difference. But I personally feel like I am seeing their dominance slide and despite the epic record they currently have, I would be shocked to see rings on these boys' fingers at season's end.

NL West

Now this is an intense division split. And I thought only us NL East-ers had it bad! Since the Dodgers' acquisition of Manny (which yes, I know, I was opposed to), they have marked their territory as serious contenders for the division title. The showdown between the D Backs and the Dodgers commences tonight, and I would bet is going to be awfully telling of the final outcome. The D Backs are looking good to take it, though, and the chances of the Wild Card coming from this division are slim to none. A meteor would have to take out the rest of the National League for us to see both these guys in the playoffs.

NL Central

No one surprised us there... at least not yet. Let's go Cubbies!


NL East

Oh, heart attack of my life, this division is. The story remains nearly the same as it did a month ago, with one important difference. The Bums from Florida with their lead A-hole Dan Uggla seem to already be packing for their winter break. They're not out yet, but I believe in a God that wouldn't let them join the race. You've been lapped, boys.

And as for Philly and the Amazins... with 28 games remaining and the Mets only a game up on the Phillies, it's anyone's game at this point. But while most of the blogs seem to be predicting a Philadelphia turnaround, I, shockingly, am disagreeing. Yes, Mets bullpen is nothing short of crap. And yes, the Mets don't seem to score runs after the 3rd inning. But 74 wins and it ain't even August yet? The boys in blue and orange are doing something right. Phillies, take a seat. You got nothing.

- stars