For baseball fans, mid-September usually marks tight division races and teams battling for a postseason berth. Unlike previous years, many of the divisions have already been decided. After a weekend of sweeps by the Tampa Bay Rays over the Boston Red Sox and the St. Louis Cardinals over the Atlanta Braves, the wild card picture in both leagues has become much more complicated. Here is a preview of the teams in postseason contention.
(Note: This article uses the standings through the games on September 12.)
New York Yankees
Who didn’t see this coming? As the season winds down, the New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox are separated by a few games in the American League East. But after a back and forth season, the Yankees are leading by four games and are the favorites to win the division. Their offense, led by MVP candidate Curtis Granderson, places in the top five in runs, on base percentage, and slugging percentage, and sixth in batting average in the MLB. Scoring runs won’t be a problem for them in the playoffs. However, their rotation has very little stability behind ace CC Sabathia. While Ivan Nova has been a pleasant surprise since being recalled from Triple-A Columbus on July 30, their other choices for the postseason rotation include Bartolo Colon, Phil Hughes, and Freddy Garcia. Mariano Rivera continues to defy his age with another 40-save season.
Boston Red Sox
After starting the season with a 2-10 record, the Boston Red Sox bounced back and have been dominant since. Like their rivals in the Bronx, the Red Sox have been near the top in the offensive categories, but have struggled with their pitching staff. Offseason acquisition Adrian Gonzalez leads the American League in batting average and is in the top four in both runs and runs batted in. However, several members of Boston’s starting rotation have been or are currently inured. Their success lies in the health of their pitching staff, which has allowed six or more runs in eight of the last ten games. The Sox held a nine-game lead over the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Wild Card race on September 2, only to see that lead shrink to three games in a span of ten days. The two teams have four more games against each other at Fenway Park, which will prove to be a pivotal matchup.
Tampa Bay Rays
After losing outfielder Carl Crawford, first baseman Carlos Peña, closer Rafael Soriano, and starting pitcher Matt Garza in the offseason, many predicted that the Tampa Bay Rays would not be able to compete for a playoff spot, especially in the competitive AL East. And while they were not threatening to make the playoffs all year, they have managed to hold their ground behind stellar pitching and defense. Now, in the month of September, while the Red Sox have gone 2-9, the Rays have an 8-3 record, cutting Boston’s wild card lead to three games. Starting pitcher James Shields leads the MLB with 11 complete games and the Rays possess five starters with double-digit wins. Although there are still two weeks of season left, if the Rays continue their recent dominance and the Red Sox continue to struggle, Tampa Bay might be looking at a postseason spot.
Detroit Tigers
The main story in Detroit has been AL Cy Young favorite and AL Pitching Triple Crown threat Justin Verlander. It is easy to overlook but their offense has been explosive, with slugger Miguel Cabrera putting up great numbers as usual, and Victor Martinez having found success transitioning from catcher to designated hitter. Key midseason acquisition Delmon Young has been batting .324 with four homers, 20 RBIs, and 18 runs in 26 games with Detroit. The Tigers also have one of the game’s elite closers in Jose Valverde and rotation depth behind Verlander. They’ve won ten straight games for the first time since 1943 and are 20-4 in their past 24 games. They hold a 10 ½ game lead over the Chicago White Sox in the American League Central. Armed with several of the right pieces, the Tigers are looking to roll into the playoffs with considerable momentum and make an October run.
Texas Rangers
Last year’s American League representative to the World Series is close to returning to the postseason. However, they will have to hold off the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim in order to make it there. The American League West is currently the closest division in baseball, with the Angels only three games behind the Rangers. Like last year, the Rangers continue to play an aggressive style of offense, but the difference this year is that the pitching hasn’t been as strong. Texas has five players with at least 19 homeruns. C.J. Wilson has been pitching great lately, but Colby Lewis needs to return to his 2010 postseason form if the Rangers want to win some more games. Other starters have been inconsistent, and first year starter Alexi Ogando, who was magnificent in the first few months, has been showing signs of tiring. If Texas wants to defend its AL pennant, they need to continue to put runs on the board, as they always have, and improve their starting pitching.
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim
The Angels have a couple of dominant starting pitchers and are well-equipped for the playoffs – that is, if they can make it. Jered Weaver leads the staff with a 2.40 ERA, Dan Haren has had a bounce-back year, and Ervin Santana collected a no-hitter this season. Rookie sensation Mark Trumbo leads all AL rookies with 27 homeruns and 82 runs batted in. But even so, the Angels find themselves behind the Texas Rangers in the American League West. In order for them to make the postseason, they will need to continue their stellar pitching, get timely hitting, and get some help from the Rangers. But if they manage to make it, they will be a team to watch out for, especially because of their dominant starting pitching.
Philadelphia Phillies
World Series pick by many, the Phillies have been on cruise control for much of the season. After an offseason of assembling one of the most fearsome rotations baseball has seen in years, they have lived up to the hype. Even though injuries have hit their offense, the pitching has carried Philadelphia to baseball’s best record and a 12 game National League East lead over the Wild Card leading Atlanta Braves. In addition to Roy Halladay, Cliff Lee, Cole Hamels, and Roy Oswalt, rookie pitcher Vance Worley has also been incredibly successful in his 19 starts this year. Facing either Oswalt or Worley as a number 4 starter in the playoffs will be a nightmare scenario for opposing teams. The offense has been coming through as well, especially after acquiring Hunter Pence from the Houston Astros. But this team’s strength is obviously its pitching. Look for the Phillies to go deep into the playoffs.
Atlanta Braves
Like the division rival Phillies, one of the Atlanta Braves’ strengths is its pitching staff. The Wild Card leading Braves rank third in the National League in ERA, even with Tommy Hanson and Jair Jurrens both injured since mid-August. Their impending returns could be crucial to how deep the Braves go in the playoffs. Their pitching staff remains solid in the meantime with Tim Hudson, Derek Lowe and Brandon Beachy. While their offense has not been amongst the league’s best, they have some key pieces in catcher Brian McCann, who has been consistently productive every year, second baseman Dan Uggla, whose bat caught fire after the All-Star break, and first baseman Freddie Freeman, who has proven he can hit for average, hit for power and drive in runs as a rookie. Another rookie, closer Craig Kimbrel, leads the MLB in saves and set the rookie record for saves with 41 last month. Obtaining speedy outfielder Michael Bourn from the Houston Astros also gave them a dangerous leadoff hitter, something they previously lacked, and one of the best defensive outfielders in the NL. The St. Louis Cardinals have put together some wins though and are creeping up on the Braves in the Wild Card. As long as they don’t slip up in September, this year’s Atlanta Braves team is primed to make a postseason run, but may ultimately be limited by some of the injuries to its pitching staff.
Milwaukee Brewers
The Milwaukee Brewers probably have one of the most feared 3-4 hitter pairs in baseball this year, in Ryan Braun and Prince Fielder. Braun is second in the National League in batting average and has slugged 28 homeruns, while Fielder has hit more than 30 homeruns for the fifth straight year. With this being a contract year for Fielder, the Brewers will have to make the most of what could be the final postseason together for these two talented players. Milwaukee shored up its bullpen midseason by acquiring Francisco Rodriguez to serve as – not their closer – but a setup man to closer John Axford. The Brewers also have a very well rounded starting rotation where it is difficult to pick one true ace, since they have all performed well, but none have dominated. However, in 13 games started at home, Zack Greinke has won 10 of them. The Brewers as a team have a 50-22 record at home, best in the majors. They will need to find a way to win on the road though, if they want to make it far in the postseason. They will also need to hold off the St. Louis Cardinals, who have been playing well and are only 6.5 games behind the Brewers in the National League Central.
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals seemed to be out of the playoff picture until earlier this month. But after sweeping the Atlanta Braves, they are only 4.5 games out in the Wild Card race and 6.5 out in the National League Central. Now, with a lineup that features Albert Pujols, Matt Holliday, and a resurgent Lance Berkman, they just need to keep winning and hope the Braves keep losing in order to make the postseason. But even if they manage to sneak in, they will need their starting pitchers to step up, as none of them have put up dominant numbers. They’ve had many question marks at the closer position as well. After the Ryan Franklin disaster earlier this year, they’ve had seven other pitchers with at least one save. The Cardinals may lose Albert Pujols to free agency this winter, making this year possibly the last one with a hitter of his caliber. While the chances of making the postseason are low, winning a few more games may influence Pujols’ decision.
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks have undoubtedly been one of baseball’s biggest surprises this season. And although they statistically rank near the middle of the pack in most pitching and batting categories, they have managed to make it to this point with an eight game lead over defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants. The Giants were the team in the driver’s seat of the National League West for most of the season. It wasn’t until early August that the D-backs took over and never looked back. Starting pitcher Ian Kennedy has been in the NL Cy Young conversation, with his NL-best 19 wins and 2.99 ERA, and Daniel Hudson complements Kennedy to form a fearsome duo at the top of the rotation. Justin Upton has carried the offense with 30 homeruns and a .295 batting average, a career year for the rising star. If a few more of Arizona’s players step up in the postseason, they can be dark horses this October.
Matchups if the Postseason Started Today
Rangers (3) at Yankees (1)
Red Sox (WC) at Tigers (2)
Diamondbacks (3) at Phillies (1)
Braves (WC) at Brewers (2)
World Series Prediction
Tigers over Phillies in 6
