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The AL Wild Card Race


Frobby

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OAK 84-70 --- (1 PHI, 3 LAA, 4 @ TEX)

KCR 83-70 --- (1 DET, 4 @ CLE*, 4 @ CWS)

SEA 83-71 0.5 (1 @ HOU, 4 @ TOR, 3 LAA)

CLE 80-74 3.5 (1 @ MIN, 4 KCR*, 3 TBR)

NYY 79-75 4.5 (1 TOR, 4 BAL, 3 @ BOS)

TOR 78-76 5.5 (1 @ NYY, 4 SEA, 3 BAL)

* The first game is the resumption of a suspended game, with Kansas City due to bat in the bottom of the 10th inning, trailing 4-2.

There's still a lot that can happen this week before the dust settles.

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The AL wild card game is Tuesday 9/30.

With a three-way battle for the two slots, I wouldn't think any of Oak/KC/Sea aces could be saved for the play-in while those teams are battling to even earn a berth in it.

KC is well-situated with Guthrie/Duffy/Ventura scheduled next weekend. Shields pitches Thursday so would be on normal rest Tuesday.

OAK also - Kazmir/Samardzija/Gray on the weekend - Lester's final regular season start Wednesday, so he would have an extra day's rest.

SEA has a different ace situation - Felix scheduled for Game 162 Sunday. Iwakuma and Paxton pitch Friday/Saturday as well. If it goes to the last day and Felix can't be reserved, the spotlight could end up shining brightly on Taijuan Walker. Chris Young (8.59 September ERA) has really tapered off for them.

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Through games of 9/21

OAK 85-70 --- (3 LAA, 4 @ TEX)

KCR 84-70 --- (4 @ CLE*, 4 @ CWS)

SEA 83-72 1.5 (4 @ TOR, 3 LAA)

CLE 81-74 3.5 (4 KCR*, 3 TBR)

NYY 80-75 4.5 (4 BAL, 3 @ BOS)

TOR 78-77 6.5 (4 SEA, 3 BAL)

* The first game is the resumption of a suspended game, with Kansas City due to bat in the bottom of the 10th inning, trailing 4-2.

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o

(SEPTEMBER 22nd)

The Royals salvaged the final game of a 3-game series against the Tigers on Sunday to keep their relatively slim division title hopes alive.

Tonight, they finish up a previously suspended game against the Indians in which they trail by a score of 4-2 in the middle of the 10th inning, and then play the regularly-scheduled nightcap against the Tribe shortly afterward.

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I would like the Wild Card Elimination number explained, please. If the number is 4 (the Yankees number), Does that mean any combination of NY losses and/or wins by ANY team ahead of them in the wild card race eliminates them? I apologize if this has been explained somewhere but I have not seen it if it has been discussed/explained.

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I would like the Wild Card Elimination number explained, please. If the number is 4 (the Yankees number), Does that mean any combination of NY losses and/or wins by ANY team ahead of them in the wild card race eliminates them? I apologize if this has been explained somewhere but I have not seen it if it has been discussed/explained.

The elimination number is based off of the second wild card, in this case, the Royals. The A's are half a game up on the Royals for now.

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I would like the Wild Card Elimination number explained, please. If the number is 4 (the Yankees number), Does that mean any combination of NY losses and/or wins by ANY team ahead of them in the wild card race eliminates them? I apologize if this has been explained somewhere but I have not seen it if it has been discussed/explained.

There are two wild cards. So it doesn't matter what Oakland does. It's the wild card team with the second most wins you have to worry about if you are the Yankees. If you can't catch the team with the second most wins... you can't be the #2 wild card so you are out.

One note is that while the Yankee elimination # is 4, it is sort of really 3 because KC and Cleveland play 4 times (3 now that the suspended game is complete), so at least one of those two teams is guaranteed to win 85 games even though right now KC is at 84 and Cleveland is at 82 after winning the suspended game. So really, if the Yankees (or Jays) lose 78, they are done, because that would mean they can't win 85.

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o

Last night, rookie Chris Bassitt shut the Tigers out for 7.67 innings, en route to a 2-0 White Sox victory.

Tonight, the Pale Hose will again be sending a rookie to the mound, in Scott Carroll.

Will they again put a dent in the Tigers' quest to claim the A.L. Central title ???

(SEPTEMBER 23rd)

CHICAGO WHITE SOX

Adam Eaton - CF

Alexei Ramirez - SS

Jose Abreu - DH

Avisail Garcia - RF

Dayan Viciedo - LF

Paul Konerko - 1B

Marcus Semien - 3B

Josh Phegley - C

Carlos Sanchez - 2B

Scott Carroll- RHP (5-10, 5.01 ERA)

DETROIT TIGERS

Ian Kinsler - 2B

Torii Hunter - RF

Miguel Cabrera - 1B

Victor Martinez - DH

J.D. Martinez - LF

Nick Castellanos - 3B

Alex Avila - C

Eugenio Suarez - SS

Rajai Davis - CF

David Price - RHP (14-12, 3.37) *

* (11-8, 3.11 ERA) [TAMPA BAY D-RAYS] OOO (3-4, 4.09 ERA) [DETROIT TIGERS]

http://www.baseballpress.com/lineups

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OAK 86-71 --- (1 LAA, 4 @ TEX)

KCR 86-71 --- (1 @ CLE*, 4 @ CWS)

SEA 83-74 3.0 (2 @ TOR, 3 LAA)

CLE 82-76 4.5 (1 KCR*, 3 TBR)

NYY 81-76 5.0 (2 BAL, 3 @ BOS)

Toronto was eliminated last night, and Cleveland and New York are both on the brink of elimination, with Seattle's chances also fading badly after losing to Toronto the last two nights. Both Oakland and Kansas City finish the season with a four-game set against a team with a losing record, while Seattle plays only winning teams, including 3 with the Angels, who are still trying to wrap up home field advantage throughout the playoffs.

It should be noted that Detroit could fall back into wild card position. They are 87-70 (one game ahead of KC) and play 1 with the White Sox and 4 with the Twins. Neither Cleveland nor New York can catch them.

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Tigers won the season series against the Royals, so Central tie goes to them. The Mariners at least have home field this weekend while the A's and Royals are on the road, but must get the last two in Toronto for those to have any meaning.

No, a Central tie would not "go to Detroit". Division ties are broken on the field, Monday, in a 1 game playoff. The team that won the season series gets home field for that game, that's all.

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It is remarkable how lackluster this race is. I tune in each night to see what new and dumbfounding way each team in it figures out how to loose.

I have been thinking about this for a few days. The teams are and have basically been set for a few days now. There isn't really anything interesting to watch for this weekend. Even with the second wild card the races weren't that interesting this year.

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