With only about two weeks of the regular season left to play, the complete Major League Baseball playoff picture is still up in the air. There are a lot of teams battling for position and the only sure things right now seem to be the division races in the National League.
The Washington Nationals, Cincinnati Reds and San Francisco Giants all hold commanding leads in their respective divisions and should be in those spots come playoff time.
Based on how many games the second place teams are out, each American League division is still up for grabs, while the wild-card races in both leagues are close and may come down to the last game of the season.
In 2011, baseball experienced one of the most exciting last night's in history, with two teams making historic comebacks to clinch playoff spots.
The Tampa Bay Rays and the St. Louis Cardinals were able to make the playoffs after the Boston Red Sox and the Atlanta Braves suffered two of the most epic collapses in each franchise's history. They both lost their playoff spot on the last day despite leading the next contending teams by multiple games the last month of the season. The Cardinals went on to win the World Series in seven games.
This year in baseball, the playoffs will have a new format, with two wild-card teams playing one game to decide who will advance.
For this season only, the winner of the wild-card will then host the opposing team for two games at home, and then will play on the road for three games. This is different from the usual 2-2-1 format for the first round of the playoffs. Baseball officials implemented the new system this year, but could not change the locked-in dates for the playoff games, which is why the wild-card team will open at home.
Next season the two teams will still get the wild-card, but the winner will open on the road since baseball will be able to properly schedule the games.
Here's a look at each of the team's that are still in playoff contention and what they face for the rest of the regular season. The games behind and games left to play are up to date as of Wednesday Sept. 19 at 4 pm.
American League
New York Yankees
Games left to play: 15, Currently lead AL East by .5 games, Upcoming opponents: Toronto, Oakland, @Minnesota, @Toronto, Boston
The Yankees have led the division for most of the year, but squandered a 10-game lead to the Baltimore Orioles. The Yankees have a .5 game advantage in the division lead and the two teams have no more games head-to-head. New York has only one series left this season against a team with a plus-.500 record (Oakland). New York is just the ninth team since 1900 to blow a 10-game lead. The Yankees are still in good position to make the playoffs, but would like to win the division to avoid playing in the wild-card round. The Oakland Athletics have a one-game advantage over the Yankees and would host the team if they played the wild-card today.
Baltimore Orioles
Games left to play: 14, Currently behind AL East by .5 and lead the second Wild Card, Upcoming opponents: @Seattle, @Boston, Toronto, Boston, @Tampa Bay
The Baltimore Orioles have been winning games throughout the second half of the season to catch the New York Yankees. The two teams were tied on percentage points, but Baltimore fell back to a half game after the Yankees beat Toronto. It could go to a full game behind if the Yankees win again Wednesday night. The team has played fantastic all year, winning despite being outscored by opponents. The Orioles are looking to make the postseason for the first time since 1997.
Chicago White Sox
Games left to play: 15, Currently leading the AL Central by 3 games, Upcoming opponents: @Kansas City, @Los Angeles, Cleveland, Tampa Bay, Cleveland
First-year manager Robin Ventura has guided the White Sox to a phenomenal season, leading the division by three games with only 15 left to play. The Detroit Tigers were supposed to be the team to beat in the division, but are still behind after struggling most of the year. Chicago remains in first place even though Detroit won the season series 12-6 and the Sox have lost eight of the last 10 they have played against the Tigers.
Detroit Tigers
Games left to play: 15, Currently behind in the AL Central by 3 games, behind 5 ½ in Wild Card, Upcoming opponents: Oakland, Minnesota, Kansas City, @Minnesota, @Kansas City
Even though the Tigers signed Prince Fielder to a $200-million contract this year and have perennial MVP-candidate Miguel Cabrera, the team finds itself behind in the division and 5 ½ games back in the wild-card. The team has had trouble scoring runs, and aside from Cy Young winner Justin Verlander, the starting pitching has been suspect. The team will need to play excellent baseball the rest of the season to have a chance at the Wild Card and have to hope the White Sox slip if they want to win the division.
Oakland Athletics
Games left to play: 15, Currently behind in the AL West by 3 games, lead the AL Wild Card, Upcoming opponents: @Detroit, @New York, @Texas, Seattle, Texas
The Oakland Athletics have defied expectations this year, vaulting ahead in the wild-card race and closing in on the Texas Rangers in the division. The A's have won eight of the last nine series they have played and are getting contributions from all players on the team. They currently have a better record than the Yankees and Orioles, but are still behind the Rangers in the division.
Los Angeles Angels
Games left to play: 14, Currently behind in the AL West by 6 1/2 games, behind the AL Wild Card by 3 games, Upcoming opponents: Texas, White Sox, Seattle, @Texas, @Seattle
After signing Albert Pujols in the offseason the Angels were expected to do big things. But after struggling during the early part of the season, the team has had to claw back into the playoff race. Behind MVP-candidate and rookie Mike Trout, the team has put themselves in a prime position to get the wild-card. The Angels will need other teams to lose, but luckily for them they play the Mariners twice before the year is done. They still have two series against Texas, but if they play well against them they could close the gap in the division.
National League
Atlanta Braves
Games left to play: 13, Currently leading the NL Wild Card by 1 ½ games, Upcoming opponents: @Miami, @Philadelphia, Miami, New York, @Pittsburgh
The Atlanta Braves are leading the NL wild-card chase and hope to hold onto it after last year's historic collapse that left them on the outside looking in. The Washington Nationals surprised everyone this year as they ran away with the NL East, but the Braves have held their own, staying ahead of a crop of surging teams in the wild-card. They have a seven-game edge over St. Louis for the first spot and unless they collapse again, should make the playoffs.
St. Louis Cardinals
Games left to play: 14, Currently hold the second NL Wild Card by 1 ½ games, Upcoming opponents: Houston, @Chicago, @Houston, Washington, Cincinnati
The St. Louis Cardinals made the playoffs last year on the final day of the season and eventually won the World Series over the Texas Rangers. This year they will have to battle hard in the last two weeks just to maintain their lead. There are five teams currently within five games of the Cardinals for the second spot, including the Dodgers, Brewers, Pirates, Phillies and Diamondbacks. St. Louis can write its own destiny, as they face three straight series of bad opponents before taking on division leaders Washington and Cincinnati to finish the season.
Los Angeles Dodgers
Games left to play: 15, Currently behind NL Wild Card by 1 ½ games, Upcoming opponents: @Washington, @Cincinnati, @San Diego, Colorado, San Francisco
The Dodgers made one of baseball's most expensive and historic trades earlier this year when they acquired first baseman Adrian Gonzalez, pitcher Josh Beckett and outfielder Carl Crawford from the Boston Red Sox. The team's moved a $250 million in payroll and the Dodgers new ownership proved they were a force to be reckoned with. While the team has greatly improved, the San Francisco Giants were able to get the upper hand in the division on the Dodgers by beating them nine of 15 times this year. Luckily for the Dodgers, the two teams still have one more series against each other and it will be in Los Angeles. Although it is unlikely the division will be in play during that series, the Dodgers most likely will have to sweep the Giants to take control of one of the two wild-cards.
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