As it turns out, I've got a better grasp of how the American League will pan out than the National League based on my predictions. There's no coincidence because I'm a Red Sox fan and this season has brought new meaning to the word "realistic." I won't bore you with a rant, but as I predicted, the four teams leading their races for playoff spots (Yankees, Twins, Rangers and Rays) are all still pretty firmly entrenched in first place. The only race that may heat up could be the Central, but I don't think the White Sox have the pitching to overtake the surging Twins.
In the NL, I'm somewhat surprised by what has transpired. The East and West are both shaping up to be very exciting the final four weeks. The Phillies have overtaken the Braves and lead by half a game. I expect the Bravos to make a push at the end, but the Fightin Phils have experience aplenty with much of their 2008 World Series and 2009 NL Champion squads intact. I think the biggest question is how Roy Halladay will pitch in a game that actually means something since he's been the best pitcher in baseball never to make the playoffs. It could make for some interesting drama. If I were the Phils, I would've kept Cliff Lee because he's proven himself and when he returns from his injury, the Rangers will benefit from it.
The Reds are hanging tough in the Central and have capitalized on a serious tank job by the Cardinals. The wheels pretty much came off for St. Louis after the dropped series against Pittsburgh and Washington, the worst of the worst in baseball. Like my Sox, I say stick a fork in 'em, the Wild Card belongs to whoever doesn't win the East.
Which brings me to my next point. The NL West teams have been beating each other to a pulp and have closed the gap on the Padres. San Francisco has made the most of of the Pads colossal 10-game losing streak and cut the lead to two games. They also trail the Braves by two in the Wild Card. Also in the mix for the Wild Card are the red-hot Rockies. I'll admit, I counted them out, but they've won seven in a row and should be in the mix til the bitter end.
One other story line to watch for is the quest for the elusive triple crown. For those unfamiliar with the legend, the triple crown winner in baseball is the major league leader in home runs, batting average and runs batted in during the regular season. The last time this legendary statistical feat was achieved was in 1967 when Carl Yastrzemski achieved it for the Sox. We have three bonafide contenders in the NL. The first should come as no surprise since Albert Pujols is one of the faces of the game. He is first in the NL in dingers (36), third in RBIs (98) and sixth in average (.311). Next is Joey Votto who would get my vote for NL MVP if I had one. He is second in the NL in homers (t-32), ribbies (99) and average (.326). The third guy is someone you've never heard of unless you're a Rockies fan or follow teams in the NL West. Carlos Gonzalez is leading the NL in hitting at .340, is first in RBIs with 100 and tied for second with Votto with 32 round-trippers. Quite an impressive threesome. If one of them does it, it will be even more impressive because this is supposedly the "Year of the Pitcher" with so many no-hitters and near no-hitters and what not.
The hunt for the Triple Crown is also extended to the AL where it's more of a two man race. Miguel Cabrera has been putting fear in the eyes of opposing pitchers all season and his stats are nothing short of excellent. His 110 RBIs are tops in the majors, his .333 average is second in baseball and his 33 four-baggers put him tied for fourth in baseball with Paul Konerko of the White Sox. Of all the candidates, his resume is the strongest. The other guy in the AL is Josh Hamilton. The game's top offensive center fielder leads the majors in hitting at .361, is ninth with 31 homers and has 97 runs driven in to tie him with Minnesota's Delmon Young (what the hell?) for tenth in baseball. Not too shabby but the power numbers need a shot in the arm--er a bit of a boost, for him to surpass Cabrera. Hope you didn't fall asleep reading this, I've been up since 2:30 am.
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