Wild card baseball keeps us riveted until the end

The Wild Card in Baseball keeps us Riveted until the end of the season..

One of the biggest critcisms of baseball is that the season is too long. There are 162 games that is spread out over 7 months. Most baseball fans dont have a problem with the amount of games but with the length of them. This year Major League baseball decided to implement another game so that the wild card could be significant and more teams would have a chance to get into the post season. Last year, Boston and Atlanta endured collapses that ransacked the Red Sox organzation and humiliated the Braves. Both teams had sizable leads over Tampa and St.Louis and lost them on the last day. This year in both leagues 4 teams had a chance to get into the postseason with 5 games left to play. The Dodgers, Cards, Braves, and Brewers were chasing down the final spots. In the A.L. the Angels, A's, Rays, and Orioles were doing likewise.

In the N.L. the Braves had clinched one spot with a week to go and they had their sites set on trying to win the division. The Nationals however had other plans and were able to get it done without the services of Steven Strasburg. The Nats decided to rest Strasburg who was coming off of Tommy John surgery and the teams put him on an innings limit. The Cardinals won the other spot after the Dodgers suffered a back breaking loss to the Giants. The previous night the Dodger had rallied in the ninth inning averting elimination and most of us thought that they could use that momentum to forge a one game playoff. It did not happen.

In the American League, the Orioles and A's emerged as the two teams that were trying to upset the divisions that they are in. The Yankees and Rangers had been in first place all year and only the Yankees were able to topple the Orioles. The Athletics defeated Texas three straight head to head, which not only eliminated the Angels and Rays, but ascended them to the top of the A.L. west. This accomplishment is extraordinary if you consider that the A's have the lowest payroll of contending teams and no star pitcher. The A's have 18 players that make less than a million dollars. Only 12 players make over a million on the entire roster. Bob Melvin is the clear cut manager of the year for what his team achieved.

The wild card is significant this year because the winner of the play in game gets to host two games against the top seed which will put extra pressure on that top seed to win one game on the road or sweep all three games at home. The Yankees and Nationals are the top seeds. The two first round games pit the Atlanta Braves against the defending champion St. Louis Cardinals and the second game pits the Baltimore Orioles and Texas Rangers. The Rangers/ Orioles matchup is intriguing because both teams can score runs at any time and in bunches. The Orioles were 30-9 in one run games this year which is off the charts. The Orioles have won 15 straight extra inning games including winning earlier this season in 19 innings in Seattle. Texas's Josh Hamilton is looking for some vindication after he "flubbed" a routine fly ball that allowed two runs to score in the Oakland game that turned out to be the game in which the A's won the division over the Rangers. Hamilton also hit 4 home runs ina game this year against the Orioles in May.

In the N.L. the Braves are playing to allow certain first ballot hall of famer Chipper Jones an opportunity to prolong his career. The Braves this year were 5-1 against the Cards and are throwing Chris Medlin who does not know how to lose. the braves have 23 straight starts of Medlins and clearly he has been the best pitcher in baseball since August. The Cardinals are used to this role of playing spoiler based on last season's heroics. They not only roared through the playoffs with clutch pitching performances but David Frese is a "walkoff" hitting machine. Ask the Rangers in the World Series about his prowess.

So as much as most people don't like the wild cat format, you cannot dispute how riveted most of has been because of the importance placed on these games in September. Would the right teams have gotten into the playoffs this year? That is up to your interpretation of what the "right " teams are. Chipper getting onelast chance on the big stage is pretty cool and would have happened based on last years format. Baltimore and Texas would have had to have a one game playoff to determine who was in. who would not have been excited to see that. Next year the format will change and they will probably be more games added. If they are exciting like the season has been, I am all for it...

Here comes the Phillies.. a quick baseball update

Remember about three weeks ago, everyone was talking about how the Phillies ought to think about salary dumping and next year?  The Phillies got rid of Shane Victorino and Ricky Blanton to the Dodgers. They traded Hunter Pence to the San Fransisco Giants.  They almost traded away Cliff Lee. There are about 20 games left in the season and they Phillies have awaken and no one wants to face them now.  Cliff Lee and Roy Halliday have started to be who we thought they were.  Jonatan Papelbon is back to being filthy.  Jimmy Rollins is playing like an all star.  Ryan Howard is hitting homeruns again. They are getting solid games from Kendrick.  They are 4 games out of the second wild card position and everyone is taking notice. These veteran players are showing the class and dignity that veterans should when you play professional sports.  They are getting paid a ton of money and they are playing like they actually care about the game and their fans. As much as i hate the Phillies, I have to admit that I am impressed.  They could have easily thrown in the towel and with all of the injuries and uncertainty that this team has had all season, no one would have criticized them for quitting. They have several significant series left to play in the N.L. east. They could easily supplant the Cardinals who are losing players instead of peaking at this time. Plus the Cardinals have to contend with the fast charging Brewers and red hot Reds.  The Pirates have collapsed again.  They need to learn from these collapses and bring in players who understand that baseball is a marathon not a sprint or 10k race. I would love the last day of the baseball season to replicate last year when the final two playoff spots were determined on that day.  I want to see even extra play in games thus forcing an extra day for the regular season to end.  How crazy would that be? An extra playoff game to get into the playoff to one game then play a series against the top seed at home. With Halliday and Lee, the advantage would favor the Phillies.  I hope it happens..
The American League is also getting crazy too.  The Yankees need one healthy week and they will distance themselves from the Orioles and Rays. Andy Petitte could be back in a week and he gives them toughness that they are going to need.  Mark Teixiera in that lineup makes a difference.  The Orioles are holding it together with tape and glue. Losing Hammel last night and Markakis recently are huge losses.  They can hit homeruns.  We know that Mark Reynolds is Dave Kingman.  He can have a week where he can hit 9 homeruns but also strike out 30 times. He has been hot lately and with Adam Jones and Matt Wieters this team is scary.  The Rays have the best team on paper to complete their comeback attempt like last year. The only problem is that they cannot afford to give away games with poor defensive decisions.  They can out pitch anyone. They will have a say in this.  The Oakland A's have the second best record in the American League.  How they have done it I couldn't tell you.  Watching them the last few nights have shown me that they can win ugly, with pitching, or the long ball if necessary. They have buried the Angels with wins the last two nights.  Last night was tough to swallow. 1st and 3rd with no one out and not being able to score the tying run is difficult to stomach.  Jered Weaver needs to get back on the field. Where was Trumbo last night?  Detroit appears to own the White Sox.  They have won 5 straight against them and Cabrera's homerun last night might be the blow that gives him the M.V.P. The White Sox must split these next two games or they will be tied for the lead.  i guess the only saving grace would be that the White Sox won't have to play the Tigers again.  Colud be a wild next two weeks...