This Week in MLB

ThisWeekMLBAs we enter the final few weeks of the season, for the teams still in contention, every game and every result takes on even more significance, and even those teams no longer in the race can act as spoilers and upset the delicate balance of both the divisional races and wild-card standings.

 

The New York Yankees are still tearing up the AL East. Despite losing their last two straight to Baltimore, they remain 7.5 games up over the Boston Red Sox. Derek Jeter certainly stole the headlines this week, surpassing Hall of Famer Lou Gehrig’s total hits by a Yankee with number 2,722 on Friday evening. Despite stumbling against the Orioles this weekend, the Yankees swept all four games over the Tampa Bay Rays, pretty much putting pay to the Rays’ play-off hopes this year. Tampa has lost nine straight games to fall 18 games back out of first place, despite Carlos Pena reaching 100 RBIs for his third straight season. Boston are still holding a three-game advantage over the Rangers in the wild-card race.

In the AL East, Philadelphia remain five games up over a surging Florida Marlins, with the Atlanta Braves just a couple of games further back. The Phillies became just the 12th club in Major League history with four 30-homer hitters in a season. Despite losing four straight to Houston, Philadelphia rebounded by taking two of three from the Nationals. A double-header today with the Mets should see if they can push their advantage further. The Marlins continued to gain ground, beating Washington last weekend and sweeping the Mets midweek. Atlanta have already taken two of three from the Cardinals this weekend, but have fallen eight games off in the wild-card standings.

Detroit are still topping the AL Central despite a relatively poor week in which their closest competitors failed to take advantage. The Tigers, who’d won six straight, saw this streak end when they were swept by Kansas City. Despite losing five straight games, the Tigers remain five games up over the Chicago White Sox, and 5.5 over the Minnesota Twins. Chicago took three out of four over Boston last weekend before dropping a couple of games to Oakland, and are currently battling the Angels this weekend with a rubber match today. Meanwhile, the Twins had a mostly forgettable week, failing to gain any ground on the struggling Tigers, splitting a four-game series with Toronto and already losing two out of three to the A’s.

In the NL Central St Louis is still thoroughly in charge of the division race, 10.5 games up over the Chicago Cubs. Chris Carpenter tossed a one-hit shutout on Labor Day against the Milwaukee Brewers, and a few days later, Adam Wainright pitched seven shutout innings while Albert Pujols continued to roll with his 46th and 47th home runs in the same game. Everything seems to be coming together for the Cards, who could probably be considered the most improved and most in-form team in the NL right now. While the Cubs’ hopes continue to dwindle, they could at least boast that they tied a Major League record on Tuesday night with eight straight hits in the first inning off Pirates starter Zach Duke on Tuesday night.

The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim remain five games ahead of Texas in the AL West. The Angels took three out of four over Kansas City last weekend before sweeping Seattle at home, and on Wednesday, Jered Weaver registered his 50th career win. Meanwhile, Texas continued to prove that they’re masters of the double-header, registering their third twin-bill sweep of the season against Cleveland on Tuesday, and facing yet another today against Seattle. Ichiro Suzuki continues to impress, becoming the second-fastest player in Major League history to 2,000 hits, and just two away now from his ninth-straight 200-hit campaign — another league record.

Finally, turning our attention to the NL West, it’s the Los Angeles Dodgers still keeping their noses out in front, and though Colorado continue to close the gap, the Dodgers just don’t give up. This weekend, LA has dealt a major blow to the San Francisco Giants’ play-off hopes, with two victories at AT&T Park. The Dodgers lost their series with the Padres last weekend, but took two out of three from the D’Backs midweek. The Rockies are just three games behind, and only had their eight-game winning streak stopped last night in extra innings against the Padres, only the team’s second loss in September so far. San Francisco has now fallen a disappointing 8.5 games out of first place, and are now level with Florida, 5.5 games back in the wild card chase, so it’ll take a major effort for the Giants to make up this gap. Losing two out of three to San Diego was critical enough, but the two losses already to Los Angeles are really beginning to hurt.

Well, that wraps up another eventful week in the MLB. Back next week with more news from the Majors.

One thought on “This Week in MLB

  1. Matt Smith

    Great round-up as always Marty.

    I think the eight teams currently in posession of playoff spots are the ones that will make it now. Detroit should have enough to hold on in the AL Central and I can see the Rangers just not having enough in the end to challenge the Angels or the Red Sox.

    As for the NL, the Cards are basically there and Philadelphia should be okay in the East. The Dodgers and Rockies will probably split the NL West/Wild Card spots.

    I’ve been wrong before though!

    Reply

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