It seems incredible, but it’s true: we’ve reached the final week of the MLB regular season.\u00c2\u00a0 Of the eight potential playoff spots, there are probably only two still up for grabs over these last few days.\u00c2\u00a0 The Rockies\u00c2\u00a0are still in pole position to\u00c2\u00a0win the NL Wild Card, but the Braves\u00c2\u00a0are catching them fast and could\u00c2\u00a0still snatch it from them at the death.\u00c2\u00a0 Meanwhile the AL Central is a genuine two-way battle between the Twins and Tigers and they will meet for a four-game series in Detroit, the final game of which is an early encounter on Thursday.<\/p>\n
All times are in BST.\u00c2\u00a0 <\/p>\n
Monday 28 September<\/strong><\/p>\n 17.35. Dodgers @ Pirates – Kuroda (8-6), Duke (10-15)<\/p>\n We start the working week with an early game from PNC Park. With the Dodgers needing just one more win to return to the postseason, the\u00c2\u00a0Pirates staged a stunning ninth-inning\u00c2\u00a0comeback yesterday to turn a 5-2 deficit into a 6-5\u00c2\u00a0walk-off win.\u00c2\u00a0 The Rockies then defeated the Cardinals to leave L.A.’s magic number at one.\u00c2\u00a0 Hiroki Kuroda will start for the road team in their quest to get that elusive victory and to start the celebrations, but the Pirates have already showed that they are intent on spoiling the party.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n Tuesday 29 September<\/strong><\/p>\n There are no early games tomorrow.\u00c2\u00a0 At midnight, Tim Hudson makes a start at Turner Field for the Braves against Rick van den Hurk and the Marlins.\u00c2\u00a0 Jason Marquis pitches for the Rockies at home to the Brewers (01.40). The Twins-Tigers pitching match-up is Brian Duensing versus Justin Verlander (00.05).<\/p>\n Wednesday 30 September<\/strong><\/p>\n 19.05. Pirates @ Cubs – Morton (4-9), Lilly (12-8) Wednesday brings us two early games from the Senior Circuit.\u00c2\u00a0 In both, you have one team who were always going to struggle in 2009 versus a team whose high hopes for the season were extinguished a while ago.\u00c2\u00a0 Prior to the season, the Cubs and Mets must have looked at these games as excellent opportunities either to get important late-season wins or to rest a few players with postseason play already secured.\u00c2\u00a0 Sadly for their fans, that’s not how things have panned out.<\/p>\n Thursday 1 October<\/strong><\/p>\n 12.35. Cardinals @ Reds – Carpenter (16-4), Maloney (2-4) The final ‘getaway’ Thursday of 2009 takes us directly into the races for the AL Central division and the NL Wild Card.\u00c2\u00a0\u00c2\u00a0Scott Baker and Nate Robertson are scheduled to be\u00c2\u00a0the starters in Detroit, although\u00c2\u00a0the context of the game will be changed greatly if one of the teams has swept the first three games of the series.\u00c2\u00a0Colorado will be hoping that this game against the Brewers isn’t the last at Coors Field in 2009.<\/p>\n A seventeenth\u00c2\u00a0victory for Chris Carpenter might help him to win the Cy Young Award, taking the place of the ’08 winner Tim Lincecum whose total of\u00c2\u00a0a maximum of fifteen\u00c2\u00a0wins will probably count against him.<\/p>\n Friday 2 October<\/strong><\/p>\n 19.20. D-Backs @ Cubs – TBD, TBD<\/p>\n Early Friday games from Wrigley are one of the joys of the baseball season for British fans, so it’s fitting that the Cubs are staging a day game on the final Friday of the regular season.\u00c2\u00a0<\/p>\n
\n21.35. Mets @ Nationals – Redding (3-6), Lannan (9-13)<\/p>\n
\n18.05. Twins @ Tigers – Baker (14-9), Robertson (2-2)
\n20.10. Brewers @ Rockies – Parra (11-10), TBD
\n20.45. D-Backs @ Giants – TBD, Lincecum (14-7)
\n23.05. Rangers @ Angels – Millwood (12-10), Lackey (11-8)<\/p>\n