The Post-Season Picture 18/9

With less than two weeks of regular season left to play in the Major Leagues, it is now or never for the teams in the play-off hunt, looking to secure themselves a spot in October baseball. In the American League we have an enthralling wildcard race, with six teams fighting it out for the two spots in a one-game shootout. Over in the National League, the NL Central division still has three teams separated by just 2.5 games, whilst the Washington Nationals are making a ridiculously late bid to spoil that party. With the post-season picture changing every day, this is the first piece in a series that will take a look at recent events, the coming action and the post-season picture as a whole as the 2013 regular season draws to a close.

The AL Wildcard Picture

Team	Record	Games Back	Today's Matchup
Tampa Bay Rays	82-68	-	VS TEX
Texas Rangers	82-68	-	@ TB
Cleveland Indians	82-69	0.5	@ KC
Baltimore Orioles	80-70	2.0	@ BOS
New York Yankees	79-72	3.5	@ TOR
Kansas City Royals	79-72	3.5	VS CLE

The biggest series at the moment is the huge three-game set between the wildcard pace-setters at Tropicana Field. The Rangers had been imploding, losing seven straight at taking themselves from AL West frontrunners to a doubt to even make the wildcard game altogether. However, they got to Jeremy Hellickson early and often last night, taking his very first pitch of the game deep and forcing him out of the game in the third inning. Alexi Ogando did a great job in his spot start allowing just one run on two hits through five strong innings and the bullpen did the rest.

At Kauffman Stadium, Royals prospect Yordano Ventura made his first big league start and impressed, throwing 4.2 innings of one-run ball, frequently touching 100mph and even recording the fastest pitch by a starter in the Majors over the past five seasons at 101.9mph. Unfortunately, the bullpen that had been so strong for the Royals all year let them down this time, as a 3-1 lead turned into a 5-3 deficit, and the Indians were able to hold on to push themselves within half a game of the post-season, and leave Kansas City as a long shot.

The Yankees lost their fourth straight as they fell to the Blue Jays 2-0 thanks to an R.A. Dickey masterpiece in Toronto. Their maniacal run at the post-season appears to be finally slowing down, and as with the Royals, they will need some kind of miracle over the final 10 days if they want to make the wildcard game. The Orioles rode Chris Davis' 51st home run of the season (an Oriole record) to a huge 3-2 win over the Red Sox at Fenway. The O's are still up against it, but a decent winning streak here could easily push them into contention.

The NL Central Picture

Team	Record	Games Back	Today's Matchup
St Louis Cardinals	88-63	-	@ COL
Pittsburgh Pirates	87-64	1.0	VS SD
Cincinatti Reds	86-66	2.5	@ HOU

With a crushing 11-4 victory over the Rockies yesterday, the Cardinals moved clear of the Pirates in first place in the NL Central. Allen Craig is still sidelined with injury, and the Cardinals hope they will have him back for their post-season run, but in the interim, Matt Adams has proven himself an adept replacement. The Pirates have now dropped back-to-back games to the Padres, and have fallen a game back as they try to assure themselves of an NLDS appearance whilst the Reds beat up on the Astros in just the way they were expected to.

What about those Nationals?

The pesky Washington Nationals refuse to go away, and after sweeping the double-header with the Braves last night moved to 9-1 over their past ten games and 4.5 games back of a wildcard spot. They're still very much a long-shot for the post-season, but may be worth monitoring over the next few days in case they turn this momentum into a genuine chance to upset one of the NL Central rivals.

Tonight's Match-Ups

Phil Hughes (NYY) v (TOR) J.A. Happ

Usually a move out of New York would be a reason to think Hughes could have success, but the Rogers Centre is a similar bandbox that will provide no respite to the homer-prone right-hander. J.A. Happ hasn't made many starts since his return from a frightening injury sustained when he was hit in the head by a line drive, but I like his chance to earn his fifth win of the season today.

Wei-Yin Chen (BAL) v (BOS) Jake Peavy

Chen has had another quietly good season as a member of the O's rotation, with a 3.99 ERA and 1.8 WAR entering today's game. He has struggled of late, however, not allowing less than two runs since July 19th, and when he faced the Red Sox in late August, he got blown up for eight runs in less than four innings. Jake Peavy has been good since making the switch over to Boston, with a 3.66 ERA and 1.08 WHIP. I like his chances to quiet the Orioles tonight.

Danny Salazar (CLE) v (KAN) Bruce Chen

After returning from Tommy John surgery last year, expectations were in check for Salazar entering this season, but he has blown those expectations away with his performances so far as a member of the Indians rotation. He provides raw swing-and-miss stuff, with 54 strikeouts in 40 innings, and has dominated line-ups with much more talent than this Kansas City team. Bruce Chen is a wily veteran who will be tough to square up, but you've got to think the Indians are favourites in this one.

Derek Holland (TEX) v (TB) Chris Archer

Holland was expected to step up and make himself a strong number two in this rotation this season, and whilst the 3.49 ERA represents a career low, Holland has been disappointing of late, allowing six runs in both his last two starts and eighteen runs over his past four. He has the stuff to turn this funk around, and Texas will very much be hoping he does it tonight in this big encounter. Chris Archer shone after his call-up to the big leagues earlier this year, and after a brief blip earlier this month, he quelled fatigue concerns by throwing six scoreless innings against Minnesota. The Texas line-up has the ability to take advantage of any mistakes he makes, but he should give Tampa Bay a chance to take this crucial match-up.

Greg Reynolds (CIN) v (HOU) Brad Peacock

Greg Reynolds is nothing special, but he won't need to be tonight, as the Reds should score a bucket of runs and secure an important sweep of the Astros.

Adam Wainwright (STL) v (COL) Tyler Chatwood

Tyler Chatwood has been a pleasant surprise for the Rockies this season, navigating control issues and an ugly WHIP (1.48) to post an impressive 3.20 ERA and 2.6 WAR. He'll have a tough assignment tonight however, against the strong St Louis bats and their ace, Adam Wainwright. After a couple of ugly starts against the Reds a few weeks ago, Waino has proven it was nothing but a blip on the radar, and he has a good chance at win number 17 tonight.

Tyson Ross (SD) v (PIT) Charlie Morton

The Padres have surprisingly taken the first two games of this four game set with Pittsburgh, and get to face one of Pittsburgh's weaker starters today in the form of Charlie Morton. Tyson Ross has battled inconsistency all season, and after getting spanked about for six runs in less than an inning against the Phillies, it stands to reason that he would throw seven shutout innings today.

My picks: Blue Jays, Red Sox, Indians, Rays, Reds, Cardinals and Pirates.

GIF(s) Of The Day

A double animated image special today, as we take a look at Danny Salazar striking out Miguel Cabrera with a 100mph fastball

and then with a filthy breaking ball.

 He would later strike out the best hitter in baseball for a third time. The fourth time, well he gave up the game-tying home run. Point is, Salazar has good stuff, and Chris Getz isn't (yet) Miguel Cabrera.