Pennant Races
In September, the MLB Pennant Race heats up. Every game matters, and to lose a game is like to lose a job to die-hard fans. So, let's break down where teams are at in the pennant race.
AL East
2 teams are still in this race. Although the loser has great chances of winning the Wild Card, the AL East is what is important. The Rays have won 2 straight in New York after the Yankees took the first 2 games. New York plays host to Boston, while the Rays host Seattle.
Prediction: Yankees win AL East
AL Central
With a team effort, the Minnesota Twins dominated the second half and won the AL Central with ease, clinching a playoff spot. The White Sox and Tigers, the division runners-up, are out of the playoffs and playing the rest of the season for improvement and testing young prospects.
AL West
With Josh Hamilton, Torii Hunter, Vladimir Guerrero and more good players, the Rangers finally showed up. The Rangers have had success against teams like the Red Sox and Yankees, and they have been able to build up a big division lead late in the first half of the season, and in the early second half. The A's are not out of the race and they are hosting Texas in a four game series, so a sweep could put them 4 games back. However, I say the Rangers are too much.
Prediction: Rangers
NL East
In the first half of the season, Jason Heyward and the Braves were dominating. They had the NL East lead for a long time, all the way into the middle of the second half of the season. Then the Phillies got their act together, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, and Chase Utley started playing well and now Philadelphia leads. The Braves are tied for the Wild Card lead with the Padres after being swept by Philadelphia.
Prediction: Phillies
NL Central
Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and the Reds came out of the gates playing good baseball, and then they raised the bar. Now, the Reds took it up a level, and they lead the Cardinals by 7.5 games with a key series in San Diego coming up. The Reds can lock up the division by winning the series, or having the Cardinals lose their series.
Prediction: Reds
NL West
By far, the most interesting pennant race is the NL West. The Giants and Padres swap leads in the division, and the Rockies, 3.5 games back of first place, are trailing behind. With Jose Gullien and Buster Posey stepping up, the Giants are in first place by half a game, with a key weekend series in Colorado coming up. After a 13-0 win in Chicago, the Giants have momentum.
The Padres had a 10 game losing streak that cost them a big division lead, and now a key loss to the Dodgers cost them first place. Padres ace Mat Latos has lost 3 games in a row, right after he earned the lowest ERA in the MLB. With a huge series against Cincinnati coming up, all San Diego can afford is a win.
Prediction: Giants
Playoff Picks
Twins over Rays
Yankees over Rangers
Yankees over Twins
Reds over Braves
Giants over Phillies
Giants over Reds
Giants over Yankees
AL East
2 teams are still in this race. Although the loser has great chances of winning the Wild Card, the AL East is what is important. The Rays have won 2 straight in New York after the Yankees took the first 2 games. New York plays host to Boston, while the Rays host Seattle.
Prediction: Yankees win AL East
AL Central
With a team effort, the Minnesota Twins dominated the second half and won the AL Central with ease, clinching a playoff spot. The White Sox and Tigers, the division runners-up, are out of the playoffs and playing the rest of the season for improvement and testing young prospects.
AL West
With Josh Hamilton, Torii Hunter, Vladimir Guerrero and more good players, the Rangers finally showed up. The Rangers have had success against teams like the Red Sox and Yankees, and they have been able to build up a big division lead late in the first half of the season, and in the early second half. The A's are not out of the race and they are hosting Texas in a four game series, so a sweep could put them 4 games back. However, I say the Rangers are too much.
Prediction: Rangers
NL East
In the first half of the season, Jason Heyward and the Braves were dominating. They had the NL East lead for a long time, all the way into the middle of the second half of the season. Then the Phillies got their act together, Ryan Howard, Jayson Werth, and Chase Utley started playing well and now Philadelphia leads. The Braves are tied for the Wild Card lead with the Padres after being swept by Philadelphia.
Prediction: Phillies
NL Central
Joey Votto, Jay Bruce and the Reds came out of the gates playing good baseball, and then they raised the bar. Now, the Reds took it up a level, and they lead the Cardinals by 7.5 games with a key series in San Diego coming up. The Reds can lock up the division by winning the series, or having the Cardinals lose their series.
Prediction: Reds
NL West
By far, the most interesting pennant race is the NL West. The Giants and Padres swap leads in the division, and the Rockies, 3.5 games back of first place, are trailing behind. With Jose Gullien and Buster Posey stepping up, the Giants are in first place by half a game, with a key weekend series in Colorado coming up. After a 13-0 win in Chicago, the Giants have momentum.
The Padres had a 10 game losing streak that cost them a big division lead, and now a key loss to the Dodgers cost them first place. Padres ace Mat Latos has lost 3 games in a row, right after he earned the lowest ERA in the MLB. With a huge series against Cincinnati coming up, all San Diego can afford is a win.
Prediction: Giants
Playoff Picks
Twins over Rays
Yankees over Rangers
Yankees over Twins
Reds over Braves
Giants over Phillies
Giants over Reds
Giants over Yankees
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