Playoff Question Marks Rise As the Calendar Heads Toward October
Written By: Brian Jerry
Staff Writer
With nothing set in stone at press time, the American League playoff race is all but solidified. The New York Yankees and Texas Rangers have each clinched their divisions (AL East and West) respectively.
More over, starting rotations raise an enormous amount of certainty, particularly for the Yankees, who beyond ace CC Sabathia are anything but a sure thing to take the mound after game two Right-hander A.J. Burnett has not lived up to expectations this season, posting a subpar 2-4 mark with a 7.43 ERA in his 12 starts since the All-Star Break. Fellow righties Ivan Nova, Phil Hughes, Bartolo Colon and Freddy Garcia all vie for a spot on the mound when the Bronx Bombers open up a best-of-five series, which would take place at Yankees Stadium if the season ended today. The favorable opponent would be the Rays, in which the Yankees are 7-2 against this year.
Unfortunately for the Rangers, things in the west are not feeling socozy with the Los Angeles Angels breathing right down their necks in attempt to capture the AL West pennant. Led by left-hander C.J. Wilson and his 16 wins, the Rangers are receiving plenty of run support in the form of Michael Young, Ian Kinsler, Adrian Beltre, Nelson Cruz and Josh Hamilton. With starters combining for over 70 wins and counting, look for them to slowly inch their way towards clinching the division.
Catching the Rangers will be quite the task, but the Angels of Anaheim fully intend on fighting to the finish. A sizeable gap separates the two ball clubs and the Angels are running out of breathing room. Perhaps the Angels’ best bet is to snag an AL Wild Card berth, where the Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays are battling to dethrone them for the right to play the Yankees or Detroit Tigers in the AL Division Series. The bats of first baseman Mark Trumbo must stay hot in addition to ace right-hander Jared Weaver, Dan Haren and Ervin Santana receiving help from their sluggers Trumbo, Howard Kendrick and Vernon Wells to have an outside shot.
Breathers of the neck, Red Sox and Rays are doing the same to each other as the season winds down. Boston has not received much help from starter John Lackey, who posts a terrible 0-2 record with a 10.70 ERA in four mound appearances in the month of September. Fellow starter Clay Bucholz has not since recovered from a stress fracture in his back that forced him to the 60-day disabled list earlier this season. If the Red Sox manage to hold onto the wild card spot, their starting rotation will likely include Josh Beckett getting the ball in game one of the ALDS (American League Division Series), followed by Jon Lester, John Lackey and Erik Bedard rounding out the series. They must depend on the bats of sluggers Adrian Gonzalez and David Ortiz. Gonzalez must especially rebound after going through a 1-for-21 stretch in the batters box for the majority of September.
Things in St. Petersburg, Florida are quite stressful these days. The Rays are inching towards sneaking into the postseason for the third time in four seasons. Tampa Bay must look towards third basemen Evan Longoria and second baseman Ben Zobrist to carry the team behind the plate. Starters David Price, James Shields, Jeremy Hellickson and Wade Davis combine for 60-plus wins and look to continue their domination march toward a playoff berth.
The Detroit Tigers have shaved off all competitors Cleveland Indians and Chicago White Sox in their successful quest for the AL Central crown. Leading his team in wins, ERA and strikeouts, ace right-hander and Old Dominion University alumni Justin Verlander will be handed the ball in game one. He will be followed by 14-game winner Max Scherzer in game two, with Rick Porcello and Brad Penny rounding the rotation out for games three and four of the ALDS. The Tigers need run support from first baseman slugger Miguel Cabrera, who brings his 20-plus homeruns and 100-plus RBI to the plate against the opposition of the Red Sox, Rays, Angels or Rangers in the first round.
The ALDS kicks off on Friday, Sept. 30, with the ALCS starting over a week later on Saturday, Oct. 8. The 2011 World Series pits the American League Champion on the road to the National League Champion after losing to the NL in the 2011 MLB All-Star Game. “The Fall Classic” takes place on Wednesday, Oct. 19
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