MLB Playoff Race
First, I want to say Congratulations to the Minnesota Twins for becoming the first team to clinch their division this season. I think it's great that no division was decided until the Twins won the AL Central with 2 weeks left in the season. The next week and a half will be full of exciting baseball. Other divisions that are pretty much wrapped up are the AL West, where the Rangers' Magic Number is 4 and the NL Central where Cincinnati's Magic Number is 3. The Phillies also have a great shot at wrapping up the NL East soon with a Magic Number of 4 and a 10-game winning streak. Now, on to the close races.
AL East
The Yankees have a 1.5 game lead on the Tampa Bay Rays going into today's final game of their 4 game series. Tomorrow, New York starts a weekend series against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium and the Rays host the Seattle Mariners. Monday, the Yanks go north of the border to face the Blue Jays and the Rays stay home to take on Baltimore. The only team facing NY and TB in the next week that hasn't been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs is the Red Sox. Their elimination numbers are 3 in the division and 5 in the Wild Card so they could be out before they leave the Bronx.
AL Wild Card
The Rays lead the Red Sox by 6.5 games and the White Sox by 10.5 games. Chicago is all but gone with an elimination number of 1 and, as I stated earlier, Boston's elimination number is 5. There are going to be several homes that find some extra Sox laying around on October 4th. The Yankees and Rays will likely both make the playoffs but we are just waiting to see who wins the division. Loser gets the Wild Card spot.
NL West
The Padres and Giants are playing leap frog atop the West as they have both held half game leads in the last week. The Rockies are trying to hang around but have lost 3 straight games and are 3 games back. All 3 teams are in action today, as the Giants are at Wrigley for the rubber match of their series with the Cubs; the Rockies try to avoid the sweep in Arizona; and the Padres try to finish a sweep of the Dodgers in Los Angeles. There are two huge series' this weekend. The Giants go to Colorado with hopes of tapping the Rockies and the Padres go home to host the NL Central leading Cincinnati Reds. Monday, the Cubs head to San Diego to take on the Padres in a 4 game series and the Dodgers head to the Rocky Mountains to play 3 with Colorado. Tuesday, the Giants return to AT & T Park for a 3 game set with the Diamondbacks. This race is going to be great!
NL Wild Card
The NL West runner-up will have a great shot at taking the Wild Card. Right now, the Braves are up by half a game on the Giants and the Rockies are 3 back. The Braves have the day off after being swept by the red-hot Phillies and will head to the nation's capital this weekend to play the Nationals. They will then head home to play 3 against the Marlins starting Monday. The Cardinals and Marlins are still technically in this race but their elimination numbers are 3 and 2, respectively.
AL East
The Yankees have a 1.5 game lead on the Tampa Bay Rays going into today's final game of their 4 game series. Tomorrow, New York starts a weekend series against the Red Sox at Yankee Stadium and the Rays host the Seattle Mariners. Monday, the Yanks go north of the border to face the Blue Jays and the Rays stay home to take on Baltimore. The only team facing NY and TB in the next week that hasn't been mathematically eliminated from the playoffs is the Red Sox. Their elimination numbers are 3 in the division and 5 in the Wild Card so they could be out before they leave the Bronx.
AL Wild Card
The Rays lead the Red Sox by 6.5 games and the White Sox by 10.5 games. Chicago is all but gone with an elimination number of 1 and, as I stated earlier, Boston's elimination number is 5. There are going to be several homes that find some extra Sox laying around on October 4th. The Yankees and Rays will likely both make the playoffs but we are just waiting to see who wins the division. Loser gets the Wild Card spot.
NL West
The Padres and Giants are playing leap frog atop the West as they have both held half game leads in the last week. The Rockies are trying to hang around but have lost 3 straight games and are 3 games back. All 3 teams are in action today, as the Giants are at Wrigley for the rubber match of their series with the Cubs; the Rockies try to avoid the sweep in Arizona; and the Padres try to finish a sweep of the Dodgers in Los Angeles. There are two huge series' this weekend. The Giants go to Colorado with hopes of tapping the Rockies and the Padres go home to host the NL Central leading Cincinnati Reds. Monday, the Cubs head to San Diego to take on the Padres in a 4 game series and the Dodgers head to the Rocky Mountains to play 3 with Colorado. Tuesday, the Giants return to AT & T Park for a 3 game set with the Diamondbacks. This race is going to be great!
NL Wild Card
The NL West runner-up will have a great shot at taking the Wild Card. Right now, the Braves are up by half a game on the Giants and the Rockies are 3 back. The Braves have the day off after being swept by the red-hot Phillies and will head to the nation's capital this weekend to play the Nationals. They will then head home to play 3 against the Marlins starting Monday. The Cardinals and Marlins are still technically in this race but their elimination numbers are 3 and 2, respectively.
NFL Week 3
Dallas (0-2) @ Houston (2-0)- I don't see the Cowboys going o-3...or the Texans going 3-0 for that matter.
Detroit (0-2) @ Minnesota (0-2)- Going out on a limb here and saying the old and unimproved Brett Favre will be 0-3.
Atlanta (1-1) @ New Orleans (2-0)- The 49ers took it to the Saints on Monday night and the Falcons are a better team than the 49ers. Plus, the Saints are without Reggie Bush, who broke his leg against San Francisco. Look for the Dirtybirds to leave the Who Dat? Nation saying "Huh, what?"
Pittsburgh (2-0) @ Tampa Bay (2-0)- The Bucs are 2-0? The Roethlisberger-less Steelers are 2-0? Tampa Bay's run ends this week.
Philadelphia (1-1) @ Jacksonville (1-1)- Andy Reid named Mike Vick his starter for the rest of the year. Some people don't think an injury should cost someone their starting job, as it seems has happened to Kevin Kolb, but I'm a firm believer in starting the players who give you the best chance to win. I think Vick does this for the Eagles and will give the Jaguars defense fits on Sunday.
San Francisco (0-2) @ Kansas City (2-0)- Another game where both teams will lose the zeroes in their records.
New York Jets (1-1) @ Miami (2-0)- Jets fans are still waiting for Mark Sanchez to do something as their QB. I think the '72 Dolphins will be able to celebrate the first loss of the '10 Dolphins this week.
Green Bay (2-0) @ Chicago (2-0)- Should be a great Monday Night match-up as these two undefeated teams look to take over sole possession of first place in the NFC North. I still think the Packers are the better team.
Detroit (0-2) @ Minnesota (0-2)- Going out on a limb here and saying the old and unimproved Brett Favre will be 0-3.
Atlanta (1-1) @ New Orleans (2-0)- The 49ers took it to the Saints on Monday night and the Falcons are a better team than the 49ers. Plus, the Saints are without Reggie Bush, who broke his leg against San Francisco. Look for the Dirtybirds to leave the Who Dat? Nation saying "Huh, what?"
Pittsburgh (2-0) @ Tampa Bay (2-0)- The Bucs are 2-0? The Roethlisberger-less Steelers are 2-0? Tampa Bay's run ends this week.
Philadelphia (1-1) @ Jacksonville (1-1)- Andy Reid named Mike Vick his starter for the rest of the year. Some people don't think an injury should cost someone their starting job, as it seems has happened to Kevin Kolb, but I'm a firm believer in starting the players who give you the best chance to win. I think Vick does this for the Eagles and will give the Jaguars defense fits on Sunday.
San Francisco (0-2) @ Kansas City (2-0)- Another game where both teams will lose the zeroes in their records.
New York Jets (1-1) @ Miami (2-0)- Jets fans are still waiting for Mark Sanchez to do something as their QB. I think the '72 Dolphins will be able to celebrate the first loss of the '10 Dolphins this week.
Green Bay (2-0) @ Chicago (2-0)- Should be a great Monday Night match-up as these two undefeated teams look to take over sole possession of first place in the NFC North. I still think the Packers are the better team.
College Football Week 4
North Carolina St. (3-0) @ Georgia Tech (2-1)- The winner of this game should move into the Top 25.
#1 Alabama (3-0) @ #10 Arkansas (3-0)- Excellent early SEC match-up with possible National Championship implications. Ingram is healthy for Alabama, which is good because their next 3 games are against ranked opponents.
Temple (3-0) @ #23 Penn St. (2-1)- I smell an upset in the making!!!
Kentucky (3-0) @ #9 Florida (3-0)- Florida has won 23 straight games against Kentucky and should make it 24.
#12 South Carolina (3-0) @ #17 Auburn (3-0)- Auburn should squeak by South Carolina and move up in the polls.
#24 Oregon St. (1-1) @ #3 Boise St. (2-0)- The Broncos should buck the Beavers right out of the Top 25.
#22 West Virginia (3-0) @ #15 LSU (3-0)- LSU's 28-game non-conference home winning streak is in jeopardy this week.
California (2-1) @ #14 Arizona (3-0)- Cal will try to bounce back from the beat down they took from Nevada while Arizona is riding high after beating Iowa.
#5 Oregon (3-0) @ Arizona St. (2-1)- Oregon gets its first real test after destroying their first 3 opponents by a total score of 189-13. Still, look for them to be 4-0 at the end of this one.
#1 Alabama (3-0) @ #10 Arkansas (3-0)- Excellent early SEC match-up with possible National Championship implications. Ingram is healthy for Alabama, which is good because their next 3 games are against ranked opponents.
Temple (3-0) @ #23 Penn St. (2-1)- I smell an upset in the making!!!
Kentucky (3-0) @ #9 Florida (3-0)- Florida has won 23 straight games against Kentucky and should make it 24.
#12 South Carolina (3-0) @ #17 Auburn (3-0)- Auburn should squeak by South Carolina and move up in the polls.
#24 Oregon St. (1-1) @ #3 Boise St. (2-0)- The Broncos should buck the Beavers right out of the Top 25.
#22 West Virginia (3-0) @ #15 LSU (3-0)- LSU's 28-game non-conference home winning streak is in jeopardy this week.
California (2-1) @ #14 Arizona (3-0)- Cal will try to bounce back from the beat down they took from Nevada while Arizona is riding high after beating Iowa.
#5 Oregon (3-0) @ Arizona St. (2-1)- Oregon gets its first real test after destroying their first 3 opponents by a total score of 189-13. Still, look for them to be 4-0 at the end of this one.
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