Who doesn’t like a good playoff race? Really, what could be better than two (or more) teams slugging it out down the final stretch of the season to determine a divisional winner? We all do, right?
Yeah, well, too bad. It isn’t even September yet and all those fun and wonderful races look like they could be over any day now. A big reason for that is what happened tonight.
We were already down to just two races (well, two that count, the Boston-New York race doesn’t matter much since both teams are locks for the post-season), the AL West and the NL West. But after the events of Sunday, we may not even be able to lay claim to those two race for much longer.
Let’s start with the Rangers and Angels. After Texas went into to Anaheim and took three of four from the Halos two weeks ago, most everyone started making playoff arrangements for the Rangers, who boasted a six-game lead at the time. Shockingly, the Angels managed to climb back within two games of Texas heading into this weekend, giving them a second chance at wresting control of the division from the Rangers. With ace Jered Weaver set to take the bump yesterday, the Angels had a golden opportunity to cut Texas’ lead to one game. However, three days rest didn’t seem to agree too well with Weaver who labored through six innings before finally breaking down in the seventh to give up the lead for good.
Having now lost their second consecutive series to Texas, one can’t help but wonder if the Angels haven’t squandered their last chance at making the AL West race interesting over the rest of the season? Three games is not an impossible margin to overcome, but with no games against Texas until the final series of the year, the Angels are going to need some help to make that final series anything more than a victory lap for Texas.
As depressing as the odds are for the Angels, matters are looking even bleaker for the defending champion San Francisco Giants. At least the Angels were doing their losing to their rival. The Giants, though, spent yesterday watching their depleted bullpen gag away a game to the lowly Astros all while the Diamondbacks cruised past the Padres for their sixth straight win, pushing Arizona’s NL West lead to four games. Again, not an insurmountable margin, but with San Francisco and Arizona clearly headed in opposite directions, it seems like Giant fans would be well-advised to dust off that 2010 Championship DVD if they need something to watch on TV this October.
Hopefully, the Angels and/or Giants can right their ships and right them quickly, if not for their own fortunes, but so we have some exciting races to watch in the final weeks of the season.
Also last night: David Price fanned 14 in a win, setting a new team strikeout record in the long illustrious famous documented(?) history of the Rays… Joey Votto hit two homers, including a walk-off in the 14th inning to lead the Reds over the Nationals… and finally, Curtis Granderson hit two homers in the nightcap of a doubleheader to take the ML lead in home runs.
What to watch tonight: It is a big day for comebacks. First the Phillies get Cole Hamels off the DL. Though his recent shoulder issues are generally considered minor, the Phillies definitely will feel a lot better if he comes out and picks up where he left off before landing on the DL. The same thing goes for Freddy Garcia and the New York Yankees. Garcia is making his first start since being attacked by a knife in his own kitchen earlier this month. With the Bombers in need of some stability in their rotation before the playoffs start, Garcia has a golden opportunity to prove his worth and lock down a spot in the Yanks’ post-season rotation. Full schedule with probable pitchers here.
