How I want the National League races to end

With the season winding down, the playoff picture in the American League seems pretty clear. Unless the Twins and Rangers simply collapse and give the White Sox and A’s some life, then we can be pretty sure that the Yankees, Rays, Rangers and Twins will be playing in October.

But there is a chance that the National League could be right down to the wire.

I want there to be total anarchy by the end… nobody sure who is in and who is out.

Now with the Red Sox out of it, I am rooting for the Giants to win it all. But the rest of the National League could be in chaos if the following scenarios take place.

The GIANTS go on a mad 15-5 dash to capture the NL West title and finish the season 95-67.

The PADRES right their ship and go 15-7 to and finish the season 94-68.

The ROCKIES continue their late surge with a 17-4 streak and also finish the season 94-68.

The PHILLIES go 11-9 the rest of the way and finish the season 93-69.

The BRAVES pick up the pace and go 12-8 over the last few weeks and end with a 93-69 mark.

The REDS stumble to an 7-14 record the rest of the way and finish 87-75.

The CARDINALS, led by Pujols, Wainwright and Carpenter, go 14-9 and also finish 87-75.

So what would be the end result?

The Giants would be the Western Division Champs and have Home Field Advantage in every round of the playoffs, including the World Series.

My dad will be thrilled to see that the Championship will have to come through McCovey Cove.

And the rest of the National League playoffs would be up for grabs forcing three… count em… THREE win or go home one game playoffs on the same day!

The Padres and Rockies would play a one game playoff for the Wild Card (2007 rematch anyone?)

The Braves and the Phillies would play for the NL East title. (The two time NL Champs vs. Bobby Cox’s last stand.)

And the Reds and Cardinals, two of the classic franchises in baseball, will square off for the NL Central crown. (And no doubt some bad blood between LaRussa and Baker.)

And if these games would be as exciting as the one game playoffs played each of the last three seasons, they will be three heart stopping down to the last pitch thrillers.

We’ve never had more than one to end a season. (If the Mets won one more game we would have had two in 2007!)

Tell me that wouldn’t be the most exciting baseball day you could imagine.

So… just have those 7 scenarios take place.
I’ve always wanted a season to end with anarchy… maybe I’ll get my wish this year.

Don’t make today worse

I usually stick to baseball and whatever silly obsession has my attention… but I can’t let today just come and go.

Last year I wrote about how I hated this day on the calendar. I feel this day should be one for reflection and to not take things in life for granted.

And more importantly it is a day to remember that the worst events can bring out the best in people. As someone who lived in New York on that day, I saw how people reacted to an unspeakable tragedy with resolve, dignity and a compassion that made me realize that there is more good than bad in humanity.

However, I am seeing people using this date to bring out the worst in people… bigotry, ugly politics, paranoia, outlandish conspiracy theories, using the event to justify ignorance and xenophobia.

Knock it off!
Wasn’t there enough REAL anger, REAL fear, REAL conspiracy and REAL hatred caused on that day to last a lifetime, let alone less than a decade?

Shouldn’t the lesson of that day be that New York and by extension America is a place where, even under the worst adverse catastrophes, can overcome and work together no matter what your ancestry and no matter what God you pray to or whether or not you pray to one at all.

You want to send a middle finger to the thugs to forever altered the skyline I loved so much as a kid? Then show them that not only are we still strong, but we won’t crumble to fear and paranoia.

Baseball played a huge part of healing after September 11th. And baseball is going to be the topic for the rest of my posts this month. But there has been enough pain for September 11.

Let’s make it about healing and our resolve.

Give to The Children of September 11… or the Officer Down Memorial… or to your local police or fire departments.

Now back to baseball.

King Felix wants his Cy Young

There is a Cy Young front runner pitching in Anaheim tonight and it is NOT the dude with 15 wins.

Ervin Santana is having a nice year but so far Felix Hernandez has been dominating everything but the win-loss column.

I really hope the Mariners win and more specifically Felix wins tonight. I want that win total around 14. I don’t want a nitwit sports writer to NOT vote for the most dominating pitcher in the American League by saying “Is the league’s best pitcher a 12 game winner?”

YES when they tried to have Milton Bradley as the clean up hitter.

I was making fun of the outcome of last night’s Angels/Mariners game as irrelevant. But today? GO MARINERS!