IF THE PLAYOFFS STARTED TODAY… September 18, 2010

Things are brewing and it could even crazier in the NL. While the AL top spot keeps flip flopping between the Rays and the Yankees, the 4 teams are all but set… especially with the Red Sox lost last night.

But with 2 games in the loss column separating the Braves, Giants, Padres and Rockies for 2 playoff spots, this October is promising some true insanity.

So here are the match ups going into today.

AMERICAN LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES

NEW YORK YANKEES (AL East Champion)
has home field advantage over
TEXAS RANGERS (AL West Champion)

MINNESOTA TWINS (AL Central Champion)
has home field advantage over
TAMPA BAY RAYS (AL Wild Card)

NATIONAL LEAGUE DIVISION SERIES

PHILADELPHIA PHILLIES (NL East Champion)
has home field advantage over
CINCINNATI REDS (NL Central Champion)

SAN FRANCISCO GIANTS (NL West Champion)
has home field advantage over
ATLANTA BRAVES (NL Wild Card)

And oddly the team that could be the scariest is the Rockies, and they wouldn’t even make the playoffs if they started today.

But they don’t.
That doesn’t stop me from doing this thread.

Never Cry Wolf

OK, Giants fans, that kind of sucked.

Yeah the magic number went down because the Padres are continuing their Wile E. Coyote impersonation and the Reds also lost…

And you have to tip your cap to Randy Wolf and the Brewers for a well pitched complete game shut out…

But there are only 15 games left. There’s not a lot of time for cap tipping.

And guess what? The Rockies won again. The Dodgers clearly aren’t going to be much of a help for the Giants in terms of beating contenders. This team is mailing it in and wondering who else is going out the door with Joe Torre.

1 game in the loss column separates the Giants, Padres and Rockies.

Lincecum takes the mound tomorrow.
Keep your cap on your head and let other teams tip THEIRS!

IN HONOR OF BOB BRENLY…

In 1987, my first year living in the Bay Area, I went to the last regular season Giants game on October 4, with my friend Tim Brislin.

The Giants were tuning up for their first playoff appearance since 1971 and Candlestick, possibly the worst place in the history of humanity, was rocking.

In the bottom of the 10th, it truly rocked to its foundation when their former All Star catcher and all around good guy ended the regular season with a walk off homer.

Bob Brenly also homered in Game 4 of the 1987 NLCS and helped get the Giants ohhhh so close to the pennant.

He later became the manager of the Diamondbacks, won a World Series with them and oddly hasn’t been rehired.

It is in Brenly’s honor that for Giants fans I point out…
THE MAGIC NUMBER IS 15!!!