Who can think of football on a day like today?

I get that football is more popular than baseball.
I understand it.

I understand that American Idol is more popular than Mad Men.
I have grasped that a Michael Bay Transformers movie is going to be more popular than a Joel and Ethan Coen film.

And I don’t dislike football.

But please. The NFL is in week 4. There is a way to go.
Baseball?

There’s only four games left and there is a real possibility for total anarchy.

How crazy is it?
Yankee fans are rooting for the Red Sox and Red Sox fans are rooting against the Red Sox.

That’s so bonkers that it brings up the possibility that the Mayans were right.

Let’s just take the American League and bring up the following plausible scenarios.

Orioles defeat the Red Sox. 
Not only is that possible, but Zach Stewart pitching for the Red Sox it is as much of a lock as any bet you could make today.

Twins defeat the Tigers.
Unlikely, but the Tigers are not pitching Verlander today and the game is in Minnesota. It is possible.

Blue Jays defeat the Yankees.
Toronto has a way of playing the Yankees very tough. And while Phil Hughes has pitched well recently, he is due to lay an egg.

White Sox defeat the Rays.
A tall order against David Price. But they are at home and Jose Quintana is no slouch.

Athletics defeat Mariners.
The A’s are at home and they play with a certain magic there.

Angels sweep the double header against the Rangers
A very tall order, especially against Yu Darvish and Derek Holland. But Zack Greinke and Ervin Santana can throw well and the Angels are loose.

What would happen if those seven scenarios all came true?

The American League playoff picture would look like this:
The Orioles would be in first place for the East by one game over the Yankees.
The Tigers would be in first place for the Central by one game over the White Sox.
The Rangers would be in first place for the West by one game over the Athletics.

And the Angels would be one game out of the Wild Card.

And that would set up the final three games of the season with not only no playoff position in the American League set, but not one single American League team having clinched a playoff spot going into the final three games of the season.

That is potential anarchy.
That is potential insanity.

And it is happening all over baseball today.

And if you turn on sports talk radio, they are talking about the Packers and the Saints.

Folks! There is a lot of time for football.
This is anarchy.
This is dogs and cats living together and mass hysteria to paraphrase Peter Venkman.

Let’s play ball!

 

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.

Fish

The Florida Marlins are tied for first place.

Did you know that?

How odd is the NL East?

The Phillies, the defending World Champs, have been in first place most of the year and are currently tied for first with the aforementioned Marlins.

The Braves are two games under .500 and yet are only 2 games out.

The Mets are a disgraceful mess at even .500, and only a game out of first.

Let’s play out a scenario that is within the realm of possibility:

Let’s say the Mets win 2 of 3 from the Phillies.

Let’s say the Pirates beat the Marlins 2 of 3.

Let’s say the Braves sweep the lowly Nationals.

If that happens then the Mets, Braves, Marlins and Phillies would all be one game over .500 and all tied for first place.

That’s worth rooting for.

That’s potential anarchy.

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