The Pennant Race: Final Picture Taking Shape -- Well Almost

After the "Ike" weekend, the American league cuts this way. There is still an open race for the division title in the East and Central. The Wild Card race is the East race. The Rays will win the division and the Red Sox will be the Wild Card or vice versa. The next three nights in Tampa could help finalize this as the Red Sox come to town. The Central is the Chicago White Sox two up in the loss column over Minnesota. It's going to be tough for Minnesota because they visit Tampa next weekend, but then the White Sox come to town. The Twins, realistically, need to narrow the gap to one game out before the Sox come to town. Meanwhile, in the West, the Angels are trying to keep sharp for round one of the playoffs as K-Rod increases his saves record.

The National League is getting a little goofier. All three Divisions are in play, but given that the Dodgers are surging and the Diamondbacks are crumbling, only a big change in momentum will keep the Dodgers from cinching that Division title. The Wild Card, East, and Central are getting a little more interesting. The East is the Mets lead, two up in the loss column. The Mets host the Cubs for four games the middle of next week. The Phillies face Atlanta, Washington, and Florida. The Cubs series would tend to prove to be the equalizer for the Phillies. This race could easily go down to the final weekend.

The Cubs have all but cinched the Central title even though they are playing poorly and their schedule got fowled up by postponements playing in Houston over the weekend, they lead Milwaukee by nine games in the loss column. Only a historic collapse could doom them now.

The big change in the last week is the picture for the NL Wild Card race. Milwaukee looked like a safe bet but going 3-7 while both Philadelphia and Houston have kept on winning now has Philadelphia tied with Milwaukee and Houston is only one game back.

The National League then goes like this. Chicago wins the Central. Los Angeles wins the West. Either New York or Philadelphia will win the East, and the loser will compete against Milwaukee and Houston for the Wild Card.

We'll call it that Philadelphia will win the East on strength of schedule. The Mets are playing well and will take the Wild Card. There will be tears in everyone's beer in Milwaukee.

Regardless, the last two weeks will be FUN, FUN, FUN, and look ma, no Yankees!!!