Pennant
race intoxicates baseball junkies
Kim
Oswell
As
baseball season nears October, the smell
of the pennant is in the air. For some
teams, the last few weeks will be an
easy ride, but for others every game
will count.
Feuds and rivalries intensify and every play is crucial in deciding who will
win the prized division title. The pennant may be out of reach for some teams,
but the wild card race is full of tension with teams fighting for coveted playoff
spots.
The Wild Card has proven to be a desired playoff spot, especially when the
Angels rode the Wild Card wave all the way to the World Series in 2002.
The Cleveland Indians are leading the American League Wild Card race, with
the New York Yankees one-half game back and Oakland trailing by four games.
Houston leads the National League Wild Card race with Philadelphia behind by
two games, Florida by three and Washington hanging close, five games back.
In the AL West, the Angels and A’s are fighting for the best record,
with a difference of only one game between them. The AL West has one of the
closest division races in baseball; the two teams will play Sept. 26-29 in
the series that will ultimately decide the fate of the division.
It is safe to say the Angels have lacked heavy hitters this season. The acquisition
of Steve Finley was a disappointment and Soscia has responded by playing Figgins
in his place. Guerrero tried to carry the team, but between injuries, his abilities
were limited.
It is this point in the season when many wonder if the heart and soul of the
team, David Eckstein, was traded to St. Louis in the quest for a so-called
real shortstop.
Anaheim seems to be in good shape for the postseason when it comes to pitching
with Bartolo Colon winning his 20th game, a feat most pitchers don’t
accomplish in their careers. He is the first Angel to have 20 wins since Nolan
Ryan in 1974.
Paul Konerko and the White Sox lead the AL Central by 3.5 games on the Indians,
but they will finish the regular season with seven games on the road.
The longest standing and by far the most intense rivalry is the one between
the Red Sox and the Yankees. The curse was broken in 2004 and Boston is playing
to prove they are not one-hit wonders. Boston only has a one-half game lead
on New York in the pennant race with two weeks until the end of the season.
Boston is currently leading the AL East, but the deciding games will be Sep.
30-Oct. 2 when they play the Yankees at Fenway Park.
As usual, the Braves are first in the NL East, and Kenny Lofton and the Phillies
hope to make it to October.
The St. Louis Cardinals have all but clinched the NL Central; their closest
competition is the Houston Astros, who trail by 13.5 games.
The Cardinals have the best record in the majors; they are 95-57 with a .625
season average, thanks to Albert Pujols’ .334 batting average and So
Taguchi’s consistent hitting.
In the NL West, the underdogs are the San Diego Padres, who hold a record of
75-74 and are ahead of San Francisco by 5 games. They are on their way to win
the pennant with a season record of only .500.
The Giants have Barry Bonds back, and he has hit an impressive three home runs
since his return last week, but the fans are continuing to boo even though
he hit his 706th bomb Sept. 20.
As October speeds closer, some teams prepare for the postseason, while the
Royals and Pirates hope for better luck next year.
For the first time in years, there is a chance the Yankees may not make the
playoffs. Baseball enthusiasts are geared up for the blood, sweat and tears
that make fighting for the pennant the most amazing race all year.
My
prediction for the World Series is blinded
by red, with the Angels battling the Cardinals
and taking it all the way to Game Seven
to win.
The regular season officially ends on Oct. 2, but for a select few teams, that
is when things start to get serious.
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