Final Weekend In MLB Heats Up

We are so close to the start of the playoffs in Major League Baseball. As we head into the final weekend of the baseball regular season, there are still a few things that need to be decided. We already have six of the ten playoff spots locked up, every division has already to be decided. There is still a lot riding on the action going on this weekend around the league. Both Wild Card spots in the American and National Leagues are still up for grabs, as is home field advantage in the playoffs in both leagues. There's going to be a lot going on over the final three days of the year and it should be a lot of fun to watch.

There are already six teams locked up for the post season. In the National League, the Cubs already have not only the Central locked up, but they have home field advantage all throughout the National League playoffs. Right behind them are the NL East champions the Washington Nationals, followed by the NL West Champions the Los Angeles Dodgers. Chicago gets home field against the winner of the Wild Card game, which is still up for grabs between three teams, the New York Mets, San Francisco Giants and St Louis Cardinals. If the season ends now it would be Mets and Giants at Citi Field, but thankfully for the Cardinals, the season hasn't ended yet. St Louis beat the Reds last night, to keep themselves within a game of the Giants for the final wild card spot. St Louis has three games let on the schedule, playing host to the Pirates for the final three days of the year. St Louis sends Carlos Martinez, Jamie Garcia and Adam Wainwright to the hill against the Pirates for the final three games. St Louis is 7-9 so far this year against the Pirates. Just the mere fact that the Cards are still hanging around at this point with all the injuries they've had this year is pretty impressive.

As for the team in the 2nd wild card spot, the San Francisco Giants, they have slipped this year. Going into the all star break, they had the best record in baseball. Since then, the Giants have been one of the lower teams in all of the game. They head into the final weekend playing the Los Angeles Dodgers at AT&T Park. Despite their abysmal 26-42 record since the All-Star break, the Giants are clinging to even-year life. Thankfully Madison Bumgarner gets the start in the opener of the series against the Dodgers tonight, going up against Rich Hill. Then tomorrow its Albert Suarez taking on Clayton Kershaw and finally Matt Moore battles Kenta Maeda in the final game Sunday. Los Angeles doesn't really have much to play for, as they already have the West locked up. Only thing they have to play for is trying to get home field advantage against the limping Nationals. Washington has a two game lead over the Dodgers for home field. Chances are the Giants may hang on by the skin of their teeth over the Cards.

Lets not forget about the team at the top in the wild card race, the New York Mets. They have the Phillies for three in Philadelphia this weekend. Robert Gsellmen getting the start Friday night. The formula for the Mets is simple. Win and your in (with a little help from the Pirates). Pirates beat the Cards and the Mets beat the Phillies, the Mets are locked into the playoff spot. New York is 10-6 against the Phils this season, and Philadelphia has dropped five of its last six. Plus, New York boasts a winning record (41-37) on the road, and it has Noah Syndergaard and Bartolo Colon lined up to pitch despite an injury-depleted starting rotation. If things fall right and the Mets can clinch tonight, it might not be such a bad idea, if your Terry Collins, to rest one of those two guys, just to make sure one of them is rested and ready to go to start the wild card game on Wednesday.

Over in the American League, the wild card race is a little bit deeper then what they have over in the other league. As it sits, the Baltimore Orioles and Toronto Blue Jays hold down the top two wild card spots. On their heels are the Detroit Tigers and Seattle Mariners. Baltimore has to head to the Bronx for the final three games, facing off against the New York Yankees. Thanks to the O's win over the Blue Jays, that knocked the Yankees out of the playoff picture. Baltimore hopes that could be of benifit to them, as they hope New York will relax a bit when Baltimore comes to town for the final three regular-season games. I doubt it though. The Yannkees could look at the final three games as, hey you knocked us out, let us return the favor. It could totally happen.

Toronto has to travel to Boston for the last three games, taking on the Red Sox who really don't have much left to fight for, having already locked up the division. Toronto has the best chance of the two to hold onto their spot and they will. Detroit is going to make a run at it late, based purely on the fact that they play the Atlanta Braves, one of the weaker teams in all of baseball. The reason I'm holding out Seattle is because of what they have working against them. Yes, Seattle has to play Oakland, and they are 10-5 against the A's this season. But they still have too little time and too much ground to make up to really vault over the teams ahead of them.

Throw in the fact that the Red Sox, Cleveland Indians and Texas Rangers are going to be playing for home field advantage in the playoffs on the line, its going to make for one entertaining weekend of baseball to close out the regular season.