Baseball: National League Update

The National League playoffs, in my opinion, are all but set, with only the venue for the “play in game” up in the air, as the final week of the season begins.

What is a “play-in” game? It’s a game between the two wild card teams. The winner joins the three division winners in the divisional series. After the “play in” games in each league 4 teams remain in each league.

Alas, one can still make a case for the Pittsburgh Pirates in the NL Central, but I will “declare” the St. Louis Cardinals as very likely winners, as they take a two and a half game lead (but two in the loss column) into the final week.

The Washington Nationals have a three and a half game lead in the all important loss column for the National League top seed. (The half game, because they own the tiebreaker, which frankly is not reported by the many media outlets I have “encountered.”) They have clinched the NL East title for the second time in three seasons.

Meanwhile, the Los Angeles Dodgers are almost certain to be the two seed in the National League.

First off, they take a four and a half game divisional lead over the San Francisco Giants into the final week. They also enjoy a two and a half game lead, again the added half game due to the fact they own the tiebreaker, for higher seeding in relation to the Cardinals.

Last, due to the fact it involves the bogus wild card, going into the final week, the Pittsburgh Pirates own a half game lead (you guessed it, they own the tiebreaker with the S.F. Giants) over the Giants for the home advantage in the very likely one game “play in,” between the two teams to be played on October 1st.