Post by Deleted on Aug 19, 2019 19:49:55 GMT -5
With 2 weeks left in the regular season, there are 6 teams that have clinched playoff spots: Dodgers, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Pirates, Giants, and Braves*. There are 8 teams already eliminated from playoff contention: White Sox, Rangers, Orioles, Yankees, Indians, Rockies, Angels, and Diamondbacks. That means, incredibly, there are still six teams battling it out for 2 playoff spots, so late in the season! They are all fighting for 2 wild card spots, as all division winners have been decided aside from Giants/Red Sox.
We have the Athletics, Cubs, Reds, Mets, Royals, and Marlins all hoping for a chance to win it all.
The Athletics have the best record at 10-6-3. They come into this game 1-1-1 in their last 3 games, including a devastating loss to the rebuilding Colorado Rockies. Their next two games are at the Cubs and the Dodgers, two formidable opponents. The Dodgers in particular are winners of their last 4 straight and have an incredible 17-2 record. This schedule is the toughest from here on out, so the Athletics have some work to do. However, they do control their own destiny.
The Cubs come in at 10-8-1, including 2-1 in their last 3 games. They face the Athletics and the Marlins, two teams that are also vying for these last spots. They also control their own destiny, because if they win out they will have won the tiebreaker against the Athletics.
The Reds are also at 10-8-1, and come struggling in at 1-2 in their last 3 games, although every matchup was close and they won a critical battle against the Cubs. More importantly, their next 2 games are against the Indians and the Rockies, two teams already eliminated. The Reds ALSO control their own destiny, because they own the tiebreaker against the Cubs.
Interestingly, there becomes a possibility that there is a 3 way tie at the end of the next 3 games: If the Cubs beat the Athletics and win out, if the Reds win out, and the Athletics win their next game. Then the Athletics would be 11-7-3, the Cubs would be 12-8-1, and the Reds would be 12-8-1. In this case, the Athletics would be kicked out of the postseason, as Yahoo has the teams with more wins get the higher percentage (I believe).
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After these 3 teams come the teams that need a little bit (read: a lot) of help to make the playoffs. We have the Mets, Royals, and Marlins
The Mets come in at 9-8-2, winners of 2 of their last 3 games. They face the Giants and the Diamondbacks, the #5 and #20 ranked teams respectively. Even assuming they take care of business against the worst team in the league, their game against the Giants is, for all intents and purposes, a must win. They would then be at 11-8-2- which could sneak them into the playoffs depending on the Cubs, Reds, and Athletics performance. Things could get tricky as there is no tiebreaker for the Cubs (a tie) or the Reds (did not play). Their clearest path to victory is to win out and have the Cubs and Reds each have at least one loss. If they do that, they would make the playoffs.
The Royals record is 9-9-1, and come in losers of 2 of their last 3 games. They face the Orioles and Rangers, two teams already eliminated. Again, for all intents and purposes, they must win out to have a chance. The Royals have the tiebreaker against the Cubs, but not against the Reds, Marlins, or Athletics, which makes things rather bleak. If the Reds manage to lose one game and tie one of their games, and the Athletics beat the Cubs, and the Mets and Marlins do not win out, then the Royals will make the playoffs.
Finally, the Marlins also come in at 9-9-1, losers of 2 of their last 3. They the Blue Jays, a team who has not lost any of their last 6 games, and then the Cubs. They hold the tiebreaker against the Athletics and Royals, but not against the Cubs, Reds, or Mets. If they manage to win out, they could sneak in depending on other teams performance.
Critical matchups:
Week 20:
Tier 1:
Athletics at Cubs
Tier 2:
Royals at Orioles
Reds at Indians
Marlins at Blue Jays
Mets at Giants
Week 21:
Tier 1:
Cubs at Marlins
Tier 2:
Athletics at Dodgers
Diamondbacks at Mets
Reds at Rockies
Royals at Rangers
My prediction: I say the Reds and Athletics manage to crack their way into the playoffs, with the Reds benefitting from their easier schedule and the Athletics managing to either tie or win against the Cubs and take care of business.
*Yahoo does not register the Braves as having clinched, but they are 2 games up on the Royals and have the head to head record against the Royals with 2 wins.
We have the Athletics, Cubs, Reds, Mets, Royals, and Marlins all hoping for a chance to win it all.
The Athletics have the best record at 10-6-3. They come into this game 1-1-1 in their last 3 games, including a devastating loss to the rebuilding Colorado Rockies. Their next two games are at the Cubs and the Dodgers, two formidable opponents. The Dodgers in particular are winners of their last 4 straight and have an incredible 17-2 record. This schedule is the toughest from here on out, so the Athletics have some work to do. However, they do control their own destiny.
The Cubs come in at 10-8-1, including 2-1 in their last 3 games. They face the Athletics and the Marlins, two teams that are also vying for these last spots. They also control their own destiny, because if they win out they will have won the tiebreaker against the Athletics.
The Reds are also at 10-8-1, and come struggling in at 1-2 in their last 3 games, although every matchup was close and they won a critical battle against the Cubs. More importantly, their next 2 games are against the Indians and the Rockies, two teams already eliminated. The Reds ALSO control their own destiny, because they own the tiebreaker against the Cubs.
Interestingly, there becomes a possibility that there is a 3 way tie at the end of the next 3 games: If the Cubs beat the Athletics and win out, if the Reds win out, and the Athletics win their next game. Then the Athletics would be 11-7-3, the Cubs would be 12-8-1, and the Reds would be 12-8-1. In this case, the Athletics would be kicked out of the postseason, as Yahoo has the teams with more wins get the higher percentage (I believe).
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After these 3 teams come the teams that need a little bit (read: a lot) of help to make the playoffs. We have the Mets, Royals, and Marlins
The Mets come in at 9-8-2, winners of 2 of their last 3 games. They face the Giants and the Diamondbacks, the #5 and #20 ranked teams respectively. Even assuming they take care of business against the worst team in the league, their game against the Giants is, for all intents and purposes, a must win. They would then be at 11-8-2- which could sneak them into the playoffs depending on the Cubs, Reds, and Athletics performance. Things could get tricky as there is no tiebreaker for the Cubs (a tie) or the Reds (did not play). Their clearest path to victory is to win out and have the Cubs and Reds each have at least one loss. If they do that, they would make the playoffs.
The Royals record is 9-9-1, and come in losers of 2 of their last 3 games. They face the Orioles and Rangers, two teams already eliminated. Again, for all intents and purposes, they must win out to have a chance. The Royals have the tiebreaker against the Cubs, but not against the Reds, Marlins, or Athletics, which makes things rather bleak. If the Reds manage to lose one game and tie one of their games, and the Athletics beat the Cubs, and the Mets and Marlins do not win out, then the Royals will make the playoffs.
Finally, the Marlins also come in at 9-9-1, losers of 2 of their last 3. They the Blue Jays, a team who has not lost any of their last 6 games, and then the Cubs. They hold the tiebreaker against the Athletics and Royals, but not against the Cubs, Reds, or Mets. If they manage to win out, they could sneak in depending on other teams performance.
Critical matchups:
Week 20:
Tier 1:
Athletics at Cubs
Tier 2:
Royals at Orioles
Reds at Indians
Marlins at Blue Jays
Mets at Giants
Week 21:
Tier 1:
Cubs at Marlins
Tier 2:
Athletics at Dodgers
Diamondbacks at Mets
Reds at Rockies
Royals at Rangers
My prediction: I say the Reds and Athletics manage to crack their way into the playoffs, with the Reds benefitting from their easier schedule and the Athletics managing to either tie or win against the Cubs and take care of business.
*Yahoo does not register the Braves as having clinched, but they are 2 games up on the Royals and have the head to head record against the Royals with 2 wins.
