Fan Interference

There’s 20, or fewer, games left in the season. We now have a team that’s clinched a playoff spot; the Giants. I don’t think even most die-hard Giants fans had them being the first team to qualify for the postseason back in March…but it’s seemed pretty inevitable since May.

Meanwhile a few teams are getting close. The Dodgers have a magic number to clinch at least a wild card of 2, the Brewers 4, and the Rays 8. All probably clinch this week.

Nobody has clinched a division yet. The Brewers have that same 4 as their division magic number seeing as two of the three teams tied for the second NL wild card birth are in the Central—the Reds and Cards. The Rays are the other team with a magic number less than 10 (it’s 9) for the division title.

I mentioned the three way tie for the second wild card in the NL—the other team involved is the Padres. The Phillies sit 2.5 back. Of course, it’s not like these teams are tearing it up down the stretch so far—the Mets are below .500 and only 3 back.

The AL wild card race so far is a three way fight in the AL East between the Yankees, Blue Jays, and Red Sox. However, two AL West teams are still lurking with the Mariners and A’s 2.5 and 3 games back. Everyone else is either eliminated or will be.

Speaking of eliminated, officially gone from wild card contention are: Twins, Rangers, Orioles, Pirates, Diamondbacks.

Wild Card black magic numbers (number to be eliminated) <=10:

Royals (4), Tigers (6), Angels (8), Indians (8), Nationals (4), Marlins (5), Cubs (8).

Eliminated from division contention: Orioles, Twins, Rangers, Cubs, Pirates, Padres, Rockies, Diamondbacks

Division black magic numbers:

Nationals (2), Marlins (3), Cardinals (4), Reds (4), Red Sox (8), Yankees (9), Blue Jays (9), Royals (3), Tigers (5), Indians (8), Angels (6).