There are four days left in baseball’s regular season and who the teams are that will make up the post-season is still up for grabs.

2008-09-25

There are four days left in baseball’s regular season and who the teams are that will make up the post-season is still up for grabs. Only the Chicago Cubs are a sure thing in the National League, with everything else still to be decided. The Manny Ramirez’s (formerly known as the Los Angeles Dodgers) could be NL West champs by the time they get to the ballpark, if not; they will have a chance to do it themselves later. At least Philadelphia can’t lose (they’re off), while the Mets and Milwaukee can climb ever closer. In the American League, Minnesota goes for the needed sweep of Chicago which could leave both clubs with 72 losses heading into the weekend.

Manny Ramirez has shown the baseball world what he is capable of when he is feels appreciated and loved. He’s batting .398 with 53 RBIs in 50 games since being traded from Boston. By the time he and his teammates arrive at Dodger Stadium, they might already have ticket punched for October baseball, if Arizona loses again to St. Louis. Either way, the “Manny’s” are a -130 favorite at Sportsbook.com with total of Un7.5. Los Angeles has beat up on batting hitting teams at home, with 17-3 record vs. an NL team with a batting average of .255 or worse in the second half of the season.

As it turns out the premise of this article doesn’t completely match the title, or maybe it will. The New York Mets are cho___, no coughing; no they have something in their throats having lost two straight to the Cubs, who are merely finishing out the regular season. This has allowed Milwaukee to tie the Mets for the wild card. New York will actually be a home underdog (+110) sending mostly ineffective Pedro Martinez (5-6, 5.50 ERA), against a highly effective Rich Harden (10-2, 2.03) for Chicago. Martinez is 0-3 with a 7.88 ERA in his last three starts on a team that has lost seven of last 11, essentially proving former manager Willie Randolph was not to blame; it is a flawed Mets roster that is the problem. The Mets are 3-11 vs. an NL team with an on base percentage of .350 or better this season. The Cubs Harden is 27-7 as a favorite of -110 or higher over the last two seasons. (Team's Record) If the Cubs win, then title of this piece is back on track.

Most Milwaukee fans gave up on the Brewers 11 days ago after they swept by Philadelphia, but in typical baseball fashion, extra seats are being added as bandwagon jumpers are returning to see the Brew Crew, who can decide their own fate. Interim manager Dale Sveum checking into cloning C.C. Sabathia with his tattered starting pitching staff, instead will start Yovani Gallardo who was activated from the disabled list Tuesday and will see his first action since tearing a ligament in his right knee against the Cubs on May 1 in his third start. It might not matter since the Brew Crew is 13-1 against Pittsburgh in 2008, having beaten them 14 consecutive times at Miller Park.

Since late July, the Chicago White Sox and the Minnesota Twins have been closer Lindsay Lohan and Samantha Ronson, never being separated by more than 2.5 games. The Twins go for the all important sweep, which could pull them even in the loss column with Chicago. Kevin Slowey (12-11, 3.85) will start for the Twins, who are -140 money line favorites. The Minnesota right-hander has been nearly unbeatable at the Metrodome since June, with 7-1 mark with a 2.25 ERA in his last eight starts there, including a six-hitter in a 7-0 victory over the White Sox. Gavin Floyd will try to earn the one win the Pale Hose needed coming to the Twin Cities. In Floyd’s four starts against Minnesota, he is 3-1 with a 1.86 ERA, holding the Twins to a .168 batting average. He has been the Chicago stopper, as he and his teammates are 9-0 after two or more losses when he takes the ball.

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