Detroit wins the AL Central with two wins against the White Sox, but Chicago appears out to stop the Tigers as they send Jake Peavy against Edwin Jackson. Jake seems to be none the worse for wear after recovering from his injury, striking out 12 and walking four in 13 innings for Chicago. That includes seven shutout innings against the Tigers. Since August, Jackson’s ERA returned to his Tampa Bay levels, even though he’s continued to win games.
CC Sabathia goes for his 20th win of the season against the young David Price as the Yankees visit Tampa for their last series of the regular season. Right now, Milliliter’s record and ERA are exactly the same as his 2007 season, 19-7, 3.21. He’s walked more batters and struck out fewer than in that season, but has given up a much lower batting average and less power, balancing those out. Price is a better pitcher at home, posting a 3.11 ERA and giving up many fewer hits and home runs.
It’s not the greatest pitching matchup in Minnesota as Lenny DiNardo takes on Jeff Manship. I thought Greinke would pitch this game, but the Royals had a day off, and rather than skip DiNardo, Grienke goes Saturday. That’s okay, because a national audience will get to see the Cy Young candidate. DiNardo, in his sixth season, is working on his third year with an ERA over 7.00. Manship has allowed 14 walks and 4 home runs in 26 1/3 innings. Projected to 200 innings, that would be 106 walks and 30.1 homers.
Ubaldo Jimenez not only has the best bit in this commercial, he also tries to help the Rockies win the NL West tonight as they face Randy Wolf and the Dodgers. Despite a 4.70 ERA in September, Jimnez had a good month, striking out 30 in 30 2/3 innings with 12 walks and three homers allowed. Wolf pitched well against Colorado this year, holding them to a 2.79 ERA in three starts. He held the Rockies to a .240 OBP and five of the six runs against him scored on three home runs.
The seeding for the NL playoffs is up for grabs, with all four teams between 93 and 91 wins. A Dodgers win makes them NL West Champs. The tie-breakers if teams finish with the same record:
- Dodgers over the Phillies
- Cardinals over the Dodgers
- Rockies over the Cardinals
- Phillies over the Rockies
- Phillies over the Cardinals
In a three-way tie breaker, the following apply:
- Cardinals 6-6 against Phillies/Dodgers
- Cardinals 2-10 against Phillies/Rockies
- Rockies 8-5 against Phillies/Cardinals
- Dodgers 6-8 against Phillies/Cardinals
- Phillies 8-3 against Rockies/Cardinals
- Phillies 7-5 against Dodgers/Cardinals
So in a three-way between the Cardinals, Dodgers and Phillies, the teams would be seeded Philadelphia one, St. Louis two, Los Angeles three. Change the Dodgers to the Rockies, and the seeding goes Philadelphia, Colorado St. Louis.
Enjoy!