August to October

So deadline day has been and gone, the all stars game finished ( the National league winning again). And we have finally reached the home straight. With just over a month till the end of the regular season till the play offs. This will be when teams will be looking to really step up, and try and repeat the amazing feat of the Cardinals last year.
AL
At this moment the play off teams are, E- Yankees, C- Chicago WS, W- Texas, WC- LA Angels, WC- Oakland. The divisional standings at the moment are,(I've not included teams more than 10 behind). E The Yankees hold a 5.5 lead over the Orioles, 6.5 over Tampa Bay, 7.5 over Boston & 9 over Toronto. C- Chicago hold a 2.5 lead over Detroit & a 6 game lead over Cleveland. W- Texas hold a 3 game lead over the Angels & 3.5 lead over Oakland.

NL
Play off teams, E- Washington, C- Cincinnati, W-San Francisco, WC Atlanta, WC Pittsburgh. Divisional E- The Nats hold a 2.5 lead over Atlanta, C- The Reds hold a 3 game lead over Pittsburgh & a. 7 game lead over the Cardinals. W- The Giants lead the Dodgers by 1 & Arizona by 3.5.

So What twists and turns await? Will there be another side that comes from nowhere, or will it be the sides already there. Whatever it is sure to be a fascinating month of baseball.

So let the games commence.

After the 1st weekend the only change see's Detroit move into the one of the AL wild card places, instead of the Angels.
In the divisions, the Yankees have stretched there lead over everyone else in the AL east, Detroit have closed the gap on The White Soxs to 1.5. Texas have opened a lead in the West, with Oakland now 2nd 5.5 games behind. In the NL, things are still pretty similar apart from the west where the Dodgers are now only 0.5 behind the Giants.

Baltimore are on a storming run, that has seen them cut the Yankees divisional lead to 4.5 games. And has also moved the Orioles into a joint wild card position, by having the same exact record as The Oakland A's.
N
But even this is not as good as Detroit's 7 game winning streak, that has seen them close the White Soxs lead to just 0.5. Could the Tigers be the St Louis of this season?

The AL wildcard race is certainly hotting up, With the teams in it now being Tampa Bay & Baltimore, with the rest of the play off pictrue remaining the same.

The AL east has seen Tampa jumping up to 2nd, 5 games behind the Yankees, with the Orioles a futher 0.5 behind. Detroit are 2 behind the White Soxs, And the Rangers have the west pretty much tied up.

There's not much change in the NL, as the top sides consolidate there positions.

In the NL west, the Dodgers have joined San Francisco at the top.

The Dodgers now head the NL west on there own, leading The Giants by 0.5. And with San Francisco losing Malkey Cabrera for 50 games after testing positive for performance enhancing drugs, the Dodgers have to be favorites to win the division now.

In the AL wildcard race, Detroit have once again jumped up with an identical record to Baltimore.

In the NL west, San Francisco have once again joined the Dodgers at the top of the table.

And apologies for the above post, it should of course read Melky Cabrera

And back again, in the AL wildcard spot, Detroit have once again dropped out. And in the NL west, the Dodgers once again strike out to lead by 0.5 games from the Giants.

Speaking of which, in the big game tonight, The Giants make the short trip to LA to take on the Dodgers.

San Francisco jump back to the top of the NL west, courtesy of there 2-1 win against the Dodgers last night, leading the Dodgers by 0.5.

Washington's win v Atlanta ( there nearest challengers), takes them 6 games ahead, making them favorites to win the NL east, there first since moving to Washington.

In the AL east, Tampa have cut the Yankees lead to 4 games, as the Yankees stutter toward's the play offs.

The NL picture is becoming alot clearer, Washington after last night's win, now hold an 7 game lead over Atlanta, with tonight's game to come.
The Reds hold an 7.5 lead over Pittsburgh in the NL Central division.
And after the Giants 4-1 win last night against the Dodgers, they have moved to a 1.5 lead in the West.

2 changes to the wildcard teams, 1 in both conferences. In the AL Oakland have replaced Balitmore, and in the NL St Louis have replaced Pittsburgh. They can't do it again, can they?

Divisional, thanks to the White Soxs clean sweep of the Yankees, Tampa have now closed to 3 games at the top of the AL east. A division that seemed over a month ago is suddenly springing into life.
And thanks to there 3-0 sweep of the Dodgers, San Francisco have now opened up a 2.5 lead over them at the top of the NL West.

The AL wildcard is becoming abit clustered, with Baltimore, Detroit & Oakland all having exactly the same record. Sitting in the final play off spot.

WOW. Blockbuster trade - Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Nick Punto and Carl Crawford are all going to LA..........Boston get prospects and James Loney in return.

Dave wrote:WOW. Blockbuster trade - Adrian Gonzalez, Josh Beckett, Nick Punto and Carl Crawford are all going to LA..........Boston get prospects and James Loney in return.

It's certainly an interesting one, was it one that you need in your opinion?

Detroit have once again dropped out of an AL wildcard place.

In the divisions, in the AL- Baltimore are now up to 2nd 3.5 games behind the Yankees, with Tampa a futher 0.5 behind. Yankees next 2 series are against these 2 sides, this division could be about to become very interesting.

In the NL, it's been more about sides trying to close gaps to the leading sides. In the east, Atlanta have cut Washington's lead to 5, and in the central St Louis have clawed back Cincinnati's lead to 6.

In the Divisions, The AL East is hotting up With Baltimore now 2.0, and Tampa 3.5 games behind the stuttering Yankees, which could be cut tonight if the Orioles beat the Yankees.
In the Central, Detroit have joined the White Soxs at the top of the table.
In the west, Oakland's fantastic form has seen them cut Texas's lead down to 3 games.

In the NL, little has changed apart from the Dodgers dropping to 4.5 games behind the Giants.

And so the Orioles have know joined the badly stuttering Yankees at the top of the AL east, with Tampa 1.5 games behind.

Not much change, the Yankees are now 1 game ahead of the Orioles, 2 ahead of the Rays. Other than that the only significant move Is in the AL west, where Oakland have cut Texas's lead to 3.5 games.

Congratulations to the Washington Nationals & Cincinnati Reds, who both last night clinched a play off berth. They should both go on to clinch there divisional top spots, In the NL East & Central respectively.

Cincinnati Reds have know clinched top spot in the NL central division. San Francisco giants have now clinched the NL west division. Only the wild card places up for grabs in the NL. Meanwhile everything still up for grabs in the AL.

Atlanta Braves have also now clinched a play off place.

The AL picture is beginning to clear itself up, after the Yankees, Baltimore & Texas have all confirmed at least a play off place.

The play off teams in the AL are now decided, as Detroit claim the central, and Oakland claim the last place. Only thing left to decide is the 2 wild card teams, which is between the Yankees, Baltimore, Texas & Oakland.
The NL is slightly more open, With Washington, Cincinnati & San Francisco all claim top spots in there respective divisions. All that is left is who will claim the last wild card place, and face Atlanta.

NL field set.

Just had too much to do too late in the season, shouldn't have got to this.

But anyhoo, we have a good side for 2013.

(And this leaves me free to cheer on Chipper and Baltimore!)

As Dave says, the NL places are now set. With St Louis claiming the last place, and probably going to Atlanta for the one off wild card game.