DownSwinging.com

Here we are, the beginning of September, and the pennant races are heating up. Or are they? Surprisingly, the number of tight, tight races seems to be fewer than usual. Since the inception of the wild card, baseball fans are treated annualy to races that come down to the wire, but this year, at least right now, it may be that the NL wild card is the only real close competition in two or three weeks.

Now, there are some close races. The Red Sox are 2.5 games up on the Rangers in the AL wild card. The Angels are 3.5 up on Texas in the AL West. But decent logic suggests that the Red Sox and Angels will both pull away from the Rangers, due to the fact that those two teams have a little more talent and a lot more experience than the Rangers. It’s not that either race would be impossible for the Rangers to catch up in, I just don’t see it happening. Likewise, I don’t see the Twins catching the Tigers, nor do I think the Rockies or Giants can make up the five games they need on the Dodgers. And the distance the Cardinals have put between themselves and everyone else is absolutely incredible.