About three weeks to go: Real Life and Botball, how they stand.

Yeah, I'm bored.  Sue me for one quatloo.

About 2/3 of the way through the real season, about three weeks to go in both:

Real Life first:

AL:

East:  Rays (28-14), 4 1/2 up on the Blue Jays (23-18), 6 1/2 up on a shockingly-fading Yankees team (21-20), who got swept by Baltimore (!!!!), who are 8 1/2 out at 19-21.

Central:  Indians and the White Sox are 26-15, Twins are 1 out at 26-17.  By the tiebreaker:  The Indians are 4-2 against the White Sox, four game series Sept. 21-24 that the White Sox must win three at least not to lose the tiebreaker.

West:  Oakland (24-14), 4.5 up on the Astros (21-20), Seattle 6 1/2 back at 19-22.

11 teams, at worst, 3 under .500

AL seeds:

1. Tampa Bay
2. Cleveland
3. Oakland
4. Chicago White Sox
5. Toronto
6. Houston
7. Minnesota
8. New York Yankees
9. Baltimore, 2 out
10. Seattle, 2 1/2 out
11. Detroit, 2 1/2 out

First round would be Yankees at Tampa, Twins at Cleveland, Astros at Oakland, Blue Jays at White Sox

NL:

East:  Atlanta (24-17), 2 up on Philadelphia (20-17), 3 1/2 up on Miami (18-18), 5 1/2 up on the Mets (19-23)

Central:  Cubs (24-18), 2 1/2 up on the Cardinals (17-16), 4 1/2 up on the Brewers (18-21), 5 1/2 up on the Reds (18-23) 

West:  Dodgers (30-12), 4 1/2 up on the Padres (26-17), 9 up on the Giants (21-21), 9 1/2 on the Rockies (20-21)

That's right, there are TWELVE teams at worst 5 under .500.

1. LA Dodgers
2. Atlanta
3. Chicago Cubs
4. San Diego
5. Philadelphia
6. St. Louis
7. San Francisco (15-14 vs. the division)
8. Miami (11-11)
9. Colorado, 1/2 game out
   
10. Brewers, 1 1/2 out
11. Mets, 2 out
12. Reds, 2 1/2 out

First round:  Miami at the Dodgers, Giants at Atlanta, St. Louis at the Cubs, Philly at San Diego

WS home-field:

1. Dodgers
2. Tampa, 2 back
3. Cleveland 3 1/2 back
4. White Sox 3 1/2 back
5. Twins 4 1/2 back
6. Padres 4 1/2 back

Now for Botball, which uses the regular situation:

AL:

East:  Yankees (89-53), 8 1/2 up on the Rays (81-62).  

All other teams eliminated from the division.  

Boston (67-76, Tragic Number 6) and Toronto (67-78, Tragic Number 4).  Baltimore eliminated.

Yankees Magic Number for the division is 12.  Magic Number for the Playoffs is 11.

Central:  Minnesota (99-45, best record in Botball), 10 1/2 up on the Indians (88-55, 7 up on the Rays), 18 1/2 up on the White Sox (80-63, 1 out of the second WC)

Detroit and Kansas City eliminated.

Twins Magic Number for the Division is 9.  Twins Magic Number for the Playoffs is 2!!!

Indians Magic Number for the Playoffs is 13.

West:  Oakland (81-61), 3 up on the Astros (79-65, 2 1/2 back of the Rays), 5.5 on the Angels (77-68, 4 1/2 out of the second WC)

Rangers Tragic Number is 5 on both division (Oakland) and Wild Card (Tampa).  Seattle Eliminated.

Seeding:

1. Minnesota
2. Yankees
3. Oakland
4. Wild-Card:  Tampa Bay at Cleveland

White Sox 1 out, Astros 2 1/2 out, Angels 4 1/2 out 

Baltimore, Detroit, Kansas City, Seattle done.

NL:

East:  Washington (90-54), back in the lead, 1 1/2 up over the Braves (88-55).  Phillies Tragic Number for the division is 1.  When that goes down, it's a two-horse race for the division.

Marlins eliminated, Mets Tragic Number for the playoffs is 1.  Phillies are 9 1/2 out of the second WC, Tragic Number for that is 9.

Central:  Cubs (85-59), 3 1/2 up on the Reds (81-62).  All other teams out of the division.

Brewers and Pirates eliminated, Cardinals Tragic Number is 2.

West:  Dodgers (84-61) and Diamondbacks (83-60) are on course for a one-game playoff, the loser is the second WC by 2 over the Reds now.

Giants and Rockies eliminated.  Padres Tragic Number is 3.

1. Washington
2. Cubs
3. Dodgers/Diamondbacks winner
4. Wild-Card:  Dodgers/Diamondbacks loser at Atlanta

Reds 2 out, Phillies 9 1/2 out.

Giants, Rockies, Brewers Pirates, Marlins eliminated -- with the Mets, Cardinals, and Padres imminent.