A month to go in the season, and where do we stand in baseball??

Take this as the Kayfabe.  I may actually do a Political on this, either tonight or soon.

But we have now hit the end of summer in a sense, with Labor Day now in and the season ending one month from today.

So where are we?  (Some night games from tonight still to do.)

American League

AL East:  The Rays have got the Yankees advantage down to five.  Toronto is 5 1/2 back.  Boston is in last place in the division, only two below .500, and only nine back of the playoffs.

AL Central:  Cleveland a half game up on Minnesota, and don't look now, the White Sox are 1 1/2 back.

AL West:  Houston is 11 up on Seattle and all three other teams have been eliminated from the division more than a month out.

AL #1:  Houston is 6 up on New York.

AL Wild Cards:  Seattle (76-59) and Tampa Bay (75-58) are both 17 over, so they are effectively tied.  Toronto is 1/2 game back and in the playoffs.  Baltimore is 4 1/2 out, Minnesota 6 1/2, Chicago 7.

1. Houston (87-48)
2. Yankees (81-54)
3. Cleveland (AL Central leaders -- 69-64)
4. Tampa Bay (75-58 -- 5-1 vs. SEA)
5. Seattle (76-59 -- 1-5 vs. TB)
6. Toronto (75-59)
7. Baltimore (OUT 71-64)
8. Minnesota (OUT 68-65)
   
9. Chicago (OUT 68-67)

All three other teams in the AL West (Angels, Athletics, and Rangers) are out of the division.

AL Magic Numbers:  Houston playoffs:  12.

AL Tragic Numbers:  Oakland elimination:  3.  Detroit elimination:  5.  Kansas City elimination:  7.

National League:

NL East:  Mets lead down to 1 over the Barfs.

NL Central:  St. Louis now 7 1/2 up on the Brewers.

And the NL West:  The Dodgers Magic Number for the division is 9.  (They're up 19 1/2 on the Padres.)

NL #1:  Dodgers lead there is 8 over the Mets.

Wild Cards:  Cobb County gets the first one by a mile.  Philadelphia and the Padres are 12 over and tied.  Milwaukee is 2 back.

1. Dodgers (92-41)
2. Mets (85-50)
3. St. Louis (79-56 -- lead NL Central)
4. Cobb County (84-51)
5. San Diego (74-62, 3-3 vs. PHI, 2 over in their division, 13 over vs. Central/East)
6. Philadelphia (73-61, 3-3 vs. SD. 2 over in the division, 11 over vs. Central/West)
7. Milwaukee (OUT 71-63)

Magic Number:  Dodgers playoffs 8, Dodgers division 9.

Colorado, Pittsburgh, Miami, and Washington are out of the division races.

Tragic Numbers:  Arizona Division 2, San Francisco Division 3, Cincinnati Division 5, Cubs Division 6.

Washington elimination 3, Pittsburgh elimination 6, Colorado and Cincinnati elimination both 11, Cubs elimination 12.

First Round:  PHI@STL, SD@"ATL".  TOR@CLE, SEA@TB.

World Series HF:  Dodgers 6 up on Houston.