Playoff "Real World" Magic Number, next up to clinch: Cubs

AL
East	W	PW	RW Magic #
Tampa Bay	87	97	9
Boston	85	95	13
Central
Chicago Sox	81	90	9
Minnesota	80	89	11
West
x-LA Angels	88	97	0
Wild Card
Boston	85	95	5
Minnesota	80	89	16
NL
East
NY Mets	82	92	8
Philadelphia	80	89	13
Central
Chicago Cubs	88	98	4
Milwaukee	83	91	16
West
LA Dodgers	75	83	6
Arizona	71	80	13
Wild Card
Milwaukee	83	91	7
Philadelphia	80	89	12

22: White Sox and Mets Solidify the Quicksand of First Place They're Currently In...

AL
EAST	WP	P WP	P W	P L	OPI
Tampa Bay	.616	.575	99	63	7
Boston	.590	.612	96	66	-4
NY Yankees	.536	.532	87	75	1
Toronto	.525	.571	86	76	-7
Baltimore	.453	.475	74	88	-4
CENTRAL
Chicago Sox	.561	.566	91	71	-1
Minnesota	.550	.552	89	73	0
Cleveland	.486	.529	80	82	-7
Detroit	.479	.492	78	84	-2
Kansas City	.432	.406	69	93	4
WEST
LA Angels	.612	.551	98	64	10
Texas	.489	.458	79	83	5
Oakland	.450	.460	73	89	-2
Seattle	.388	.414	64	98	-4
NL
EAST
NY Mets	.564	.567	91	71	0
Philadelphia	.543	.572	89	73	-5
Florida	.507	.476	81	81	5
Atlanta	.433	.477	71	91	-7
Washington	.383	.380	62	100	0
CENTRAL
Chicago Cubs	.607	.634	99	63	-4
Milwaukee	.571	.560	92	70	2
St. Louis	.536	.539	87	75	-1
Houston	.529	.480	85	77	8
Pittsburgh	.424	.403	68	94	3
Cincinnati	.443	.426	71	91	3
WEST
Arizona	.511	.521	83	79	-2
LA Dodgers	.500	.510	81	81	-2
Colorado	.468	.457	76	86	2
San Francisco	.432	.407	69	93	4
San Diego	.386	.405	63	99	-3

25: Predictions Set, But 4 Teams Still Undecided.

Yes, this is it, my two-dozen or so loyal readers (thanks for filling me in, Google Analytics!): these are the predictions for the end of the baseball season leading into the playoffs. In the AL, it will be Tampa Bay playing either the White Sox or the Twins, who might go down to a final playoff game to see who will get to lose to the remarkable Rays, and the Red Sox, who could upset, slightly, the LA Angels (OPI of 10!). In the NL, The Cubs will host the Arizona (again?!) and the Brewers will be the guests of the Mets or Phillies (who might also go down to a final playoff game to get killed by the Brew Crew).

The Phillies continue to underperform as the Jerry Manuel 9 play almost exactly at their level. It's so hard to say which of these will survive to the end of the season. Will Manuel have an effect that Willie Randolph did not and get his team through? Will the Phillies start to play up to their potential like they did at the very end of last season to sneak past the forlorn Mets?

This is going to be quite a photo-finish, and I look forward to it! If I was a betting man, I'd have to say the NL East representative will be the Mets, and the NL Central champ will be the White Sox, in splitting my stats with gut and OPI (otherwise, it would be Phillies, White Sox).

Bring it on!

AL
EAST	WP	P WP	P W	P L	OPI
Tampa Bay	.622	.583	100	62	6
Boston	.584	.605	95	67	-3
NY Yankees	.533	.528	86	76	1
Toronto	.515	.562	85	77	-8
Baltimore	.460	.484	75	87	-4
CENTRAL
Chicago Sox	.562	.570	91	71	-1
Minnesota	.562	.562	91	71	0
Cleveland	.485	.526	80	82	-7
Kansas City	.419	.399	67	95	3
Detroit	.482	.495	78	84	-2
WEST
LA Angels	.610	.549	97	65	10
Texas	.482	.456	77	85	4
Oakland	.460	.465	75	87	-1
Seattle	.394	.416	64	98	-3
NL
EAST
NY Mets	.558	.562	90	72	-1
Philadelphia	.543	.571	89	73	-5
Atlanta	.428	.475	70	92	-8
Florida	.507	.475	81	81	5
Washington	.384	.381	62	100	1
CENTRAL
Chicago Cubs	.616	.640	100	62	-4
Milwaukee	.584	.570	94	68	2
St. Louis	.536	.536	87	75	0
Houston	.522	.475	83	79	8
Pittsburgh	.419	.401	67	95	3
Cincinnati	.445	.424	72	90	3
WEST
Arizona	.511	.525	83	79	-2
LA Dodgers	.493	.505	80	82	-2
Colorado	.468	.461	76	86	1
San Francisco	.431	.400	69	93	5
San Diego	.387	.405	63	99	-3

33: Who Will Be Playoff-Bound: Red Sox, Brewers Yes; Goodbye Yankees and Cardinals?

AL
EAST	WP	P WP	P W	P L	OPI
Tampa Bay	.612	.573	98	64	6
Boston	.577	.590	94	68	-2
NY Yankees	.538	.539	87	75	0
Toronto	.515	.559	85	77	-7
Baltimore	.473	.496	77	85	-4
CENTRAL
Chicago Sox	.574	.590	93	69	-3
Minnesota	.569	.554	92	70	2
Detroit	.492	.508	80	82	-3
Cleveland	.481	.520	79	83	-6
Kansas City	.431	.396	69	93	6
WEST
LA Angels	.612	.546	97	65	11
Texas	.481	.456	77	85	4
Oakland	.454	.481	74	88	-4
Seattle	.369	.402	61	101	-5
NL
EAST
NY Mets	.550	.552	89	73	0
Philadelphia	.546	.574	89	73	-4
Florida	.511	.477	82	80	6
Atlanta	.435	.482	72	90	-8
Washington	.351	.354	57	105	-1
CENTRAL
Chicago Cubs	.615	.640	100	62	-4
Milwaukee	.580	.552	93	69	4
St. Louis	.553	.553	90	72	0
Houston	.508	.470	81	81	6
Cincinnati	.435	.414	70	92	3
Pittsburgh	.438	.421	70	92	3
WEST
Arizona	.523	.538	85	77	-2
LA Dodgers	.500	.513	81	81	-2
Colorado	.462	.454	75	87	1
San Francisco	.446	.411	71	91	6
San Diego	.369	.393	61	101	-4