We've rounded the three-quarter turn, and we can see the finish line up ahead. Still a fair bit of ground to cover, and still some obstacles along the way. Let's see what they are.
What, you think I want to rehash last night's game? Bush was bad, League was worse. There ya go.
Let's look ahead:
Boston (70-50)
AWAY (17) - Los Angeles (2), Kansas City (3), New York (3), Toronto (3), Tampa Bay (3), Baltimore (3)
HOME (24) - Detroit (3), Tampa Bay (4), Baltimore (3), Los Angeles (3), Oakland (4), Toronto (4), New York (3)
How nice. The Red Sox have the best home record in the AL, and the most home games remaining. I do like their chances of hanging on to the division lead.
Los Angeles (70-52)
AWAY (22) - Baltimore (3), Tampa Bay (3), Boston (3), Chicago (3), Seattle (3), Oakland (4), Texas (3)
HOME (18) - Boston (2), Oakland (3), Seattle (3), Detroit (4), Texas (3), Tampa Bay (3)
If all else fails, the Angels play Oakland 7 timnes before it's all over. Their destiny is in their own hands. Both teams have lots of road games remaining, and that works in the Angels' favour as well. Oakland is a .500 team on the road, whereas the Angels play just as well away from Disneyland. So they should have the inside track on winning the division, to go along with their slender lead.
Oakland (68-53)
AWAY (23) - Detroit (3), Baltimore (4), Los Angeles (3), Texas (3), Cleveland (3), Boston (4), Seattle (3)
HOME (18) - Kansas City (2), New York (3), Seattle (3), Minnesota (3), Texas (3), Los Angeles (4)
A lot of games on the road, plus 7 games with the Angels, and 4 with the Red Sox - they're going to have to earn it.
New York (66-54)
AWAY (22) - Chicago (2), Seattle (4), Oakland (3), Tampa Bay (3), Toronto (3), Baltimore (4), Boston (3)
HOME (20) - Toronto (7), Kansas City (3), Tampa Bay (3), Boston (3), Baltimore (4)
The AL schedule-makers were clearly anticipating another Athens-Sparta blood match - the season wraps up with the Yankees playing three games in Fenway. The Bombers play the Red Sox 6 more times, the Blue Jays 7 times, and the Orioles 8 times - they also have a west coast trip, to Oakland and Seattle, to cope with, something none of the other eastern teams have to face.
Cleveland (66-56)
AWAY (20) - Tampa Bay (4), Toronto (3), Minnesota (3), Detroit (3), Chicago (3), Kansas City (4)
HOME (20) - Baltimore (2), Detroit (3), Minnesota (3), Oakland (3), Kansas City (3), Tampa Bay (3), Chicago (3)
The Indians have 7 games remaining with both Kansas City and Tampa Bay, which is what we call Very Good News Indeed. They also have 6 each with division rivals Chicago, Minnesota, and Detroit. Fortune smiles upon them...
Minnesota (65-57)
AWAY (19) - Texas (3), Kansas City (3), Cleveland (3), Detroit (3), Oakland (3), Chicago (4)
HOME (21) - Seattle (2), Chicago (6), Cleveland (3), Texas (3), Kansas City (4), Detroit (3)
The Twins also have 7 games with Kansas City to look forward to. Much more to the point, they actually play the White Sox 10 times in their final 40 games. So a lot depends on which Chicago team shows up - the guys who blitzed through the first few months, or the team that just lost their 6th straight game. The Twins are finished with the AL East.
Toronto (63-58)
AWAY (19) - Detroit (2), New York (7), Baltimore (3), Tampa Bay (3), Boston (4)
HOME (22) - Cleveland (3), Baltimore (3), Tampa Bay (3), Boston (3), New York (3), Seattle (4), Kansas City (3)
The Blue Jays have to play the Yankees 10 times, with seven of those games coming in the Bronx - they've also got 7 games with the Red Sox. On the bright side, they've got more home games remaining, they do get to play Tampa Bay 6 times and Seattle 4 times. And if it comes down to the final weekend, while the Yankees and Red Sox are beating each other senseless, the Kansas City Royals will be visiting the Rogers Centre.
https://www.battersbox.ca/article.php?story=20050820021544276