Kansas City might be tied for the #1 wildcard position and just 1/2 game out of the AL Central. however with that 4 – 2 in the 10th inning game resumption against Cleveland pending on Monday, the club must win the series versus the Tigers at home in my opinion, in order to make the playoffs. After the weekend, they finish their last 8 games on the road. If they don’t win the series this weekend, chances are the A’s/and or Mariners may pass them in the standings after Monday Night. The Royals have the hardest schedule left out of the 4 clubs.

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The Seattle Mariners won yesterday, and the Athletics lost, to pull all top 4 Wild Card contenders to within 2 games of each other heading into the weekend.

Detroit leads the Central with a 84 – 68 record, and KC is a half game behind at 83 – 68, but really are 90% at 83 – 69. with a 4 – 2 10 inning deficit in that suspended game resumption on Monday Sept 22, 2014 to the Indians.

So while the Royals and Tigers battle for the Division at Kauffman Stadium starting Friday. , the ultimate loser of the AL Central, will need to make the postseason via the Wild Card.  Needless to say. these 3 games will be pivotal in deciding that.

Since both of those clubs have to have a loser in each of those 3 games, this is great news for the struggling A’s (83 – 69), and especially for the Mariners (82 – 70), to make up some ground if they have good series from Friday to Sunday.

On the surface, Oakland and Seattle should hope the Tigers win the series versus KC this weekend, as that would put the Royals potentially at best 84 – 71 after that game against the Indians is over on Monday.  If the Tigers sweep them, the Royals could be staring at 83 – 72 rather quickly.  

Oakland would need just one victory to pass KC, and Seattle would need 1 to tie the Royals and 2 to pass them.

The A’s entertain the lowly Philadelphia Phillies this weekend at O.Co, whereas the best road team in the AL (Mariners, 44 – 30) are in Houston to battle the Astros at Minute Maid Park..

If both clubs can win their series (if not sweep the worse squads they are playing) than they will put themselves in great positions for the playoff in going forward.

I have to think the worst scenario for those two teams – is to see the Royals take just 2 games against Detroit, as that would put the Tigers still at 85 – 70, KC at 85 – 69, with the suspended game still to make – probably seeing the, at 85 – 70 as well.  Oakland would need a sweep to have a lead, and win 2 out of 3 to tie the Royals/Tigers. The M’s would require a sweep over the Astros – to land them at 85 – 70. Read the rest of this entry →