Here’s your
baseball briefing for Monday September 30, 2013:
News &
Notes: The regular season is over, but the Texas Rangers and Tampa
Bay Rays tied for the second wildcard and will play tonight at 8:00pm in Texas
to determine who plays Cleveland on Wednesday in a one game wildcard to advance
to the American League Division Series to face the Boston Red Sox.
Miami Marlins pitcher Henderson Alvarez pitched a no-hitter
yesterday against the Detroit Tigers in Miami.
With the game tied 0-0 in the bottom of the ninth inning, Miami scored
the winning run on a wild pitch, securing Henderson’s no-hitter. Of the 282 no-hitters in baseball history, it
was the only one to end on a wild pitch.
The Chicago Cubs dismissed manager Dale Sveum after two
seasons.
The New York Mets renewed manager Terry Collins to a
two-year deal.
Playoff
Schedule:
Today 8:00pm – Tampa Bay Rays (Price 9-8) vs. Perez (10-5)
Playoff
Matchups:
Tuesday – National League Wildcard Game – Cincinnati vs.
Pittsburgh
American League Division Series #1 – Detroit at Oakland
American League Division Series #2 – Cleveland/Tampa Bay
& Texas winner vs. Boston
National League Division Series #1 – Los Angeles Dodgers vs.
Atlanta Braves
National League Division Series #2 – Cincinnati/Pittsburgh
winner vs. St. Louis
Final
Standings
| American League | National League | |||||||||
| EAST | W | L | GB | STRK | EAST | W | L | GB | STRK | |
| *-Boston | 97 | 65 | - | Lost 2 | x-Atlanta | 96 | 66 | - | Won 1 | |
| Tampa Bay | 91 | 71 | 6 | Won 1 | Washington | 86 | 76 | 10 | Lost 1 | |
| NY Yankees | 85 | 77 | 12 | Won 3 | NY Mets | 74 | 88 | 22 | Won 1 | |
| Baltimore | 85 | 77 | 12 | Won 2 | Philadelphia | 73 | 89 | 23 | Lost 1 | |
| Toronto | 74 | 88 | 23 | Lost 1 | Miami | 62 | 100 | 34 | Won 4 | |
| CENTRAL | W | L | GB | STRK | CENTRAL | W | L | GB | STRK | |
| x-Detroit | 93 | 69 | - | Lost 3 | *-St. Louis | 97 | 65 | - | Won 6 | |
| y-Cleveland | 92 | 70 | 1 | Won 10 | y-Pittsburgh | 94 | 68 | 3 | Won 3 | |
| Kansas City | 86 | 76 | 7 | Won 1 | y-Cincinnati | 90 | 72 | 7 | Lost 5 | |
| Minnesota | 66 | 96 | 27 | Lost 6 | Milwaukee | 74 | 88 | 23 | Lost 1 | |
| Chicago Sox | 63 | 99 | 30 | Lost 1 | Chicago Cubs | 66 | 96 | 31 | Lost 3 | |
| WEST | W | L | GB | STRK | WEST | W | L | GB | STRK | |
| x-Oakland | 96 | 66 | - | Won 1 | x-LA Dodgers | 92 | 70 | - | Lost 2 | |
| Texas | 91 | 71 | 5 | Won 7 | Arizona | 81 | 81 | 11 | Won 1 | |
| LA Angels | 78 | 84 | 18 | Lost 4 | San Francisco | 76 | 86 | 16 | Won 1 | |
| Seattle | 71 | 91 | 25 | Lost 1 | San Diego | 76 | 86 | 16 | Lost 1 | |
| Houston | 51 | 111 | 45 | Lost 15 | Colorado | 74 | 88 | 18 | Won 2 | |
| x - Clinched Division | ||||||||||
| y - Clinched Wild Card | ||||||||||
| z - Clinched Playoff Berth | ||||||||||
| * - Clinched Best League Record | ||||||||||
Weekend Scores:
Longest Winning
Streak - 10 Cleveland Indians
Longest Losing
Streak -
15 Houston Astros
Final
League Leaders
American League
Batting
Average- .348 Miguel Cabrera, Detroit Tigers
Home Runs
- 53
Chris Davis, Baltimore Orioles
RBI - 138 Chris Davis,
Baltimore Orioles
Pitching Wins –
20 Max Scherzer, Detroit Tigers
Strikeouts - 277
Yu Darvish, Texas Rangers
E.R.A. - 2.57
Anibal Sanchez, Detroit Tigers
National League
Batting
Average- .331 Michael Cuddyer, 1B, Colorado Rockies
Home Runs
- 36
Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona, and Pedro Alvarez, Pittsburgh
RBI - 125
Paul Goldschmidt, Arizona Diamondbacks
Pitching Wins –
19 Jordan Zimmerman, Washington, and
Adam Wainwright, St. Louis
Strikeouts – 232 Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
E.R.A. - 1.83 Clayton Kershaw, Los Angeles Dodgers
MVP
Watch
American
League: Adrian Beltre, 3B, Texas Rangers
Last Week: Hit .250 with 2 HRs and 4 RBI
Season: .316, 30 HRs, 92 RBI
National
League: Pedro Alvarez, Pittsburgh Pirates
Last Week: Hit .318 with 2 HRs and 6 RBI
Season: .233,
36 HRs, 100 RBI
Cy
Young Watch
American
League: Justin Verlander, Detroit Tigers
Last Week: 0-0, 12 IP, 9
hits, 0 runs and 12 K’s
Season: 13-12,
217 K’s and a 3.46 ERA
National
League:
Last Week: 2-0, 12.1 IP, 9 hits, 3 runs and 10 K’s
Season: 19-9,
219 K’s and a 2.94 ERA
Trivia
Today’s
Question: Miguel Cabrera won his third consecutive American League
batting title. Who was the last player
to win three consecutive American League batting titles?
Friday’s
Question: Who managed the 1997
Florida Marlins to their World Series title?
Answer: Jim Leyland, the current Detroit Tigers
manager
House
Bet
Today: Over/Under
7 strikeouts by Tampa Bay starter
David Price vs. Texas.
Friday: Over/Under
1 putout recorded by Yankee closer
Mariano Rivera this weekend that doesn’t come on the mound. Rumor has it manager Joe Girardi might allow
Rivera to play the outfield briefly against Houston.
Result: Under. Rivera sat out the entire three-game series.
Predictions (my pick highlighted)
Today: Tampa
Bay vs. Texas
Season Overall: 1010-766
