2009 American League Early Playoff Races
Memorial Day Brings Playoff Picture Into Focus for First Time in '09
May 26, 2009
It is a common belief in baseball that after Memorial Day, teams start to truly understand their identity. In 2008, the Tampa Bay Rays surprised everyone by leading the AL East on Memorial Day, but were continuously expected to falter at one point during the season. Amazingly, they only got better as the season progressed, and proved to not be the fluke people were expecting. In 2009, here is a look at how the teams have done at the unofficial first milestone.
AL East: Yankees and Red Sox to Compete for Division Crown
Red Sox and Yankees - Both teams have proven to be the class of the division this year, and will clearly be locked in a battle throughout the summer. With the lack of a third team (like the '08 Rays), the New York/Boston rivalry should remain relatively uninterrupted and both should be fighting for the division title and a Wild Card berth.
Blue Jays and Rays - At one point of the season, each team had high hopes for a postseason berth but has already failed to keep the expectations high. Tampa Bay has struggled early and seems only able to beat Boston. Toronto made a habit of beating up on bad teams but has lost seven straight games and dropped to third in the division on Memorial Day.
AL Central: Tigers and Everyone Else
Tigers - Solid starting pitching and a lineup that seems revitalized has placed them at the top of a weak division. Detroit should be relatively unchallenged unless a true contender emerges or they decide to go in the tank like the end of the '07 season where a solid division lead was eventually relinquished.
Royals, Twins, and White Sox - Each with the ability to compete for a playoff berth (yes, even the Royals), none are presently in the position to supplant the Tigers from the division lead. Chicago already tried (and failed) to acquire Padres Pitcher Jake Peavy, the Twins have greatly benefitted from the return of perennial All Star Catcher Joe Mauer, and the Royals have seen one brilliant performance after another from Pitcher Zack Grienke, yet all three teams are bunched together with only the Twins giving the perception that they can catch the Tigers.
AL West: Angels Playing Catch-Up
Rangers and Angels - Possibly the most interesting division race in the American League involves the defending AL West champion Angels chasing the historically offense-heavy Rangers. One year after ranking worst in Major League Baseball in team ERA, the Rangers have turned it around and have the 8th best team ERA in the American League, 0.19 points better than the 10th place Angels. Both teams are legitimate candidates to win the AL West, but the Angels have looked drastically weaker than the division winners of the past two seasons, and the Rangers must keep their pitching in check in order to take advantage of Los Angeles' "down" season.
AL Wild Card: Who Gets Left Out?
Although any of the three aforementioned AL Central teams can make a run at the postseason (Minnesota now has the best chance) the AL Wild card will most likely come from the East or West division. Both the Yankees and Red Sox should be in the race to the end, with the loser competing with either the Angels or Rangers. As of Memorial Day, the worst record by a division leader in the AL belongs to the Tigers, seven games above .500 and an American League leading four games ahead of the runner up. Unless a team from the AL Central proves otherwise, the four contenders from the AL East and West will be fighting for only three playoff spots.
