Concern Grows -- and Optimism Grows

As Monday morning 13 August dawns, it is extremely alarming to see the Boston Redsox with only a lead of 4 games over the surging epitome of all evil, the New York Yankees. A double digit lead at one time has diminished by 70 %. The two clubs meet head to head six more times this season, with three games in Yankee Stadium Tuesday 28 August to Thursday 30 August and the final three regular season meetings at Fenway Park Friday 14 September to Sunday 16 September. Both teams play the majority of their remaining schedule against intradivisonal opponents Baltimore, Toronto, and Tampa Bay. The Redsox also have four home games against Anaheim; two home games against Oakland; four home games against Minnesota; and four road games in Chicago. New York also has three home and four road games versus Detroit; three road games in Anaheim; three home games against Seattle; and three road games in Kansas City. Thus, the schedule is a tossup to consider at this point for the most part, so how the six head to head games may be the determining factor.

On the other side of the spectrum, it is truly exciting to be following a young and exciting Colorado Rockies club in a pennant race. The Rockies went 5-2 on this last homestand against the two best clubs from the NL Central, Milwaukee and Chicago. This week could be the toughest test yet as the team travels to Southern California for three night games against San Diego followed by three games in Los Angeles over the coming weekend with two night games and a Sunday afternoon tilt. The only other of the remaining seven weeks left season that may be a greater challenge will be the finale the last week of September with three games in LA again and the season series finale at home with three against the Arizona Diamondbacks, another young and exciting overachieving team and the current division leader and odds on favorite to take the NL West pennant. If the Rockies continute to play well and stay in the race until the last week of September, this will be a season to remember for sure and among the best in the 15 year history of the club. At 61-56, the remaining 45 games break down to 23 at home and 22 on the road. Realistically, Colorado needs to at least go 16-7 at home over the last 23 at Coors Field and split the remaining road games with 11 wins. 27 more wins will give them 88 for the season and that is a total win number I would gladly take my chances on for winning the divison or at least being the wild card. The Rockies 23 home games are as follows: four with Pittsburgh; three with Washington; three with San Francisco; three with San Diego; three with Florida; four with Los Angeles; and three with Arizona. The remaining 22 road games consist of six with San Diego; six with Los Angeles; three with San Francisco; three with Arizona; and four with Philadelphia. The 14 remaining non-divisional games are critical and I can envision nine or ten wins there. Split the 18 on the road with the four divisional rivals and win 8, 9, or 10 of the remaining 13 home games within the division and things could be very good indeed... Lets hope the pitching staff doe not suffer any further injuries, the bullpen keeps looking great, the defense continues to sparkle for the most part, and the hot hitting the last several weeks continues, and Clint Hurdle continues to push the right buttons and make great decisions.

Ah, the joy of pennant races !... and I did not even touch on the ones going on in the other four divisions ! It keeps me excited and engaged deeply in this 39 year old hobby and pastime of mine.