2007 MLB Post-Season: Who Makes it and Who Doesn't

With just a little over 2 months away for the post-season, there are still teams from each league that have a shot at making it and then there are teams that don't. Any team that is currently last in their respective divisions have virtually no chance of making the playoffs. 1^st, it will be the American League covered on why certain teams will make it and why others won't. The list might shock you but it won't come as any major surprise as to the reason behind it.

American League

Boston Red Sox-So far the team is in the lead with the AL East and has kept a pretty strong grip on it over the defending champion New York Yankees. The team has been winning for the most part and has an 8 game lead as of July 30^th. A big factor that is going to help the team out is the fact that they have been very dominant over their own division including beating the rival Yankees. There is nothing that seems to be slowing them down and it looks to be a time for the Red Sox to take the AL East for the 1^st time since 1995. Boston will make the playoffs and will win the AL Eastern Division Title.

Cleveland Indians-Early on, the 2^nd half hasn't been too kind to them as they have barley been .500 overall but that is not going to last very long. They are just a .5 game behind Detroit for the AL Central Title as of July 30^th. With keeping the gap close between the two teams and leading the Wild Card right at this very moment over the Seattle Mariners, the Indians are looking to be a team that is for real. If they get everything together, they will be a threat but will have to win on the road and get back on a winning track to do so. Look for Cleveland to not go away and will make the playoffs, most likely as a Wild Card but don't be surprised if they somehow take the AL Central for the 1^st time since 2001.

Detroit Tigers-The defending AL Champions have met expectations this season and has been very competitive. They just lead by .5 game over the Tribe but have been on a slide as well. Both them and the Indians are going to have a very tight race as to takes the crown as the AL Central champs but that doesn't mean that they will go empty-handed. Expect Detroit to hang in there until the end of the season and it will come down to the final week of the season before there is a clear cut winner as to which team between them and the Indians wins the AL Central. If they don't win it, they will most likely take the Wild Card if they play strong enough.

LA Angels-It's better than calling it the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and still to this day is a bad choice of a name. It should be either city used or just go the California Angels. That's enough about that. They lead the AL West by 4 games over the surging Seattle Mariners. It's going to be a challenge but somebody has to fall down but it won't be the Angels. Look for the Angels to actually win the AL West and make it to the playoffs. The team is going to challenge for the best record in the American League and will be close in the end.

Seattle Mariners-No questions asked this team has been very good. They will be a team that will be very close when it comes to the playoff position and could be a threat till the end of the 2007 season. If they don't make it, they will not be very far behind on either division. They probably won't make it but will be in a position for next season to make a major run at the playoffs like they are doing at this very moment.

New York Yankees-The shocker is going to be they miss the playoffs. This will come as a surprise but this is the shock team to not make it this season. Right now, they are having a late season surge but it will not be enough for this team. Too many items that have become more important for this team like A-Rod possibly joining the 500 Home Run club and also the pitching hasn't completely been there for the team when it needs it. With something like that, it's not going to help this team. Not being able to beat the teams within their own division isn't going to help them in the long run. The Bronx Bombers are really in trouble unless they get on the ball, win within their division and have a strong run on the road.

The American League has 6 potential teams that will be challenging for 4 playoff spots. Two won't make it but it will most likely come down to the very end of the season before we know who makes it and who doesn't. Odds are these are the teams to look for when the season draws to a close and we head into the 2007 Post-Season to determine who will win the World Series. Odds are, it will be a different team winning it.

National League

New York Mets-This team has been very good and did the impossible last season and that was knock the Braves out of winning the NL East, which was something that very few would ever bet against. The Mets however are in position to repeat as division winners and it doesn't look like they will be stopped so easily. Though the Phillies are challenging this team, it will come down to who wants it more. The Mets have good pitching on this team and it will be the reason they take the NL East for the 2^nd straight year.

Milwaukee Brewers-This team has been a surprising team mentioning their name among the teams to challenge for the playoffs and for that matter, a shock that they are challenging for the NL Central division title. They don't have a very huge lead in the central and are just barley holding it over a surging Chicago Cubs. This is going to be a very close one and they might but probably may not keep the lead in the Central and might find themselves on the outside looking in. The Brewers will be the inability to win on the road and with the loss of their ace, it won't help them but it won't be the reason they don't make it. It will be due to not having a good record on the road and winning when it is important.

Chicago Cubs-The Cubs have actually done a lot better than anticipated. Going into the season, they were written off as a team with virtually no chance of making the playoffs and so far all the work put into the team has been paying off. Now if only they can have good years in back to back seasons would be good for this team. They haven't been to the World Series since 1945 and haven't won in nearly 100 years. Underestimation seems to be the key to this team as they are more or less the team that has the label of can't win when the lights are on bright and something is on the line. They will make the playoffs but whether or not they go far is another story.

Los Angeles Dodgers-This team is tied for 1^st in the NL West with Arizona and that is going to be the two-team race to see which team is going to pull it off in the end. It will come down to the final week of the season and of course the season match ups will also make a huge difference. A big key to the winning team will be the record within the division. So far at this moment, the Dodgers have the edge over the Diamondbacks and it will most likely stay that way. Look for the Dodgers to make the playoffs via winning the NL West.

Arizona Diamondbacks-The Diamondbacks are looking to go back into the World Series for the 1^st time since 2001 and are currently the fastest franchise ever to win the big one. Since that time, they have had some up and down moments with each season passing by. The Diamondbacks are not going to be backing down anytime soon so expect them to compete to the very end. They will most likely challenge and get the Wild Card. Don't be surprised if they somehow beat the Dodgers out of the NL West.

Philadelphia Phillies-This team has been known as the team that comes so close and yet so far when challenging for either a Wild Card or a Division crown. They are currently 3.5 games away from the Mets for the NL East. The team is only about 1.5 games away from the Wild Card. They have been on a major roll but when the season comes to an end, the Phillies will probably not win the division or the Wild Card. They will be very close but it will be like they came so close and yet so far. Look for the team to be competitive to the end but unfortunately come up short.

San Diego Padres-The Padres however are very close within range of both the Wild Card and the NL West. As long as they keep playing good, they will have a good core of a team that could contend for years. They will be close to the end but could possibly force a playoff with Arizona to see who gets to be the Wild Card. That's about it for the Padres on that.

Overall

The playoff race is heating up and it looks like it's going to be a photo finish before it's all said and done. The question next will be who will be the teams that go to the World Series. Only time will tell and when the playoffs happen, there will be predictions as to which teams will go straight to the World Series and then get an overall winner.