MLB in for a Wild Weekend

Baseball can be a long season, excessively long to some fans. Still, for the true fans it seems to fly by quickly and then next thing they know, all of the divisions are clinched and we're left watching the few teams left standing scrapping for the Wild Card spots.

And that's exactly where we are as we swing into the final weekend of play, with the last three divisions having been clinched last night by the Arizona Diamondbacks (NL West), Milwaukee Brewers (NL Central), and Texas Rangers(AL West). That leaves just six teams still standing, trying to capture those last two berths into baseball's glorious post season.

Of course, none of those six teams are doing themselves any favors right now, as 4 or the 5 in action Friday night lost their games. Atlanta was the only winner, having gained a game on both the Cardinals and the Giants. The game on both teams was much needed, as it gave Atlanta some much needed breathing room ahead of the Cardinals, while also putting the defending champion Giants on the brink of elimination.

The one team not in action, the Boston Red Sox, may have picked up a half game on both the losing Rays and Angels, but were not exactly dealt good news when their game with New York was rained out and an already injured and taxed pitching staff must now play a double-header on Sunday with Tim Wakefield and John Lackey getting the nod to start the two games, with Jon Lester going on Saturday. The two have turned in only one start between them that saw them pitch six full innings, and only one start with having surrendered less than five runs in that outing. Not exactly stellar news for an overworked bullpen and a team that has posted a 5-16 record for the month of September.

The updated standings enter Saturday looking like this:

National League Wild Card

Atlanta Braves - -

St. Louis Cardinals - 3.0 GB

San Francisco Giants - 5.0 GB

American League Wild Card

Boston Red Sox - -

Tampa Bay Rays - 2.5 GB

Los Angeles Angels - 3.5 GB

Who will be left standing after the weekend? Can the Red Sox survive the Yankees and hold off the Rays and Angels? Can the Braves turn it around and keep the Cardinals at bay? Can the Giants make a late rally and have the pieces fall into place for them in order to defend their title?

One thing is for sure; there is some exciting baseball left to be played.