With just 6 weeks (38 games) remaining in the regular season schedule, the 2002 playoff scenerio is becoming clearer by the day. It seems all but certain that the Red Sox will win the A.L. East title. Boston (83-39) owns the Majors' best record and leads 2nd place New York by 14 games. In the Central, the Twins own a tiny 2.5 game lead over Chicago, and in the West, Anaheim leads Seattle by 5.5.
In all likelihood, Anaheim will win the A.L. West, but its not a foregone conclusion. Oakland and Anaheim still have 7 games to play before the season's end. But if Oakland cannot overcome their 6.5 game deficit, they'll have to shoot for a Wild Card.
The Wild Card race is a virtual deadlock tie. New York and Seattle are tied for 1st and Oakland is a mere 1 game back. Oakland and Seattle have similar schedules to finish out the season but New York has by far the easiest road. Their final 12 games will come against the Devil Rays, Tigers, and Orioles. They could skate to a Wild Card title if Oakland and Seattle can't pad a solid lead going into those last two weeks.
But Oakland has an easy schedule of their own beginning NOW. Their next 10 games will come against sub-.500 teams: Indians, Tigers, Royals. They need to easily dispose of these teams before the big series against Anaheim and Seattle begin.
Odds of Making Playoffs:
A.L.:
Boston: 97%
Anaheim: 88%
Minnesota: 71%
Chicago: 39%
New York: 36%
Seattle: 33%
Oakland: 31%
Devil Rays: Mathematically Eliminated
N.L.:
Atlanta: 94%
Arizona: 93%
St. Louis: 85%
Philadelphia: 55%
Los Angeles: 24%
San Fran.: 10%
STANDINGS:
AL East WON LOST PCT GB MAGIC# WON LOS PCT WON LOS PCT
2002 Boston BOA 83 39 .680 ---- 27 70 52 .574 93 69 .574
2002 New York (AL) NYA 69 53 .566 14.0 77 45 .631 103 58 .640
2002 Toronto TOA 54 68 .443 29.0 52 70 .426 78 84 .481
2002 Baltimore BAA 51 70 .421 31.5 59 62 .488 67 95 .414
2002 Tampa Bay TBA 34 89 .276 49.5 41 82 .333 55 106 .342
ACTUAL-TODATE ACTUAL-TOTAL
AL Central WON LOST PCT GB MAGIC# WON LOS PCT WON LOS PCT
2002 Minnesota MNA 70 55 .560 ---- 36 73 52 .584 94 67 .584
2002 Chicago (AL) CHA 67 57 .540 2.5 58 66 .468 81 81 .500
2002 Cleveland CLA 61 61 .500 7.5 54 68 .443 74 88 .457
2002 Kansas City KCA 49 75 .395 20.5 50 74 .403 62 100 .383
2002 Detroit DEA 44 79 .358 25.0 47 76 .382 55 106 .342
ACTUAL-TODATE ACTUAL-TOTAL
AL West WON LOST PCT GB MAGIC# WON LOS PCT WON LOS PCT
2002 Anaheim ANA 75 48 .610 ---- 34 74 49 .602 99 63 .611
2002 Seattle SEA 70 54 .565 5.5 75 49 .605 93 69 .574
2002 Oakland OAA 69 55 .556 6.5 73 51 .589 103 59 .636
2002 Texas TEA 56 66 .459 18.5 54 68 .443 72 90 .444
ACTUAL-TODATE ACTUAL-TOTAL
NL East WON LOST PCT GB MAGIC# WON LOS PCT WON LOS PCT
2002 Atlanta ATN 82 40 .672 ---- 30 79 43 .648 101 59 .631
2002 Philadelphia PHN 72 51 .585 10.5 59 64 .480 80 81 .497
2002 Florida FLN 62 61 .504 20.5 60 63 .488 79 83 .488
2002 New York (NL) NYN 58 65 .472 24.5 58 65 .472 75 86 .466
2002 Montreal MON 46 77 .374 36.5 61 62 .496 83 79 .512
ACTUAL-TODATE ACTUAL-TOTAL
NL Central WON LOST PCT GB MAGIC# WON LOS PCT WON LOS PCT
2002 St. Louis SLN 66 55 .545 ---- 36 68 53 .562 97 65 .599
2002 Houston HON 62 61 .504 5.0 64 59 .520 84 78 .519
2002 Cincinnati CIN 57 65 .467 9.5 63 59 .516 78 84 .481
2002 Chicago (NL) CHN 56 66 .459 10.5 52 70 .426 67 95 .414
2002 Milwaukee MLN 54 69 .439 13.0 43 80 .350 56 106 .346
2002 Pittsburgh PIN 52 72 .419 15.5 54 70 .435 72 89 .447
ACTUAL-TODATE ACTUAL-TOTAL
NL West WON LOST PCT GB MAGIC# WON LOS PCT WON LOS PCT
2002 Arizona ARN 80 44 .645 ---- 29 78 46 .629 98 64 .605
2002 Los Angeles LAN 70 54 .565 10.0 71 53 .573 92 70 .568
2002 San Francisco SFN 68 54 .557 11.0 66 56 .541 95 66 .590
2002 Colorado CON 59 64 .480 20.5 58 65 .472 73 89 .451
2002 San Diego SDN 47 76 .382 32.5 52 71 .423 66 96 .407
AL Wild Card Standings WON LOST PCT GB MAGIC#
2002 New York (AL) NYA 69 53 .566 ---- 40
2002 Seattle SEA 70 54 .565 ----
2002 Oakland OAA 69 55 .556 1.0
2002 Chicago (AL) CHA 67 57 .540 3.0
2002 Cleveland CLA 61 61 .500 8.0
2002 Texas TEA 56 66 .459 13.0
NL Wild Card Standings WON LOST PCT GB MAGIC#
2002 Philadelphia PHN 72 51 .585 ---- 37
2002 Los Angeles LAN 70 54 .565 2.5
2002 San Francisco SFN 68 54 .557 3.5
2002 Houston HON 62 61 .504 10.0
2002 Florida FLN 62 61 .504 10.0
2002 Colorado CON 59 64 .480 13.0