PLAYOFF PICTURE BEGINS TO TAKE FOCUS

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