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Sunday, September 09, 2012

AL playoff race: September 9, 2012

AL East

NYY 79-61 [4-5 in SEPT]
BAL 78-62 [5-4 in SEPT] (1 GB)
TBR 77-63 [6-2 in SEPT] (2 GB)

AL Central

CWS 75-64 [3-5 in SEPT]
DET 73-66 [3-5 in SEPT] (2 GB)

AL West

TEX 83-57 [5-4 in SEPT]
OAK 79-60 [5-3 in SEPT] (3.5 GB)

AL Wildcard

OAK 79-60 [5-3 in SEPT]
BAL 78-62 [5-4 in SEPT]
LAA 77-63 [6-2 in SEPT] (1 GB)
TBR 77-63 [6-2 in SEPT] (1 GB)
DET 73-66 [3-5 in SEPT] (4.5 GB)

MLB.com: Bats come alive as Yanks claim control of East
MLB.com: Upton backs Shields’ complete gem with three HRs
MLB.com: Rally in 10th falls short as Sox lose to Royals
MLB.com: Halos sweep Tigers behind Greinke, homers
MLB.com: Gomes, Milone stick to script as A’s sweep Mariners

NTNgod Posted: September 09, 2012 at 05:53 PM | 57 comment(s) Login to Bookmark
Tags: angels, athletics, orioles, pennant race, rangers, rays, tigers, white sox, yankees

Reader Comments and Retorts

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1. Los Angeles El Hombre of Anaheim

Posted: September 09, 2012 at 06:34 PM (#4231138)

Angels sweep the Tigers!! They're now 15-3 in their last 18, and one game back with the Rays for the WC. Their September schedule is tough. The next four against Oakland is a must-win, of course, then after three at KC, they get Texas, the White Sox, and an improving Seattle team at home, then finish on the road in Texas and Seattle. Tough, but not impossible.

2. Shooty is in the Trust Tree

Posted: September 09, 2012 at 06:49 PM (#4231143)

Charlie Furbush. Best baseball name ever? Yes.

3. Shooty is in the Trust Tree

Posted: September 09, 2012 at 07:01 PM (#4231146)

Josh Reddick is a great RFer.

4. Shooty is in the Trust Tree

Posted: September 09, 2012 at 07:05 PM (#4231148)

A's win!

5. NJ in NY Posted: September 09, 2012 at 07:12 PM (#4231149)

What happens if there is a 4-way tie for the 2 WC spots? That's what I'm rooting for at this point.

6. rconn23 Posted: September 09, 2012 at 07:39 PM (#4231158)

I just want Jeter to win the batting title, which, at now at least is a possibility.

7. Los Angeles El Hombre of Anaheim

Posted: September 09, 2012 at 07:40 PM (#4231159)

Hopefully, that'll give Jeter the recognition he deserves.

8. RMc and His Roster of Rubbish Posted: September 09, 2012 at 07:50 PM (#4231163)

Angels sweep the Tigers!!

...aaand time to start watching the Lions, Detroit sports fans. (Yes, I know they're still only 2 back with 4 games against Chicago. Don't care.)

9. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: September 09, 2012 at 08:08 PM (#4231170)

What happens if there is a 4-way tie for the 2 WC spots? That's what I'm rooting for at this point.

I would assume they'd randomly assign matchups, and winners of the two games are the wild cards.

10. Cowboy Popup Posted: September 09, 2012 at 08:11 PM (#4231172)

I just want Jeter to win the batting title, which, at now at least is a possibility.

Whoa, I did not realize that could happen. I figured Trout was still plugging along at .340 something. That would be awesome.

11. Best Regards, L.M. Posted: September 09, 2012 at 08:26 PM (#4231183)

I would assume they'd randomly assign matchups, and winners of the two games are the wild cards.

I'm pretty sure that's correct.

12. Random Transaction Generator Posted: September 09, 2012 at 08:31 PM (#4231185)

For maximum craziness, you want an odd number of teams tied for a playoff spot (3 of them for the final wild-card) or a division title in the mix (NYY/BAL tie for division title, and TB/OAK/LAA tie for the second wild card (1 game back of NYY/BAL).

13. Best Regards, L.M. Posted: September 09, 2012 at 08:46 PM (#4231194)

14. SoSH U at work Posted: September 09, 2012 at 08:47 PM (#4231195)

3-way tie for division (plus fourth tied with them for second wild card) would be ideal in pursuit of most chaotic end to the regular season. I don't know how MLB would handle it, but I'm guessing it's not possible to handle it without someone disagreeing with the method.

Coke to Larry.

15. Best Regards, L.M. Posted: September 09, 2012 at 08:48 PM (#4231198)

RTG's scenario:

Thursday: AL East championship game, Two of TB/OAK/LAA play
Friday: Winner of the Wild Card playoff plays the third team
Saturday: Loser of the AL East championship game plays the winner of the Wild Card playoff in the Wild Card game.

16. Best Regards, L.M. Posted: September 09, 2012 at 08:50 PM (#4231202)

3-way tie for division (plus fourth tied with them for second wild card) would be ideal in pursuit of most chaotic end to the regular season. I don't know how MLB would handle it, but I'm guessing it's not possible to handle it without someone disagreeing with the method.

Here's the real nightmare:

The Cardinals finish with a 7:00pm game. The CBA requires that any regular season game played in a different city start at least 27 hours after the previous game started. So if the Cardinals and Dodgers tie, they either have to play at 10:00pm ET or on Friday.

17. cercopithecus aethiops Posted: September 09, 2012 at 08:53 PM (#4231203)

A 10:00pm ET start isn't a problem if the game is in LA. I feel a fixed coin flip coming on.

18. Best Regards, L.M. Posted: September 09, 2012 at 08:58 PM (#4231208)

No coin flip -- the game will be in LA.

This ESPN article covers the problems pretty well.

19. The Yankee Clapper Posted: September 09, 2012 at 09:09 PM (#4231212)

I just want Jeter to win the batting title, which, at now at least is a possibility.

Whoa, I did not realize that could happen. I figured Trout was still plugging along at .340 something. That would be awesome.

Jeter is hitting .324 for the season, .348 since the All-Star Game, .358 over the last 30 days & .400 over the last 7. Only needs to make up another .004 to catch Trout but Cabrera is also in the mix. Should be interesting, although it does look like Jeter has at least wrapped up another Silver Slugger award and has a good shot (needs 18 hits) to break the record for the most hits in an age-38 season.

20. rconn23 Posted: September 09, 2012 at 09:22 PM (#4231218)

"Hopefully, that'll give Jeter the recognition he deserves."

Dude, he's 38 years old. However, overrated in some aspects he may be, winning a batting title at that age would be a pretty nice accomplishment.

21. The Yankee Clapper Posted: September 09, 2012 at 09:52 PM (#4231241)

. . . he's 38 years old. However, overrated in some aspects he may be, winning a batting title at that age would be a pretty nice accomplishment.

As would another Gold Glove, if only to enjoy the BBTF reaction. Maybe a bridge too far, even for Jeter.

22. Bitter Calculus Instructor Posted: September 09, 2012 at 10:55 PM (#4231272)

What happens if there is a 4-way tie for the 2 WC spots? That's what I'm rooting for at this point.

I would assume they'd randomly assign matchups, and winners of the two games are the wild cards.

That's what wikipedia says: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Major_League_Baseball_tie-breaking_procedures

23. Jolly Old St. Nick Done Jumped The Ship

Posted: September 09, 2012 at 11:30 PM (#4231298)

If you have three teams tied for the division, it requires two playoff games to decide the division winner. And the losers of those games have to be given a shot at the Wild Card if tied for that, too. So, scenario:

A's win first wild card outright
Angels, Rays, Yankees and Orioles finish with the same record

Thursday: Two AL East teams play
Friday: Angels play loser of that game, Winner of the AL East game plays the third AL East team
Saturday: Winner of the Angels game plays the loser of the AL East championship game
Sunday: Winner of that game plays the A's in the Wild Card game.

Backwards reels the mind.

---------------------------------------

...aaand time to start watching the Lions, Detroit sports fans. (Yes, I know they're still only 2 back with 4 games against Chicago. Don't care.)

Yeah, but the Lions are in first place.

24. TVerik Posted: September 09, 2012 at 11:39 PM (#4231305)

So if things broke exactly right, the Yankees could play four regular-season games at the end of the year, thus having 166 games in their season? What records as a team would they break? PAs for Jeter, to start.

25. Best Regards, L.M. Posted: September 09, 2012 at 11:48 PM (#4231312)

The Wild Card game is not a regular season game.

26. Random Transaction Generator Posted: September 09, 2012 at 11:58 PM (#4231322)

What records as a team would they break? PAs for Jeter, to start.

The record for PAs in a single season is held by Jimmy Rollins (778).
Jeter has 636 PA right now, so he'd need 143 in the final 22 (to 26) games.
That's 5.5 PA per game assuming it goes to 166 and he plays in every one of them.
He's never averaged that many per game in a full season (usually around 4.5 to 4.6).

The record for games played is held by Maury Wills, with 165, in 1962.
If the season goes to 166 games, Robinson Cano would finish with 164 games played.

Edit: Larry M points out correctly that the Yankees would only play 165 regular season games (in this dream/nightmare scenario), so that makes Jeter's chances even more remote.

27. Walt Davis Posted: September 10, 2012 at 01:21 AM (#4231365)

C'mon, you guys can be more creative than this:

Tigers and White Sox mainly play crappy teams from here on out. The Tigers can make up ground on the WCs. Texas' lead is down to 3.5 games and the Angels aren't completely out of it.

I want the 8-way tie among NYY, TBR, BAL, CWS, DET, TEX, OAK and LAA. There probably isn't quite a sequence to pull it off but there's got to be one that comes close.

Then, the World Series starts the day after election day and is used to break the electoral college tie. Thank god the Jays are out of it!

28. Rafael Bellylard: Built like a Fielder Posted: September 10, 2012 at 06:13 AM (#4231387)

Everyone with 90 wins.

TEX 7-15
NYY 11-11
OAK 11-12
BAL 12-10
TPB 13-9
LAA 13-9
CWS 15-8
DET 17-6

29. NJ in NY Posted: September 10, 2012 at 09:49 AM (#4231439)

Dude, he's 38 years old. However, overrated in some aspects he may be, winning a batting title at that age would be a pretty nice accomplishment.

He's got an outside shot at having the highest hit total of his career this year. Crazy.

30. Honkie Kong Posted: September 10, 2012 at 10:11 AM (#4231457)

This might be crazy thought, but me thinks the steroid era / tight ball era probably diminished Jeter's legacy at SS.
Instead of athletes with speed and occasional pop, he is competing with 5 tool super stars, who are changing the way the position is thought about.
In any other era, Jeter's stats at SS would be dominant year in, year out. But after having seen the numbers A-Rod and Nomar put up, Jeter's numbers don't have that shock value

31. SOLockwood Posted: September 10, 2012 at 10:36 AM (#4231482)

#28: Have you checked to see if that combination is possible -- based upon each team's opponents?

32. Random Transaction Generator Posted: September 10, 2012 at 10:40 AM (#4231489)

From #28's doomsday scenario:

NYY/BAL/TB play two games to determine division title, losers drop into WC insanity.*
CHW/DET play one game to determine division title, loser drops into WC insanity.
TEX/OAK/LAA play two games to determine division title, losers drop into WC insanity.*

You now have 5 teams playing for two WC spots (we'll say BAL/TB/DET/OAK/LAA).
How the hell does that work?

* Note: If a team were to win the first game of the East (or West) division matchup, but lose the second, they should end up with a better record than the lose only team from the Central division matchup. Shouldn't they, by having a better record before the second round of tie-breakers for the WC, win one (or both) of the WC spots?

33. SoSH U at work Posted: September 10, 2012 at 10:53 AM (#4231504)

* Note: If a team were to win the first game of the East (or West) division matchup, but lose the second, they should end up with a better record than the lose only team from the Central division matchup. Shouldn't they, by having a better record before the second round of tie-breakers for the WC, win one (or both) of the WC spots?

I don't think so. That premise initially governed the wild card/division title tiebreaker rules. When the WC was introduced, if three teams tied, but two also tied for the division title, the loser of the division title race would be eliminated from WC contention because it would then be 1/2 game behind the other team. Baseball then determined this was unfair, and said a second playoff would be necessary.

In essence, while these games are still considered regular season games for statistical purposes, the team records are frozen where they stood after 162 games for the purpose of deciding postseason qualification.

34. Best Regards, L.M. Posted: September 10, 2012 at 10:59 AM (#4231513)

You now have 5 teams playing for two WC spots (we'll say BAL/TB/DET/OAK/LAA).
How the hell does that work?

Thursday: AL East Playoff 1, AL Central Championship, AL West Playoff 1
Friday: AL East Championship, AL West Championship, AL Wild Card Playoff 1 (two of the three losers from Thursday)
Saturday: AL Wild Card Playoffs 2 & 3 (Losers of AL East Championship and AL West Championship, the third loser from Thursday, and the winner of Wild Card Playoff 1)
Sunday: AL Wild Card Game -- the winners of AL Wild Card Playoffs 2 & 3 are the Wild Card teams. Wild Card #1 is the team with the better head-to-head record.

Unless we get a four-way division tie with some Wild Card insanity in there, we're not pushing that Wild Card game to Monday.

35. Gamingboy Posted: September 10, 2012 at 11:01 AM (#4231519)

Guess what everyone? I'm pessimistic about the Orioles again!

(Although nowhere near as pessimistic as I am on the Bills)

36. SG Posted: September 10, 2012 at 11:03 AM (#4231524)

If you assumed every team in the AL was a .500 team here's around where everyone would finish over the rest of the year.

Rangers: 94
Athletics: 90
Yankees: 90
Orioles: 89
Angels: 88
Rays: 88
White Sox: 86
Tigers: 84
Mariners: 77
Blue Jays: 76
Royals: 74
Red Sox: 73
Indians: 70
Twins: 69

(Although nowhere near as pessimistic as I am on the Bills)

I'm optimistic. I think they will win a game.

37. Rafael Bellylard: Built like a Fielder Posted: September 10, 2012 at 11:07 AM (#4231527)

#28: Have you checked to see if that combination is possible -- based upon each team's opponents?

Easily, since all teams have multiple non-WC competitive opponents between now and the end of the season, many combinations are possible.

However, the most necessary thing would be for Texas to lose 5 of 6 at home this week to Cleveland and Seattle. They are going to be the toughest to fit into a 7-team scenario.

38. escabeche Posted: September 10, 2012 at 11:58 AM (#4231593)

Playoff Odds Report has the Orioles' playoff probability swinging wildly with each game they win or lose, and to tell the truth, that's how it feels. Right now I look at this team and say there's no way the Orioles minus Markakis can finish ahead of two out of TB, Angels, Oakland.

The one piece of good news is that the Orioles went into the home stretch with one of the toughest schedules of any contender. Well, the tough part is mostly over; we've played two series against the Yankees, and one each against Detroit, Chicago, and Texas, and we're still in WC position. Now we've got 9 games left against TBR + OAK but 13 against Toronto, Boston, and Seattle. And we finish the season with three games against the Rays, which means that unless Oakland and Los Angeles pull away, the Orioles will go into the last series of the season with their fate in their own hands.

39. Best Regards, L.M. Posted: September 10, 2012 at 12:01 PM (#4231598)

Playoff Odds Report has the Orioles' playoff probability swinging wildly with each game they win or lose, and to tell the truth, that's how it feels. Right now I look at this team and say there's no way the Orioles minus Markakis can finish ahead of two out of TB, Angels, Oakland.

There's no way the Orioles with Markakis should have been in this position in the first place. So #### it, keep believing.

I think the loss of Markakis maybe costs them one game the rest of the way.

40. Shooty is in the Trust Tree

Posted: September 10, 2012 at 12:03 PM (#4231602)

And even if we win, if we win, HAH! Even if we win! Even if we play so far above our heads that our noses bleed for a week to ten days; even if God in Heaven above comes down and points his hand at our side of the field; even if every man woman and child held hands together and prayed for us to win, it just wouldn't matter because all the really good looking girls would still go out with the guys from New York because they've got all the money! It just doesn't matter if we win or we lose. IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER! IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER! IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER! IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER! IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER! IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER! IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER! IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER! IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER! IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER! IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER! IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER!

41. Random Transaction Generator Posted: September 10, 2012 at 12:06 PM (#4231607)

Hypothetical, based on #34:

Wednesday October 3rd: Yankees play Red Sox in NY (game 162, win or lose, force doomsday scenario).
Thursday October 4th: Yankees play Baltimore in Baltimore (AL East Playoff #1). They lose.
Friday October 5th: Yankees play Chicago in Chicago (AL Wild Card Playoff #1). They win.
Saturday October 6th: Yankees play Tampa in Tampa (AL Wild Card Playoff #2). They win.
Sunday October 7th: Yankees play Oakland in Oakland (AL Wild Card Game). They win.
Monday October 8th: Yankees play Texas in Texas (ALDS Game #1).

6 games, in 6 different cities, in 6 days.

42. escabeche Posted: September 10, 2012 at 12:08 PM (#4231609)

it just wouldn't matter because all the really good looking girls would still go out with the guys from New York because they've got all the money!

Actually, I'm told it's the gift baskets.

43. Random Transaction Generator Posted: September 10, 2012 at 12:11 PM (#4231612)

IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER! IT JUST DOESN'T MATTER!

For some reason, no one else I know remembers that awesome Bill Murray scene from "Meatballs".
I've used it a couple of times and everyone has given me blank stares.

44. Best Regards, L.M. Posted: September 10, 2012 at 12:15 PM (#4231618)

6 games, in 6 different cities, in 6 days.

Of course, none of this takes the CBA into account. In all probability, those playoff games will have to have off days in between, and the whole thing will take a week.

45. SoSH U at work Posted: September 10, 2012 at 12:15 PM (#4231619)

Hypothetical, based on #34:

Hey, why stop there?

Wednesday October 3rd: Yankees play Red Sox in NY (game 162, win or lose, force doomsday scenario).
Thursday, October 4th: Yankees return to Minnesota to play rained out game from Wednesday, Sept. 26.
Thursday October 5th: Yankees play Baltimore in Baltimore (AL East Playoff #1). They lose.
Friday October 6th: Yankees play Chicago in Chicago (AL Wild Card Playoff #1). They win.
Saturday October 7th: Yankees play Tampa in Tampa (AL Wild Card Playoff #2). They win.
Sunday October 8th: Yankees play Oakland in Oakland (AL Wild Card Game). They win.
Monday October 9th: Yankees play Texas in Texas (ALDS Game #1).

7 games, in 7 different cities, in 7 days.

46. Athletic Supporter gangnam style Posted: September 10, 2012 at 12:16 PM (#4231620)

The CBA requires that any regular season game played in a different city start at least 27 hours after the previous game started.

Is this really true? The A's routinely play night games in like Anaheim or Seattle then come home to play a night game the following night. For instance looking at this year, on April 19 the A's played a 7:05 start in Anaheim then on April 20 they were home to the Indians at 7:05. They finished up a road series in Anaheim that started 5/15 at 4:05 (Pacific) then played 5/16 in Texas at 5:05 (Pacific), a 25 hour turnaround with a significant travel. They played a night game in KC on 8/16 (5:10 Pacific) and had a 26 hour turnaround to play the Indians at home the next night. I'm sure every team has a few of these a year.

47. esseff Posted: September 10, 2012 at 12:17 PM (#4231623)

The Wikipedia article linked in #22 is incorrect (I know, shocking). The teams in a four-team tie do not draw lots randomly for the A, B, C and D designations.

Here is the procedure, per mlb.com:

Determining A, B, C, D Designations in Four-Team Tiebreakers

1. The Club with the highest winning percentage in games among the tied Clubs chooses its designation first, followed by the Club with the second-highest winning percentage and the Club with the third-highest winning percentage. If two Clubs have identical winning percentages, then the two-Club tiebreak rules shall apply to determine which team selects its designation first. If three Clubs have identical winning percentages, then the three-Club tiebreak rules shall apply to determine which teams select their designation first. If all four Clubs have identical winning percentages, then;

2. The Club with the highest winning percentage in intradivision games chooses its designation first, followed by the Club with the second-highest winning percentage and the Club with the third-highest winning percentage. If two Clubs have identical winning percentages, then the two-Club tiebreak rules shall apply to determine which team selects its designation first. If three Clubs have identical winning percentages, then the three-Club tiebreak rules shall apply to determine which teams select their designation first. If all four Clubs have identical winning percentages, then;

3. The Club with the highest winning percentage in the last half of intraleague games chooses its designation first, followed by the Club with the second-highest winning percentage and the Club with the third-highest winning percentage. If two Clubs have identical winning percentages, then the two-Club tiebreak rules shall apply to determine which team selects its designation first. If three Clubs have identical winning percentages, then the three-Club tiebreak rules shall apply to determine which teams select their designation first. If all four Clubs have identical winning percentages, then;

4. The Club with the highest winning percentage in the last half plus one intraleague game, provided that such additional game was not between any of the tied Clubs, chooses its designation followed by the Club with the second-highest winning percentage and the Club with the third-highest winning percentage. Continue to go back one intraleague game at a time until any ties have been broken.

If you read down from there at the mlb.com link, you'll find how they proceed after determining A, B, C and D, depending on what kind of a tie is being broken (1 wild card, 2 wild cards, 1 division and 2 wild cards, etc.)

48. SoSH U at work Posted: September 10, 2012 at 12:21 PM (#4231626)

Is this really true?

I think this only covers those games that will be used as tiebreakers, not all regular season contests.

49. snapper (history's 42nd greatest monster) Posted: September 10, 2012 at 12:23 PM (#4231632)

Determining A, B, C, D Designations in Four-Team Tiebreakers

Seems like an awful lot of work for teams with the same record. Random makes a lot more sense; equal records should be treated equally.

50. SoSH U at work Posted: September 10, 2012 at 12:30 PM (#4231640)

Seems like an awful lot of work for teams with the same record. Random makes a lot more sense; equal records should be treated equally.

I generally agree. And I've never liked head-to-head as some all-defining tiebreaker mechanism (whatever edge you gained in H-to-H you lost somewhere else). If you've got to use one method, I much prefer strength of schedule (and full schedule, not just wins).

51. Random Transaction Generator Posted: September 10, 2012 at 01:13 PM (#4231685)

BTW, if the Yankees (or any other AL team) were put through that sort of gauntlet and survived, they would be my automatic team to cheer for to win the World Series.

52. toratoratora Posted: September 10, 2012 at 02:30 PM (#4231786)

After last year and the way the O's celebrated beating them in the final game, you have to figure there are a few Red Sox who wouldn't mind sticking it to the Os and knocking them out of contention.

53. BDC

Posted: September 10, 2012 at 03:47 PM (#4231889)

And to think that I always vaunted the clean sanity of baseball when I used to disparage the NFL's screwy tiebreaker scenarios.

54. TomH Posted: September 10, 2012 at 04:03 PM (#4231902)

At least baseball tie breakers, to date, have never decided anything more impt than home field.

A three-way tie would change that, as a 50% chance to advance is better than 25%.

Still beats the NFL system which bases its play-or-go-home on miniscule items first, while the most obvious elephant, strength of schedule, is rarely invoked.

55. SoSH U at work Posted: September 10, 2012 at 04:05 PM (#4231904)

Still beats the NFL system which bases its play-or-go-home on miniscule items first, while the most obvious elephant, strength of schedule, is rarely invoked.

Woo hoo.

56. Booey Posted: September 10, 2012 at 04:32 PM (#4231928)

I just want Jeter to win the batting title, which, at now at least is a possibility.

I want this to happen too, just so he can be removed from the short list of best modern hitters (for average) never to win one. Miggy won last year, and Trout has plenty more chances (though Kaline and A-Rod never won again after their age 21 or whatever seasons).

Off the top of my head, the guys on the short list of best hitters never to win a batting title since I've been following baseball (25 years or so) are Jeter, Molitor, Piazza, and Vlad. A longer list would include guys like Grace, Alou, Alomar, and Pudge.

Probably missing a bunch of other guys too.

57. rlc Posted: September 10, 2012 at 05:35 PM (#4231976)

After last year and the way the O's celebrated beating them in the final game, you have to figure there are a few Red Sox who wouldn't mind sticking it to the Os and knocking them out of contention.

I've wondered about this, too, but I think the emphasis needs to be on few. If Papelbon, Crawford, Beckett, Gonzalez, Youkilis, Scutaro, Drew, Varitek, Lowrie, Reddick, Gathright, McDonald, Albers, Bowden, Wakefield, Bedard, Weiland, Jackson or Francona play too much of a role, the commissioner's office may have something to say about it. I bet Lars Anderson and Jose Iglesias will be loaded for bear, though. And Lackey will of course be a two-fisted brawler.

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