As the end of Major League Baseball regular season approaches, the battle for the final wild card spot in the American League is beginning to heat up.
With either the Oakland Athletics or the Texas Rangers bound to lock up the first wild card spot, five teams continue to battle for the second spot. As the standings stand heading into Monday, Sept. 9, four teams are within three-and a-half games of the wild card-leading Rays.
All five teams have had their share of struggles throughout the season, but they still have the opportunity to make the playoffs as October draws closer.
Rays
The Rays are probably the best, most well-rounded team fighting for the final wild card spot. Tampa Bay's starting pitching has been very good all year, while their offense has improved from last year with the help of rookie outfielder Wil Myers, who they received in a trade from the Royals.
The Rays even went on a huge winning streak in the middle of the summer, winning 23 of 27 games. But injuries to starting pitchers Alex Cobb and Matt Moore over the last month and a half, along with a major hitting slump from their best hitter, Evan Longoria, has brought their record back to the rest of the pack. Even though the Rays lead the race right now, their closing schedule is probably the hardest out of all the teams and could be a problem at the end of the year.
Yankees
The Yankees have absolutely no business being in the position they are in.
They have spent the entire year battling countless injuries to some of their best players including Derek Jeter, Curtis Granderson, Mark Teixeira and Alex Rodriguez. They have had to use 54 players this season, a team record.
The clubhouse has also had to handle the extra drama surrounding the Alex Rodriguez steroid situation. Through all of these obstacles, and multiple analysts picking the team to finish dead last in the American League East, the Yankees are nine games over .500, and only 2 and a half games back of the Rays.
Now, with most of their players back and the team playing the best it has all season, the Yankees have a great chance to grab that final wild card slot.
Orioles
The Orioles have definitely underachieved this season.
After making last year's playoff in surprising fashion, they were expected to come back this year and make the playoffs again, maybe even win the division.
Their offense has been outstanding, with players such as Chris Davis, Manny Machado and Adam Jones all having career years.
Their starting pitching, on the other hand, has been underwhelming, despite the front office's efforts to improve it.
Still, the Orioles will have an opportunity to return to the playoffs as they play the Rays and Yankees a few more times before the season ends.
Indians
The Indians are not the most talented team in the league. But behind first-year manager Terry Francona, they find themselves only two games back of the Rays.
The two major keys to Cleveland's season this year are the signing of outfielder Nick Swisher, and the development of starting pitcher Justin Masterson into the ace of the pitching staff.
The Indians definitely have the easiest schedule of all the teams that are currently fighting for the final spot.
So, even though they may not seem like a playoff team, their schedule may very well propel them into the playoffs.
Royals
The final team in the hunt for the final American League wild card spot is the Kansas City Royals.
The Royals have consistently been a bad franchise for the past couple of decades and are just happy to have made it here.
They are highly talented but also very inexperienced.
Their schedule also may pose a challenge, as they still have to play the Detroit Tigers and Texas Rangers.
They may have the smallest chance of any team in the running this year, but the Royals' talent will probably keep them in contention in years to come.
The end of this baseball season will bring some exciting action.
I am hoping the Yankees can find a way to get in after struggling with so many injuries.
In the end though, I think it will be the Cleveland Indians that grab the final spot.
Between the team's leadership in the clubhouse as well as the relative easiness of their schedule, I think the Indians will find themselves playing in the wild card playoff at the end of the year.
– By Brian Chavkin
