Friday Night Baseball; NL playoff picture is pretty clear while AL heats up

September 11, 2001 is a date in United States history that every American knows and remembers.  Where were you on this date?  The slogan "never forget" was derived, and holds true.  Therefore, we remember all of those friends, family, and loved ones that lost their life from this tragic event. There are some things that are bigger than sports, and this is one of them.  

The MLB National League playoff picture is almost written in stone.  Barring a major collapse, these six teams will be playing in the postseason: New York Mets (East Division Leader, + 8.0 games ahead), St. Louis Cardinals (Central, +4.5), Los Angeles Dodgers (West, +8.5), Pittsburgh Pirates (1st wildcard, +2.5), Chicago Cubs (2nd wildcard, +9.5).  The Pirates and Cubs will battle down the stretch to see who will host the wildcard game.  They play a four game series next week that could determine where that game will be played.

The American League is more intriguing.  Where did the Cleveland Indians come from?  Even though they are 69-70, they have pulled within four games of the wildcard.  The Houston Astros are leading the Texas Rangers by two and a half games, while the Los Angeles Angels have slid to five and a half games back.  The New York Yankees and Toronto Blue Jays continue to battle, in the AL East.  Currently, the Blue Jays hold a one and a half game lead. The only team that can cruise into the post season are the Kansas City Royals. They hold and 11 game lead on the Minnesota Twins.