The race to the MLB playoffs

Bobby Martinez – Sports Writer

    NEW HAVEN — With September being the month each MLB team pushes closer to their hopes of clinching a playoff spot, division races are becoming closer and closer as each game passes. Despite close races, the main attraction is between Miguel Cabrera and Chris Davis.

     Cabrera is inching closer and closer on becoming the first back-to-back triple crown winner in history of the game, but stopping Cabrera from achieving such milestone is Orioles first baseman Chris Davis.

     Davis leads the league with home runs through 132 games played. Cabrera leads the league with a batting average of .358, RBI’s of 130 but trails Davis by five home runs with 43.  Davis said during a post-game interview that he is actually rooting for Cabrera to win another triple crown.

     “As far as me being the obstruction for him doing it again, I hope he does do it again,” Davis said. “That would be awesome. He’s a great hitter. He deserves everything that he gets.”

     With a month left of baseball, the race between Davis and Cabrera as far as home run leader goes becoming closer and closer. It’s going to be an interesting month to see if MLB will have its first back to back triple crown winner ever.

     Last season, we witnessed the Boston Red Sox let go of around $250 million of salary to the Los Angeles Dodgers and everyone thought it was rebuilding time for Boston. Just like the Patriots, you can never really count out the Red Sox because they always find a way to be an elite team.

     Heading into September, the Red Sox are leading the AL East by two and a half games over Tampa Bay. Boston has the second best record in the league behind the Atlanta Braves. Yes, the Atlanta Braves are leading the league with the best record.

     The Braves don’t have talent on the team across the board such as the New York Yankees or the Dodgers, but their chemistry and consistency on both sides of the field is what they have been able to master heading into this crucial time.

     A surprise team that is looking to head into the playoffs is the Pittsburgh Pirates. Last year the Pirates led with All-Star outfielder Andrew McCutchen, but fell off the second half of the season with a record of 79-83. Heading into the last month of the season, the race between the Pirates and the Cardinals are tied.

     Disappointedly, we look at the Angels and all you can do is shake your head. With a roster that consists of Albert Pujols, Mike Trout, Josh Hamilton, Mark Trumbell, Erik Aybar and C.J. Wilson, you would think everything would flow easily for them. But no — the Dodgers own the city of Los Angeles and is the hottest team since the all-star break.

     Pujols has been a disappointment since his arrival in Los Angeles. Injuries and also inconsistency on the field has hurt his identity as the best player in the game. Pujols signed a crazy $240 million contract for the next ten years. He is out for the rest of the season with his knee in which he had surgery previously and also is fighting plantar fasciitis in his left foot.

     Last but not least, the New York Yankees’ hopes on making the playoffs are looking slim. With multiple injuries and distractions as far as Alex Rodriguez, the Yankees are actually playing pretty well. But teams are winning the game that need to be won and that’s where the separation starts.

     With defending champions, the San Francisco Giants, out of the playoffs, the race to hold the World Series trophy is wide open, but this doesn’t mean the team with the best record or with the hottest streak will win. This is the point of the season where teams focus on health and chemistry if they expect to be the last one standing in October.