Great weekend to be a baseball fan

Give the MLB schedulers a big pat on the back this year. With all but three playoff races now all but decided (I am leaving out the NL Wild Card, since I expect the schizophrenic Phillies to fold like a cheap tent this weekend, letting Houston escape), we get two three-game winner take all series to decide the final three spots in the AL (the Angels are already in as AL West champs).

The Yankees and Red Sox will square off at Fenway. Going into tonight, the Yanks have a 1-game lead over the Sox as they finish up their respective penultimate series (Yanks against Baltimore, Sox against Toronto). The pitching matchups are all very compelling, as Chien-Ming Wang goes against David Wells Friday, Randy Johnson faces white-hot Tim Wakefield Saturday and Mike Mussina and Curt Schilling lock up Sunday. If both teams win tonight, a playoff is possible. If the Yanks open a 2-game lead, they will need only 1 win in the series to wrap it up. If they are tied after tonight, it's a best-of three.

The White Sox (who should have NEVER been in this spot) will face the Indians in Cleveland. Each will wrap a series tonight (Sox face Detroit, Indians have T-Bay (who have already won the first two games of the series)) and, assuming the Indians win, they will play for the division title. If the Indians lose tonight and the Sox win, it's all over. Pitching matchups are: Mark Buerhle v. Kevin Millwood, Jon Garland v. Jake Westbrook and Brandon McCarthy v. Scott Elarton. The lead is 3 as of this morning and the White Sox are definitely in the driver's seat, and an 11-5 record head-to-head against the Indians certainly looks favourable, but you better believe the Sox will be looking to wrap things up tonight. A Sox win tonight means they clinch at least a share of first place and, even if the Sox lose tonight and the Indians win (cutting the lead to 2 games), the Indians are still faced with the daunting task of sweeping the Sox to catch/pass them.

However, Cleveland is also playing for the wild card. With a 92-66 record, the Indians are tied with Boston. There are many ways things can play out here, so lets look at the math:

Update: Well, as expected, everyone won last night. I also was, apparently, on something when I did my math yesterday, as there a few inconsistencies in the original post, so I'm replacing that mess with this section. Let's do it again:

As of today, the Yankees (94-65) lead the AL East by one game over Boston (93-66). Cleveland is also 93-66, tied for the wild card with Boston. Chicago is now in, as is LA. The Yankees need two wins over Boston this weekend to clinch the AL East.

Playoff scenarios for Boston:

• If Boston wins once, they can only make the wild card. For that to happen, Cleveland must lose to Chicago twice or be swept. A Sox sweep puts Cleveland out. One Cleveland win forces a one-game playoff on Monday between the Sox and the Indians.
• If Boston sweeps the Yankees, they win the East outright.
• If Boston wins twice (tying the Yanks), it gets muddy. If Cleveland is swept by Chicago, or loses two of three, there will be no AL East playoff. Since the Yankees win the season series with Boston 10-9, the Yankees would win the AL East and the Sox are the wild card. If Cleveland wins two games against Chicago and Boston two against NY, Boston and Cleveland meet in a one-game playoff for the wild card Monday while the Yankees (again based on head-to-head) are the AL East champs. If Cleveland sweeps Chicago, Boston is out.

Playoff scenarios for NY are a bit simpler.

• Win once and they are guaranteed a tie for the AL East. If Cleveland sweeps the Sox, then the Indians (at 96-66) win the wild card and Boston and NY (each at 95-67) have a one-game playoff for the AL East title. Otherwise, the Yanks win the East and Boston drops into the third scenario outlined above.
• Win twice or more, they win the AL East.
• If the Yankees are swept, it depends on Cleveland. If Cleveland wins once, the Yankees and Cleveland play off on Monday for the wild card. If Cleveland wins twice or more, the Yankees are out.

And finally, for Cleveland:

• Sweep the White Sox, win the wild card.
• Win twice, they win the wild card if Boston loses twice or the Red Sox sweep the Yankees. If the Red Sox win twice, the Indians and Red Sox play off for the wild card.
• Win once, they win the wild card ONLY if the Yankees sweep the Sox. If the Red Sox win once, the Indians and Red Sox play off. If the Red Sox sweep, the Indians and Yankees play off.

NL is really easy. If the Astros take two of three from the Cubs or the Phils drop two of three to Washington (or the 'Stros win once and the Phils lose once) the Astros take the NL Wild Card.

Any way you slice it, though, it should be a very exciting weekend of baseball and, hopefully, these games can be found on TV this weekend. Playoff predictions and season-end award predictions coming Monday.

Quelle semaine!!!!!

At least, I think that's "What a Weekend" in French.

Great first birthday party for Aaron on Saturday. Lots of fun. The whole family was over along with a few friends. Christine outdid herself, making an AMAZING birthday cake for Aaron. Here's some pics:







Pretty impressive, no? The grass on the sides, waterfall and the base icing are all made from scratch. The trees are pretzel twists with green icing and the black stuff is cookie crumbs. Took Christine the better part of 12 hours, what with baking the cakes and putting it all together. More proof why I like her best.

Topped off the weekend by celebrating our 6th wedding anniversary Sunday. Celebrated by taking the kids minigolfing and then to McDonald's. Probably my favourite anniversary yet.

Later.

Big Day Today

My big boy, Aidan, rode the bus to school BY HIMSELF today. His first day of JK. Gotta say it wasn't easy letting him go, but it was comforting to know that wherever he goes, he goes with God.

I'm just not creative.......

Al snuck his 35th birthday in by changing his profile and challenging readers to find what was different. I can't copycat him and I'm just not that creative at 6:45, so here it is.

I'm 38 today. Happy birthday to me.

Whassup?

First things first, click on any of the links below to contribute to Hurricane Katrina relief:

- American Red Cross
- Feed The Children

Donations are also accepted at all Canadian bank branches

These links will remain up near the top for the next little while along the left side of the page.

You will also find, on a far more trivial level, a link to my newest addiction (like I need one more). Check out SuDoku. For the numbers-obsessed in the audience, you will become addicted.

More news.....

The family is all healthy again. Thanks for your prayers.

Media Rants is getting a lot of hits since I posted my fall TV schedule. In checking out why, I find (via SiteMeter) that, when searchers on MSN type in 2005 Fall TV premieres, my site is in the Top 10, so lots of visits. Guess I had better keep up on the content. Not quite like it was when Austin was "Insta-lanched", but cool nonetheless.

Speaking of The Transplanted Texan, I joined Austin and four other friends for a game of Risk last night. I haven't played in years and had a lot of fun. Took 3 and a half hours, though, and we didn't even finish. Good times nonetheless.

Jason took his first crack at preaching at church on Sunday and did very well. Lots of strong Biblical content serving as the foundation for a great, back-to-basics message that, I think, most everyone could (and should) take something out of.

More later.

Two things.....

First, yet another reason why I hate the Toronto Sun. Today's Toronto newspapers are all focused on the damage wrought by Katrina in the Southern U.S. and how people are banding together to help out. What's on the front page of the Sun? Bitching about high gas prices. Selfish bastards.

Second, I am a small voice in the wilderness here, but I want to issue a challenge to G.W. Bush. When the tsunami tragedy happened in Asia, the Red Cross and many other humanitarian agencies were very aggressive in setting up charities and providing assistance to those in need in these second- and third-world countries devastated by the tsunami. I don't think they should be as aggressive in response to Katrina and the reason is simple. This tragedy happened in the richest nation in the world and if George Bush is the God-fearing man he says he is, he will lead the charge in ensuring that the richest country in the world FINDS ALL THE MONEY AND RESOURCES IT NEEDS to ensure that every person who lost their home gets a new one built, that a quality of life is provided during the rebuilding and that everyone is protected from the underworld element that sees this as a time to loot, pillage, steal and otherwise hurt the innocents who saw their lives ripped out from under them by this hurricane. I think there should be enough money in the U.S. coffers to cover this and to show the world how a government FOR THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE should relly work.

Oh, and one more thing, please check the Prayer Request below for another update. It appears that our family is not yet done with the barf bug.