MLB Playoffs Set
By Kevin Rogers
The American League Divisional playoffs are set with the four seeds figured out. Tampa Bay owns home-field advantage throughout the AL playoffs as the Rays host the AL West champion Rangers. The Yankees, despite a 95-67 record, are the Wild Card champs and will start on the road at Minnesota.
The Rays grabbed four of six regular season meetings from the Rangers, including a three-game sweep at Tropicana Field in mid-August. All three games in St. Pete finished 'over' the total, as the opening contest of that series featured Cliff Lee and David Price on the mound. Tampa Bay went on to win that game, 6-4, as the two southpaw aces are set to start Game 1 of the ALDS at the Trop.
The Yankees and Twins are no strangers to each other in the postseason, as New York swept Minnesota last season in the ALDS. The Bombers closed out the Metrodome with a 4-1 victory in the series clincher, as Target Field will host its first playoff game on Wednesday. Cy Young frontrunner CC Sabathia takes his 21 wins into the series opener against Francisco Liriano, who has dropped three straight decisions. New York captured four of six meetings from Minnesota, including a 2-1 mark at Target Field.
Over in the National League, San Francisco avoided a disastrous situation for Major League Baseball with its victory over San Diego. The Giants wrapped up the NL West title, while Atlanta held on for the Wild Card, as both teams won't have to participate in a play-in game to break any tiebreakers. Instead, the Giants and Braves will meet in the NLDS that begins at AT&T Park on Thursday.
Tim Lincecum received extra rest as the two-time Cy Young Award winner was slated to pitch in Sunday's clincher, but Jonathan Sanchez made the start. Lincecum makes his postseason debut opposite Derek Lowe in Thursday's opener, the first playoff appearance for the Giants since 2003. Atlanta won four of seven meetings against San Francisco this season, as the Giants won two of three at home.
The Phillies will have home-field advantage throughout the World Series as long as they stay alive, seeking their third straight appearance in the Fall Classic. The first hurdle for Philadelphia is the NL Central champion Cincinnati. The Reds are in the postseason for the first time in 15 seasons, as Edinson Volquez takes the ball in the NLDS opener. The Phillies counter with Roy Halladay in Wednesday's Game 1, who makes his first appearance in the playoffs in his illustrious career. Philadelphia finished with a 5-2 mark against Cincinnati this season, including a four-game sweep of the Reds at Citizens Bank Park.
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