Greetings Baseball Fans

Well the Red Sox just will not fall into a long losing streak…yet. They soundly defeated the Orioles (70-60) last night 13-2 to extend their lead in the AL East. It drops the O’s to 6.5 games back. It’s looking more and more like Baltimore’s best chance at the postseason this year is through the Wild Card. They are still 3.5 back in that race but I have faith that they will somehow squeak in. They have two games left with the Sox before heading to the Bronx to take on the A-roid led Yankees this weekend.

The Braves (79-52, best record in MLB) really deserve some credit this year. Freddie Gonzalez has done a remarkable job keeping the Braves out front with a different lineup each night it seems. With all the injuries the Braves have had to their “starters” it is truly amazing they are so far ahead in the NL East. It goes to show the value of having a strong farm system. Baring a complete collapse (like the one they just had a couple of years ago) they should make the playoffs as division winners. However, they still have plenty to play for. With the red-hot Dodgers continuing to play well, and the tight NL Central race, they need to keep winning to secure the best record for home field advantage. They host two more with the Indians before welcoming the Marlins to town over the weekend.

The Cubs (56-76) continue to build toward next year. While they are 22 games out in the NL Central they do have more wins than the Astros and Marlins. They also are not even the worst team in the city of Chicago. The White Sox at 55-76 are ½ game behind the Cubs for the city title. What’s that you say? The Cubs are in FIRST place. Holy Cow!

Scattered, Smothered, and Covered

It’s been a while since I last updated you on the MLB races and how our chosen teams are doing. I was going to update sooner but as they say, you don’t mess with a winning streak.  Since the Braves had been unbeatable the past couple of weeks I have decided to postpone my updates until they lost, which they did last night 1-0 on a wild pitch. They recovered to keep the losing streak to one by taking the series against the Marlins this afternoon by a score of 9-4. Thanks to the 14-game winning streak, which included a sweep over the Cardinals, Rockies, and Nationals, the Braves hold a comfortable lead in the NL East over Washington. Their record is 72-46 (best record in MLB) and their lead is 15 games.

The AL East race has turned into a three team affair with the Red Sox leading the Rays by 3 games and the Orioles (64-52) still in the hunt 5 games back. The O’s made some trades before the deadline to try and bolster their roster so they have not given up on their chances. The Cubs (52-64, 18 games back) on the other hand made some moves with an eye on the future. The kind of miracle they would need to make the postseason this year doesn’t really exist in the world of professional baseball. The NL Central is also a three team race right now with the surprising Pittsburgh Pirates in the lead. While I would like to see St. Louis overcome some of their recent struggles and win the Central, having the Pirates in the playoffs would be good for baseball.

For those of you who may lead a sheltered life, the title of today’s post is a reference to one of the many ways you can order your hashbrowns 24 hours a day, seven days a week at your local Waffle House. There is only one Waffle House that isn’t open 24 hours and it is now located inside Turner Field in Atlanta. Coincidentally, the Braves began their 14-game winning streak the first night that restaurant opened. Naturally, they have been given credit for the streak. You just can buy that kind of advertising!