Standings Summary

With only 9 or 10 games left in the regular season, the playoff teams have all but been finalized in the American League.  However, the race in the AL East is not over yet and the loser will have to square of against the team with the best record in baseball, at least as of today.

Willets Point closes the season as with tough matchups, and do not have a winning record against any team the face:

1 - Ankhana (5-5 H2H so far)

3 - New Orleans (3-6)

3 @ Hudson (2-4)

3 - Hudson (2-4)

1 @ Ankhana (5-5)

On the other hand, Spanish Harlem has a winning record against every they team face the rest of the way.

1 - Rochester (7-3 H2H so far)

2 - Ankhana (6-4)

3 @ New Orleans (5-1)

3 - New Orleans (5-1)

1 @ Rochester (7-3)

Since August 1st the Pinata Beaters have a 4 game advantage of the "Mechanics" and if the trend continues through Sim 13 they'll win the division.

If the two teams tie for the division title we'll follow the MLB rules and have a 1 game playoff to determine division winner and wild card.  

If there is a three way tie for best record in the American League, Ankhana would obviously be the AL Central champions, and the winner of the 1 game playoff would be crowned the team with the best record in the AL by the fact they played 1 more regular season game and therefore have a higher winning percentage.  I couldn't find the MLB rules on this one, so if anyone knows otherwise feel free to chime in.

Things are a bit simpler in the NL.  Lets call the NL East and NL West races over, and Lakeview has a 6 game lead in the Wild Card so lets declare that all but over as well.  That leaves the NL Central where up until last night, I would have declared the race over thanks to a 5.5 game lead from Sparta.  

That lead is now down to 3.5 games and it is still plausible, if unlikely, that Flin Flon could catch them.  Sparta had 9 games left and if they win 5 of them, Flin Flon would need to go on a tear, winning 9 of their last 10.

Elsewhere
Lets also take a moment to congratulate the Miners, Zeros, Hellcats, and Islanders on closing the season in fine fashion.  Their records since August 1

• DHA: 28-21, 3rd best in the AL
• GRU: 28-23, overtook GAL (25-26) for the division crown 
• SHA: 31-21, best record in NL.  Must feel good after some of the trade debate
• LAK: 25-24, they struggled a bit, but were doing some major tinkering with the lineup.