Baseball Playoff Spots Up for Grabs By Barry J. Hicks Capital Times Staff Writer With two weeks remaining in the Major League Baseball regular season, three divisions and two wild card spots are vir tually up for grabs. In the National League, the Mets and Braves are battling for top spot in the East while the Reds and Astros fight for the Central Division crown. Of the two teams that don’t win their respective division, only one can get the National League Wild Card. That means a team could presumably finish the season 28 games over .500 and be sitting home in October. In the American League, the Red Sox and Yankees are in a dogfight to win the East title while the surprising Oakland Athletics try to stay in con tention for the wild card spot. Here is a team by team break down of the 1999 pennant race and post-season predictions. ATLANTA BRA VES Coming into the season, the Atlanta Braves had one of the most intimidating teams in Major League Baseball. Their offensive lineup is, without a doubt, the National League’s best, acquiring Bret Boone and Brian Jordan in the off season. They were dealt a huge blow when Andres Galarraga devel oped cancer in his back and was lost for the season. The pitching staff struggled miserably through the All-Star break, and somehow they still have a stronghold on the NL East crown. Greg Maddux looks like his old self but this lineup is absolutely horrible without Galarraga, and Brian Jordan’s hand is hurting him worse than he wants to let on. Chipper Jones is having an MVP season but he can’t carry the load much longer. They face the Mets six times in the final two weeks of the season and will lose five of those meet ings. Look for the wheels to come off of this team and they are left out of the post season completely. ARIZONA DIAMONDBACKS The Arizona Diamondbacks are a great team. Buck Showalter has his team produc ing runs when they need it. Randy Johnson is getting the worst run support in the league, but it’s no coincidence. A good team scores just enough runs to win a ball game, and when a guy is striking out 12.7 batters per outing, an opposing team can’t score too many runs. When Johnson pitches, the D-backs don’t have to score a lot of runs to win. They save their offensive support for another day in the form of Matt Williams, Jay Bell, and Luis Gonzalez, all of whom are hav ing career years. This team is quality. Look for them to be in the World Series against the Yankees set ting up another Randy Johnson vs. Yankees match up. The Diamondbacks will win it all in 1999. HOUSTON ASTROS The Houston Astros have the only two 20-game winners in the National League in Mike Hampton and Jose Lima. The problem is that they are absolutely horrid against good teams. Against the other National League contenders, the Astros are a sub-par 11-22. This divi sion looks to display one of the most exciting finishes in Major League Baseball history. Mark September 28 and 29 on your calendar because this is a two game series with the Reds that will determine the Central Division champion. The Astros will lose both games in that series, at home, and grab the Wild Card in the National League. They will then lose to the New York Mets in the divisional series because, once again, they can’t play against good teams. CINCINNATI REDS Who in their right mind would have predicted the Reds to be this far into the playoff hunt on September 22? They hold the 22nd highest payroll in Major League Baseball and the team is made up of a bunch of comeback player of the year candidates. Their bullpen sports a 3.27 ERA and won 31 games. The acquisition of Juan Guzman will prove to be a great deci sion. This team is hitting home runs like crazy, as of late, including a nine home run game against the Phillies on Sept. 4. They’ve come too far to blow it now. The scariest team is always the one with nothing to lose. Pete Hamisch is pitching with a tom rotator cuff but is having a stellar year. They win the Central Division crown but lose to the Diamondbacks in the divisional series due to the over worked bullpen, which has already logged over 450 innings this year. NEW YORK METS The New York Mets have the best defense in baseball, an exceptional starting rotation including Kenny Rogers and A 1 Leiter, the second best bullpen in baseball. Therefore they win the NL East and defeat the Astros in the divisional series Rey Ordonez might be the best defensive shortstop ever and this team is a nice tnix of young talent and veteran leader ship. Randy Johnson is just too much, however, and will pitch three times in an unbelievable seven-game-NLCS to beat the Mets. NEW YORK YANKEES The New York Yankees are still the team to beat. They are the defending World Series Champions and until someone can take them out in the post season, they are the best team in the league. Derek Jeter is having an MVP caliber year and they are getting tremendous starting pitching from Andy Pettitte and Hideki Irabu down the stretch. The Yankees will win the division, defeat Texas in the divisional series, beat Cleveland in the ALCS, and move on to the World Series. Hats off to the Yanks for not panicking and holding on to Pettitte at the trade deadline. CLEVELAND INDIANS The Cleveland Indians had their division wrapped up when they signed Roberto Alomar in the off season. An obscene 24 games up in the Central Division, the Indians have been looking for- ward to the postseason since May. Manny Ramirez is an RBI machine and that lineup is enough to make a starting pitch er nauseous on game day. The Indians are a tremen dous team but they failed to acquire starting pitching at the trade deadline. How many years are they going to try to win a champi onship with offense before they realize you can’t win a title without pitching? Indians will finish with the best record in the American League, beat Boston in the first round, and lose to the Yankees in the ALCS. TEXAS RANGERS The Texas Rangers, like the Indians, are a high powered offensive machine with below average pitching. They will hold off the pesky Oakland Athletics and, win the West, but then they’ll have to face the New York Yankees in what, is always , a tremendous post season series. Look for Juan Gonzalez and company to make it interesting, Become a part-time Supervisor and receive training in management, methods, automation and safety, as wet! as gain valuable leadership, business and team work skills that will last a lifetime. This tremendous opportunity is ideal for stu dents looking to gain real-world business experience. Best of all, you don't have to sacrifice your studies to take on this supervisory role. You can work success fully in this program as a part-time employee WHILE YOU GO TO SCHOOL. Plus, you can take advantage of our $4,000 annual Education Assistance Program and receive benefits including health, vision and life insurance, 401 K and stock participation. All this while working 5-6 hours each day, Monday through Friday (no weekends)! Positions available on our Day Shift (approx, f 0:00AM-4:00PM) and Twilight Shift (approx. 4;3QPM-9:3OPM). So if you're a highly motivated individual with exceptional communication skills and serious long term career goals, we'd tike to hear from you. To schedule your interview, call Bill Gaskins at: 717-986-8551 or forward your resume via E-mail to: wgaakina9ecrmail.ups.com SPORTS but the Yankees are too strong. BOSTON RED SOX Two words: Pedro Martinez. If one man can shake up the out come of this year’s playoffs, Boston has him. Pedro Martinez is one of the best pitchers ever seen, and that includes Nolan Ryan. With three starts left in the regular season, and a schedule including Detroit, Toronto, Chicago, and Baltimore, the Red Sox have the Wild Card wrapped up. If Martinez can push the divisional series to five games, he will pitch twice against the Indians and they have a shot at going to the ALCS. Don’t look to see the series going that far. Boston is ousted in the first round. OAKLAND ATHLETICS The Oakland Athletics have put up one heck of a fight. With one of baseball’s lowest pay rolls they’ve managed to go 15 games over .500, which is quite an accomplishment. The Boston Red Sox are just too good and Oakland gets left out in the Wild Card race. www.upsjobs.com Equal Opportunity Employer life has its ups Management OFFERS ORLD OF RTUNITY iluable skills companies
Significant historical Pennsylvania newspapers