What to Watch for in September

If you’ve been too busy all summer to follow or if the upcoming football season is about to take over the majority of your sports-watching/following hours, we’ve got all the baseball news that you need to keep tuned with in the season’s last month right here.  In the MLB’s first season of the double-wild card system, both leagues look to promise a thrilling finish that will leave an array of solid title contenders out of the title race in October.   So, which races are the best to follow with about 35 games left to play?  Read ahead:
 




5) AL EAST
 

When the Yankees got hot in June, it looked like this division was ready to be wrapped up for good.  But the Orioles and Rays have stuck in the chase, and now both have legitimate shots to take the AL East title from the division’s two-time defending champion.  The Rays are 4 games back, while the Orioles are only 3.5 (and currently tied for 1^st in the AL Wildcard race with the A’s). 
 





Important dates for you calendar:
 
Orioles @ Yankees:  August 31 – September 2
Yankees @ Rays:  September 3 – September 5
Yankees @ Orioles:  September 6 – September 9
Rays @ Orioles: September 11 – September 13
Rays @ Yankees: September 14 – September 16
Orioles @ Rays: October 1 - 3

 
4) AL CENTRAL
 
The Tigers were heavy favorites in the Central before the season, with the combination of money spent by Detroit and what seemed like general apathy across the rest of the division – who was the biggest non-Detroit signing?  Josh Willingham?  But things have turned out quite differently.  The White Sox and Indians got off to the hottest starts in the division, while the Tigers were just chugging along.  Then after a while, the Indians faded and it appeared the Tigers had made their move, but the White Sox continued to hang around.  Now here we are with just over a month of baseball to play, and the Tigers trail the White Sox by 2 games in the division. 
 
Important dates for your calendar:
 
White Sox @ Tigers:  August 31 – September 2
Tigers @ White Sox: September 10 – September 13

 
3) NL WILDCARD
 
Yes, the Braves and Dodgers still have a chance of winning their respective games (5 games and 2.5 games back each), but for now, the tighter race is the one for who will finish in the top two wildcard spots.  The Braves and Cardinals are currently tied at the top, with the Dodgers trailing by 2.5 games and the Pirates back 3 games.  The Pirates are the unlikely underdogs we’d all like to see get into the playoffs for the first time in two decades – before Barry Bonds suddenly turned into Arnold Schwarzenegger – while the Dodgers have put pretty much all they can into solidifying a playoff run this year.  Most of the games in the last month of the season are divisional, so these four teams are going to have to win games on their own while hoping other contenders don’t get too hot.
 
Important dates for you calendar:
 
Cardinals @ Pirates: Yesterday – August 29
Cardinals @ Dodgers: September 13 – September 16
Braves @ Pirates:  October 1 – October 3