The final day of the 2015 regular season has arrived – the sadness about that is going to hit me tomorrow, I suspect – and, wouldn’t you know it, IT MATTERS!
Although the Cubs and Pirates have already clinched their playoff spots long ago, where the Wild Card Game will be played (which matters) is still up for grabs. If the Pirates win this afternoon against the Reds, they get the game at PNC Park. If the Pirates lose and the Cubs win, however, then the game is at Wrigley Field. Just a week ago, it seemed almost impossible that the Cubs would even be in a position to have this chance today, but seven straight wins have put them right there.
The Cubs and Brewers play at 2pm CT, as do the Pirates and Reds. So buckle up for a wild afternoon.
In the AL, things are incredibly wild today, too, with implications for the AL West title, the AL Wild Card spots, and some home field advantage things. Last night, the Rangers were on the verge of clinching the West with a 10-6 win over the Angels … when the Angels scored five runs in the 9th inning to win 11-10. As it stands, the Rangers can take the West with a win, and the Astros can clinch the second Wild Card with a win, but if the Rangers lose and the Astros win, or if the Astros lose and the Angels win, there are going to be some tiebreakers played.
Craziness. I love it. Damn I’m going to miss it.
Aside: don’t be the bozo who says that, because the top of the Wild Card race in the NL came down to the final day, the Cubs made a mistake in letting Kris Bryant start in the minors. Even if it were true that his presence in those first eight games would have made a difference in the record – recall, the Cubs went 5-3 in those games – would you really trade an entire year of control over Kris Bryant in his prime for home field advantage in a single Wild Card Game? No freaking way. That means the whole argument is based on a mistaken assumption. So, ignore it if anyone says it.