Baseball

The 2013 MLB season is nearing the end, so the Cincinnati Reds need to start looking at potential free agents who would help the team compete for a World Series title next season.

Cincinnati is officially headed to its third postseason appearance in four years.

No young MLB prospect is more intriguing than Billy Hamilton, who in a month has gone from struggling in Triple-A to becoming a huge asset to the Cincinnati Reds. The playoff-bound Reds need more of the same come October for a World Series run.

The St. Louis Cardinals are considered by many to be favorites in the National League heading into the playoffs.

With a record of 92-65, the Cardinals have the fourth-best record in all of baseball and are showing they are contenders once again.

There are just six days left in the 2013 regular season, and while four teams have clinched their divisions, there is still a lot left to be decided in the season's final weekend.

As October approaches, a few teams in the playoff hunt are vying for better playoff position: Three teams in the National League Central − Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Cincinnati − are separated by just two games, while one game separates three teams for two American League wild-card berths.

On August 31, the Texas Rangers won their 79th game of the 2013 season by defeating the Minnesota Twins in Arlington.

Like the Red Sox, whose offseason free agent targets I previewed yesterday, the Braves are one of the best teams in baseball without too many weaknesses on their current roster. The difference is that the Sox have several key players headed for free agency while the Braves have just one—catcher Brian McCann. And they could choose to replace him internally. 

With the MLB playoff picture finally taking shape in the last week of the regular season, three teams are getting hot at just the right time. The Oakland Athletics have won their past five games, and have locked up the AL West. The Tampa Bay Rays are fresh off a sweep of the Baltimore Orioles, and the Cincinnati Reds have won seven of their past nine games.  

As one would hope and expect for a team with a $241 million payroll this season, the Los Angeles Dodgers are well positioned going forward.

Mired in a five-game losing streak and all but eliminated from the AL wild card race, the Baltimore Orioles were dealt a blow on Monday that could affect them beyond this September.

The Cincinnati Reds secured their third trip to the postseason in three years last night with a late-inning victory and a Washington Nationals loss.