Baseball

The San Francisco Giants stand a very solid chance to win against the Cincinnati Reds tonight, and for the entire series, assuming the bullpen is ready to play.

Without question, the Giants will miss closer Brian Wilson in the later innings. But closing the game is not the most important scenario.

Chipper Jones has played his last game for the Atlanta Braves, but there's no doubt his career finale went about as badly as possible.

A stand-up player like Jones deserved the perfect send-off, but as we all know, that doesn't always happen.

Apparently, Chone Figgins is sick of playing for the Seattle Mariners. At the risk of stating the obvious, the feeling is definitively mutual. Does Figgins have a suggestion on how to end this relationship?

The 2012 MLB Playoffs are shaping up to be among the best ever.

The road to the World Series isn't easy for any team, especially since the MLB playoffs is set up so only five teams are allowed in. But these teams will have an increasingly difficult time when they look ahead and see who they'll be facing.

Let's take a look at the teams who will have the toughest roads to the World Series.

Baltimore Orioles

The National League Division Series kicks off tonight as the Cincinnati Reds visit the San Francisco Giants for Game 1.

Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce hit homers to put Reds on top. Buster Posey responds in the sixth to put the Giants on the scoreboard.

The Reds are the No. 2 seed in the National League and the Central Division champions, while the Giants are the No. 3 seed and the Western Division champions.

Pitching:

Detroit: A-

With Game 1 of their National League Division Series matchup against the Cincinnati Reds coming on Saturday, the NL West champion San Francisco Giants have announced their 25-man roster, according to the San Jose Mercury News' Alex Pavlovic. 

Just in time for Game 1 of their National League Division Series matchup against the San Francisco Giants, the NL Central champion Cincinnati Reds have set their 25-man roster for the series, according to MLB.com's Mark Sheldon.

How fitting that the the battle between the two teams in the A.L. East would carry over into the postseason.

The Baltimore Orioles disposed of the Texas Rangers 5-1 in the one-game wild card Friday night, which will allow them to advance to the American League Division Series and take on the New York Yankees.

The Texas Rangers completed their late-season collapse by losing 5-1 to the Baltimore Orioles in the AL Wild-Card Game Friday night.  They now have a decision to make that will alter the course of the franchise.

Are they better off with or without Josh Hamilton?