MLB Playoffs

Major League Baseball has released its full 2013 postseason schedule.

According to Mark Newman of MLB.com, the Wild Card games will be Oct. 2. The National League Divisional Series will begin the next day (Oct. 3), while the ALDS will begin Oct. 4.

A month that began with the A's scuffling and ultimately losing their lead in the American League West ended with a 5-1 flourish that enabled the team to record its ninth straight winning month at 14-13. And don't be fooled, that record is indicative of how the A's played in the month of August: up and down and all around. 

With September only a week away, the playoff picture is starting to come into frame.

There's still a long way to go—about 34 or 35 games for most teams—but that doesn't mean we can't start dreaming about picture-perfect World Series matchups.

The 2013 Chicago White Sox are going improve upon their record in 2012. Matter of fact, the White Sox will make the playoffs in 2013.

The Detroit Tigers took Game 1 of the 2012 ALDS, beating the Oakland Athletics 3-1. Though the team is down one game in a five-game series, there's no reason for worry—yet.

The game opened up with excitement as leadoff batter Coco Crisp hit a home run against Tigers ace Justin Verlander.

However, Verlander regained composure as the game progressed, striking out 11 A's batters along the way. Jose Valverde came into for the save.

The Oakland A's were quite good in the second half of the 2012 season. So good, in fact, that they had us all asking the same question every time they actually lost a game:

"Wait a second, how the heck did that just happen?"

Here we are on this Saturday night asking this question after Oakland's 3-1 loss to the Detroit Tigers in Game 1 of the American League Division Series. What the heck kind of person/thing/ominous force sucked the life out of this A's team?

It's difficult to believe that there could be much criticism for a pitcher who won the AL MVP and Cy Young Award last season. 

But Justin Verlander carried a question over whether or not he could win a big game—more specifically, a playoff game—coming into the postseason.

Cincinnati Reds ace Johnny Cueto left Game 1 of the NLDS against the San Francisco Giants with what appeared to be a back injury.

Amy Gutierrez of CSN Bay Area gave more specifics on the injury.

We use the words "courage" and "hero" much too often in sports to describe some of the amazing things we see from day to day that defy our expectations.

Giants first baseman Brandon Belt made a sensational grab in foul territory in the top of the first in Game 1 of the NLDS. 

Belt went head-over-heels but was able to hang on for the out. 

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