Preview/Prediction

NEW YORK-- After a road trip that finished 4-6 for the Mets, including two straight wins against the Nationals, they'll return home tonight to open a 10-game home stand.

If the Mets had been in the playoff race, they would've had a major scheduling advantage. Out of the final 22 games on the season, 17 will be played at home, where the Mets have thrived.

As the season is coming to an end, there are many debates about who will win division races, who will win the awards, and how it will all end. 

We all know what is statistically true, but there are other things that matter too. Fans pay much attention to baseball, so they know and understand a lot about which players and teams are good and which are not. 

So I would like to hear what you think, as fellow fans. I will put out the facts and after that, it's all up to you. 

With what essentially was a three-game sweep at the hands of the NL East-leading Philadelphia Phillies, the Florida Marlins can officially kiss their last playoff hopes goodbye.

The ship began sailing when Ricky Nolasco went down and now recently with Josh Johnson and his back. JJ might be shut down to avoid any further injury when the team is no longer in the race. 

I know, its three seasons away, and with the money Jeffrey Loria has that he isn't spending, it seems ridiculous that we'd even have to wait that long for a another playoff berth, and we might not, but by 2013 this team will be one of the most potent in all of baseball.

They will continue to compete this year and will have similar seasons for the next two years, be in it until middle of September but never really have a solid chance.

Legend has it that Billy Martin, the oft-hired and fired coach of the New York Yankees, would occasionally arrange batting orders by picking names out of a hat in an effort to break out of hitting slumps.

If you look in the National League, you see teams that have surprised many, such as the Braves, Reds, and Padres.

In the American League, it's a whole other story.

The Yankees and Rays look like the best teams in the AL, maybe even baseball, but in this slideshow, I will tell you why the Rangers are going to edge them out and make the Fall Classic.

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Before our very eyes, the Giants are only one game back of the Padres.

This comes only two weeks after trailing San Diego by six games in the division.

The biggest change in the Giants' fortunes was not Tim Lincecum finding his composure once more. It was not Juan Uribe's bat coming alive in September.

As the calendar turned to September, the Padres forgot how to win.

The Padres had lost 10 straight games before beating the Dodgers 4-2 on Monday night.

The question everyone in Minnesota is asking right now is simple: Can this year's Twins team finally make it past the ALDS?

The answer is yes—even without former AL MVP Justin Morneau in the lineup.

The reinforcements have finally arrived for the Los Angeles Dodgers.

Although September 1 was the official day that all Major League teams were permitted to expand their rosters up to 40 players, the Dodgers finally made a series of call-ups on September 5.

Initially it was thought that Los Angeles would pass on giving the fans a sneak peek at the stars of the farm system; however, after the Albuquerque Isotopes, the Dodgers' Triple-A affiliate, were eliminated from playoff contention, a handful of moves were indeed made.

A funny thing happened to the Chicago White Sox on their way to a disappointing offseason.

They decided to get off the mat and play baseball.

Two weeks ago, it had been 19 days since they had won a series. In that span their record was 5-11. Eight of the 11 losses were by two runs or fewer.

The bullpen was faltering and fighting through injury. Key cogs of the offense were struggling, and it seemed the starting rotation was finally tiring.