The American League wild card race is garnering most of the attention these days, for understandable reasons. And if quantity is your thing, you can't beat it.
I beg you to consider quality, though. And for quality pennant race favor, the National League Central has the AL Wild Card race beat. HANDS DOWN.
Sure, the American League features 6 teams fighting for 2 spots. Let's face it, the Red Sox are already in (and they might even have clinched the East title if the rules would break a tie between them and the Rays by appealing to head-to-head competition, since Boston beat Tampa Bay 12-7 this season). Oakland and Detroit would have to suffer collapses of Mauchian proportions to fall out of the postseason. As unlikely as that seems in Detroit's case, it seems even less likely in Oakland's case.
So we are left with Tampa Bay, Texas, Cleveland, Baltimore, Kansas City, and New York contending realistically for one of the two wild card spots, sort of like a mid-major conference tournament culminating in 2 survivors playing each other in 1 game for the right to ascend to the post season tournament ... as a double-digit seed. OK, I know. That's not really how bleak it is. Plenty of wild card teams have made it to the World Series and a few have even won it. So, the analogy breaks down. But we're talking about fan excitement here, not the realistic expectations of the players involved. While Boston, Detroit, and Oakland likely cool their heels and tend to their wounds, these 6 teams are scratching and clawing to be one of the 2 remaining teams to be included -- and those 2 teams then have to face off in a 1-game winner take all playoff match for the right to advance to the Division series round. It's a grueling path that Boston, Detroit, and Oakland will surely avoid.
What's more, these 2 teams won't have actually achieved anything. They won't finish 1st in their division. They -- well, as of 2012, one of the 2 -- will be akin to the lucky person who happens to wonder by a card table with 3 persons and a deck of cards wanting to play bridge but needing a fourth. The wild card itself is more of a gift or a reprieve from MLB to whoever proves to be the best ... loser. But, I get it. 6 becoming 2 becoming 1 IS fun. Heck, I'm a sucker for conference tournaments. Come March, I'm glued to the action in the Horizon League basketball tournament and the rest of the world can go fly a kite.
But this is Major League Baseball and the 162 game regular season -- the biggest sample size in professional sports. He who finishes 1st is absolutely the best in their division. EVERY team should be striving for that distinction and despise settling for 2nd best. That is what brings out the best in competition. That is a high standard, as well it should be.
So, while in the National League, the 5 team field is practically set, with the Washington Nationals having an long shot at best at one of the wild card slots, the Central division features 3 teams, all of whom will certainly make the post season BUT all of whom are in serious contention for the Central division title. As of this writing, the Cardinals hold a slim 1 game lead over the Pirates, who in turn hold a slim 1 game lead over the Reds. With about 9 games left to play, 1st place is literally up for grabs. Dusty's crew invades PNC Park this weekend, while St. Louis visits Miller Park, so the dust could settle a bit and it helps the Cardinals a tiny bit that the two teams chasing them have to play each other and neither one plays the Cardinals. But regardless of what happens this weekend, there will still be a huge fight for first place next week -- ALMOST LIKE IT WAS IN THE OLD DAYS WHEN THERE WAS NO WILD CARD. Think of AL West 1987, NL East 1973, NL West 1993, to say nothing of American League 1967. Even though all 3 teams are surely in the postseason, they are all EXTREMELY motivated to avoid that dangerous one-game playoff. It's not quite as gripping, but it's as close as we can come in the Wild Card era (notice how all 3 teams have strong, stellar records; this is not a fight for first place of a weak division).
The rest of the world may be focused on the AL wild card frenzy, but as for me and my house: this weekend and next week, my eyes will be focused exclusively on the NL Central. Even if the Nats somehow make a real run and the Reds fall off, we'll still have 2 teams neck-and-neck for first place. Now, THAT'S drama for you.
