In case anyone still checks this site, a new posting for you.

The Mets are 73-76, so they're going to finish with a better record than last year. David Wright is at 40 doubles with 13 games left to play. He needs five to break the team record.

As for the rest of the Majors, there are some very interesting races shaping up, which are well worth watching, despite the lack of Mets involvement.

First of all, I think I said a long time ago here that the White Sox wouldn't go far in the playoffs. At the time, it was a "when" they make the playoffs...but since the Indians don't lose anymore, that's become a big "IF" they make the playoffs. The Indians have cut the White Sox' Central Division lead to 3-and-a-half, and as I write this they are beating Chicago in the first of six remaining head-to-head games. The Indians could pass and then eliminate Chicago all by themselves - and they still have three games against the Royals mixed in. Chicago can't beat anyone. We're seeing one of the biggest collapses by anyone ever.

The Red Sox and Yankees are at it again. The White Sox collapse could overshadow the fact that the Red Sox have fallen apart lately, and the Yankees are within a game-and-a-half of first place in the East. The Sox are losing at the moment to Tampa and the Yankees are tied with the Orioles - and these teams have three head-to-head games to close out the season - so watch out for those. At the very least, they are going to mean something, when the Sox could have been setting up their post-season pitching rotation the way things were going coming into September. An interesting note here is that this is the reverse of what we've seen for so many years - the Yankees are putting pressure on the Sox. The Sox are usually the ones a game and a half out at this point in the season...this time they actually control their own destiny.

The A's and Angels are within two games of each other out West, and the AL Wild Card will come down to the loser in the East or Central, it looks like. And the way it looks right now, the White Sox will fall out of everything, so it looks like both East teams may end up in the playoffs.

In the NL, the West is the Padres', the Central is the Cardinals', and the East is most likely the Braves' (five game lead there). But the Wild Card is still a toss-up between the Marlins, Astros, Phillies, and Nationals (four back). It does look like, though, what people have been saying all along is going to come true - that the Astros will benefit from the teams in the NL East beating each other up. Look for Houston to come through in the end.

Finally, here are the match-ups I want, considering I look for teams who have never before faced each other in the World Series:

The Angels versus anyone. Or the Astros versus anyone.

The Red Sox versus Houston or Florida or San Diego.

The Yankees versus Houston.

The Braves versus the A's.

The Indians can't play the Braves or the Marlins...maybe not the Cardinals. They can play San Diego.

I think that covers everyone. To make it easier, I will be rooting against the Cardinals and Yankees - they've played too many teams. But the races will be good - enjoy them. And keep your eye on the Wright Watch.