MLB - Home Stretch

August is nearing an end, that means that we are heading into the final stretch of the 2011 MLB season. It seems as if the teams on top of their respective divisions are widening the gaps.  The pennant races mat not be as hotly contested as we once thought. There are only two divisions (AL Central and NL West) that are separated by less than five games.  We have a pretty good idea of who the teams still playing in October are going to be, but as you all know anything can happen when baseball starts the playoffs.  Here is how the rest of the season is projected to play out based on simulations.

AL East
Boston 100-62
NY Yankees 99-63
Tampa Bay 88-74
Toronto 83-79
Baltimore 64-98

AL Central
Detroit 86-76
Chicago Sox 81-81
Cleveland 80-82
Minnesota 75-87
Kansas City 65-97

AL West
Texas 92-70
LA Angels 85-77
Oakland 75-87
Seattle 69-93

NL East
Philadelphia 104-58
Atlanta 94-68
NY Mets 77-85
Florida 76-86
Washington 76-86

NL Central
Milwaukee 93-69
St. Louis 85-77
Cincinnati 80-82
Pittsburgh 74-88
Chicago Cubs 73-89
Houston 59-103

NL West
San Francisco 87-74
Arizona 83-79
Colorado 79-83
LA Dodgers 77-85
San Diego 74-88

ALDS
Detroit over Boston 3-2
NY Yankees over Texas 3-1

NLDS
Philadelphia over San Francisco 3-0
Milwaukee over Atlanta 3-2

ALCS
NY Yankees over Detroit 4-3

NLCS
Philadelphia over Milwaukee 4-1

World Series
Philadelphia over NY Yankees 4-3

Though I still think the Red Sox are the best team in the AL, the simulations have the Yankees reaching the World Series.  The Phillies have played incredible baseball all season, and ever more so since the addition of Hunter Pence.  Expect the World Series to have a lot of East Coast flavor to it this year.