Well here it is, September, the stretch run. For me tied for the second best time of year with opening week and trails only October. This is the time of year when series become critical. I know a win in April counts the same as a win in September. However there is one major difference, a team with a losing streak early in the season has all sorts of time to recover. Right now teams only have about 25 games remaining.

Now I know the Twins are out of it but if you call yourself a baseball fan you have no excuse not to pay attention to these races. In the A.L. you have 7 teams that have between 77-73 wins all fighting for the East, West, and Wild Card spots. In the N.L. 3 teams are within a game and a half for the second wild card spot. The Braves only have a 3 and a half game lead for the first wild card spot, and the Dodgers still have a shot in the N.L. west. All that being said let’s look at the big series this weekend.

• The Yankees and Orioles continue their 4 game series this weekend. Last night in the top of the 8^th it looked like this might be the collapse everyone has been waiting on for the O’s. However the 3 home runs they hit in the bottom of the inning show that this team has no intention of folding. Still the O’s need to at least split this series and the Yankees need to avoid a sweep. The national media is slow getting on the Orioles bandwagon. A huge reason for that is because we are so used to the Yankees winning everything. However when some writers call it the Yankee birthright I say they look old. Arod looks awful while running and usually when a hitter has a hand broken its takes as long as a year for the power to return. David Robertson is giving up the long ball and they can’t afford to have him struggling. And as a team they can’t get on base. The key game is Saturday When C.C. takes the mound, if he doesn’t look good the Yankees are in trouble. As for the O’s is this season a fluke? Yes and No. Their run differential suggests that this is not sustainable. They are trying to set two records, most wins while being outscored by opponents, and most 1 run wins. Is it all luck? No, excellent bullpen, timely hitting and having guys step up in the rotation are keeping them going. They are having things go their way at a record pace though; they just need to make it last for 25 more games.
  

• The Tigers and Angels hook up in a big wild card series this weekend. At the moment both teams are on the outside looking in at third and fourth place. The Tigers trail the Angels by only half a game. Basically both teams want to sweep to potentially knock out a wild card competitor. Getting swept does serious damage to any wild card hopes. Both teams also face division opponents they currently trail after this series so they want to set themselves up in good position.
  

• The Dodgers and Giants have a huge series this weekend in what’s the best rivalry in baseball this season. For the Dodgers this weekend could be the season. They currently trail the Giants by four and a half games in the west and the Cardinals by one and a half games for the second wild card spot. San Francisco can all but lock up the west with a sweep this weekend. And unless St. Louis gets drilled by the Brewers at home the Dodgers will be hard pressed for a wild card spot too. The Dodgers need to get it started off right with their new acquisition Josh Beckett on the hill tonight against Lincecum. The Giants have the advantage in game 2 with Cain against Capueano. If the Dodgers find their backs to the wall trying to avoid the sweep on Sunday they at least have Kershaw going.
  

• Other series of note The Rays hoping the Yanks and O’s beat up on each other have a tough task in taking on Texas. And adding insult to injury the Red Sox battle the Blue Jays trying to avoid last place in the east.
  

• For our Twins this weekend all I can say is it’s about time they retire Tom Kelly’s number