It's all come down to this

This is hands-down the most exciting time of the season, following the trade deadline, and the playoff picture is almost complete.

The Yankees, Tigers, Twins, and A’s are all in for the American League, as are the Mets in the National League, and in just a few days, the red-hot Astros have a chance to overtake the Cardinals for the N.L. Central crown, while the Padres and Dodgers will close out the N.L. West and Wild Card.

NATIONAL PRIDE

The Cardinals have taken a nose-dive in September, playing well below .500 ball, while the Astros have yet again surged back into contention, despite a patchwork offense, and there’s nothing Albert Pujols can do about it.

For all his hitting prowess, Pujols has been no match for the seemingly never-ending slew of injuries St. Louis has had to deal with, not to mention a complete lack of consistency from their starting pitchers and an unreliable bullpen. Should the Cardinals secure a playoff berth, I can see them being eliminated by a clean sweep at the hands of the Padres or Dodgers, whichever team wins the West.

Ever since the Bobby Abreu trade, Ryan Howard has stepped up big-time and leads the Phillies with an astounding .313 average, 58 HR, and 148 RBI as of September 30, but with the Dodgers and Padres both winning Saturday, Philly has fallen out of contention. With that said, it's still a toss-up between Pujols and Howard for the N.L. MVP.

The Dodgers are the beast that has been rewoken in the National League and a healthy Nomar Garciaparra is a big reason why. While he hasn’t completely avoided the injury bug this year, Nomar is going to finish the season batting over .300 with 20-plus homers and nearly 100 RBI. He’s provided veteran leadership on a team with a healthy mix of up-and-coming young stars like Andre Ethier, Matt Kemp, and Russell Martin and battle-tested veterans in the form of Greg Maddux, Derek Lowe and Jeff Kent, and Nomar has shown that he still has some of that resiliency that made him a dangerous presence in the Red Sox lineup in the late 90’s.

The N.L. can at least take solace in the fact that they won’t have to face Mets ace, Pedro Martinez, who is out for the playoffs after suffering a torn tendon in his left calf muscle, and it was discovered Saturday that Martinez also has a torn rotator cuff and will be out up to eight months. Willie Randolph’s crew will be led by Orlando Hernandez in Game 1 at Shea Stadium, followed by Tom Glavine in Game 2, but the rest of the rotation is up in the air for now. Most likely, Steve Trachsel and John Maine will start Games 3 and 4.

AMERICAN DREAMS

I can see the Twins overtaking the Tigers for the A.L. Central crown in the final days. And that would bode well for the Yankees, who are going to play the Wild Card team in the A.L. Division Series, as they owned the Tigers this year, winning five of seven matchups. It would have been a clean sweep were it not for Kyle Farnsworth and Scott Proctor each blowing a save in the Yankees’ losses. The Tigers are a young team with just a handful of players who have had playoff experience, and the Yankees' juggernaut of a lineup could prove to be an insurmountable force. However, with Randy Johnson trying to work his way through a herniated disc, the Yanks will need stellar outings from Chien-Ming Wang, Mike Mussina and the tandem of Jaret Wright and Cory Lidle, in whatever order Joe Torre decides to use them.

The Twins-A’s series will most likely go the distance. Minnesota holds a 6-4 advantage in the season series, and even without phenom Francisco Liriano in the rotation, they are as dangerous as ever. First baseman Justin Morneau in my eyes has distinguished himself as the leading AL MVP candidate for the impressive Twins. His 22 RBI in September thus far puts him at 129 on the season, just eight behind David Ortiz for the overall AL lead, and Morneau has already set career highs in batting average and home runs.

Catcher Joe Mauer holds a commanding lead for the AL batting title, which would make the first catcher to win the title since Ernie Lombardi in 1942 and the first ever in the American League. And on the pitching front, Johan Santana should win the AL Cy Young unanimously with 19 wins, 245 strikeouts and a 2.77 ERA. The game's best lefty and is expected to start Games 1 and 5 for the Twins.

In a five-game series, I would have to say the Twins are the most dangerous, and that’s simply because Santana gets to start twice. There’s no other starter in the playoffs who can dominate to the level he can, and if you add in Minnesota’s incredible bullpen, they’re as close to a lock to advance to the Championship Series as you can get.

Mr. Smith, say hello to Mr. Hoffman

Make that two no-hitters in September! Wait...maybe not. San Diego's Chris Young came within two outs of no-hitting the Pirates at PetCo Park Friday. And thanks to the trusty MLB Extra Innings package, I was able to witness Young's entire no-hit bid, which was certainly impressive.

Young had a perfect game going through 5 2/3 innings before issuing a walk to pinch hitter Rajai Davis; however, Young still faced the minimum through six after Davis was caught stealing by coming off the bag at second base.

It wasn't until Young issued his second walk of the game to Jose Bautista that the no-hitter appeared to be in jeopardy. The 6-foot-10 righty appeared to tire as the ninth went on, and then it happened. Joe Randa took a 3-1 fastball and crushed it to deep center for a two-run homer.

Young took the homer in stride and bounced back by striking out Chris Duffy for the second out of the ninth, but then he walked Jack Wilson and that was all she wrote for the dazzling starter.

Reliever extraordinaire Cla Meredith grabbed the reins and promptly struck out N.L. batting average leader Freddy Sanchez to give the Padres another key win.

CHASE FOR HISTORY

There's just nine days left in the 2006 season, and even though the playoff race will most likely run 'til the final game, one thing is certain -- Trevor Hoffman will dethrone the legendary Lee Smith as the all-time saves leader.

Sitting at 477 saves, one shy of Smith's mark, heading into Friday night's action, Hoffman should easily tie and break the record within the week, especially with the Padres in the thick of both the N.L. West and Wild Card races.

Hoffman has converted 41 of 46 save opportunities and has allowed earned runs in only seven of his 60 appearances, while leading the National League in saves (41) and all closers who have played the entire season in the N.L. in ERA (2.02) and WHIP (0.97).

His wicked changeup has enabled him to post nine 40-save seasons, including a career-high 53 in 1998, when San Diego made it all the way to the World Series only to be swept by the most dominant Yankees team in recent history.

Hoffman's achievement is a testament to his longevity. The 38-year-old has been a mainstay in the ninth inning for the Padres since mid-1993, when he came over from the Florida Marlins with two others for Gary Sheffield, and his "Hell's Bells" entrance song gets the San Diego crowd electrified every time the first note hits the airwaves.

He underwent shoulder surgery in 2002 and played just nine games in 2003, but his strong work ethic enabled him to make a full recovery, and now, history is right around the corner.

Coming Down the Stretch

Just two-and-a-half weeks to go and there’s still plenty left undecided.

The A.L. Central is suddenly up for grabs since the Tigers have plummeted and the Twins are one of the hottest teams in the second half.

The A.L. and N.L. Wild Card races are still a huge mystery with no single team really distinguishing themselves as the clear favorite.

And if you would have told me at the All-Star break that the Yankees would be challenging the Mets for baseball’s best record down the final stretch of the season, I would have laughed at you.

But that’s what’s so great and exciting about September baseball. The uncertainty is impalpable.

REVITALIZED STAR

So for those of you who are still in the hunt for that ever-elusive fantasy championship, here are a few players to take a look at as you try to move through the playoffs.

Leading the pack is former MVP, and current Oakland A’s designated hitter, Frank Thomas. After playing a fairly one-dimensional game in the first half, Thomas has knocked 17 balls out of the park, including eight in September, driven in 52 runs and batted .330 to raise his season average to .280.

Thomas resurgence as a force to be reckoned with in the heart of the order has helped propel Oakland into a commanding lead in the A.L. West, and they’re going to need him to keep it up with the Angels lurking in the shadows of second place.

This strong September should make it a close battle between Thomas and Jim Thome, Thomas’ replacement in Chicago, for the A.L.’s Comeback Player of the Year award.

ON THE RISE

If you haven’t heard of this guy before, I’m sure you’ll be hearing a lot more about him soon. Orioles’ rookie outfielder Nick Markakis started off slow, as is common with most rookies, but the 22-year-old Georgia native has really taken off since the beginning of August, where Markakis hit 10 of his 14 homers and drove in 26 runs. With Baltimore way out of the playoff race, he should only get more opportunities to show what he can do. Fantasy GMs, pay attention; he could be a solid No. 3 outfielder next season.

Sticking with the rookies, Cleveland’s Ryan Garko is getting his chance in the middle of the order, now that professional masher Travis Hafner is done for the year with a fractured hand. Hafner surely would have been an MVP candidate, but Garko is no slouch at the plate himself with five big flies, 27 RBI and a .911 OPS. At 6-2, 225 the rookie has the potential to become the right-handed version of Hafner, which should give the Indians plenty of reason to be optimistic about their chances in 2007.

However, 2006 isn’t over yet, and if you were smart enough to stash Hideki Matsui on your bench, you can go ahead and pat yourself on the back now. In case you missed it, the Yankees left fielder, affectionately known as Godzilla, went four-for-four with a walk, RBI and two runs scored in his return to the 2006 version of Murderers’ Row. And with his impeccable mechanics and technique at the plate, I expect him to go on a serious tear as the Bronx Bombers prepare to win their ninth straight division title.

Surprisingly, he was available in a few of my public leagues. He may have an off game here or there, but his presence in the Yankees’ lineup makes it down-right frightening, and Gary Sheffield still isn’t back yet! Granted, the Yankees are playing Tampa Bay in Matsui’s first series back, but scoring 20 runs in two games is amazing, no matter who it’s against.

SAVING YOUR SEASON

Though it’s just one category, winning saves can make the difference between either advancing to the next round or being knocked out. So if you need some help in this area, take a look at veteran lefty Mike Stanton in San Francisco. The Giants are still close in the hunt for the N.L. Wild Card, and with Armando Benitez done for the year with inflammation in his right knee (the one he uses to push off the rubber) Felipe Alou hasn’t hesitated to anoint Stanton as his ninth inning savior.

Since coming over from the Washington Nationals, Stanton has converted seven of his nine save opportunities, including five in a row. He hasn’t given up a run in 10 innings, spanning nine games, and he has lowered his ERA from 4.70 to 3.96 over the same timeframe. Given the lack of quality arms out there, a man with Stanton’s experience in meaningful games is worth grabbing.

RANDOM THOUGHTS/FACTS

The Atlanta Braves’ bid for 15 straight was officially thwarted when the Mets beat the Marlins in a rain-soaked affair Tuesday. The last time Atlanta failed to make the playoffs – 1990 – Barry Bonds had 117 home runs, won his first of seven MVP awards, and was half the size he is today. That ought to put some things in perspective.

I’m still trying to figure out who’s going to win the major awards when all is said and done, but it isn’t easy. Johan Santana is all-but-guaranteed the A.L. Cy Young, but who will emerge in the senior circuit?

Brandon Webb and Chris Carpenter will certainly get votes, as will Carlos Zambrano, Brad Penny and John Smoltz, but how sad is the National League that not one pitcher has set himself apart from the pack, and here we are in the middle of September.

Penny leads the N.L. in wins with 16; however, there are six pitchers with at least as many wins already in the A.L. and several more are on pace to reach that mark.

And you can forget about the MVP debate in either league, it’s nearly impossible to decide. There are more than five worthy candidates in the American League and at least three in the National League.

All I know is that whoever wants the hardware is going to have to annihilate their respective league over the last 20 games.

Swimmin' with the Fish

It’s not every day that you get to witness history, and for the 12,000-plus fans announced in attendance at Dolphins Stadium - realistically, it was more like half that amount - September 6 was their lucky day. That night, Marlins rookie starter Anibal Sanchez joined Kevin Brown, Al Leiter and A.J. Burnett when he recorded the fourth no-hitter in team history, a 2-0 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

Sanchez is one of four rookies in the surprising Marlins rotation and if you throw out his worst two starts this year, where he combined to give up 15 earned runs over 8 2/3 innings, his season ERA would be an impressive 1.68 instead of a still very respectable 2.89 mark.

After posting a record of 17-34 through the first two months of the season, Florida has gone 53-35 and is smack dab in the middle of the hunt for the National League Wild Card. Absolutely no one expected this team to be doing so well after their second huge offseason fire sale in less than 10 years, and regardless of whether this young team makes the playoffs or not, rookie manager Joe Girardi should win the N.L. Manager of the Year award.

This is in no way, shape, or form the roster that Girardi expected to oversee when he first signed on the dotted line, but the former big league catcher and World Series champion has been able to mold these youngsters into worthy major leaguers.

Who would have ever thought that Dan Uggla, a man who only got called up because he was the lone second baseman the Marlins had in Double-A would become the everyday starter, receive an All-Star nod and likely be named this year’s National League Rookie of the Year?

By the time the last out of 2006 is recorded, Uggla should finish up with a .290 to .300 batting average, about 25 home runs, 90-95 RBI and over 100 runs scored. Simply amazing for someone who, if he was in any other organization outside of the Kansas City Royals or maybe even the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, would still be in the minor leagues!

Uggla isn’t the only middle infielder wowing fans this year. His double-play partner Hanley Ramirez is also shining bright. At just 22 years old, the 6-foot-3 195 pound shortstop has already scored over 100 runs and is on pace for at least 50 stolen bases. He may not have the production numbers that Uggla has, but he can only get better, and I suspect he’ll progress similar to how Jose Reyes has for the Mets, and we all know how great he is.

Here’s something to consider. In the midst of Florida’s fire sale, they traded Josh Beckett, Mike Lowell and Guillermo Mota to the Red Sox for four prospects. Can you guess who two of them were? That’s right. Sanchez and Ramirez.

I wonder who Theo Epstein would rather have now that Boston’s playoff hopes are all-but-dead?

The irony is that Epstein claims he didn’t want to sacrifice the Red Sox future for an impact player at this year’s trade deadline. Well if he didn't want to sacrifice their future, then why has he done just that over the last two-and-a-half years?

Take a look at who Boston used to have and then check out where their big areas of need are now.

P Anibal Sanchez, Marlins: no-hitter, 7-2, 2.89 ERA P Bronson Arroyo, Reds: 12-9, 3.33 ERA P Cla Meredith, Padres: 4-1, 0.79 ERA SS Hanley Ramirez, Marlins: .283, 13 HR, 49 RBI, 104 runs SS Edgar Renteria, Braves: .298, 12 HR, 58 RBI C Josh Bard, Padres: .321, 7 HR, 34 RBI 3B Freddy Sanchez, Pirates: .344, 6 HR, 73 RBI OF Johnny Damon, Yankees: .298, 22 HR, 75 RBI, 103 runs

Notice anything in there?

Sanchez and Arroyo are solid starting pitchers, and Meredith is a big reason why the Padres have been surging of late, thanks to his dominance in the bullpen. The Red Sox have had serious issues to address in all areas of their pitching staff with injuries to Tim Wakefield, Matt Clement Curt Schilling, Keith Foulke and the unfortunate news that rookie Jon Lester is now battling cancer.

~Get well soon, Jon. I know what it's like to fight that disease. A couple of family members have had to go through it, and thankfully one in particular has been able to beat it.~

Ramirez and Renteria are playing solid baseball with the glove, as current Boston shortstop Alex Gonzalez is, but the two cast-offs are also getting it done at the plate.

Josh Bard couldn't catch Tim Wakefield's knuckleball, which is why he was shipped to San Diego, but he definitely would've been a better fill-in than Javy Lopez when Jason Varitek was on the disabled list recently.

Freddy Sanchez is leading the National League in batting average by ten points over Miguel Cabrera.

And of course, there's no question that the Yankees' lineup has been rejuvenated with Johnny Damon at the top of the order, and Boston's lineup has suffered with a combination of Kevin Youkilis - more of a No. 5 hitter - and Coco Crisp splitting leadoff duties. That's one Epstein may never live down. Unless, of course, Damon spends a lot of time on the DL in the third and fourth years of his contract.

Oh well.

CY YOUNG UPDATE

Not only does Santana lead the majors with 17 wins, but as of September 6 he is the only pitcher in the bigs with over 200 strikeouts at 219 and he has the lowest ERA for qualified starters at 2.84. Even if he didn’t pitch a single game for the last few weeks of the season, I would still consider him a lock to win his second Cy Young Award in three years.

Check this out. Since the All-Star break, the game’s most dominant lefty is a perfect 8-0 with 81 punchouts and a 2.63 ERA. And for his career, Santana is a staggering 43-9 with a 2.56 ERA and 506 strikeouts over 481 innings.

Should he keep up this pace throughout his career, he has the chance to join an illustrious group of pitchers with 300 wins and 3,000 strikeouts.

Now, many believe that Randy Johnson (279 and counting) will be the last pitcher to reach 300 wins, and the Big Unit nearly had his third career no-hitter in his final start as a 42-year-old, but if Santana stays healthy, I believe he has the potential to be the next. If you get a chance to watch him pitch, he appears to be nearly unhittable.