Playing the Wild Card

This isn't a great year for Wild Card watchers in the  American League. The Red Sox are 5 1/2 games behind and not manking much noise. The White Sox are closer to the Twins [4 1/2 games]  in the AL Central than they are to gaining the Wild Card, a nine-game deficit. 

In the National League,  Philadelphia has a two-game lead over St. Louis and San Francisco. The Phillies and Cardinals still have a fair shot at winning their respective divisions. 

The Mets are 8 1/2 games out of the Wild Card as the supposed soft part of their schedule continues this week with three home games against Florida and Houston. A 5-1 record would certainly creat some interest heading into September.

For the believers in the audience, the Mets were 5 1/2 games behind the Cubs in the NL East on this date in 1969.  There was no Wild Card but the Mets didn't need one as they caught fire and the Cubs fizzled.