Quickly - Monday morning upate

 So -  as I thought p the only way that the Weekend Boston - NY series would be a big deal is IF one team or the other swept the 3 games,,, Which the Yankees Did....

So the Yanks went from 2 game out of the 1st wild card spot to a one game lead in the Top wild card spot... Now if you are a yankee fan , that was the best you could hope for... to win the 3 against Boston... and go to Toronto with a 2 game lead over them....  Now let's look at the last 6 games for these 3 teams.....

NY - is at  Toronto for 3 and home .vs the Rays for three.

Boston - has the Orioles for three and then the Nats for 3 - all on the road.

Toronto - hosts NY for three , then hosts the Orioles.

You can see that NY has the Harder games here.... because of the Balanced schedule - that means that the Jays and Sox have already played the "harder" games - not that they have an easier overall schedule then the Yankees...

Keep in mind a few things as you watch - or hear about the results of these games... NY can't get the Wild Card game at home with a Tie of Boston - AKA they finish with the same record - because even after losing the Three games to NY - Boston still has a the better head to head record over the Yankees... so the Yanks would have  to be a game ahead of Boston to get the WC game at home.  The Rays have all but clinched Home filed throughout the Playoffs so they will have nothing to play for in the last 3 against the Yankees - now in years past  Teams might have played all Triple A Players because the Rosters expanded to 40 players form the usual 25 ,,, not this year - the norm was 26 and went to Only 28 on Sept 1st . NOT 40 - so the Rays will have to play some of their regulars against NY.  

- IF the Yanks win out (doubtful) - they will be the 1st Wild Card Team and Host the WC game. 

There are too many scenarios  to play-out at this time, BUT -  - Boston has the Easiest go with games .vs the O's and the Nats.  I can certainly see Boston winning all 6 games they have left... Toronto can hurt the Yankees with a Sweep - but definitely need to win 2 of the 3 to be in contention.  I can't wait to see what each Team does IF & When they clinch a playoff spot - will the Team hold out it's Best pitcher(s) so they can start or be available for the Wild Card Game even if that means that they would need to play that game on the ROAD......???  Would say the Yankees - (once they clinch a WC spot - if they do)  NOT pitch Gerrit Cole in the last game or next to last game , so he would be available for the WC game ???? Or would they pitch him to try and get the WC game at home ,,, IF it meant he was not gonna Pitch in that WC game - Interesting right???

I have discounted the Mariners and the Oakland A's - I just don't see them as a Threat to the AL east teams right now.... 

SO - my predictions are this :

Tuesday October 5th the AL Wild Card game will be in Boston - Red Sox .vs Yankees...  and yea - that Winner gets to play the Tampa Bay Rays in a 5 game ALDS series ....

The other ALDS will be the Astros . vs White Sox.