It’s the finals weekend of the MLB season, and like the last two years the playoff races are coming down to the last weekend.  Most of the divisions are wrapped up but there are the NL Central is still to be decided between the three teams that have locked up a playoff spot, and the AL Wildcard is still yet to be determined so there is plenty of meaningful baseball to watch this weekend.

Tampa Bay Rays visit the Toronto Blue Jays

The first series of the weekend with playoff implications is the Jays and the Rays.  The Jays have underperformed this season and could be watching a division rival clinch a playoff spot on their home field this weekend.  The thought of this could make the Jays play up to their potential in the hopes of playing spoiler to the Rays.  It won’t be easy to stop them, though, as they have a magic number of only two and any Rangers loss this weekend could cut that down.  The Rays could get swept by the Jays and still be celebrating in Toronto, and one would assure a tie with the Rangers and a possible play-in game even if the Rangers sweep their series.  The Jays will throw out reigning Cy Young winner, R.A. Dickey in game one as the first step in playing spoiler.

Texas Rangers at home against the Los Angeles Angels

The Rangers started a four game set against the Angels tonight and edged out a 6-5 win against their division rivals.  This series is almost a mirror image of the Rays and Jays series.  The Angels were supposed to be the team fighting for this division, and while they haven’t disappointed to the tune of last place like the Jays, the only thing that would make this horrible season better for the Angels is to knock the Rangers out of the playoff picture.  This season is the most important series of the season for the Rangers.  They will have to sweep the final three games of the series in order to stay in the wild card hunt and still will need some help from the teams in front of them.  The Rangers do not have their destiny in their own hands, but if they don’t win them all their chances are slim to none.

Cleveland Indians visit the Minnesota Twins

The Indians came out of nowhere to take the second wild card spot away from the Rangers and have the Twins for their final three games, a last place team that is 2-8 over their last ten games.  Needless to say things are lined up for the Indians to play in the wild card game, but they do have to win.  In order to guarantee the spot, though, they would have to win the final three games of the season.  That shouldn’t be an issue, because not only are the Twins on a downswing, the Indians are on a seven game winning streak.  The Indians could finish the season on a ten game win streak and the two hottest teams in baseball could be meeting in the play in wild card game.

St. Louis Cardinals at home against the Chicago Cubs

The Cards just about have it all locked up in the Central.  All the Cards have to do is win one game against the Cubbies or have the Pirates lose one and they have it done and will move on to the NLCS.  What makes this series important, though, is that if the Cards can sweep the Cubbies they can do more than win the Central, they can at least tie for the best record in the NL and possibly have the NL playoffs run through St. Louis.

Atlanta Braves at home against the Phillies

The other half of the home field advantage equation in the NL is the Braves at home against the Phillies.  The Phills have all but packed up and gone home for the season, so them knocking off the Braves would be a huge surprise, but it could happen.  This series becomes important because if the Phills somehow do it, it could change the entire dynamic of the NL playoffs.

Cincinnati Reds at home against the Pittsburgh Pirates

The most important series of the season comes down to these two.  It won't decide who wins a playoff spot, but it will likely decide who gets home field advantage in the play in wild card game.  The Reds will need to sweep the Pirates in order to play at home, and two out of three to get to a tiebreaker on home field, and it will take a sweep by the Pirates and a sweep of the Cards by the Cubs if the Pirates are still going to win the division.  Out of all of the series that have playoff implications, this one could be the most intriquing as well as the most important.  These teams will likely play four games in a row against each other, and if one team wins all four they will go into the NL playoffs on fire and could be a force to be reckoned with for the rest of the NL.

There are three other series with playoff implications in the AL.  All three division winning teams will be playing for homefield advantage in the playoffs.  The Red Sox only need to win one game or the A’s to lose one to guarantee at least first round home field and two wins to have home field throughout.  The A’s need to win all three games this weekend for a shot to have home field throughout, and any combination of two wins or losses by the Tigers for home field in the first round.  The Tigers need a lot of help for a shot at homefield, but have an outside chance at home field.  They would have to end up with one more win than the A’s to host the ALCS first round game.