Mortgaging the future is a figurative concept for the Cleveland Indians. For the Arizona Diamondbacks, the phrase has a literal meaning.
Both the Indians and Diamondbacks are under severe pressure to win as the season heads toward its close. They are in the jumble of teams–16 at last count–that will have at least an outside shot at making the playoffs after about 125 games, most of which were forgotten as soon as the results were entered into the standings.
Now come the games you will remember.
Indians General Manager John Hart soon will learn whether he did the right thing by holding on to Manny Ramirez and trading away another in a long line of young sluggers, Richie Sexson, in the hope of “playing meaningful games in August and September.” If the Indians somehow can survive the six-team pileup in the American League wild-card race, they can put the upstart White Sox in a precarious position in October.
Because teams from the same division can’t meet in the first round of the playoffs, the Sox could maintain the best record in the league and wind up facing the twice-defending champion New York Yankees. Not that you would want to face Pedro Martinez in a best-of-five series, which could be the case if Boston emerges as the wild card.
Jerry Colangelo doesn’t care who his Arizona Diamondbacks might face as National League West champions. He’ll take his chances against anyone with Randy Johnson and Curt Schilling. But Colangelo’s not going to be too happy if the Diamondbacks fail to catch San Francisco.
If Arizona finishes behind the Giants, they probably also will be behind the East runner-up (most likely the New York Mets) in the NL wild-card race. That means all Colangelo will be left with is debt service on the $20 million loan he recently drew from an unidentified bank trying to meet expenses for his ultra-aggressive franchise. Colangelo reportedly opted for the loan because he already had tried the patience of investors with cash calls of $29 million in 1998 and $24 million in ’99.
Like Al Davis before him, Colangelo’s motto is “Just win, baby.” Here’s a quick look at all the teams hoping to make the eight-team field for the playoffs, race by race:
AL Central
The latest: White Sox lead the Indians by seven games.
The road traveled: Winning streaks by Cal Eldred (8-0 in nine starts May 16-June 28), James Baldwin (7-0 in first eight starts) and Jim Parque (6-0 in nine starts May 27-July 15) helped the slugging White Sox to the best record in the majors at the All-Star break. Cleveland, riddled by injuries to its starting rotation, slipped from one-half game behind to 7 1/2 out in a 23-day stretch in May and June. The Indians were 10-11 during that time but lost five of six to the Sox, including a stunning sweep at Jacobs Field.
The big man: Baldwin finished strong the last two years, going 7-3 with a 3.76 earned-run average after Aug. 31. The Sox need him to kick it in gear after some extra rest, especially if the disabled Eldred doesn’t contribute.
The big question: Do the Indians have enough pitching to survive a killer September schedule? They must play 22 games in the last 20 days of the season, including back-to-back double-headers at Fenway Park on Sept. 20-21 and four games in New York.
The big series: The Indians will throw a fright into the Sox if they can sweep a three-game series in Cleveland on Sept. 8-10. After that the Sox play 12 of their last 19 at Comiskey Park.
AL East
The latest: New York Yankees lead Boston by three games and Toronto by 5 1/2.
The road traveled: With injuries and ineffectiveness ravaging the starting rotation, the Yankees went 15-26 from May 11 through June 28. They have responded to a midseason makeover by GM Brian Cashman, getting big contributions from newcomers Denny Neagle, David Justice and Glenallen Hill. The Blue Jays led the standings as late as July 6 but went 7-13 to start the second half. That fade appears likely to continue with Raul Mondesi out for the season. Boston quietly has stayed in position for a run all year, never getting more than five games from the division lead.
The big man: The Yankees’ Roger Clemens has been his old self since coming off the DL, going 6-0 with a 2.82 ERA in 11 starts. Along with lefties Andy Pettitte and Neagle, Clemens gives manager Joe Torre at least three reliable starters for the stretch run.
The big question: Can newcomer Rolando Arrojo give the Red Sox rotation a 1-2 punch down the stretch? The Sox are a pedestrian 50-51 when anyone other than Martinez starts.
The big series: The Yankees and Red Sox play only three more times this year–at Fenway from Sept. 8-10. The Blue Jays get their swings at New York Sept. 12-14 at Yankee Stadium and Sept. 19-21 at the SkyDome.
AL West
The latest: Seattle leads Oakland by 2 1/2 games and Anaheim by five.
The road traveled: In the aftermath of Ken Griffey Jr.’s departure, the Mariners needed a good start. They got one, getting out of the gate 11-6. The division lead changed hands frequently in June between Seattle and the Athletics, but the Mariners have had it since June 29. They led by seven games as recently as Aug. 11 but opened the door for more intrigue by losing eight in a row before a victory Tuesday at Detroit.
The big man: Alex Rodriguez wanted the spotlight and now he has it. The Mariners reached the playoffs only twice in the Griffey era and went 1-2 in playoff series. Let’s see how they do now that it’s A-Rod’s team. A word of caution, however. September has been the worst month for Rodriguez over the last three seasons, including a .183 average last year.
The big question: Do nice guys win? The Athletics love playing for Art Howe, who has overseen rebuilding efforts in Houston and Oakland. He had the rug pulled out from under him with the Astros but finds himself with his first legitimate playoff shot in 10 years as a manager.
The big series: The A’s have a chance for a fast finish, playing four games at Seattle from Sept. 21-24 and then returning home to finish the year against Anaheim and Texas. The Angels have a chance to pull off an upset if they can stay in the picture until the last week, when they play four games at Anaheim and return to Edison Field to end the season against Seattle.
AL wild card
The latest: Boston leads by a half-game over Cleveland, one game over Oakland, 2 1/2 over Toronto, 3 1/2 over Anaheim and 5 over Detroit.
The road traveled: There have been six lead changes since Aug. 13, with Oakland leading in time of possession. The Indians were fifth in wild-card standings July 28, yet Hart traded Sexson and a handful of other good young players for stop-gap veterans Jason Bere, Bob Wickman, Steve Woodard, Wil Cordero and David Segui. Cleveland has gone 15-9 since that trade, climbing through the pack. The Blue Jays and Angels have been afterthoughts. The Tigers added to the confusion by winning seven of eight against Oakland and Seattle in a recent stretch.
The big man: Manny Ramirez’s health and attitude are vital for Cleveland, which is trying to reach the playoffs six years in a row. Since the All-Star break, the prospective free agent has hit .366 with 13 homers and 36 RBIs in 32 games. He could do a lot of damage hitting in a lineup that now has Cordero and Segui.
The big question: When is a race not a race? The Indians still are talking about catching the White Sox in the Central but could lose their focus if the Sox run off some victories and push the lead back into double digits. Oakland and Boston could benefit by still having two very viable routes into the postseason, sneaking up in the wild-card standings while taking aim at the Mariners and Yankees, respectively.
The big series: The Indians and Red Sox play eight times in 10 days, including five games in three days Sept. 19-21, making up a rained-out weekend at Fenway Park back in April. The tone for that series will be set Sept. 12-14, when they play three games at Jacobs Field.
NL Central
The latest: St. Louis leads Cincinnati by 8 1/2 games.
The road traveled: After much off-season activity, the Cardinals have led for all but three days. They went 17-8 in April, setting a major-league record with 55 home runs, and were 51-36 at the All-Star break. Mark McGwire was sidelined by a knee injury July 7 and the Cardinals have gone 21-22 without him. The Reds were the division favorite after adding Griffey but lost 10 of 12 in one June stretch and haven’t been able to get closer to St. Louis than four games.
The big man: McGwire’s status is a mystery. Barring an unexpected charge from the Reds, the Cardinals appear deep enough to bring him along slowly. It will be a shame if they make the playoffs but he cannot play.
The big question: What would the Reds have done if they hadn’t traded Neagle at the All-Star break? He was Cincinnati’s winningest pitcher, but GM Jim Bowden couldn’t resist an offer from the Yankees. The Reds appeared ready to make more today-for-tomorrow deals before the July 31 deadline but held off after closing within four games.
The big series: The Reds finish the year with a three-game series in St. Louis. It might mean something if Cincinnati can beat up on all the weaklings it plays in the preceding three weeks–the Brewers (seven games), Cubs (three), Pirates (three) and Astros (three).
NL East
The latest: Atlanta leads the New York Mets by two games.
The road traveled: The Braves flexed their muscles with a 15-game winning streak early in the season. It started right after John Rocker returned from his season-opening suspension and included seven Rocker saves. The Mets were 20-20 on May 16 but since then have gone 55-32. The turnaround has included three winning streaks of at least five games.
The big man: Mike Hampton, who currently is battling bruised ribs, needs a strong finish. He and Al Leiter give the Mets a 1-2 combination that is the equal of Tom Glavine and Greg Maddux, if not Johnson and Schilling. His strong Septembers (10-3 with a 2.28 ERA in 17 starts) helped Houston to its three straight Central titles.
The big question: Which version of Rocker will show–the guy who was practically unhittable last September and October or the one who has walked more than one hitter an inning this year? He’s 5 for 6 in save opportunities since the All-Star break. He has had a 2.51 ERA in that stretch, but manager Bobby Cox has had him on a short leash. Losing a decision to Colorado catcher Brent Mayne on Tuesday won’t help his karma.
The big series: No race promises more head-to-head excitement down the stretch. The Braves and Mets play six times the last two weeks of the season–Sept. 18-20 in Atlanta and Sept. 26-28 at Shea Stadium.
NL West
The latest: San Francisco leads Arizona by 2 1/2 games and Los Angeles by 7 1/2 games.
The road traveled: The Giants weren’t ready when the season opened, going 4-11 through April 20. They were still four games below .500 as late as May 20, but since then have gone 53-31 to pass the fading Diamondbacks. Arizona has been a mirror image of San Francisco, starting 26-10 but playing below .500 after May 13. The Dodgers were the talk of Florida after adding Shawn Green to their high-priced mix, but haven’t been able to get more than eight games above .500. They’re 10-12 in August.
The big man: Matt Williams is “the bus driver,” according to Diamondbacks teammate Luis Gonzalez. That being the case, he’s driven about as well as Susan Sarandon at the end of “Thelma and Louise.” Injuries and an overall funk have limited Williams to six homers and 27 runs batted in in 62 games. Where’s the guy who was third in MVP voting a year ago, when he hit 35 homers and drove in 142?
The big question: Is this 1997 all over again? Livan Hernandez and Robb Nen are pitching like they did as teammates on the world-champion Florida Marlins. They have made the difference on an otherwise nondescript Giants pitching staff. Neither is a particularly strong finisher, however. Hernandez has only one victory in 14 September starts over the last three years. Nen has given up more than one hit per inning in only month the last three years, September.
The big series: As in the NL East, the champion could be determined in head-to-head series. The Giants play host to Arizona for a four-game series Sept. 21-24 and then finish the season at Bank One Ballpark Sept. 29-Oct. 1. The Dodgers play Arizona six times and San Francisco three times in the last three weeks.
NL wild card
The latest: The Mets lead Arizona by 4 1/2 games.
The road traveled: The Mets have led this race since July 27, when the competition was San Francisco. The lead has built to as much as 5 1/2 games since the Giants overtook the Diamondbacks in the West. The Dodgers entered August four games back but have fallen off the map.
The big man: Schilling is 4-2 with three complete-game victories in five starts since being traded to Arizona from Philadelphia. He practically foams at the mouth at the prospect of postseason play in his hometown, but he never has had much luck against the Mets, going 1-3 with a 3.05 ERA in six starts since ’97.
The big question: Can Diamondbacks manager Buck Showalter and his players keep it together under intense pressure? The Mets showed their toughness a year ago, but the Diamondbacks were on cruise control until the playoffs, when the Mets upset them in the first round. Failure this time could mean an off-season shakeup and perhaps even some salary dumping. Attendance is down and the payroll is up to $80 million. That’s a dangerous mix.
The big series: The Mets and Arizona play for the last time this weekend at Shea Stadium. The Mets have won five of six against the Diamondbacks this year, including a sweep May 19-21 at Shea.
