From Baseball Prospectus:

If Red Sox and Yankee partisans are bored with the "fait accompli" AL East and AL Wild Card races, then here's something for you to pay attention to. It's how the seeding plays out. More to the point, Yankee fans have a vested interest in seeing the Twins wind up with a better record than the A's. Sox fans, however, would do well to summon their karmic resolve for the opposite outcome.

This is because the idea of facing two doses of Johan Santana and, if necessary, two doses of Brad Radke in a five-game series is mighty unpalatable. As I've already written in this space, I think Santana and Radke form the best one-two punch in the game this season. Since the All-Star break, the Twins are 21-5 when Santana or Radke starts (13-0 when it's Santana) and 20-19 when anyone else is on the bump. Needless to say, the prospect of four games against "Radtana" should make the Yanks and Sox quake in their cleats. But someone's going to have to play them.

At this writing, the Twins are a game up on the A's, and here's how the remaining schedule plays out:

MIN: (4), (3), (3)CLE
OAK: (3), (4)SEA, (3)ANA

The schedule favors the Twins, who have two series against the hobbled and regressing Indians around a tilt with the--by then--auto-piloted Yankees. As for Oakland, after the recent sweep by Texas, they'll be fighting to stave off the Angels and surging Rangers, with two series against second-place Anaheim. The other consideration is that the Twins have already clinched the Central and will be more concerned with doling out rest and configuring the rotation than jockeying for playoff seeding. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if they'd prefer the lower seed, which would allow them to avoid facing Curt Schilling and Pedro Martinez twice each in the ALDS.

Still, given the schedule differences and the one-game lead for Minnesota, the A's will probably come in as the three seed (should they make it at all). That means another Yankees-A's ALDS and a potential epic round of pitching match-ups between the Sox and Twins. Can't freaking wait.

NOTE: For those upset and confused by the uncharacteristic linkage, let me add that this article was provided to Batgirl courtesy of Jeffstoned.

Posted by Batgirl at September 24, 2004 02:34 PM