Hottest MLB teams will determine the division or wild card race

In the majors teams are heating up, and teams are playing much more competitive. It’s the month of September, a month when teams began sustaining injuries and when a team began to define competiveness.

Many teams are in the hunt for October, trying to clinch a playoff berth. The Tampa Bay Rays are potentially rolling down the right path, after getting off to an unbelievable start, seeking to advance to the postseason for the first time in club history. Certainly, the New York Mets don’t want to experience an encore of last season’s meltdown, when they collapse late in the season.

The Philadelphia Phillies came from behind to steal the division from under the Mets. However the Phillies still has a shot at winning the division, and has being surging of late.

In Hollywood, slugger Manny Ramirez has brought his dreadlocks and his power bat with him from Boston, since traded to the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Dodgers has been the hottest team in the majors, and the hottest team in the NL West division.

In the windy city, both the Chicago White Sox and the Chicago Cubs, have being bothered by an opponent within their division. The White Sox can’t seem to shake off the Minnesota Twins, and although the Cubs still has a slight advantage over the Milwaukee Brewers, it doesn’t justify the outcome against a team that has a great pitching tandem with starters CC Sabathia and Ben Sheets, as long as the Brewers don’t play Eric Gagne in the late innings, they may have a shot at winning the division. I still, think the Cubbies are a much better team, and will maintain a massive margin in front of the Brewers.

Everyone in New York is discussing and debating about Brett Favre and Eli Manning. The New York Yankees are no longer the headlines on front of the local newspaper, after having a disappointing season. Hank Steinberner damn near threw hissy fits everytime after the team took a lost, and A-Rod’s personal issues made the front pages of the local newspapers more than the damn results from the game, which describes the Yankees season.

Now in New York, the discussing is the Mets hot streak. Last season the Mets capped one of the worst collapses in major league history, after they had led the division by seven games with 17 games remaining. They lost six of seven games during its final home stand against teams with losing records.

On a positive matter, the Mets are probably the hottest team in the majors currently, and in the month of September. They have overcame much adversity and criticism, earlier in the season closer Billy Wagner, who decided to undergo Tommy John surgery, ripped teammates Carlos Delgado and Carlos Beltran, and former manager Willie Randolph was fired during a West Coast trip.

Early in the season, Delgado struggled in the first-half, but has being on a second-half surge. He has 68 RBIs in the last 66 games, hitting .228 in June, and trailed by 3 ½ on the last day of June. Delgado has raised his average to .266 overall. Delgado has hit multi home runs in his second consecutive game, the fifth player in Mets history to hit multi home runs in two consecutive games. The Mets added another win, when they defeated the Washington Nationals on Tuesday, and have stretched their lead to 2 ½ games over the Phillies, a team that broke the hearts of many last season. In September, the Mets’ bullpen only allowed one earn run in 29 2/3 innings.

Mike Pelfrey, who is having a breakout season, has an 8-6 record with a 2.66 ERA in 16 starts at Shea Stadium. He has led the first-place Mets in the pitching category with a 13-9 and 3.62 earn run average. With the surging Delgado and Pelfrey the Mets have a greater chance winning the NL East division over the Phillies.

The Phillies are aiming to duplicate last season's late-comeback. However, the Phillies have a reputation of heating up. It’s still a possibility with 17 games remaining. After losing to Florida on Tuesday, the Phillies look to get back on track.

On positive matters, the Phillies trails the St. Louis Cards at three games in the wild card race, off course the Phillies are aiming bigger than the wild card. They are aiming to defend their division title. With their offensive depth, there’s a great possibility.

Ryan Howard, a slugging first baseman who has 41 home runs on the season, can catch fire at any moment, and Chase Utley is known for his streaky power and reaching base. Aside from the offense, the pitching has underachieved, allowing a lot of runs and surrendered a lot of hits.

Recently, right-hander Kyle Kendrick was pounded, surrendering seven runs on seven hits with an ERA of 5.44, which might have cost him a spot in the rotation.

If the Phillies look to repeat their division title, they will need the strong arms of Cole Hamels and Brett Myers, who makes his start tonight. But, the Mets are more efficient and their hot power gives them more than enough to win the division.

Normally, the AL East division goes to the Yankees or Red Sox, but this season is a different storyline. Unexpectedly, the Tampa Bay Rays converted into one of baseball’s best teams, and has emerged into the AL East favorites. They are the story of baseball this season, and their offense and pitching as being the key.

Suddenly, the Rays have excellent pitching with James Sheilds, Scott Kazmir and Dan Wheeler from the bullpen, and manager John Maddon has done a terrific job as manager. Cliff Floyd and closer Troy Percival, who I refer to as Percy, have both stored veteran leadership. A year after finishing with the worst record in baseball, the Rays has had their best season in franchise history and look to carry that approach into the postseason.

As for the Red Sox, the Rays are no longer intimidated by them, though the Red Sox have a slight chance with top ace Josh Beckett, a enormous part of the Red Sox World Series win. True, Dustin Pedoria is hitting everything that crosses the plate, but without Ramirez's power, and the superb pitching from the Rays, the Red Sox championship hopes may have washed away.

Most importantly, the team that wins their division or even the wild card, will finish the season hot. In other words, its whatever team is hot.