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A new week begins, not unlike the last. If you are out there among the furloughed, un/underemployed, or if you need something to do while pretending like you're doing work, there is a full slate of playoff baseball for your Monday needs.
Three of today's four games could be elimination games if the team leading the series ends up winning. One of these elimination games will feature Freddy Garcia pitching for the team that needs to win to stay alive. There's something inherently unjust and wrong about that, that Sweaty Freddy, who played a part in tanking a chunk of the Orioles season, should get to taste the postseason this year and Brian Roberts continues to appear high on the list of "most games played without a postseason appearance."
The 1:07 game will air on MLB Network, with all remaining games airing on TBS, the station with no production values whatsoever.
Oakland Athletics @ Detroit Tigers, 1:07
Series tied, 1-1
Jarrod Parker vs. Anibal Sanchez
It's off to Detroit after a split of the first two games in Oakland. Out of the four series in the division round, this one is the most exciting, with two one-run games and one walk-off win so far. Sanchez might have received significant Cy Young consideration if he'd been able to pitch a full season and if he wasn't out-shone by his teammate, Max Scherzer.
St. Louis Cardinals @ Pittsburgh Pirates, 3:07
Pittsburgh leads, 2-1
Michael Wacha vs. Charlie Morton
As much as I joke about the Satanic magic that obviously fuels the Yankees, even they've got nothing on Carlos Beltran in the postseason. Between the Wild Card Game and Game 3 of their NLDS series, Pittsburgh has been rocking. Let's see if they can keep that crowd energy alive on a weekday afternoon game.
Boston Red Sox @ Tampa Bay Rays, 6:07
Boston leads, 2-0
Clay Buchholz vs. Alex Cobb
Those who ride on the Anybody But Boston train have found themselves left in the cold by the Rays in this series, with those same Rays being largely useless as the Red Sox offense pounds them into a fine paste.
Atlanta Braves @ Los Angeles Dodgers, 9:37
Los Angeles leads, 2-1
Freddy Garcia vs. Ricky Nolasco
The aforementioned Garcia is starting an elimination game and I'm supposed to take this Braves team seriously? They might even win, which is something that should make any civilized person want to vomit into the most convenient receptacle.