Chopping Network: Who has lost the ball in the weeds?

August 24, 2009-

When we were kids and lost the ball in the high grass, it meant only one thing...game over.

There are six weeks left in this 2009 GABA season and a few franchises are in the ball-in-the-weeds situation. It's not that anybody is yet mathematically eliminated, although Pittsburgh at 35.5 behind with 38 to play is only a couple of steps from it.

But several teams are already in the virtual elimination spot with several others dangerously close. In other words, it ain't over 'til it's over; but, really...it's game over.

Bill James has developed a formula for calculating if a team is virtually eliminated. To find a team's virtual elimination number, you take the number of games behind and square it; then divide it by the games remaining times 4. The result is your virtual elimination number (VE).

James says that no team has ever come back to win their division if their virtual elimination number is 1.00 or over. So when a team reaches that point, you may not be mathematically out, but James says you are done, cooked, over.

So who in GABA has lost their ball in the weeds? As of August 24, here are the following VE numbers for the teams trailing the Rays, Indians, Angels, Mets, Brewers, and Padres. (The teams in bold print are those virtually eliminated from division championship.)

In the AL East: Yankees (0.11), Red Sox (0.58), Blue Jays (0.58), Orioles (1.90)

AL Central: Twins (0.04), Royals (0.31), Tigers (on the edge with 0.92), White Sox (2.44)

AL West: The Angels are so close to virtually clinching: A's (0.80), Rangers (0.80), Mariners (0.95)

NL East: Braves (0.28), Phillies (0.83), Marlins (1.79), Nationals (2.01)

NL Central: Astros (0.08), Reds (0.37), Cubs (0.59), Cardinals (1.27), Pirates (8.29)

NL West: Diamondbacks (0.03), Rockies (0.20), Dodgers (0.73), Giants (2.50)

James' formula just illustrates in another way just how tight some of these division races are. Also, we get another look at who is going to be playing the role of spoiler.

Braves send Vazquez to Texas for Gonzalez, Main

Monday, June 28th, 2010 - The Texas Rangers traded 32-year-old reliever Mike Gonzalez and 21-year-old minor league starting pitcher Michael Main (pictured above) to the Atlanta Braves, getting 33-year-old starting pitcher Javier Vazquez in return. Braves GM Jobo Foster said the trade was made to bloster the bullpen with the reaquisition of Gonzalez, to make some financial room and to open a spot in the rotation for southpaw Aaron Poreda who, Foster says, has earned a shot with Atlanta. It is rumored that veteran starting pitcher Tim Hudson may be on his way out of the rotation if his performance does not show marked improvement.