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mlb free picks- (covers.com) mlb playoff divisional playoff races.

This weekend, middleweight champ Jermain Taylor faces a fierce No. 1 contender and boxing bettors looking to score an edge for this tight matchup will go to

the tale of the tape.

But Saturday’s bout isn’t the only battle raging in the world of sports. Major League Baseball has plenty of big swinging action as well. The AL West and

Central divisions are decided, but other postseason races are closer than they’ve ever been. Figuring out which teams will come out on top is about as tough

as judging two evenly matched boxers.

Like fight fans, we go to the tale of the tape to see which clubs will be left standing when the final bell rings on the 2007 regular season.

Boston Red Sox vs. New York Yankees for the AL East title

The Red Sox are at home in Fenway Park for their final six games of the season, a homestand which should help the offense find its familiar stroke. Boston is

hitting .295 at home this season compared to .262 on the road.

The Red Sox start with the Oakland Athletics, who opened a three-game series with the Red Sox on Tuesday. Oakland's taken four of six meeting with the AL

East leaders this year and have held the Sox to just .229 batting. Following Oakland, Boston hosts the Minnesota Twins. The BoSox took two out of three games

versus the Twins this season and hit .248 against them in the process.

The Yankees were only two games out of the AL East lead as of Tuesday, when they opened a road series against the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. New York is 8-7

versus Tampa Bay this season and split the last six games played in Florida.

After the D-Rays, the Bronx Bombers travel to Maryland to face the Baltimore Orioles in the last regular season series of the year. New York hasn’t hit

exceptionally well against the O’s this year, batting just .257 on their way to going 7-8 against Baltimore this season. The Yankees staff has an ERA over

5.00 when facing Baltimore, a team batting .296 against New York this season.

New York Mets vs. Philadelphia Phillies for the NL East title

The Mets were only two games up on the Phillies heading into Tuesday's action after losing six of their previous 10 contests. Getting three wins against the

Florida Marlins helped them keep their divisional rival at bay this weekend but New York’s woes against the Washington Nationals could be its undoing.

The Mets’ loss to the Nationals on Monday was their third defeat in the last four games against Washington and the seventh out of 16 meetings this season.

New York has a team 4.44 ERA when facing the Nats and is hitting .292 against D.C.’s arms. Following this series, the Mets face the Fish again. New York is

10-5 against the Marlins this year and is averaging almost seven runs per meeting behind a .306 batting average.

The Phillies play one of the hottest teams in the majors this week in the Atlanta Braves, who are only three games out of the NL wild card. Philadelphia has

split the previous six meetings with Atlanta heading into Tuesday but is 7-8 versus the Braves on the season.

Philly is having trouble hitting the ball this month but has been able to squeak out wins in tight spots. Following the Braves, the Phillies host the

Nationals. The Phillies are 10-5 against Washington this season and have held them to an average of under four runs during those contests. They are hitting

.283 at home this year, but just .245 against Washington.

Chicago Cubs vs. Milwaukee Brewers for the NL Central title

Any other team in the bigs would dread finishing the year on the road when they’re in such a tight race – but not the Cubbies. They are 39-36 away from

Wrigley Field this season thanks to the Chicago pitching staff’s composure in enemy territory. Cubs pitchers have an MLB-best 3.85 collective road ERA.

Chicago face a team that's had its number this season. It was swept by the Marlins in May, getting outscored 23-7 in three games. However the Cubs are now

one of the NL's hottest teams after winning eight of their last 10 contests. Florida has lost three straight and seven of its last 10 games.

Chicago wraps up the regular season with three games against the Cincinnati Reds. The Cubs are 7-8 versus the Reds this season including two wins in last

weekend’s series in the Windy City.

Milwaukee has been shaky over its last six, winning only two games. It is now hosting the St. Louis Cardinals and took Game 1 of this series with a 13-5

stomping on Monday, the first time the Brewers had beaten the Cardinals in the last seven games.

The Brewers have the benefit of playing at Miller Park for the final lap of the season, where they are 48-27. The Brew Crew hit more than 20 points higher at

home and have a home ERA almost a run lower than their road number. They finish up against the Padres who are also neck deep in the postseason mix.

San Diego is three games behind in the NL West. Milwaukee is hitting just .206 against the Padres after running into Jake Peavy, Greg Maddux and Justin

Germano during a three-game sweep by San Diego in California.

Arizona Diamondbacks vs. San Diego Padres for the NL West title

The Diamondbacks spend the rest of the season on the road with their first stop in Steel Town. Arizona's won four of six games against the Pittsburgh Pirates

this year despite a 5.43 team ERA against the Bucs and getting outscored 36-37 over those six meetings. The D-Backs have one of the best road ERAs in the NL

but can’t get it done at the visitor’s plate, posting a league-worst .239 batting average away from home.

After Pittsburgh, Arizona travels west to face the Colorado Rockies, who could be close in the NL West standings by then. Colorado is 8-7 versus the

Diamondbacks after taking two of the last three meetings. Arizona is hitting .253 against the Rockies staff and has held off the Rox with a 3.91 ERA over

their 15 meetings this season.

San Diego is fighting for both the division title or the wild-card spot. The Padres are three games behind the Diamondbacks and tied with the Phillies for

the last postseason ticket in the NL after Monday’s loss to the San Francisco Giants. They were continuing their series with the Giants this Tuesday, who

they’d beaten in eight straight meetings before losing to them Monday. San Diego has a 2.59 ERA against San Francisco thanks in part to Peavy who is 2-0

versus the Giants with a 0.68 ERA against the team.

The Padres face the playoff-hungry Brewers on Thursday for the final series of the regular season. San Diego’s staff dominated Milwaukee during a three-game

set in May. It was also able to get to Milwaukee’s pitchers, batting .305 during those games for 17 total runs.

free mlb playoff picks- (associated press) clements out for rest of regular season.

Roger Clemens was scratched from his start for the New York Yankees on Tuesday night at Tampa Bay because of a lingering left hamstring injury and won't

pitch for the remainder of the regular season.

The announcement was made about four hours before game time. The team said Clemens will not pitch in the three-game series with the Devil Rays that runs

through Thursday, but could throw in a simulated game.

Clemens is ''confident'' he will be ready for the opening round of the postseason if the Yankees qualify. New York started play Tuesday with a magic number

of one to clinch at least the AL wild-card spot.

''I fully expect to be out there,'' Clemens said. ''I still think it's improving. A little swelling, but I ran quite a bit in the deep end of a pool to try

and get that motion going. They're really going to try and just let it rest.''

Yankees general manager Brian Cashman said Clemens could have pitched Tuesday if it had been a must-win game.

''We're just playing it smart,'' Cashman said. ''We're looking at the big picture, and giving it more time to heal. The point is he'll be better off with

more time, and we'll go from there.''

Kei Igawa was picked to replace Clemens for Tuesday night' start.

Clemens tweaked his hamstring while running Thursday. He has pitched just once since Sept. 3, sidelined at first by a tender right elbow that required two

cortisone shots. The 45-year-old right-hander pitched six innings at Boston on Sept. 16, allowing an unearned run and two hits.

''He feels it just a little bit,'' Yankees manager Joe Tore said. ''It's not too bad. It's more of doing everything he needs to do to pitch a game more than

the pitching aspect of it. The running, covering first and doing all that stuff. He's still throwing, doing drills. It's feeling better, but I think the

frustration comes from the fact that it's not feeling as good as he needs it to. Hopefully it continues to get better.''

Torre said it's not necessary for Clemens to pitch in a game before the regular season ends, but that it probably would be important to at least see him in a

simulated contest.

''If it goes backwards at all, then an October date, I would be in trouble for that,'' Clemens said. ''I'll do enough to stay sharp until we really know

what's going on as far as the playoff picture is decided.''

mlb playoff picks- (associated press) dunn and griffey fisnised for reds this year.

The Reds announced shortly before Tuesday's game against Houston that left fielder Adam Dunn will undergo arthroscopic surgery to clean out his right knee.

The surgery is scheduled for Wednesday morning.

Oddsmakers have listed Cincinnati as -135 favorites for Wednesday's game against the Astros and the total is set at 10 1/2.

Dunn didn't start two of the Reds' last three games in San Francisco. He is hitting .264 with 40 home runs and a career-high 106 RBIs this season.

He is the first player in Reds history to hit at least 40 home runs in four consecutive seasons and to produce more than one season of 100 RBIs, 100 walks

and 100 runs scored. This is the third season he's reached triple figures in all three categories.

mlb free playoff picks- (associated press) angels pitcher getting extra rest.

Los Angeles Angels right-hander Kelvin Escobar didn't make his expected start Tuesday night at Texas, giving the 17-game winner more time to rest his

shoulder and get ready for the playoffs.

Escobar was first pushed back from his scheduled start Saturday because of inflammation in his shoulder. Now, instead of starting against the Rangers,

Escobar, who is 17-7 with a 3.46 ERA, is expected to pitch over the weekend in Oakland.

''We're going to give him a little more time to get strong,'' manager Mike Scioscia said Monday, a day after the Angels clinched their third AL West title in

four seasons.

''We talked with him about whether it would be better for him to pitch (Tuesday) and have a longer time on the back end,'' Scioscia said. ''He said he could

throw but would rather take another day, throw a couple of bullpens and get his stamina built up ... and be ready for the playoffs.''

Scioscia didn't immediately announce who would start Tuesday night. He said he would name the starter after Monday night's game, the opener of a three-game

series against the Rangers.

Right-hander Jered Weaver (13-7) is a possible option since Tuesday will be his normal fifth day. But Scioscia also said he'd like to have Weaver pitch over

the weekend.

Part of the process is setting up the rotation for the start of the playoffs next week. The Angels could still finish with the AL's best record, which would

give them home field advantage and let them choose when the series would begin.

''We'll announce our playoff rotation at the appropriate time. Kelvim will be in it,'' Scioscia said. ''There's some advantages to clinching early, about

automatically being able to reset some of your pitching, which we're going to be in the process of doing now.''

free mlb playoff picks- (associated press) bonds finished in san francisco.

Barry Bonds leaned on the back of the batting cage and razzed Rajai Davis as the rookie took pregame swings.

Earlier, Bonds joked with teammates and cleared more items from his corner locker in the clubhouse. He waved to fans near the Giants' dugout and seemed to be

relishing his final days with San Francisco.

Yet the 43-year-old home run king still wasn't back in the lineup and playing left field Tuesday night against San Diego - sitting out his 10th straight game

with a sprained right big toe.

Manager Bruce Bochy was still hopeful of getting Bonds into the batter's box or on the field Wednesday night during his final scheduled home game for the

Giants.

''I don't know,'' Bonds said.

Oddsmakers have listed the Giants as +180 underdogs for Wednesday's home game against San Diego.

He met with Bonds in the manager's office with the door closed before they headed to the field.

''It went fine,'' Bochy said. ''We just talked about some things to see where he's at - the progress on his toe. It's a lot better. He feels a lot better.

He's come along, and I am more optimistic he could be a lot better and play tomorrow. If Barry can play, he wants to play.''

Bochy said there was a small chance Bonds would not appear in the last two home games. And Bonds probably will only be used sparingly during this weekend's

three-game series against rival Los Angeles at Dodger Stadium - a place Bonds has long enjoyed playing despite the boos.

The Giants announced Friday they will part with Bonds after this season, the seven-time NL MVP's 15th in San Francisco and 22nd in the majors.

''I think Barry will poke his head out of the dugout at some point,'' Padres manager Bud Black said. ''Any time Barry comes to the plate in this park, the

fans go crazy.''

Bonds has helped bring in 3 million fans annually in all eight seasons of play at San Francisco's waterfront ballpark. Large banners hanging from the light

posts on either side of the main center-field scoreboard commemorating his 756th home run could be taken down soon.

''It's a great honor to be able to play with Bonds and be around him every day,'' said pitcher Barry Zito, who dressed next to Bonds during spring training

and the season. ''That's something I'll always cherish. It's a good memory I'll always have.''

There is speculation Bonds will try to stay close to his Beverly Hills home and play in the AL West, perhaps for Texas or Seattle.

''When you think about playing the Giants, you think about playing against Bonds,'' Padres general manager Kevin Towers said. ''It's the first thing that

pops into your head. It's definitely going to be a change here in San Francisco. It's going to be different for the fans, for the organization and for

building a ballclub. ...

''There will be a market for him. He'd be a pretty nice DH to have in the middle of your lineup, and it would allow him to play a few more years. I think

someone will give him that opportunity. he's still an offensive force and still a pretty good defensive player if he's healthy.''

free mlb playoff picks- (associated press) orioles reliever to have surgery.

Orioles reliever Danys Baez will undergo elbow ligament replacement surgery and will probably miss the 2008 season.

Baez last pitched on Sept. 12. The injury was initially diagnosed as a strained right elbow, but an examination Friday by Dr. James Andrews in Birmingham,

Ala., revealed further damage.

Oddsmakers have listed the Orioles as +192 underdogs for Wednesday's game against Toronto and the total is set at 9 runs.

The right-hander hoped to avoid surgery through an extensive rehabilitation program. However, an Orioles official said Tuesday that Baez has decided to have

an operation.

Baez was a huge disappointment this season, his first with the Orioles after signing a three-year, $19 million contract in November. He finished 0-6 with a

6.44 ERA and three saves.