At the beginning of the season nobody thought the Red Sox would be in this position (fighting in the last weeks just to make it to the post season). And now even if they make it to the post season, they will finish once again in the Yankees’ …. (to quote a line from the motion picture “Fever Pitch”).

As of today, the Rays and the Angels are just 2.5 games behind the Red Sox for the AL Wild Card. And it is not completely crazy to think that either one of them could clinch the post season berth and leave the Red Sox out of the post season for a second year in a row.

The Red Sox have to go now to the “House of pain” A.K.A Yankee Stadium (quoting “Fever Pitch” again), to play a three game series. It is true the Yankees already clinched the division, but I’m sure they won’t make things easier for the struggling Red Sox. After that, the Red Sox will complete their 162-game season with three more games at Baltimore.

The Rays on the other hand have one game left at Yankee Stadium and then they will go home to host the Blue Jays and the Yankees for three games each. Not easy either, but at least they will have the home field advantage for the last two series.

Now let’s talk about the Angels, in my opinion this team has the best pitching staff to make the last push. Today they’ll play the Blue Jays one final time, with Ervin Santana on the mound against Venezuelan rookie Henderson Alvarez. Then they’ll go home to play a three game series against the A’s and the Rangers, who will probably clinch the division by then.

At this point I don’t want to say who is going to win the AL Wild Card, because let’s face it, my predictions have sucked so far, but I’m sure whoever wins it will do it in the last minute.