Last day of the regular season, playoff picture still foggy

It's hard to believe that we're at this point in the major league baseball season already...

Game #162.

Yet still, the playoff picture is far from complete.

While we know that the Twins (AL Central), Rangers (AL West), Yankees (AL East/Wildcard), Rays (AL East/Wildcard), Phillies (NL East) and Reds (NL Central) are going to October, two spots still remain undecided, those being the NL West and NL Wildcard and will be battled for today by the San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves.

However baseball fans, we could be in for a treat, something we've never yet seen before in baseball history.

A three-way-tie.

That's right.

However, this would only occur if the following occurs:

- The Padres defeat the Giants today, placing them in a tie with San Francisco for first place in the NL West.

- The Braves defeat the Phillies.

Only then, would there be a three-way-tie, which is a lot more likely than most believe.

In that case, the Giants and Padres would fly to San Diego and play a one-game playoff to decide the NL West division winner. The loser of that game, be it the Giants or Padres, then would fly to Atlanta to play the Braves in yet another one-game playoff to decide the Wildcard winner. It's a very complex format, but hey, that's baseball.

However, if the Giants were to win today against the Padres (they would be NL West Division Champions), and the Braves lost to the Phillies, the Padres would be the Wildcard Champions, eliminating the Braves from the playoffs. If the Padres were to beat the Giants with the Braves losing, the Giants would be the Wildcard Champions. Confusing stuff.

Basically, if the Braves lose, both western teams go to the playoffs. Talk about a depressing send-off to longtime Braves' manager Bobby Cox, who announced he will be retiring after the season, as well as a depressing end to a season in which the Braves claimed first place for most of the year.

So what does this all hinge on?

The Padres winning. If San Diego wins, a three-way-tie-breaker will occur.

If San Diego loses, the Giants and Braves go to the playoffs.

As for me, I'd love to see the Giants win the division just because I picked them at the beginning of the season, everything else goes. On the other hand, I'd really love to see a San Diego-Atlana one-game playoff, that'd be awesome.

If the Padres and Braves were to meet up for the one-game wildcard playoff, I have to say that it could go either way. Both teams have been sub-par in September, with both clubs going 4-6 over their last 10 games. Their aces, Mat Latos (SD) and Tim Hudson (ATL), are starting today, which would make them unavailable to start a one-game playoff which would take place on Tuesday. In the end however, I think experience plays a huge role in determining a playoff spot, so I'll pick the Braves over San Diego in this situation. If it were the Giants and Braves, I'll take the Giants over the Braves because they'd most likely start ace and two-time Cy Young award winner, Tim Lincecum

If the Giants were to fall today to San Diego and and then lose to Atlanta in the one-game Wildcard playoff, that would be almost as bad of a collapse as the New York Mets in 2007 & 2008.

So will the Giants, led by NL Rookie of the Year front-runner Buster Posey, be victorious over Adrian Gonzalez and the Padres? Who will falter to possibly play Jason "J-Hay Kid" Heyward and the Braves? Will the Braves collapse?

I'll be watching those games today very closely, as well as the Yankee game of course to see if they will be winning the division or wildcard. Gotta say that I'd prefer the Wildcard right now for the Yanks, they seem to have the Twins' number in the playoffs.

Well folks that's all for now, I'll be back later to post the final standings so we can set up a playoff picture. Enjoy the last day of the regular season, and if you're a fan of a team who has to wait till next year, well, wait till next year.

Predictions:

TODAY:

GIANTS OVER PADRES - GIANTS NL WEST CHAMPIONS,

BRAVES OVER PHILLIES - BRAVES WILDCARD CHAMPIONS

IF THERE IS AN NL WEST TIEBREAKER TOMORROW:

GIANTS OVER PADRES - GIANTS NL WEST CHAMPIONS

IF THERE IS AN NL WILDCARD TIEBREAKER TUESDAY:

BRAVES OVER PADRES - BRAVES NL WILDCARD CHAMPIONS

Update, 6:19 PM - The Yankees fell to the Red Sox 8-4 today, while the Rays beat Kansas City 3-2. The Yankees enter the postseason as the Wildcard and will play the Twins in Minnesota on Wednesday, while the Rays win the AL East and host the Rangers on Wednesday as well. Also, the Giants currently lead the Padres 2-0 in the 7th. Remember, if the Giants win, that means San Diego is eliminated and the Braves are the Wildcard Champions.