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Chris Owings - SS
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Edwin Jackson
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Braden Shipley
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| Travis Jankowski - CF | Jean Segura - 2B |
| Manuel Margot - RF | Jake Lamb - 3B |
| Wil Myers - 1B | Paul Goldschmidt - 1B |
| Yangervis Solarte - 3B | Welington Castillo - C |
| Alex Dickerson - LF | Brandon Drury - LF |
| Ryan Schimpf - 2B | Chris Owings - SS |
| Austin Hedges - C | Socrates Brito - RF |
| Luis Sardinas - SS | Mitch Haniger - CF |
| Edwin Jackson - RHP | Braden Shipley - RHP |
And so we enter the last series of the 2016 campaign, and the Diamondbacks could still end up picking anywhere from second to seventh in next year's draft. The Twins have the #1 pick locked up, and have had for a while, with a record currently nine games worse than anyone else. But thereafter, only two games cover the next six teams, so a lot remains to be decided over the final weekend. Here are the current standings for those seven teams in Tankapalooza 2016, with the final column below showing who they are playing this weekend:
| Tm | W | L | | Strk | pyth | last10 | last20 | vs | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | MIN | 57 | 102 | .358 | W 1 | 64-95 | 2-8 | 6-14 | @ CHW |
| 2 | TBR | 66 | 93 | .415 | W 1 | 75-84 | 2-8 | 7-13 | @ TEX |
| ARI | 66 | 93 | .415 | L 1 | 67-92 | 3-7 | 8-12 | vs. SDP |
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| 4 | ATL | 66 | 92 | .418 | W 3 | 66-92 | 9-1 | 12-8 | vs. DET |
| 5 | CIN | 67 | 92 | .421 | L 1 | 67-92 | 4-6 | 10-10 | vs. CHC |
| OAK | 67 | 92 | .421 | L 4 | 68-91 | 1-9 | 7-13 | @ SEA |
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| 7 | SDP | 68 | 91 | .428 | L 1 | 72-87 | 6-4 | 11-9 | @ ARI |
Although we have the same number of wins as Tampa and Atlanta, we have an edge over both. The Braves have lost one fewer, and it doesn't appear that game will be made up. So if they get as many wins as the D-backs this weekend, we will finish marginally ahead. We also own the tie-breaker over the Rays, because last year, they had one more win than us, so again, a tie will go to the D-backs. But let's not forget Cincinnati, who are playing the team with the best record in the majors (though quite how committed the Cubs will be, is hard to say) or Oakland, who face a Seattle team still in the wild-card hunt, albeit only just.
Beyond Tankapalooza, although the division races are all sewn up, with every leader ahead by at least five games, those wild-card races remain to be decided. Baltimore and Toronto look likely to prevail in the American League, and the New York Mets have an edge in the National League. The final spot here is between the Cardinals, who host the Pirates, and the Giants, who are visited by the Dodgers. So there's plenty of reason to be scoreboard watching; personally, I'll be cheering for St. Louis, since I have no interest in perpetuating this "even year" bullshit any further.
It's SnakePitFest tonight! Woo-hoo! Thanks to the asteroids, a bunch of us will be meeting at the Rose & Crown before heading over to the game, so if you want to pop in and say hi, that's where we'll be. This is also why the preview is going up early, since this way, I can get all the Gameday Thread and quick recap in a row from here, rather than trying to organize all that stuff on my phone from the ballpark, on Chase Field's spectacularly under-powered wi-fi. Part of me hopes Arizona does win, for a happy SnakePitFest. Though on the other hand, losing and having SnakePitFest on the day we clinch last place would be an appropriate metaphor for the entire season!