They are keeping track of the magic number in Minnesota, counting the Twins' victories and White Sox losses while trying to project when bubbly is going to flow on a third consecutive AL Central championship. But Ron Gardenhire doesn't want to hear about it.
"This playoff talk is really starting to kill me," the manager said. "For me, it's no fun at all. We play the White Sox six times and the Indians six times. We haven't done a thing yet. I'm a little superstitious."
As if Gardenhire knows anything about finishing second. He's 2-for-2 in winning division titles, and it will be nothing short of stunning if he doesn't make it three.
The White Sox and Indians fired their shots and have fallen back, essentially handing the division to Minnesota. On July 26, the White Sox were a half-game behind the Twins. But Brad Radke handcuffed them at U.S. Cellular Field to begin a sweep. The White Sox entered the weekend having gone 19-25 since they were in first place.
At one point the Indians charged past the White Sox to threaten the Twins. They had won 10 of 11 to move within one game of first place Aug. 15. They then lost 16 of the next 20.
Included in Cleveland's four victories during that stretch was the historic 22-0 rout of the Yankees and a 9-0 victory over the White Sox. Otherwise they were outscored 118-56.
"We've tailed off, obviously," Cleveland manager Eric Wedge said. "Offensively, at times we have guys trying to do too much. Each individual needs to reflect on what they have done to be successful and they need to get back to that."
The Indians had losing streaks of nine and five games.
"We have to finish strong," Wedge said. "We have gotten a little bit away from that lately. But we need to come out like gangbusters. These guys have done too much and come too far not to finish strong."
The Twins entered the weekend 79-60, meaning they could go 11-12 and still win 90 games. For the White Sox to get there, they would have to go 19-4 down the stretch.
LOOKING FOR WORK: If Barry Larkin plays in 2005, it probably won't be for Cincinnati. He was called into general manager Dan O'Brien's hotel suite in Houston Tuesday to be told he no longer was a starter. O'Brien had decided it was time to look at young shortstops.
"They said they want to see Anderson Machado and Felipe Lopez splitting time at shortstop, but I think it's just their way of not letting me get out there to show what I can do this last month," Larkin said. "That'll make it easier for them this offseason. I understand they have to see what some of these kids can do and that's cool. But I was told flat out I'm not going to play, not at all."
The 40-year-old Larkin is hitting .300 in 98 games and has made only four errors.
GOING OUT STRONG: After announcing his retirement at the end of the season, Seattle's Edgar Martinez hit .349 in his next 25 games, including a 12-for-20 stretch in six games. But he says he has no second thoughts about hanging it up.
"Yes, I am very sure I am still leaving," he says. "Very, very, very sure."
Martinez entered the weekend hitting .346 since the All-Star break. "That's nice," Martinez said. "But it's still going to be goodbye."
BAD PLAN: Orioles left-hander Matt Riley thought it was neat when the team flew him from Kansas City to Philadelphia a day before a start in July.
That's because it gave him a chance to drive to Baltimore, spend time with his girlfriend and roll into Citizens Bank Park at about 4:30 the next day, only 21/2 hours before the start.
Riley allowed five runs in an inning that start, and a day later was shipped to Triple A. He's now back for a last chance.
"I owed an apology to my teammates, to my manager for the stunt I pulled in Philadelphia," Riley said. "I think that's all washed clean now and we can move on and I can help my team win some games."
He has great potential but no results. Soon he could be someone else's headache.
EASY TO SPOT: Since being traded to Montreal in the Nomar Garciaparra deal, third baseman Brendan Harris keeps bumping into reminders of his original club.
"I meet a lot of Cubs fans on the road," Harris said. "It's kind of funny, they always have a beer in their hands. They're like, "Hey man, sorry you had to go, but it's awesome to have Nomar.' "
BY THE NUMBERS: Oakland entered the weekend with a 6.27 staff ERA in September, allowing Minnesota to move into the AL lead. ... The Astros became the first NL team since the 1895 Brooklyn Bridegrooms to score six or more runs in every game of an 11-game winning streak. Oakland did it in a 12-game winning streak in 2002.
