Stretch Run

Today is the last scheduled off day in the first half for eight of the ten teams in the Cal League, so if teams want to make a move to win the first half title and secure a bye and guaranteed home series in the playoffs, now is the time to make a move. Here's what each team is up against the rest of the way. For division leaders, I'll use magic number (the amount of wins by them or losses by second place until they clinch) for division leaders and elimination number (the amount of losses by them or wins by first place until they are eliminated) for all trailers.

Bakersfield Blaze 24-27, 3rd place in CAL North, E# 11
4 v. San Jose (San Jose leads season series 9-3)
4 @ Stockton (Bakersfield leads season series 6-5)
3 @ San Jose (San Jose leads season series 9-3)
3 v. Stockton (Bakersfield leads season series 6-5)
5 @ Modesto (includes two doubleheaders) (Modesto leads season series 7-0)

Bakersfield's chances are not good. One thing they have going for them is seven games left against division leading San Jose as well as five against second place Modesto. Unfortunately, they have been horrible against those teams so far this season. They may have to wait until the second half to make a run, and their pythagorean record so far has shown they probably should be playing better.

High Desert Mavericks 30-22, 2nd in CAL South, E# 14
4 @ Inland Empire (Season series tied 3-3)
4 v. Rancho Cucamonga (Season series tied 2-2)
3 @ Visalia (First meeting this season)
3 v. San Jose (High Desert leads season series 4-0)
4 v. Lancaster (includes a suspended game from 4/21, Lancaster leading 1-0 in the 2nd) (High Desert leads season series 8-4)

High Desert probably wishes they had some meetings with division leader Lake Elsinore remaining because they've played very well against them this season. With 11 games left against teams in 4th or 5th place, the Mavericks have a chance to make the comeback if Lake Elsinore falters. Having previous success against San Jose helps too because that could be a difficult series.

Inland Empire 66ers 20-33, 4th in CAL South, E# 3
4 v. High Desert (Season series tied 3-3)
4 @ Lake Elsinore (Lake Elsinore leads season series 7-2)
3 v. Rancho Cucamonga (Inland Empire leads season series 7-5)
3 v. Lancaster (Lancaster leads season series 5-2)
3 @ Rancho Cucamonga (Inland Empire leads season series 7-5)

The 66ers don't have a chance in the first half. I've made it no secret here that I think they should have had a better first half, but they have picked it up lately. It's too little, too late but maybe they can build some momentum for the final 70 games. With four games against High Desert and four games against Lake Elsinore, they could at least spoil someone else's first half.

Lake Elsinore Storm 35-18, 1st in CAL South, M# 14
4 @ Modesto (First meeting this season)
4 v. Inland Empire (Season series tied 3-3)
3 @ Lancaster (Lake Elsinore leads season series 13-2)
3 @ Rancho Cucamonga (Lake Elsinore leads season series 4-3)
3 v. San Jose (First meeting this season)

Lake Elsinore has had one of the best records in pro baseball for awhile now, but High Desert isn't buried in the standings. The Storm haven't played well against High Desert this year, so they're fortunate they don't have to deal with them in the final 17 games. It's a bit of a tough schedule with seven games against the top two teams up north and Rancho Cucamonga is no pushover, so the Storm will need to keep up their great play.

Lancaster JetHawks 16-36, 5th in CAL South, ELIMINATED
4 @ Rancho Cucamonga (Rancho Cucamonga leads season series 9-5)
4 v. Visalia (First meeting this season)
3 v. Lake Elsinore (Lake Elsinore leads season series 13-2)
3 @ Inland Empire (Lancaster leads season series 5-2)
4 @ High Desert (includes a suspended game from 4/21, Lancaster leading 1-0 in the 2nd) (High Desert leads season series 8-4)

With their loss today, Lancaster has officially been eliminated from contention in the first half. Because of the way the playoff system works, the last 18 games still count a lot, so they can't pack it in until after the break. The first half obviously hasn't been ideal, and I'm doubtful of their chances in the second half. The pitching has been poor, and the lineup isn't deep although Clear Channel Stadium can help mask that.

Modesto Nuts 28-23, 2nd in CAL North E# 15
4 v. Lake Elsinore (First meeting this season)
4 @ San Jose (San Jose leads season series 8-4)
3 @ Stockton (Stockton leads season series 4-3)
3 @ Visalia (Season series tied 4-4)
5 v. Bakersfield (includes two doubleheaders) (Modesto leads season series 7-0)

Modesto has spent time in first place in the first half, but they were not able to hold off the surging San Jose Giants. One problem for them is San Jose has dominated the season series. They'll have one more chance to rectify that, and winning that series would obviously help their chances a lot. The series against Lake Elsinore will be very competitive, and the Nuts will need to at least earn a split in that.

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes 29-24, 3rd in CAL South E# 12
4 v. Lancaster (Rancho Cucamonga leads season series 9-5)
4 @ High Desert (Season series tied 2-2)
3 @ Inland Empire (Inland Empire leads season series 7-5)
3 v. Lake Elsinore (Lake Elsinore leads season series 4-3)
3 v. Inland Empire (Inland Empire leads season series 7-5)

Like Bakersfield, Rancho Cucamonga is a bit of a long shot. It helps the Quakes that they have 10 games against the two teams trailing them in the standings, and the other seven games are against the teams in front of them. Inland Empire has controlled the season series against Rancho Cucamonga this year, so if the Quakes are going to make a run, they'll need to take care of business against them.

San Jose Giants 33-20, 1st in CAL South, M# 15
4 @ Bakersfield (San Jose leads season series 9-3)
4 v. Modesto (San Jose leads season series 8-4)
3 v. Bakersfield (San Jose leads season series 9-3)
3 @ High Desert (High Desert leads season series 4-0)
3 @ Lake Elsinore (First meeting this season)

It was probably stupid of me to pick against these guys since it seems like they do nothing but win North division titles, but here we are. San Jose has rolled the opposition lately and fought back from third place. They have a difficult schedule for the remainder of the half which includes 11 games against the 2nd and 3rd place teams in the North and the top two down South.

Stockton Ports 23-30, 5th in CAL North, E# 8
4 @ Visalia (Visalia leads season series 9-3)
4 v. Bakersfield (Bakersfield leads season series 6-5)
3 v. Modesto (Stockton leads season series 4-3)
3 @ Bakersfield (Bakersfield leads season series 6-5)
3 v. Visalia (Visalia leads season series 9-3)

The Ports have really struggled for pretty much the entire first half, so although they're not officially eliminated, I doubt they'll make much noise in the first half. They have the season series lead against Modesto, so they have a shot to play spoiler, but their other 14 games are against teams that probably won't be winning anything this half. They should look forward to the second half.

Visalia Rawhide 24-29, 4th in CAL North, E# 9
4 v. Stockton (Visalia leads season series 9-3)
4 @ Lancaster (First meeting this season)
3 v. High Desert (First meeting this season)
3 v. Modesto (Season series tied 4-4)
3 @ Stockton (Visalia leads season series 9-3)

Visalia has been fading badly as of late, and it may be too late to turn the first half around. After spending a lot of time in first, the current eight game losing streak has them fighting off Stockton for 4th place. Only three of their final 17 games are against teams ahead of them in the North standings, so it will be difficult for them to make up ground. They do have seven games left against Stockton though, and they've had a lot of success against the Ports so far.