Minor League Baseball enters its final week

One week to go and the regular season of most of minor league baseball is over.  Only the New York – Penn League and the Pioneer League will play a week longer than the rest. Here is an overview of the standings in each league from AAA to Advanced Rookie.

AAA

International League
Two teams in the International League have clinched a playoff spot. The Scranton/Wilkes-Barre RailRiders of the North Division and the Durham Bulls of the South Division.  Only the West Division is still open as the Columbus Clippers trail the Indianapolis Indians by three games with eight games to go. Three teams are still in the running for a Wild Card: the Rochester RedWings and the Lehigh Valley IronPigs.

Pacific Coast League
In the PCL, two teams have clinched their division, allowing them to advance to the playoffs: the Colorado Springs SkySox clinched their division, the American Northern, for the first time in twenty years. The Memphis Redbirds are the second team to clinch their division. The two other divisions are still up for grabs. In the Pacific Northern Division, the Reno Aces have the best outlook with a three game lead over Fresno Grizzlies and a magic number of six. The Salt Lake Bees lead the Pacific Southern Division by just one game over the El Paso Chihuahuas. With eight games to go, everything is possible in those two divisions. The Reno Aces may have the best shot to win their division as they are red hot with a five game winning streak and a 7-3 record in their last ten games. The Pacific Southern Division is really up for grabs as both contestants have a winning streak of two games but the Chihuahuas’ record over the last ten games is slightly better (6-4) than the Bees’ (5-5).

AA

Eastern League
The Trenton Thunder is vastly dominant this season as the club has the best record by far with .659.  It won’t come as a surprise the team has clinched their division  (the Eastern Division) already with a nine game lead over the Binghamton Rumble Ponies. The latter has clinched the Wild Card though.
In the Western Division, four clubs are still battling for the win and a Wild Card: the Altoona Curve, who have a one game lead over the Bowie BaySox, the Akron RubberDucks and the Erie SeaWolves, both trailing Bowie by six games. With eight games to go,, the RubberDucks and the SeaWolves are four games away from elimination. 

Southern League
In the Southern League North Division, the Chattanooga Lookouts are vastly superior this season. The club won the first half already and is on the verge of clinching the second half as well, which will give them a huge advantage in the playoffs as they will have a four game home advantage in the best of five series. The only team that still can catch them are the Montgomery Biscuits, who trail by six games and are three games away from elimination. But if the Biscuits will not clinch the second half, they will advance to the play offs anyway.
In the South Division, things are still open. Four teams battle for the second half. The first half winner, the Pensacola Blue Wahoos are in fourth place, trailing division leader Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp by seven games. The Mobile BayBears are trailing Jacksonville by three games and the Biloxi Shuckers by four, so the race for the second playoff spot is still wide open.

Texas League
In the North Division of the Texas League, the Springfield Cardinals and the Tulsa Drillers are tied for first place with a 39-23 record. The Drillers have the better record in their last ten games (7-3), while the Cardinals are 4-6, so the Drillers have the best outlook. The first half winners, the Northwest Arkansas Naturals have been eliminated already.
In the South Divison, there is a similar situation as in the Southern League’s North division. The San Antonio Missions have won the first half already and are about to win the second half as well, as they lead the Midland Rockhounds by four games, the Frisco RoughRiders by seven and the Corpus Christi Hooks by eight.

A-Advanced

California League
The now eight team California League also enters its final week. In the North Division, it is a close call as the Visalia Rawhide have a one game lead over all the other teams. But the Northern division is clearly the weakest division as no team has a winning record in the second half. The Modesto Nuts have clinched the first half already.
In the Southern Division, the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes have a one game lead over the first half division winners Lancaster JetHawks. The Inland Empire 66ers are in third place, trailing Rancho Cucamonga by five games. 

Carolina League
In the now ten team Carolina League, the Northern Division second half title race is already run. First half winner Lynchburg HillCats have won the second half as well and are leading the Salem Red Sox by nine games.
In the Southern Division, the second half title race is still open even though the Buies Creek Astros are leading runner up Down East Wood Ducks by 3.5 games with a magic number of four. Two other teams are still in the race as well: the Carolina Mudcats, who trail the Astros by 5.5 games and the Winston-Salem Dash who trail by 6.5 games. First half winner Myrtle Beach Pelicans is eliminated from the second half championship race.

Florida State League
In the Northern Division of the FSL, another Yankee farm team is rather successful as the Tamp Yankees, who won the first half already are having an eight game lead over the Dunedin Blue Jays. With eight games to go, the magic number of the Yankees is two.
In the Southern Division, the Fort Myers Miracle are in a four game lead over the (Port) Charlotte StoneCrabs. Also the Bradenton Marauders, the Jupiter Hammerheads and the Palm Beach Cardinals, who won the first half, are in the race. But all three are trailing by eight games and are two games away from elimination.

A Full Season
Midwest League
The West Michigan WhiteCaps, who have won the first half of the Eastern Division, are in the lead in the second half again. They have a 2.5 lead over the Fort Wayne TinCaps, a 5.5 game lead over the Bowling Green Hot Rods and a 7.5 game lead over the South Bend Cubs. Even though the Dayton Dragons are eliminated already, they have clinched a playoff spot by finishing second in the first half of the season.
In the Western Division, the Quad Cities River Bandits have clinched the division thanks to their best overall record. Except for the Kane County Cougars, who won the first half, all other teams in the Western are still in the running for a playoff spot.

South Atlantic League
With seven games to go, the Hickory Crawdads are leading the North Division by one game over the Greensboro Grasshoppers. Also the West Virginia Power, the Hagerstown Suns and the Lakewood BlueClaws are in the race for the second half championship, even though the BlueClaws are one game away from elimination. First half winner, Kannapolis Intimidators are already eliminated as they trail the Crawdads by 9.0 games.
In the South Division, another Yankee affiliate is in the lead. The Charleston RiverDogs are leading the Greenville Drive (first half winner) by 4.5 games. The Drive is three games away from elimination. The Rome Braves (trailing by five) and the Asheville Tourists (trailing by 5.5) are three and two games away from elimination respectively.

A Short Season
Northwest League
The second half race in the North Division is too close for comfort as three teams are in the lead with an 18-14 record: first half winner Vancouver Canadians, the Tri-City Dust Devils and the Spokane Indians. Also the Everett AquaSox are still in the race, though trailing the aforementioned three by two games with six games to go.
In the South Division, first half winner Hillsboro Hops are in the lead with a two game lead over runner up Eugene Emeralds, a three game lead over the Boise Hawks and a five game lead over the Salem-Keizer Volcanoes.

New York – Penn League
Also in the New York Penn League McNamara Division, a Yankee affiliate is in the lead. The Staten Island Yankees are leading the Hudson Valley Renegades by three games. The Aberdeen IronBirds are trailing by 4.5 and the Brooklyn Cyclones are eliminated already as they trail by twenty-three games.
In the Pickney Division, no team is eliminated yet but the Batavia MuckDogs and the Auburn DoubleDays are close as they are three and two games away from elimination. The Mahoning Valley Scrappers are in first place with a three game lead over the West Virginia Black Bears. 
In the Stedler Division, the Vermont LakeMonsters have a 4.5 game lead over the Connecticut Tigers. The Tri-City ValleyCats and the Lowell Spinners trail by 5.5 and seven games respectively.

The three division champions and one Wild Card winner will go to the playoffs. The team with the biggest chance to win the Wild Card is the Hudson Valley Renegades (37-27). But the Aberdeen IronBirds and the West Virginia Black Bears are close behind as they trail by 1.5 and 2.5 games.

Advanced Rookie
Pioneer League
With thirteen games left to play, the Great Falls Voyagers of the North Division have the best outlook although runner up Missoula Osprey (first half winners) are only trailing by three games. Also the Billings Mustangs and the Helena Brewers are still in contention as they trail by four and six games.
In the South Division, the Ogden Raptors have a slim, one game, lead over the Orem Owlz (first half winners). Grand Junction Rockies and the Idaho Falls Chukars trail by three and seven games.

Appalachian League
In the East Division, another Yankee affiliate is in the race for the division championship. The Pulaski Yankees are in second place, trailing the Bluefield Blue Jays by 3.5 games. If they won’t win the championship, they will face the number three in the standings, the Danville Braves in a best of three series to decide who will face Bluefield in the East Division championship series.
In the West Division, the Elizabethton Twins appear to have the best outlook to win the division as they lead the Johnson City Cardinals by 5.5 games, the Greenville Astros by four and the Kingsport Mets by ten.
The winner of the division will advance to the West Division championship series and the numbers two and three will battle in a best of three series for a spot in the championship series.