PHILADELPHIA – With the 2015 Major League Baseball regular season coming to an end, many teams this weekend will look to secure positioning in the postseason, as well as finish the year out strong with momentum that would ideally carry them deep into October.
For the Philadelphia Phillies (61-97) and Cincinnati Reds (63-95), they will have something much different to play for during their final few games of the season: the first overall pick in the 2016 Major League Baseball First-Year Player Draft that will be held next June in Secaucus, New Jersey.
|
|
W |
L |
PCT |
GB |
L10 |
STRK |
|
Phillies |
61 |
97 |
0.386 |
— |
5-5 |
W3 |
|
Reds |
63 |
95 |
0.399 |
2.0 |
0-10 |
L11 |
|
Braves |
64 |
94 |
0.405 |
3.0 |
6-4 |
W2 |
Bryan Price's Reds are currently two games behind the Phillies, with four left to play.
The Reds have lost 11 consecutive games, which is their longest losing skid since June 14-24, 1998.
Over this stretch, their starters are 0-8 with a 6.62 ERA (51 2/3 IP, 38 ER), and they have been outscored by a margin of 53 runs, 78 to 25.
The Phillies, on the other hand, have fared well recently. They have won four of their previous five games, outscoring their opponents 32 to 17.
The first overall pick is awarded to the team with the worst record at the end of the regular season. In order for the Reds to surpass the Phillies, they must lose at least three of their remaining four games, with the Phillies winning the same amount.
Philadelphia owns the tiebreaker, as it resorts to last year's standings to award the first overall pick. Cincinnati finished 2014 with a record of 76-86, while the Phillies led by manager Ryne Sandberg were 73-89.
The Atlanta Braves (64-94) are the only other team in the race for the first overall pick, however their chances in earning it are slim. Not only would they have to lose each of their remaining four games, but the Phillies would have to win out and the Reds would have to win at least two more games.
Atlanta finished last season with a record of 79-83, so they would fall short in any tiebreaker with the Phillies or Reds.
|
Philadelphia Phillies (61-97) |
Cincinnati Reds (63-95) |
|
|
Thursday, Oct. 1 |
vs. NYM (12:05 p.m.) |
vs. CHC (12:35 p.m.) |
|
Friday, Oct. 2 |
vs. MIA (7:05 p.m.) |
@ PIT (7:05 p.m.) |
|
Saturday, Oct. 3 |
vs. MIA (7:05 p.m.) |
@ PIT (7:05 p.m.) |
|
Sunday, Oct. 4 |
vs. MIA (3:05 p.m.) |
@ PIT (3:05 p.m.) |
The Phillies must win half of their remaining games to avoid 100 losses in a season for the first time since 1961. Accomplishing such, however, would risk them not earning the first overall pick depending on how the Reds finish at PNC Park this weekend.
Matt Rappa (@mattrappasports) is managing editor of Philliedelphia.com
