The Playoff Update After Tuesday’s Games

I posted this on my daily update already, but let’s cover our bases:

1. The league has added another day to the regular season. The season will end on Saturday, with the playoffs starting on Sunday.
2. The delayed game between Woodstock and New Market (from Monday night) has been declared a final (Woodstock was winning the game when the skies opened). The game, however, has not been finalized (hopefully will be tonight), so the standings do not reflect that just yet.
3. Several games have been rescheduled already, with a few more to go. Make sure you check the league website, which should have the new dates available before anywhere else. (The Purcellville at Covington game will be on Saturday at 7 p.m. That is not changed on the league website yet due to the current status of the game.)

Now let’s look at the standings- remember, this will be different from the league website because of the “unfinalized” game. There are a ton of moving parts here, so it’s possible I missed something. Drop me a line if you notice anything.

1. Strasburg has clinched a top-two playoff spot, and controls its own destiny. The squad has four games to play: Waynesboro, @Staunton, Front Royal, @Winchester.
2. Woodstock has also clinched a top-two seed. Only two games left: @New Market, @Front Royal. Two losses behind the Express. The Bandits will be able to get its pitching staff lined up for the playoffs.
3. New Market is tied with Winchester for seed #3. Two games left: Woodstock, @Purcellville. New Market holds the tie-breaker against Winchester (unless I’m mistaken), having won the season series, 3-2.
4. Winchester is tied with New Market. Two games left: @Purcellville, Strasburg.
5. Purcellville can still catch the 3rd seed. Six games left: Staunton, @Covington, @Front Royal, Winchester, New Market (and a makeup with Staunton yet).
6. Front Royal was eliminated from playoff contention. The team has three games left: Purcellville, @Strasburg, Woodstock.

1. Waynesboro have a three game lead with four games to play (Gens have a top two spot clinched): @Covington, Charlottesville, @Harrisonburg, @Staunton. One General win OR one Tom Sox loss will clinch the division title. (Will Coach Cole and the squad get to 30 wins?)
2. Charlottesville has clinched a top two seed. Two games left, both on the road: @Covington, @Harrisonburg.
3. Covington is in third place, a game and a half ahead of Staunton. Three games left: Purcellville, Waynesboro, Charlottesville. Jacks hold tie-breaker against the Braves (4-2).
4. Staunton is now only one game ahead of the Turks with four games remaining: @Purcellville, Strasburg, Waynesboro (@Purcellville makeup, too). Staunton still controls its own fate- the team is still two losses ahead of the Turks. So two wins will clinch a tie, and the Braves hold the tiebreaker (see below).
5. Harrisonburg is one back of the last spot with two to play: Waynesboro, Charlottesville (both tough games). The Turks are 2-4 against Staunton this summer, so they need to finish ahead of the Braves to win that fourth spot. It’s still very possible that the Turks continue its streak of years in the playoffs to ten straight.