5 Reasons This MLB Stretch Run Will Be the Best Yet

The 2012 MLB Playoffs are just around the corner and the next three weeks are about to be the best we have seen in a long time.

While the division races in the National League seem to lack flare, the American League is a different story.

With all three divisions highly contested, division leaders today could find themselves out of the playoff race tomorrow. The next 20 games are dire for all eight teams involved.

Here are five reasons why the next three weeks will be the best we've ever seen.

The Stephen Strasburg Saga

The Washington Nationals currently have the best record in baseball (89-54).

However, they will be without their ace Stephen Strasburg for the stretch run and the playoffs as the team has shut him down for the year.

I understand their concerns for wanting to not overdo him almost two years after Tommy John Surgery. But, when you have a chance to win the World Series this year, you have to put your best horses out there. And, Strasburg is their best horse on the mound.

It's not like Strasburg is okay with the team shutting him down, either. He wants to go out there and compete with his teammates. But, the Nationals won't let him.

My guess is that if the Nationals don't win the World Series, management will be blamed for shutting Strasburg down.

While there may be no drama here, the dissension in the front office could have an effect on the Nationals' on-field performance.

Baltimore Orioles

Entering the season, most people assumed the American League East would be between the New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Tampa Bay Rays.

However, the Red Sox haven't been in it all year and the Baltimore Orioles have surprised many to be tied atop the division this late in the season.

The Orioles and Yankees are currently tied at 80-62, three games ahead of the Rays, which is also the lead they hold for the final wild-card spot.

What's most surprising about the Orioles is the manner in which they're getting it done.

The Orioles have weak pitching to say the least. Wei-Yin Chen is the leader on the staff with 12 wins, a 4.08 ERA and 138 strikeouts. But, the team still has 80 wins.

What helps the Orioles is that 19 different pitchers have recorded a win at some point this year, making that the highest of any MLB team.

The offense has also been explosive for the Orioles, with five players having 19 or more home runs and 59 or more RBI.

AL Central Is Win or Go Home

When the Detroit Tigers signed free agent first baseman Prince Fielder in the offseason, many thought the Tigers would run away with the division title.

However, the Tigers have done anything but that, and have been challenged by the Chicago White Sox all year.

The White Sox currently lead the division by one game and will face the Tigers Thursday night for the final time this season. Left on the schedule is Minnesota, Kansas City, Los Angeles Angels, Tampa Bay and Cleveland (six games).

The Tigers, on the other hand, have Cleveland, Oakland, Minnesota (six games) and Kansas City (seven games). Needless to say, they have an easier road.

Still, the White Sox have shown a lot of fight and they're going to be in it until the end.

One thing is for sure, the loser of the division race will be sitting at home come playoff time.

Chipper Jones' Final Season

Two years ago, the Atlanta Braves dealt with the retirement of Bobby Cox.

This year, Chipper Jones has taken center stage in preparation for retirement, a year after the Braves' epic September collapse.

The Braves won't have that happen again this year, as they're going to leave it out on the field, hopefully giving Jones his second World Series title.

Sending the future Hall of Famer out in style is on the minds of the players and you can bet the Braves won't go down like they did last year.

The Braves currently have a 5.5 game lead in the wild-card standings over the No. 2 wild-card team. Then, there's another game difference from there. So, if the Braves can hold serve, they're at least guaranteed a spot in the one-game playoff.

All that is left for the Braves is three games against each of Washington, Philadelphia, the Mets and Pittsburgh, while they still have six games left with Miami.

One-Game Playoff

This year, MLB starts the playoffs off with a Game 7 scenario.

No more having teams coast into the playoffs after they've clinched a spot. Now, they must win their division to avoid the one-game playoff.

Currently, the American League has eight teams still in the thick of the playoffs. Currently, Oakland is tied with New York and Baltimore atop the wild-card standings. Tampa Bay is three games behind, the Angels a half-game behind that and Detroit is five games back.

In the National League, Atlanta and St. Louis own the two spots in the wild card, with six more teams within 6.5 games.

The Braves seem to have a nice cushioned lead of 5.5 games ahead of St. Louis. After that, there's the Dodgers (one game), Pirates (2.5 games), Phillies (three games), Brewers (three games), Diamondbacks (four games) and Padres (6.5 games). So, there are still a lot of teams in contention.

Any way you look at it, the final weeks of the season are going to be exciting.

It may even come down to the final game, just like last year when St. Louis won its final game of the season to take the wild card from Atlanta.

Depending on what happens in the American League East, we could see any number of scenarios.