Breaking Down the Twitter Buzz Surrounding MLB Playoff Race

For most teams, the month of September means it is time for MLB players and their families to start sorting out their offseason winter plans. For 10 teams, they will have to put their vacation plans on hold because they will be playing postseason baseball in October.

We know the Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals and the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will be playing playoff baseball, but what's the buzz surrounding the other teams still trying to clinch a postseason berth?

The Oakland Athletics held a four-game lead in the AL West in early August. Now Oakland finds itself just 1.5 games ahead in the wild-card race and is fighting just to avoid being eliminated. While Jon Lester has pitched some amazing games for the Athletics, hitting has been a huge issue. 

The Athletics went from having an above-average offense to having one of the American League’s worst offenses. Oakland is only hitting .225 in the month of September with nine home runs. Trading Yoenis Cespedes has crushed the Athletics more than anyone could have expected. 

Prior to trading Cespedes, the A's were hitting .253, with an on-base percentage of .329 and an average of five runs per game. The A's may be third in the majors in team ERA (3.25), but that doesn't matter if you aren't able to put runs on the board.

ESPN writer Jim Caple asked, "Where would the Mariners be without Robinson Cano?" The Seattle Mariners certainly would not be contending for a wild-card spot if they had not signed Cano last offseason. 

Cano is hitting .319 with 14 home runs and 77 RBI on the season. Despite his slow start, the second baseman has hit 12 home runs since June 1 and has given the Mariners a much-needed threat in the middle of their lineup.

"

What happened to all the people joking about Robinson Cano going to Seattle?

— Olsh (@Mike_Olshin) September 17, 2014"

Caple writes in his article that "players can have positive (and negative) effects on teammates, the same way co-workers can make other employees more productive or leave them grumbling, miserable and staring at the clock." Caple is right. Cano's attitude has been infectious on his teammates and is something you won't find in any stat sheet. 

The Mariners are only 1.5 games out of the last wild-card spot, and Cano is a big reason why. While he probably won't win the American League MVP, Cano has proved over the last four months that he should get strong consideration for the award. 

The Milwaukee Brewers have won five out of their last seven games and are 2.5 games back in the wild-card race. Despite their recent success, scoring runs has been a big issue, with Milwaukee only averaging three runs per game in September. While the Brewers have been on a recent winning streak, their schedule is very difficult the rest of the season.

After finishing up their current series with the St. Louis Cardinals, the Brewers have series at Pittsburgh and Cincinnati before finishing up at home with the Chicago Cubs. The Brewers offense had better produce more runs, or Milwaukee will be watching the playoffs at home. 

With less than two weeks left in the season, the Athletics, Mariners and Brewers cannot afford to go on any kind of a losing streak. One bad series and each team could be planning its winter vacation.