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Playoff Picture Gets Clearer with 2 Weeks Left.

With just over two weeks remaining in the season, the playoff picture has come into clearer focus. Here is a run down of what has been decided and what remains to be decided in this year's pennant races.

NATIONAL LEAGUE

The National League divisional races appear to be decided. The Braves continued their control of the NL East and have a 11.5 game lead over the Mets. The Reds remain unchallenged in the Central. Out west, the Giants should wrap up the division over the next couple of days. The Wild Card race remains up for grabs with the Mets and the Marlins only seperated by a game. St Louis is still mathematically in the hunt, but at 5.5 out it is going to take a lot of work. No one fell as hard down the stretch as Colorado and Arizona. Both teams were in the Wild Card race in the beginning of August, but now they are struggling to stay above .500.

AMERICAN LEAGUE

Boston continues to control the AL East. The Yankees have played well down the stretch and are in the Wild Card race, but catching the Red Sox will be difficult because they are 6.5 games out. It seems like nobody wants to win the Central Division. Cleveland has fallen from first to forth in just over a month. The Twins have pulled into first place, with the Royals just a half a game behind. The White Sox have played well down the stretch and pulled themselves out of last place to just one game behind. The Athletics continue to lead the West, but have barely played .500 ball since the beginning of August. Anaheim has pulled to within five games and play the A's seven times in the next 2 weeks. The Angels continue to lead the Wild Card race, but the red-hot Yankees have pulled to within 4 games.