What's Left for AL Playoff Contenders?

Somehow, only five weeks remain in the baseball season. Other than injuries, a contending team's schedule might be the biggest factor in determining which teams get a shot at postseason glory and which spend October on the golf course.

The following is a quick breakdown of what the AL teams still fighting for a playoff spot will face over the season's final weeks.

Red Sox

The Good: After Boston finishes a three-game set with the Yankees on Thursday, it will play 20 of its final 29 games at Fenway Park, where the team is 43-18 this year.

The Bad: The Red Sox still have to face Toronto seven more times. The Red Sox are 4-6 against their divisional rivals this year, and perhaps more distressing, have surrendered more than six runs per game against the light-hitting Jays in 2008.

Key Stretch: From Sept. 8-21, Boston will face Tampa Bay and nemesis Toronto 13 times. All things considered, the Red Sox have a very favorable schedule down the stretch, with four off days remaining. The injuries which are rapidly piling up will play a much bigger factor in whether they get a chance to defend their title than who they face.

Yankees

The Good: It's pretty hard to find a lot to like. Exactly half of the Yankees' remaining games will be at Yankee Stadium, which is good, but they're facing very tough competition and have a lot of ground to make up.

The Bad: Gulp. Get ready for a terrifying number New York fans: 25 of the Yankees' remaining 32 games are against teams that are over .500.

Key Stretch: From Aug. 26-Sept. 10, the Yankees will not have an off day, but will play 10 of 16 games on the road, including a grueling trip starting on Labor Day that will take them from Detroit to Tampa Bay to Seattle to Anaheim. Good luck with that. If the Yankees somehow manage to keep their string of consecutive playoff appearances alive, they will have truly earned it.


Rays

The Good: Tampa Bay will spend a good chunk of September on the road, but it seems to have figured out how to win away from Tropicana Field. After struggling early in the year, the Rays are now 32-32 as the visiting team. Their final eight games will be against teams playing out the string (Baltimore, Detroit).

The Bad: After today, the Rays only have two off days left (Sept. 1 and 11), and -- counting a doubleheader in Baltimore -- they'll play 33 games in the final 34 days of the season.

Key Stretch: From Sept. 2-17, Tampa Bay will play New York and Boston 12 times. If the Rays make it through that gauntlet in first, they'll win the AL East. Even if they struggle a bit, they're still a good bet to reach the playoffs.

Twins

The Good: Though they're in the midst of a very long road trip, Minnesota isn't going to face a lot of tough competition down the stretch. The Twins won't face a team in playoff contention until Sept. 18 when they head to Tampa Bay for a four-game series.

The Bad: They aren't going to be at the Metrodome very much down the stretch, with 19 of the Twins' final 31 games on the road. In case you were wondering, Minnesota is 28-34 away from home.

Key Stretch: From Sept. 18-25, Minnesota will take on Tampa Bay at the Trop for a four-game set, then, after an off day, return home for a critical series with the White Sox. With only a three-game series against the Royals left after that, the Twins will have very little margin for error against two of the AL's best teams.

White Sox

The Good: Other than the aforementioned three-game series with Minnesota, the White Sox will face some soft competition in the final days of the regular season. A trip to Kansas City and a home series with Cleveland sandwiches their trip to the Land of 10,000 Lakes.

The Bad: Chicago will play nearly as many road games as the Twins down the stretch, with 18 of its final 32 away from U.S. Cellular Field. In addition, it also has to face tougher competition. The White Sox will play three against Boston, three against Los Angeles and four against a New York team that figures to be desperate as they fight for a playoff spot.

Key Stretch: From Sept. 5-18, Chicago won't have an off day and will have to face the Angels, Blue Jays, Tigers and Yankees in succession. Three of those teams probably aren't going to play in October, but not one of them is going to be a pushover.

Writer's notes: The Angels were omitted because they are a virtual lock for the postseason. To read a similar breakdown for the NL, please click here.