Six Dirtbags Help Teams Into MLB Playoffs
9/29/2014 12:00:00 AM | Baseball
LONG BEACH, Calif. - Six former Dirtbags had significant impacts in helping their respective squads into the Major League Baseball Playoffs, which start on Tuesday with the AL Wild Card game. The Dirtbags could have up to three alumni in one playoff as the six alums are spread out over five teams.
Of those five teams, three will be playing in the one-game Wild Card round. Jason Vargas helped the Kansas City Royals end the longest active postseason drought as a starting pitcher this season. After not making the postseason since 1985, the Royals will face the Oakland A's in tomorrow's AL Wild Card game.
The Pittsburgh Pirates will then host the San Francisco Giants in Wednesday's NL Wild Card game with the potential to have players in both dugouts. Vance Worley reemerged with the Pirates this season and helped solidify their starting rotation. Jared Hughes has been one of the Pirates top relievers all year with a 1.96 ERA over 64-plus innings. Hughes could potentially face Matt Duffy late in the game as Duffy has been one of the Giants first options off the bench after being called up in August.
Jared Weaver helped the Los Angeles Angels to the best record in the AL and will start Game 1 of the ALDS as the Angels ace. He went 18-9 with a 3.59 ERA this season. Danny Espinosa helped the Nationals to the NL's best record and will be an option to start in the infield or come off the bench this postseason.
The Divisional Series for the Angels will begin in Anaheim, Calif. on Thursday while the Nationals Divisional Series opens in Washington D.C on Friday.
