With Philadelphia clinching the NL East, six of the eight Major League Baseball playoff spots are filled. The final two spots will be determined by which two of four teams – one in each league – chokes less on the season’s final day.

The Chicago White Sox are this year’s version of the 2007 New York Mets, though the team from Queens is on a quest to blow a playoff spot in dramatic fashion for the second year in a row.
The Minnesota Twins and Milwaukee Brewers are the other teams in contention for chokers of the year.

The White Sox head into what should be the season’s final day on a five game losing streak, three of which were suffered at the hands of their division rival Twins. The Sox really would have needed just one win in the last five to lock up the Central – as the Twins have followed up their White Sox sweep with two clunkers against Kansas City.

Strangely, the Pale Hose still control their own destiny – win Sunday and they, at worst, will clinch the right to play Detroit on Monday in a make-up game – if the Sox win that, the worst they could do is force a 163rd game against the Twins for the right to back into the American League playoffs.

Making an argument that the Twins are choking is slightly harder given the expectations heading into the season. Sans Johan Santana and Torii Hunter, this was looked at as a rebuilding year. But after sweeping the White Sox, the Twins had momentum and a half-game division lead in their hands – only to slip in ugly fashion against Kansas City. Whichever team steals the final slot will face Tampa Bay in the first round of the playoffs – a winnable series if for no other reason than the youth and inexperience of the Rays.

The National League race comes down to two teams that have mastered the art of choking. The Mets’ fall last year ranked in FoxSports.com’s top 10 collapses of all time.

This year’s fall hasn’t been quite as dramatic. Still, the Mets have gone 10-11 in their last 21, including losing four of six to the Atlanta Braves and splitting a four game series with the disaster known as Washington.

If the Mets end up tied for the NL Wild Card spot they’ll host a playoff on Monday against the Milwaukee Brewers who have not been to the playoffs since 1982 and are getting good at blowing opportuinties in their own right.

They’ve actually come on strong since firing manager Ned Yost Sept. 15, winning five of the last six to remain in the race after a slow start to September. Before replacing Yost with Dale Sveum, the Brew Crew endured a stretch of eight losses in nine games. Extended to the beginning of September, the team lost 15 of 18 before ripping off a five game win streak that ended today.

They’ll send CC Sabathia to the mound on Sunday in an effort to keep pace with or beat the Mets for the final slot.

If they blow it, the Brewers would also be screwing up a legit playoff opportunity for the second consecutive year.

Gotta love the drama.