Several races have been turning heads and many intriguing story-lines are developing as the season comes into the home stretch. Three division races remain tight, a host of players are putting up MVP numbers, and the Detroit Tigers are chasing the 1964 New York Mets for historic futility.

Three teams are fighting for the lone playoff berth in the Central Division of the American League. The Kansas City Royals, Chicago White Sox, and Minnesota Twins are all within three games of the lead, with each team fighting to get to the top of the pile.

In the AL West, the Seattle Mariners and Oakland Athletics are jockeying for the top spot. Recently, Oakland has been closing in on the Mariners, but injuries to pitchers Mark Mulder and Tim Hudson will hamper their run at the top. Mulder suffered a stress fracture in his right hip and is out for the year. Hudson sustained a bruise on his pitching hand, but X-rays were negative. The team that falls short in the West will be in a scrum for the Wild Card with the Boston Red Sox. The only playoff spot that’s solidified is the East, with the New York Yankees continuing their reign at the top.

In the National League, the Central is the story, with the Houston Astros, Chicago Cubs, and St. Louis Cardinals all fighting for a single playoff spot. The other two division races are all but over, with the San Francisco Giants and Atlanta Braves running away from their opponents. The second place teams from the East and West are fighting for the Wild Card spot, with the Philadelphia Phillies leading the race over the Florida Marlins and Arizona Diamondbacks.

Individual players have been making a run for the Most Valuable Player award. In the American League, Ichiro Suzuki and Bret Boone are leading contenders, but Jason Giambi, Nomar Garciaparra, and Carlos Delgado are putting up impressive numbers as well.

In the National League, the race has become a two horse race. Albert Pujols from the Cardinals and Barry Bonds from the Giants are competing for the MVP award. Pujols is in contention for the triple crown, currently leading the league in batting average, second in runs batted in, and fourth in home runs. Barry Bonds leads the league in home runs, walks, on base percentage, and slugging percentage, but is currently on the Bereavement List after the death of his father. Gary Sheffield is also putting up MVP numbers, but is not considered in the running for the award.

The Detroit Tigers are currently chasing the 1964 New York Mets for the worst record in Major League history. The Mets set the Major League high with 140 losses and are the mark that all bad teams are measured against. The Tigers are currently on pace to have 141 losses. Two of their starters are slated to lose 20 games, but the Tigers’ franchise is pulling rookie Jeremy Bonderman from the starting rotation. As of the weekend, the Tigers are last in team batting average, runs, and hits.