central intelligence
The Royals find themselves in the thick of the wild-card chase, and they don't know what to do with themselves. The players are used to planning offseason vacations by now. Instead, they are eyeing their first postseason berth since 1985. Season-ticket holders are receiving playoff ticket information. Manager Ned Yost woke up at 4:30 a.m. one day this week, figuring out ways to juggle the rotation in case he wants James Shields to start a playoff game.
Good times in Kansas City. For the first time in a long time.
"I've never been in this situation: Playing for something in September and really not planning for the offseason yet," outfielder Alex Gordon said. "It's awesome."
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Cleveland entered Saturday 1½ games out of a wild-card spot — the first team in line behind the Rangers and Rays — and Indians fans couldn't care less.
Cleveland has the third-worst attendance in baseball, ahead of just Tampa Bay and Miami. The Indians' three-game series with Kansas City last week drew a total of 34,494 — 11,498 per game.
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