With last week's action, neither division has been clinched yet, but three of the IBE's four playoff spots have been spoken for. 

Buffalo, Indiana and Tucson each have 29 wins, and all can call themselves playoff teams. Three more teams are in the running this week for the fourth spot, with Oklahoma holding a big advantage to that spot. They hold a two-game lead and tiebreakers over both the Birmingham Bombers and Havana Cigars. 

Buffalo holds the head-to-head tiebreaker over Indiana, so all the Bolts need to do is win at least as many games this week as Indiana. Both teams are on the road, with Buffalo heading to New Mexico, and Indiana in Nashville. Tucson has been to the playoffs every season of this league's history except for 2003, but has never won the western division. One win over Colorado this week, or an Oklahoma loss to Hell will give the Cacti that elusive division title. In the race for top seed in the playoffs, Buffalo holds the tiebreaker over Tucson and Oklahoma, while Indiana has tiebreaking honors over Oklahoma, but the tiebreakers against Tucson could go down to a coin flip if those teams end up tied and Indiana gives up one more run this week than Tucson.

As far as the unclaimed playoff spot goes, Oklahoma is in the driver's seat. Two Rockhounds wins over Hell this week clinches that spot. Even if they don't win another game, if the Havana-Birmingham series splits, it's sayoonara to both the Cigars and Bombers. 

This means that every series played this week will have some bearing on the final playoff picture. Should be an exciting finish to the sixth season of the International Baseball Experience.

The Sweeps
* Buffalo completed their ownage of the Indiana Stars last week, completing a sweep and winning seven for their eight games against the Stars this season. Three of the games were decided by a single run. Gary Matthews came back from injury strong, clubbing six RBIs in the the series for the Bolts. The result is a tie atop the eastern division going into the final week of the regular season.

The Splits
* The fans attending the Oklahoma-Birmingham series last week got some free baseball. Three of the games went into extra innings, the other was a 17-2 blowout for the visiting Rockhounds. The fans, howver saw no resolution to the series, and no ground gained in the playoff race in the split series.

* Havana also could gain no ground on Oklahoma in the playoff race, splitting four games with the Nashville Slammers. The Cigars dropped game two after gaining a 4-0 lead in the first inning. The Cigars picked up the final two games of the series, meaning they'll need a series win against Birmingham to have any shot at the playoffs this season.

* The first two games between Hell and Colorado (aren't those two teams synonymous by now?) went into extra innings, with the MIRVs taking both games by a single run. Hell came back with wins in games three and four, getting 17 innings out of their starting pitchers in those games.

The Others
* Tucson avenged their home defeats to New Mexico last season with three wins in New Mexico last week, stepping ever closer to their first division championship. New Mexico only gained victory in the third game, when they came from behind with two runs in the bottom of the ninth for a 5-4 win.

Past Headlines
Stars unveil new team logo
Cash more comfortable with team after series
Bombers inconsistent play continues
Simpson leaves team, Flanders takes over
Cash can't beleive he's out of relegation zone
Bolts ready for challenge in Oklahoma
Hounds can't wait to get on the road again
Southern Party part 2 announced
MIRVs ownership kinder, gentler, after series loss
Nashville latest victims of Hell hurlers
Guerrero: Early MVP?
Tucson runs fully-padded batting practice
Southern party gets broken due to rain
Aliens: He's baaacck!
Michaels: "He threw at my friggin' head"
SDX: commissioner paying umpires on HBP
Mayfield may pull road duty
Mellencamp joins Stars' regime

* The playoffs are just around the corner and with that, the nominations for the season awards is underway. Any players on your teams you wish to nominate for the following awards need to be in the commissioner's e-mail box no later than 10:00 p.m. Tuesday, August 12.

-Most Valuable Player
-Rookie of the Year
- Starting Pitcher of the Year
-Relief Pitcher of the Year

* If you can get your home games completed on Sunday night, please do so. If you're going to be later than the 10:00 p.m. CDT deadline, please let me know, preferrably via e-mail so I have a record of it. A request for an extension past Sunday should be submitted by SUnday afternoon.

* As in seasons past, when you finish a home series, at least the box scores should go to the visiting team's manager. This allows both managers to have the same lead time on any needed free agent claims, injuries, etc.

* Please keep the game reports coming. Also, any quotes/team stories are always welcome for this site as well. 

Free Agent Pickup Priority
The current free agent priority list follows. Any team may claim a free agent by informing the commissioner what player they wish to pick up and which player(s) they wish to release. If more than one team wants the same player, the team nearest the top of this list will get the player, which will be reflected in the next c-file. A team that successfully claims a free agent then moves to the bottom of the list.

New Mexico
Birmingham
Indiana
Oklahoma
Hell
Buffalo
Colorado
Nashville
Havana
Tucson