Playoff scenarios: Lots to be decided Wednesday

October, 3, 2012
10/03/12
1:33
AM CT
OAKLAND, Calif. -- Oakland's 3-1 victory over the Texas Rangers has certainly added plenty of drama to the final game of the season. And it's left many possible scenarios. So here are all the various options involving Texas depending on what happens Wednesday afternoon:

* If Texas wins, they are the AL West champions and will avoid the AL wild-card game Friday. They would then wait to see what seed they are and who they play.

* The Rangers will be the No. 2 seed if they win and the New York Yankees win. That means they'd face the Detroit Tigers in the ALDS, which would start Saturday in Detroit.

* Texas could still get the No. 1 seed if they win, the Yankees lose, the Orioles win and then Baltimore beats New York on Thursday to claim the AL East title. In that case, the Rangers would get it because they have the tiebreaker over Baltimore.

* If the Rangers lose, they would play in the AL wild-card game Friday. But where and against whom? That depends on what happens with the AL East. If the Yankees win, Texas will face the Orioles. If Baltimore beats Tampa Bay, they'd finish a game ahead of Texas and would host the game. If the Orioles lose, the Rangers would host it. If the Yankees lose and the Orioles win, the loser of Thursday's extra game to decide the AL East would host the Rangers on Friday.

* So the only seed the Rangers can't play for Wednesday is No. 3. That belongs to the Tigers.
Richard Durrett joined ESPNDallas.com in September 2009. He writes about colleges, the Dallas Stars and the Texas Rangers. Richard spent nine years at The Dallas Morning News covering the Rangers, Stars, colleges, motorsports and high schools.

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TEAM LEADERS

BA LEADER
Adrian Beltre
BA HR RBI R
.303 14 38 40
OTHER LEADERS
HRN. Cruz 18
RBIN. Cruz 48
RA. Beltre 40
OPSA. Beltre .857
WY. Darvish 7
ERAY. Darvish 2.84
SOY. Darvish 137

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