Dodgers Minor League Update: Who's Going to the Playoffs?

Even though I provide daily minor league reports, it's been a while since I've actually reviewed how each minor league team is doing as whole. With the end of the minor league season just a few weeks away, here's a quick update as to where each team stands, along with their likelihood of making it to the playoffs:

Albuquerque Isotopes: 74 - 56, 1st place in division, season ends on Sept 3rd - The Pacific Coast League season is not split into halves like most of the other minor leagues, so like the Dodgers, the Isotopes fight all season long to make it to the playoffs. Albuquerque currently sits 3 games ahead of New Orleans, with whom they finish up their series today, and 5.5 games ahead of Oklahoma City. Overall they have a pretty good chance of making the playoffs, although their team will undoubtedly lose some players once September 1st comes around.

Chattanooga Lookouts: 33 - 24, 1st place in division, season ends on Sept 3rd - The Lookouts have a 2 game division lead over 1st half winners Jackson, and a 5 game lead over Tennessee. Even if Jackson takes over 1st place from the Lookouts, Chattanooga still has a good chance of making the playoffs because if the same team wins both halves of a season, the next best team in the division with the best overall winning % for the entire season will get a postseason birth. Based on the current overall standings that would be the Lookouts.

Rancho Cucamonga Quakes: 25 - 31, last place in division, season ends on Sept 3rd - The Quakes lead their division for most of the first half, but were unable to hang on and were defeated in the tie breaker game.Since they are currently 14 games behind the division leader, Rancho is going to have to clinch a wildcard spot in the 2nd half if they want to make it into the post season. Despite their losing record Rancho still has a chance to make the playoffs as they are just 3 games out of that wildcard spot. It won't be easy, but the Quakes aren't completely out of it yet.

Great Lakes Loons: 24- 32, last place in division, season ends on Sept 3rd - The Loons have been disappointing this season, and it looks as if their string of two straight playoff appearances will be broken in 2012. Sitting 9 games back, Great Lakes isn't mathematically eliminated from playoff contention yet, but it's going to take a bit of a miracle for them to make the post season

Ogden Raptors: 11 - 11, 3rd place in division, already clinched playoff spot in 1st half, season ends on Sept 6th - The Raptors have already secured a playoff birth by winning their division in the 1st half, and will be looking for their first Pioneer League Championship since becoming a Dodger affiliate. How they finish the second half won't really matter, except in terms of momentum as they head into the playoffs

Arizona Dodgers: 30 - 17, 1st place in division, season ends on Aug 29th - The Arizona Rookie League has such a short season that they do not split it into halves, but lucky for the Arizona Dodgers they have lead their division pretty much from the start. With just 9 games to play they are looking good with a 4.5 game lead over the second place Indians.

Dominican Dodgers: 37 - 30, 3rd place in division, season ends on Aug 25th - I'm always a little foggy on how the DSL playoffs work, but I know for a fact that the Dodgers have been eliminated from a division title as they sit 11 games out of 1st. There is a wildcard in the DSL, however, but all the divisions get combined when fighting for this spot. Therefore things look bleak for the Dodgers as they are 4 games out with just 5 games to play.