The regular season is over. 162 games are in the books. Twenty teams have been eliminated and ten teams continue playing baseball. Four of the surviving teams will play off in two "wild card showdowns", one game in each league, on Friday, October 5. Among those four teams are the participants of the 2011 World Series, the St Louis Cardinals and the Texas Rangers.
When the dust has settled after Friday's one game do or die showdowns, eight teams, four in each league, will begin the real playoffs, culminating in the World Series.
For the Detroit Tigers, the wild card showdowns on Friday have no impact. Detroit will host the amazing A's from Oakland, baseball's hottest team in the second half of the season, beginning Saturday, October 6, at Comerica park in Detroit. Starting pitchers have yet to be announced, but expect the Tigers to start Justin Verlander on Saturday. Games will be televised on TBS
Following is the official playoff schedule for the wild card and league division series games. Times have been announced for the wild card games on Friday, and for the opening games on Saturday, but times have not yet been announced for the remaining games. This schedule will be updated as information becomes available.
Friday, October 5, 2012:
5:00 PM St Louis Cardinals at Atlanta Braves
8:00 PM Baltimore Orioles at Texas Rangers
Saturday, October 6
6:00 PM Oakland A's at Detroit Tigers
9:00 PM Cincinnati Reds at San Francisco Giants
Sunday, October 7
Oakland A's at Detroit Tigers
Cincinnati Reds at San Francisco Giants
New York Yankees at Texas/ Baltimore
Washington Nationals at St Louis/ Atlanta
Monday, October 8
New York Yankees at Texas/ Baltimore
Washington Nationals at St Louis/ Atlanta
Tuesday, October 9
Detroit Tigers at Oakland A's
San Francisco Giants at Cincinnati Reds
Wednesday, October 10
Detroit Tigers at Oakland A's
San Francisco Giants at Cincinnati Reds
Texas/ Baltimore at New York
St Louis/ Atlanta at Washington
Thursday, October 11
Detroit Tigers at Oakland A's
San Francisco Giants at Cincinnati Reds
Texas/ Baltimore at New York
St Louis/ Atlanta at Washington
Friday, October 12
Texas/ Baltimore at New York
St Louis/ Atlanta at Washington
Saturday, October 13
American League Championship Series
Sunday October 14
American League Championship Series
National League Championship Series