A date with eight: dust off your scorecards, update the rosters and tell your kids to get plenty of sleep. Here's the early line on the teams we'll be talking about in October.(Baseball)

Start the postseason! OK, it's a little early. But the flurry of trade activity before last week's non-waiver deadline reshaped the pennant races, but left eight teams as the most likely playoff qualifiers. One caveat: Things likely will be shaken up by the large number of players expected to clear waivers, making additional deals possible until the August 31 deadline for setting postseason rosters.

N.L. EAST Braves

Sure, they're going to win the division. But they didn't acquire the No. 3 starter and eighth-inning reliever they need for the postseason. General manager John Schuerholz refused to discuss Class AAA catcher Johnny Estrada in a package for ...