There is no more exciting time in sports than the stretch drive in baseball. It’s the time of year that the tension built up over the grind of the six month season is at its highest.

A fan lives or dies with his or her favorite team on a daily basis as the clubs head for the finish line.

A world series berth seemingly hanging in the balance every game.

With that in mind let’s take a look at which teams are in the hunt and what it will take to keep them there down the stretch.

Click below for more!The Angel pen is faltering at the worst time. Pitcher Kelvim Escobar’s projected September return might be enough to help out K Rod and Scott Shields for the final month, if Escobar is able to pitch in a set up role.

Somebody needs to hit behind Vlad or else the Angels top slugger won’t see a pitch to hit all month. Outfielder Steve Finley hasn’t come through all season, meanwhile Garret Anderson’s back is hurting again. Trading for a hitter is a necessity for the Angels’ offense.

The A’s need to continue to pitch like they have since they began their long road back to respectability in June. With the most balanced pitching staff in the league leading Ken Macha’s team, only a total collapse by the Oakland offense can sink the local nine.

The White Sox hope to finish on a winning note. Chicago’s starting pitching is getting shaky. Manager Ozzie Guillen’s line up still lacks a consistent left handed hitter. Doubts about how good the Sox really are have begun to surface throughout baseball.

Cleveland can hang with the big boys if Travis Hafner starts to hit home runs again. Young hard throwing reliever Fernando Cabrera might be the real deal. Cleveland needs him because Bob Wickman is having trouble closing games.

The Twins have last year’s Cy Young winner Johan Santana back on course. If Minnesota could find some hitting to complement an excellent pitching staff, they could make things very sticky in the wild card race.

The Yankees are dangerous. Their offense continues to hit the ball with the best in the game. However, unless the Bombers find some consistent middle relief and a couple of hot starting pitchers, Joe Torre will have a lot of explaining to do.

Boston needs to keep bludgeoning the opposition with its big bats. The Red Sox bull pen is still questionable. Will Keith Foulke come all the way back? Will Curt Schilling rejoin the rotation? Can’t see the champs missing the playoffs, but it won’t be an easy road to the series.

Toronto has a ton of games left with the Yanks and Red Sox. Barring a sudden return to active duty by injured pitchers Roy Halladay and Ted Lilly, the Blue Jays better start praying now.

In the NL Central, The Cardinals just have to stay healthy.

With Larry Walker, Reggie Sanders, and Scott Rolen all injured, St. Louis suddenly looks vulnerable at the plate. The Cards will open the playoffs with pitchers Mark Mulder, Chris Carpenter, and Matt Morris leading the way. Pitching rules in September. Tony La Russa’s team has plenty of it.

The NL Wild Card race is truly wild.

The Marlins big three, AJ Burnett, Dontrelle Willis, and Josh Beckett are a threat to throw a shut out every time they take the ball. If Carlos Delgado, Miguel Cabrera, and Paul Lo Duca hit the ball, the Fish will be fine. Veteran closer Todd Jones, quietly mowing down the opposition, will have to continue to trick the hitters down the stretch.

Houston needs to pick up its offense. The Astros can match the Marlins big three with Roger Clemens, Andy Pettitte, and Roy Oswalt, but they need to score runs on a more consistent basis.

The Phillies are solid if they have the lead after six innings. Getting the ball to relievers Ryan Madson, Ugueth Urbina, and Billy Wagner is the challenge. Bobby Abreu needs to reclaim his home run stroke pronto. With more games on the road than at cozy Citizens Bank Park over the rest of the season, the Phils will have to hit the ball with more authority to make the playoffs.

The Mets are a long shot to win the wild card. You need pitching and defense to win at Shea, two areas of the game that challenge the Mets. Carlos Beltran still hasn’t approached last season’s playoff hot streak. A sizzling last month for Beltran could make things very interesting in New York.

The Nationals need help from the Federal government. Can Livan Hernandez, Jose Guillen, and Nick Johnson play well enough to carry the Nats to success over the last month? Probably not, but the fact we are still talking about this team is a story in itself.

Atlanta should win its 14th straight NL East title. Tim Hudson and John Smoltz will get the Braves to the playoffs without any problem.

San Diego needs to hit. The Pads bull pen is first rate. Jake Peavy and Adam Eaton, if healthy, can anchor the starting staff. A good closing month for hitters Ryan Klesko, Brian Giles, and Mark Loretta should be enough to ensure the division title.

The Giants, Dodgers, and Diamondbacks hope that the Padres go into a long losing streak. The three also rans in the West all have inconsistent pitching, offensive problems up and down their line ups, and bull pens that make their managers shudder. Not a good recipe for September success.

No matter how the game is analyzed one team will surprise everyone in September.

It happens every year.

I hope it’s yours.