COUNTING DOWN TO THE PLAYOFFS WHILE ALSO WATCHING FORMER ATLANTIC LEAGUERS IN MAJORS AND AFFILIATED PLAYOFFS

Freedom Division leader York and Bridgeport, which could either win the Liberty Division's second half or become the wild card, have the decided inside track for the final two berths in the Atlantic League playoffs as this final week begins, but it is premature to count wild-card runnerup Southern Maryland out. The Blue Crabs trail Bridgeport by three games with the oddity of the teams being even in the loss column. The Bluefish have won six more games to have an overall record of 67-53 compared to Southern's 61-53.

Camden is almost certainly not going to squeeze its way in since the RiverSharks trail Long Island by five games and Bridgeport by four and a half in the Liberty's second half standings and those two teams will meet three more times. Five-time champion Somerset and the Road Warriors were counted out some time ago.

Teams were to submit possible postseason rosters to the league office today (Monday) and could include players sold to major league organizations or to foreign leagues this year, should they become available. Each team has until the morning of the playoffs to designate their 25-man roster.

SEVEN FROM LEAGUE IN MAJORS NOW

With right-hander Dane DeLaRosa (Southern Maryland) back with Tampa Bay, the Atlantic League has seven of its former players active in the major leagues this month. (Stephen Drew, Camden, is on Arizona's disabled list.)

The others are pitchers Alberto Castillo of Arizona (Camden, Road Warriors, Newark) and Jerome Williams of the Los Angeles Angels (Lancaster), catcher Rene Rivera of Minnesota (Camden), first basemen Val Pascucci of the New York Mets (Camden) and Wily Mo Pena of Seattle (Bridgeport) and outfielder Justin Christian of San Francisco (Southern Maryland).

It is still possible others will be added when the affiliated minor league playoffs end.

DUCKS' DI NARDO BOOSTS OAKLAND FARMHANDS TO PCL CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

Major league veteran Lenny DiNardo, who won two of three decisions in early-season starts for Long Island (2-1, 5.09), hurled Sacramento into the Pacific Coast League championship series Sunday with seven strong innings (two runs) as the River Cats won their third in a row after falling behind Reno (Arizona) two games to none in the semifinal round.

"He's got a lot of big league time (10-18 in 94 appearances), but if you looked in his eyes after the game, you'd think he just got done pitching in the World Series," third baseman Josh Donaldson (4-for-5, 3 RBI) told MLB.com. "It mattered to him." DiNardo, who last pitched in the majors for Kansas City in '09, was back and forth between Class AA Midland, TX and Sacramento after his contract was purchased from Long Island. He turns 32 in another week.

Former Bridgeport infielder Angel Berroa had gotten Reno off to an early lead in the series when the onetime American League Rookie of the Year blasted two home runs and drove in four runs in the Aces' 7-4 triumph in Game 1. Berroa played shortstop for the Bluefish for a big part of this season, but was at second base when the series against Sacramento ended.

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