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Before we can get to the contenders, we have to go through the pretenders.

The most surprising teams on the pretender list are the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Angels. After signing the two biggest players on the free-agent market in the offseason, these teams have disappointed.

Albert Pujols and Prince Fielder were thought to be the key pieces to push their respective teams to the playoffs. However, Pujols struggled to begin the season, and the Tigers were never able to get into a groove.

The Tigers are currently three games behind the White Sox in the AL Central, while 5.5 games back in the wild-card race. The Angels, on the other hand, are 7.5 games back in the AL West and three games back in the wild-card standings.

Even if one of the teams makes the playoffs, it won't go far.

Tampa Bay is the only other American League team currently in the playoff race I consider a pretender. I don't see how the Rays are going to make up the five-game difference in the wild-card standings. The AL East is out of the question, with either the Yankees or Orioles locked in to take the top spot.

In the National League, there are multiple teams that are pretenders.

While there are seven teams competing for the final wild-card spot, none of them are a legitimate contender for the World Series.

The St. Louis Cardinals (second wild-card spot), showed that you can win the World Series as a wild-card team. However, there's a big piece missing from last year's team—Pujols.

I'm not saying that it can't be done. But, it's hard to label a team a contender when it will barely be over .500 for the year.

The Los Angeles Dodgers (one game back) have struggled ever since they traded for Adrian Gonzalez and Josh Beckett. Since the trade, the Dodgers are 8-13 and continuing to struggle.

Even if they were to get a wild-card spot, I don't see them going anywhere. They're struggling at the wrong time of the season.

Other teams still in the hunt are the Milwaukee Brewers, Pittsburgh Pirates, Philadelphia Phillies, Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres.

However, none of these teams are serious contenders and will be lucky to just make it to the playoffs.

Could you imagine, however, if the Phillies had hung onto Hunter Pence and Shane Victorino? Now, that would be a dangerous team heading into the final stretch of the season.