The CaNiNes have won three division titles in a row, six overall and will be making their 11th playoff appearance. But against that backdrop comes an end to The Gazette's glorious postseason run. The Green Machine's doubleheader loss pretty much eliminates them from the playoffs for the first time since 1998. Coach Sean Sedam would be hung in effigy if he wasn't such a great guy . . . and a reliable field spotter.

We are kidding around, o course. But Saturday's makeup games proved to be a dividing point of sorts for some playoff races. CBS News lost twice with a solid squad on the field and now it's an uphill battle for a wild-card. But within minutes of CBS' second loss, Discovery Channel upset ABC News to keep hopes alive for teams with records of 6-6 and 5-7. Now, however precariously for three of them, the four Capitalview/Homewood teams are in the running,

Then, around the Beltway at Burning Tree, where the Wheaton Forest teams switched Friday afternoon and some knocklehead Commish forgot to inform the umpires, the quartet did an awesome job of calling their own critical games. Post.com came alive for a sweep, including a huge victory against the division-leading Post, giving the Bucketheads the lead (for now) by tiebreaker victory.

At Aspen Hill, Team Video's loss and Comcast SportsNet's sweep tightened that divisional race to one game. While each is headed to the playoffs, the jockeying for playoff seeding is important. The top two seeds are significantly different this year with the potential of two sub-.500 teams. With the parity at the bottom of the wild-card chase, seeds 3-4 could be playing a formidable team in the first round. Note that three MMSL champions have come from the No. 6 seed.

Week 7 brings the final batch of non-division games. At Burning Tree, all wild-card eyes are on Atlantic Video in games against ABC News and Discovery Channel. That ABC-Team Video game has a pinch of importance (duh) as well. Same for Post.com vs. AOL at Aspen Hill. At Layhill, CBS News and the Philibusters could end the playoff race for one. The 23rd annual game between the Post and Washington Times could also end someone's season.

Meanwhile, a possible Championship Day preview awaits at Capitalview/Homewood, where Comcast SportsNet, WTTG, CNN and WRC face off in what should be great softball. Advance scouts from most playoff contenders, including some from the American League Central and National League West, have requested media credentials. Free food will not be in the pressbox, however.