The most interesting thing about the A.L. East race is exactly what the analytically-inclined front offices of the Yankees and the Sox think about the cost of avoiding a 1 game playoff. How much future value do they put on the very real increase in playoff odds represented by not being in the one and done game where anything can happen. No matter how much better they would be than their playoff opponent, they would still lose that game say 40% of the time? Is that worth the sacrifice in pushing pitchers hard down the stretch? Is a prospect for vet trade worthwhile to win the division?