With a little more than three weeks left in the regular season, most baseball fans are keeping a close eye on the pennant races and wild card standings. Of course we’re doing the same here at Baseball America, but we also have one eye pointed in the other direction to see which team will end up with next year’s first-overall pick in the draft. Let’s see how the contenders stack up . . .

With 572 runs scored and 714 runs allowed, the Royals have the lowest expected winning percentage of the bunch. With starters Gil Meche and Brian Bannister likely done for the season, things aren’t looking good in the City of Fountains. They also have the toughest remaining schedule, with their upcoming opponents’ current records in parenthesis . . .

Washington
3 @ NYM (62-78)
3 vs. LAD (83-58)
3 vs. ATL (72-68)
3 vs. NYM (62-78)
4 @ ATL (72-68)

Kansas City
3 @ CWS (70-71)
3 vs. BOS (81-58)
3 vs. MIN (70-70)
3 @ NYY (91-50)
3 @ MIN (70-70)

Pittsburgh
4 vs. SD (63-78)
3 vs. CIN (63-77)
4 vs. LAD (83-58)
4 @ CHC (71-67)
3 @ CIN (63-77)

Baltimore
3 vs. BOS (81-58)
3 @ TOR (63-77)
3 @ CLE (60-79)
4 @ TB (72-68)
3 vs. TOR (63-77)

The Nationals, of course, had the No. 1 overall pick in this year’s draft when they selected San Diego State righthander Stephen Strasburg. The Nationals new GM, Mike Rizzo, was the Diamondbacks scouting director when the team picked Justin Upton first-overall in 2005. The Royals only first-overall pick came in 2006 when they selected righthander Luke Hochevar. The Pirates have had three No. 1 picks in franchise history. In 2002, they selected Bryan Bullington, they picked Kris Benson first-overall in 1996 and made Jeff King the first pick in the 1986 draft. Baltimore’s only No. 1 pick came in 1989, when they selected Ben McDonald.

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