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Despite Southwest Michigan's struggles this season, the playoffs are still a possibility in the final year of professional baseball in Battle Creek.
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Entering play on Friday, the Devil Rays (14-20) were four games out of a playoff berth. The problem is the Rays have to overtake both Fort Wayne (18-16) and Dayton (16-17).

West Michigan and Lansing have already qualified for the Midwest League playoffs because they finished first and second in the season's first half. The Whitecaps are once again leading the Eastern Division in the second half but the Lugnuts have fallen all the way to last place.

With South Bend in second place and playing excellent ball, the SilverHawks appear a lock to get the East's third playoff berth. After that, one spot remains between Fort Wayne, Dayton and the Devil Rays.

After Friday, the Devil Rays have 35 games left in the regular season. So it's not out of the question for Skeeter Barnes' team to get hot and be right in contention for the playoffs.

It would only be fitting for Battle Creek's franchise to make one last Midwest League playoff berth. The organization has only missed the playoffs twice (1996 and 2004) in its previous 11 years of existence, which includes a league championship in 2000.

The Devil Rays began a four-game series at Fort Wayne on Friday and also have eight games remaining against Dayton. Southwest Michigan is 7-8 against Fort Wayne this year but just 2-9 versus Dayton.

KANE COUNTY MILESTONE
The Devil Rays travel to Illinois on Tuesday to face Kane County but before that the Cougars will reach a neat milestone. When the Cougars play Quad Cities later today, Kane County is expecting its 7 millionth fan to come through the gates at Elfstrom Stadium.

The successful franchise, which is an Oakland A's affiliate, has been in the Midwest League for 16 seasons.

The special fan will receive tickets to next year's All-Star game at Kane County and a free night in one of the stadium's suites.

RAYS PROMOTIONS
The Devil Rays return home for an eight-game home stand on Tuesday against Kane County and South Bend.

On Thursday, the popular Thirsty Thursday returns with $1 beer and pop. After the game, 'The Weatherly Band' will perform on the leftfield deck and VH1 Songwriter of the Year, Katherine Schell, will be performing before the game.

On Friday, the Rays are giving away three-credit courses at Kellogg Community College. The promotion is on minorleaguebaseball.com as one of the top 10 events of the week in the minors.

Copyright © 2006 Battle Creek Enquirer.