Cubs wont clinch the NL Central at Busch Stadium. Chicagos magic number is three, and the series wraps up Wednesday.The Cardin

The Sprint Cup Series season draws to a close, but not before we have one more chance to sit down, enjoy a caffeinated beverage and figure out one more fantasy lineup together.Last week, we went racing at Phoenix. I loved Kevin Harvick with all my heart. He had not just won five of the last six Phoenix races but dominated most of them.Harvick had a decent enough day, finishing fourth for 45 points, sixth-best in the field. But he didnt lead a lap.Another driver led more than half of the race, but it was maybe not whom you expected. Alex Bowman, driving in place of the injured Dale Earnhardt Jr., led 194 laps from the pole and added a race-high 58 fastest laps for 110.5 points, 38 more than any other driver.The kicker is Bowman only cost $6,900, and he has the most points of any sub-$7,000 driver this season by far. The second-best day from a DFS option that cheap was Ricky Stenhouse Jr.s run from 25th to second at Bristol.Bowman was my top bargain-basement special of the weekend. Not that Im patting myself on the back, but sometimes I like to give myself a little affirmation.Anyway, weve got one race to go, and its at Homestead-Miami Speedway. Its another 1.5-mile track, the 11th such race this season. Its not a copy of Texas or Charlotte, but your basic principles that lead to success at those tracks hold true.Another plot twist is this is the season finale, and four drivers will be competing for a championship, with the highest finisher among the four taking the title. This is only the third year with this championship format. How has it affected things in the past?In 2014, three of the four drivers going for the championship finished among the top-four fantasy plays. But it was Jeff Gordon, from the pole, who put up a race-best 104.75 points.Last year, Kyle Busch and Kevin Harvick finished second and fourth as Chase drivers, but both of them were looking up at Kyle Larson, who didnt lead much but drove from 23rd to fifth.None of the drivers had a poor race either, which could make one or two of them excellent fantasy plays this weekend.For more, heres my early-week fantasy picks to get you started at Homestead. But check back after qualifying for my final picks and fades.Im starting my team with...Given that we only run at this track once a year, and even then its under some unusual circumstances as the season finale, its tough to weigh past track performance and the recent showings on similar tracks. But I think the driver whos best weaving those two tapestries together is Joey Logano.In the last 1.5-mile race, Logano led 178 laps and finished second at Texas. Hes had a top-three finish in three of the last four such races. Meanwhile, at Homestead, Logano led 72 laps and finished fourth last year in this race, for 65.5 DraftKings points.Keep an eye on these fourJimmie Johnson: This is a rare track, where Johnson has never won, but in his championship seasons he never really came to the season finale needing to win to clinch a title. Im more interested in the fact that in the four 1.5-mile track races since the start of the Chase, Johnson has twice topped 100 laps led.Carl Edwards: A third driver going for a championship, Edwards has cost less than $9,000 in the last two 1.5-mile track races, so he can fit more easily on your roster than Logano and Johnson. Edwards has won twice at Homestead, and in the last two 1.5-mile track races, he has put up more than 25 fastest laps, 35 laps led, and finished in the top two in both.Kasey Kahne: Four Chase races on 1.5-mile tracks, and its four top-10 finishes for Kahne. And in each of those races, Kahne moved up at least nine spots from his starting position, a combined +54 in those four races. That makes him, on average, the fourth-best fantasy driver.Ryan Newman: An odd little fantasy trend is that in the last six 1.5-mile track races, Newman has been part of the perfect lineup. He enters the weekend on a nine-race stretch of top-20 finishes on 1.5-mile tracks, with five top 10s in the last seven races. Hes not going to give you many laps led -- he has led one in the last 15 1.5-mile track races -- but he is a safe fantasy play.Thats all I have for you today. Check back again this weekend for my season finale. Wishing you a happy offseason filled with scrumptious holiday meals. Dan Marino Dolphins Jersey . On Tuesday, Ottawa placed forward Cory Conacher and defenceman Joe Corvo on waivers as trade rumours swirl around the Senators. Larry Csonka Jersey . The defence is doing its part, too. Drew Brees threw a pair of touchdown passes in the first half and the guys on the other side made sure that was enough, sending the Saints to a 17-13 victory over the Atlanta Falcons on Thursday night. http://www.authenticdolphinspro.com/Mike-gesicki-dolphins-jersey/ . -- There were a lot of firsts for the Edmonton Oilers on Tuesday night. Bob Griese Youth Jersey . Reassurance came from Paul Tesori, his caddie and close friend whose newborn son is in intensive care in a Florida hospital. "Paul sent me a text this morning, just told me he loved me and wanted to go out and fight as hard as I would any other day," Simpson said Sunday after doing just that. Dan Marino Jersey .C. - The Carolina Hurricanes have placed backup goalie Anton Khudobin on injured reserve with an unspecified lower-body injury. ST. LOUIS -- Brandon Moss decided the best way to work out of his slump was to go to the tape.A day off spent analyzing video did the trick for the veteran St. Louis infielder.Moss bounced out of a three-week skid with a tiebreaking home run and Aledmys Diaz connected in his return to the starting lineup, leading the Cardinals to a 4-2 win over the Chicago Cubs on Tuesday night.St. Louis ensured that the runaway Cubs wont clinch the NL Central at Busch Stadium. Chicagos magic number is three, and the series wraps up Wednesday.The Cardinals remained a half-game behind the New York Mets for the second wild-card spot.Moss entered the game mired in a 1-for-41 skid. When given Monday off by manager Mike Matheny, Moss chose to pour over video of his better at-bats rather than swing in the batting cages.I went in the cage and worked and worked and nothing seemed to come from it, Moss said. Yesterday was much more video than anything.It helped.Matheny was glad to see that the day off did the trick.He responded well, Matheny said. It was a bad rut, but he worked himself through.Moss slammed a two-run homer in the sixth off Jason Hammel (14-9).The Cubs Dexter Fowler led off the game with a home run against Jaime Garcia.Alex Reyes (2-1) won with 4 1/3 innings of scoreless relief. Kevin Siegrist got his second save.Reyes entered the game with the bases loaded and two out in the second. He immediately fanned Kris Bryant with a 98 mile-per-hour fastball to get out of the jam.He came in in a tough spot and saved the day, Matheny said.Moss singled in the second and scored on Diazs 15th homer of the season. Diaz started for the first time since July 31, when the All-Star shortstop broke his thumb.Garcia lasted just 1 2/3 innings, the shortest outing in hiss 146-start career.dddddddddddd. He gave up two runs and three hits, including Fowlers seventh leadoff homer of the season.I let my team down, Garcia said. Ive been through tough times before. All I can say is Im going to continue to do whats in my control to continue to fight.Garcia is 0-3 with a 9.94 ERA in his last four home starts.The Cardinals, who scored all four runs with two outs, are 8-7 against the Cubs, who are 40 games over .500.St. Louis is 5-2 in Wrigley Field.Hammel allowed four runs on six hits in 5 2/3 innings. He struck out nine and walked two.It seems every time I give up a run, it leaves the yard, Hammel said. Pretty frustrating. But, I felt like I pitched pretty well.The Cubs have won 33 of 45 games since July 27.Fowler realizes that nailing down the division crown is just a formality.Its going to happen, its a matter of when, Fowler said. So we have to keep winning games.TRAINERS ROOMCardinals: INF Matt Carpenter was in the starting lineup after leaving Mondays game with back tightness. ... RHP Trevor Rosenthal threw batting practice. He has missed 46 games with shoulder inflammation. ... RHP Michael Wacha is expected to be activated off the disabled list tomorrow and could be headed to the bullpen. He has been out since Aug. 9 with shoulder inflammation.UP NEXTCubs LHP Jon Lester (16-4, 2.51) takes on RHP Carlos Martinez (14-7, 3.05) in the final game of the three-game set. Lester has allowed fewer than two runs in each of his last five starts. He is 6-0 with a 1.17 ERA in his previous eight starts. Martinez is 6-3 in 11 day starts this season. He has induced an NL-leading 32 double plays. ' ' '