Tampa Bay and Arizona were clearly the class of the league in terms of payroll efficiency, with extra kudos to the Rays for their dramatic comeback against the Yankees on Wednesday night (where they trailed by 7 runs in the 8th) and against Boston for the wild-card throughout the month of September.

FORBES: The Most and Least Efficient MLB Teams of 2011

The extra wild-card spot improved the chances of the Rays to 56% from 29%.

WSJ: New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox to Get Wild-Card Boost

Shields, a Tampa Bay Rays starter, grew up believing that a pitcher with an effective pickoff move has an extra weapon at his disposal.

WSJ: Derek Jeter's Jump Throw, Adrian Beltre's One-Knee Home Run, Robinson Cano's Cross-Body Throw, James Shields's Crouching Pickoff Move: Baseball's Signature Moves