Quote:
Originally Posted by fintach
One question though -- why have multiple playoff teams at all without divisions? As I recall the development of the leagues, when there were no divisions, there was only the World Series to determine the better team between the two league winners. A second round was added -- the League Championship Series -- when the use of divisions required a means of determining who would appear in the World Series.
So, if there are no divisions, whom do they play before the World Series? Each other? What's the point, if they've been playing each other over and over all year long just fighting to get to this point?
I'm not trying to denigrate here, I'm honestly curious.
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I just do #1 vs #4 and #2 vs #3 in the modern setup. Yes they have fought all year long, but they've done so for the right to be one of the 4 out of 14/16 teams to go to the playoffs.
I remember one divisional universe where an entire division finished under .500 one year (I think the Yankees got in with like 78 wins or so). I don't like seeing that kind of team get rewarded with playoff dates and it's virtually impossible that any team under .500 would get in the way I'm choosing to do it now. Seeing that under .500 team in the playoffs started me heading in this direction and the results so far have been pretty cool in simulation: down to the wire for that final spot or two spots with a relatively balanced schedule. I think for a better balanced schedule you have to select a typical series length of 1 game, which just looks completely bizarre, but it might balance it even better than the 3 game typical series length, which results in teams playing 3 more games against some opponents. I might try that if I can get over the strangeness.
EDIT: Oh yeah the 1 game typical series length schedule is balanced alright...STRANGE, but balanced. It would be nice if the schedule generator could intersperse some 2 and 4 game series in amongst the more normal 3 game series to produce a more normal looking balanced schedule, but you know what?...That is very low on the priority list, so I doubt it'll get any attention.