The Best of the Rest, 1995-2015

orangebird · 01-10-2017, 10:32 AM

When the MLB introduced the wild card beginning with the 1995 playoffs, it further decreased the likelihood that the best team in each league would end up going to the World Series, as it created two chances for a team to get upset before making the World Series.

As such, I am going to a 16-team tournament with the best teams from the Wild Card era who failed to make the World Series. There will also only be one representative from each team, as I didn't want to have multiple Yankees or Braves teams.

The round of 16 and quarterfinals will be best-of-5 and the semis and World Series will be best of 7.

The next post will have the matchups!

orangebird · 01-10-2017, 10:36 AM

AL Bracket

#1 2001 Mariners v. #8 2006 Twins
#4 2008 Angels v. #5 1996 Indians

#3 2002 A's v. #6 1997 Orioles
#2 2002 Yankees v. #7 1995 Red Sox

NL Bracket

#1 1998 Braves v. #8 2008 Cubs
#4 2003 Giants v. #5 1999 D-Backs

#3 1998 Astros v. #6 2012 Nationals
#2 2011 Phillies v. #7 2015 Pirates

orangebird · 01-10-2017, 10:56 AM

The 2001 Mariners were able to avoid a first round upset by getting to Cy Young winner Johan Santana in the decisive game 5 at Safeco Field. Mike Cameron earned the MVP of the Series with his phenomenal .857 slugging percentage against Twins pitching. Edgar Martinez and Ichiro Suzuki were also key cogs in Seattle's offense.

orangebird · 01-10-2017, 11:08 AM

It took all five games, but the Tribe were able to pull away from the Angels in a close series. Albert Belle was voted MVP, but Sandy Alomar Jr was the real star of the series, leading the team in slugging with a pair of homers. Vlad Guerrero did all he could for Anaheim, but dreadful performances from Mark Teixeira and Torii Hunter did not offer much help for them.

orangebird · 01-10-2017, 11:19 AM

We have our first upset, as the 3 seed has fallen to the 6 seed. Oakland's Moneyball A's got strong outings from both Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder, but their bullpen wound up hurting them in the series. Harold Baines' two homers and Brady Anderson's .625 slugging percentage was enough to top Billy Beane's brainchild.

orangebird · 01-10-2017, 11:33 AM

The Red Sox had three chances to send the Yankees home and could not manage to do it. The Yankees' bats came to life in a blowout in the third game at Fenway and had gems from David Wells and Andy Pettitte to close out the series. On offense Jason Giambi proved to be an incredible pest, getting on base in more than half of his plate appearances.

01-10-2017, 10:32 AM	#1
orangebird Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 115	The Best of the Rest, 1995-2015 When the MLB introduced the wild card beginning with the 1995 playoffs, it further decreased the likelihood that the best team in each league would end up going to the World Series, as it created two chances for a team to get upset before making the World Series. As such, I am going to a 16-team tournament with the best teams from the Wild Card era who failed to make the World Series. There will also only be one representative from each team, as I didn't want to have multiple Yankees or Braves teams. The round of 16 and quarterfinals will be best-of-5 and the semis and World Series will be best of 7. The next post will have the matchups!

01-10-2017, 10:36 AM	#2
orangebird Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 115	AL Bracket #1 2001 Mariners v. #8 2006 Twins #4 2008 Angels v. #5 1996 Indians #3 2002 A's v. #6 1997 Orioles #2 2002 Yankees v. #7 1995 Red Sox NL Bracket #1 1998 Braves v. #8 2008 Cubs #4 2003 Giants v. #5 1999 D-Backs #3 1998 Astros v. #6 2012 Nationals #2 2011 Phillies v. #7 2015 Pirates

01-10-2017, 10:56 AM	#3
orangebird Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 115	2001 Mariners defeat 2006 Twins, 3-2 The 2001 Mariners were able to avoid a first round upset by getting to Cy Young winner Johan Santana in the decisive game 5 at Safeco Field. Mike Cameron earned the MVP of the Series with his phenomenal .857 slugging percentage against Twins pitching. Edgar Martinez and Ichiro Suzuki were also key cogs in Seattle's offense.

01-10-2017, 11:08 AM	#4
orangebird Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 115	1996 Indians defeat 2008 Angels, 3-2 It took all five games, but the Tribe were able to pull away from the Angels in a close series. Albert Belle was voted MVP, but Sandy Alomar Jr was the real star of the series, leading the team in slugging with a pair of homers. Vlad Guerrero did all he could for Anaheim, but dreadful performances from Mark Teixeira and Torii Hunter did not offer much help for them. Last edited by orangebird; 01-10-2017 at 11:09 AM.

01-10-2017, 11:19 AM	#5
orangebird Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 115	1997 Orioles defeat 2002 A's, 3-1 We have our first upset, as the 3 seed has fallen to the 6 seed. Oakland's Moneyball A's got strong outings from both Tim Hudson and Mark Mulder, but their bullpen wound up hurting them in the series. Harold Baines' two homers and Brady Anderson's .625 slugging percentage was enough to top Billy Beane's brainchild.

01-10-2017, 11:33 AM	#6
orangebird Minors (Double A) Join Date: Dec 2016 Posts: 115	2002 Yankees defeat 1995 Red Sox, 3-2 The Red Sox had three chances to send the Yankees home and could not manage to do it. The Yankees' bats came to life in a blowout in the third game at Fenway and had gems from David Wells and Andy Pettitte to close out the series. On offense Jason Giambi proved to be an incredible pest, getting on base in more than half of his plate appearances.