Nine Game Playoff Series - Scheduling

Ktulu · 06-22-2004, 09:22 PM

A couple issues with the way a 9 game playoff series is scheduled.

#1 Home field advantage. In a 2 league 2 division system the team with a better record does not get home field advantage.

#2 Off days. The final 5 games of a 9 game series are played without off days(not too big of a deal but still an anoyance).

The schedule goes:
2 in the park of the team with the better record
off day
2 in the other teams park
off day
2 better record
3 other team

Now I know there is no modern 9 game playoff series format for comparison, but it would atleast be nice if the team with a better record had homefield advantage. I mean is it really fair for the team with a worse record to be playing the final 3 games of a series at home.

Here is a worse case scenario:
Team A 102-60
Team B 85-77

Team B leads series 4 games to 2, guess what they get 3 chances to clinch in their home park.

and yes this scenario happened to me

gmo · 06-22-2004, 09:29 PM

I'm playing with a 9-game championship series as the only playoff round in a 12-team league. I'm not too fond of the 2-2-2-3 layout either (another vote for more customizable playoffs). But from what I've seen I thought the home field advantage just alternated from year to year. Are you seeing the HFA issue in your league championship series?

Ktulu · 06-22-2004, 09:31 PM

Yes its the league championship series.

gmo · 06-22-2004, 09:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Ktulu

Yes its the league championship series.

Weird then. Not that I've played that many configurations, but I thought with 7-game series the game always gave within-league HFA by better record. Now though I'm wondering if I'm remembering right.

Le Grande Orange · 06-23-2004, 02:22 AM

First, back in the day when each league in MLB had only two divisions, the home field advantage for the LCS was NOT given to the team with the better record. Instead, it was simply alternated between each division each year.

From 1969-1984, the LCS was a best-of-5 affair, and the home field rotation was 2-3. In odd numbered years, the NL East and AL West division winners had the home field advantage (although it's arguable whether it was much of an advantage, given that they played the first 2 games of the LCS on the road before having the next 3 in their parks). In even numbered years, it was the NL West and AL East division winners which had the home field advantage.

In 1985, the LCS became a best-of-7 series, using a 2-3-2 home field rotation. In both 1985 and 1986, the NL West and AL East division winners had the home field advantage (I've yet to find out why it was identical in both years). From 1987-1993, in odd numbered years it was the NL East and AL West division winners which had home field advantage, while in even numbered years it was the NL West and AL East division winners which had the home field advantage.

Now, as to how the home fields were rotated in a best-of-9 series, the only examples in MLB are from the years when the World Series was a best-of-9 event. Here is how it was done for each year:

1903 (Boston AL vs. Pittsburgh NL): 3-4-2
1919 (Chicago AL vs. Cincinnati NL): 2-3-2-1-*
1920 (Cleveland AL vs. Brooklyn NL): 3-4-1-*
1921 (New York AL vs. New York NL): 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-*

The * refers to the fact that for those years, the 9th game of the Series was not assigned in the rotation. The site for that game would've been determined by a coin toss. Note also that the league in which the Series opened was not alternated between the leagues, but was also decided by a coin toss.

For the 1921 World Series, since both teams were from New York, it was decided to simply alternate the home team for each game of the Series. Had the Series that year involved one team that was not a New York based club, the home field rotation would have been: 2-2-2-2-*

Something to remember is that in these years travel days in the Series were only scheduled if the two contesting cities were far enough apart to warrant one. If they were not, then no travel days were used and the Series was played entirely on consecutive days. The 1903 and 1920 World Series did have travel days in between the city shifts, while the 1919 and 1921 Series did not.

Finally, when it comes to the scheduling in the playoffs in OOTP, note that you can reschedule the games if you want without any problem. Before the first game of a playoff series is played, go into the schedule editor and delete all of the listed playoff games. Then, add back in the games on the days and in the parks you want, and fill out all the games for the series. Just be sure to use the same team matchups - if you pair up the wrong teams in the playoff series, it won't work. Once you've changed the playoff schedule to what you want, it will work fine, and OOTP will end the series at the appropriate time should one team win in less than the maximum number of games in the series. OOTP will then automatically generate the schedule for the next round once the winners from the previous round are determined, and you can again change the schedule to your liking just like you did for the first round.

So, for example, if you wanted to change your best-of-7 playoff rounds into a 3-4 home field rotation and play the series on consecutive days with no off days for travel, you could do it.

gmo · 06-23-2004, 02:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

Finally, when it comes to the scheduling in the playoffs in OOTP, note that you can reschedule the games if you want without any problem.

Thanks for posting this. I remember reading about doing that on here a while back but for some reason was thinking that it did not work right. Perhaps the only thing that could not be done was, as you mentioned, change the matchups like taking the wild card away from a divisional opponent in the first round. Don't know if I'll try it, but it does give me a good reason to thinking it should work.

Ktulu · 06-23-2004, 12:39 PM

Thanks LGO, I figured you would chime in on this

It looks like customization options are in order here. Personally I can't stand the fact that baseball doesnt decide home field advantage by win-loss record.

I assume that I should be able to change the schedule by using the manager mode toggle you utility. One way to find out...

06-22-2004, 09:31 PM	#3
Ktulu Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: BC Posts: 4,710	Yes its the league championship series. __________________ "The ice is getting even more thinner, my friend!"

06-23-2004, 02:22 AM	#5
Le Grande Orange Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Up There Posts: 15,642	First, back in the day when each league in MLB had only two divisions, the home field advantage for the LCS was NOT given to the team with the better record. Instead, it was simply alternated between each division each year. From 1969-1984, the LCS was a best-of-5 affair, and the home field rotation was 2-3. In odd numbered years, the NL East and AL West division winners had the home field advantage (although it's arguable whether it was much of an advantage, given that they played the first 2 games of the LCS on the road before having the next 3 in their parks). In even numbered years, it was the NL West and AL East division winners which had the home field advantage. In 1985, the LCS became a best-of-7 series, using a 2-3-2 home field rotation. In both 1985 and 1986, the NL West and AL East division winners had the home field advantage (I've yet to find out why it was identical in both years). From 1987-1993, in odd numbered years it was the NL East and AL West division winners which had home field advantage, while in even numbered years it was the NL West and AL East division winners which had the home field advantage. Now, as to how the home fields were rotated in a best-of-9 series, the only examples in MLB are from the years when the World Series was a best-of-9 event. Here is how it was done for each year: 1903 (Boston AL vs. Pittsburgh NL): 3-4-2 1919 (Chicago AL vs. Cincinnati NL): 2-3-2-1-* 1920 (Cleveland AL vs. Brooklyn NL): 3-4-1-* 1921 (New York AL vs. New York NL): 1-1-1-1-1-1-1-1-* The * refers to the fact that for those years, the 9th game of the Series was not assigned in the rotation. The site for that game would've been determined by a coin toss. Note also that the league in which the Series opened was not alternated between the leagues, but was also decided by a coin toss. For the 1921 World Series, since both teams were from New York, it was decided to simply alternate the home team for each game of the Series. Had the Series that year involved one team that was not a New York based club, the home field rotation would have been: 2-2-2-2-* Something to remember is that in these years travel days in the Series were only scheduled if the two contesting cities were far enough apart to warrant one. If they were not, then no travel days were used and the Series was played entirely on consecutive days. The 1903 and 1920 World Series did have travel days in between the city shifts, while the 1919 and 1921 Series did not. Finally, when it comes to the scheduling in the playoffs in OOTP, note that you can reschedule the games if you want without any problem. Before the first game of a playoff series is played, go into the schedule editor and delete all of the listed playoff games. Then, add back in the games on the days and in the parks you want, and fill out all the games for the series. Just be sure to use the same team matchups - if you pair up the wrong teams in the playoff series, it won't work. Once you've changed the playoff schedule to what you want, it will work fine, and OOTP will end the series at the appropriate time should one team win in less than the maximum number of games in the series. OOTP will then automatically generate the schedule for the next round once the winners from the previous round are determined, and you can again change the schedule to your liking just like you did for the first round. So, for example, if you wanted to change your best-of-7 playoff rounds into a 3-4 home field rotation and play the series on consecutive days with no off days for travel, you could do it. Last edited by Le Grande Orange; 06-23-2004 at 02:27 AM.

06-23-2004, 12:39 PM	#7
Ktulu Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: BC Posts: 4,710	Thanks LGO, I figured you would chime in on this It looks like customization options are in order here. Personally I can't stand the fact that baseball doesnt decide home field advantage by win-loss record. I assume that I should be able to change the schedule by using the manager mode toggle you utility. One way to find out... __________________ "The ice is getting even more thinner, my friend!"

06-22-2004, 09:22 PM	#1
Ktulu Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: BC Posts: 4,710	Nine Game Playoff Series - Scheduling A couple issues with the way a 9 game playoff series is scheduled. #1 Home field advantage. In a 2 league 2 division system the team with a better record does not get home field advantage. #2 Off days. The final 5 games of a 9 game series are played without off days(not too big of a deal but still an anoyance). The schedule goes: 2 in the park of the team with the better record off day 2 in the other teams park off day 2 better record 3 other team Now I know there is no modern 9 game playoff series format for comparison, but it would atleast be nice if the team with a better record had homefield advantage. I mean is it really fair for the team with a worse record to be playing the final 3 games of a series at home. Here is a worse case scenario: Team A 102-60 Team B 85-77 Team B leads series 4 games to 2, guess what they get 3 chances to clinch in their home park. and yes this scenario happened to me __________________ "The ice is getting even more thinner, my friend!"

06-22-2004, 09:29 PM	#2
gmo Hall Of Famer Join Date: May 2002 Location: Longmont, CO Posts: 3,446	I'm playing with a 9-game championship series as the only playoff round in a 12-team league. I'm not too fond of the 2-2-2-3 layout either (another vote for more customizable playoffs). But from what I've seen I thought the home field advantage just alternated from year to year. Are you seeing the HFA issue in your league championship series?