NL Wild Card - Page 2

Tony M · 09-28-2007, 10:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 1998 Yankees

Nope, it has to be Yankees - Orioles or Red Sox - Twins, games that matter. You know how ESPN favors us.

It would probably still matter more to ESPN even if we won tonight and the Yankees lost thus clinching the AL East - there might be some intangible still to play for.

The race for choosing the schedule perhaps. I think it's down to Cleveland or Boston, with an outside chance of the Yankees or Angels getting the choice.

Tony M · 09-28-2007, 10:45 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

What happens is that NYN and PHI play a single playoff game to determine the East Division champion

Is this only in the case when NYN and PHI are also tied for the Wildcard because surely the Phillies would take the division on the record between them (12-6 to Philly isn't it)?

Green & Gold Heart · 09-28-2007, 10:48 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redsoxford

Is this only in the case when NYN and PHI are also tied for the Wildcard because surely the Phillies would take the division on the record between them (12-6 to Philly isn't it)?

That sounds right. I remember the A's won the division in 2000 based on head-to-head tiebreaker.

Gastric ReFlux · 09-28-2007, 10:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redsoxford

Is this only in the case when NYN and PHI are also tied for the Wildcard because surely the Phillies would take the division on the record between them (12-6 to Philly isn't it)?

I believe that only occurs if the Phillies and Mets have better records than the wild card team.
http://www.baseball-reference.com/ab...ion_ties.shtml

Quote:

Scenario #2: If there is a tie for a Division Championship and the winning percentage of the two tied Clubs is lower than the winning percentage of the second-place Club with the best record among all non-Division winners in the same League, the tie for the Division Championship shall be broken as follows:

A one-game playoff shall be played on Monday, September 29 to determine the Division Championship. The site of the game would be determined by a coin flip and the winner of the game shall be declared the Division Champion.

Example of Scenario #2: The Houston Astros and St. Louis Cardinals tie for the NL Central Division Championship. The Florida Marlins have a better record than both tied Clubs and would be the Wild Card. The Astros and Cardinals would play a one-game playoff on Monday, September 29 to determine the Division Championship.

spark240 · 09-28-2007, 04:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Raderick

Le Grande Orange · 09-28-2007, 06:35 PM

Gastric has it right. The only time head-to-head records are used to determine which team is the division winner is when both teams involved in the tie are in the post-season anyway. From MLB's point of view, they don't see any sense in playing a playoff game to determine the division winner when the losing team is going to be the wild card team anyway.

In the hypothetical scenarios mentioned, there is a tie for the wild card, thus necessitating divisional and wild card tiebreaking playoff games.

Big Hugg · 09-28-2007, 10:00 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Green & Gold Heart

No word on ESPN Sunday night game. Maybe they're waiting to see where things stand after Saturday.

They don't do Sunday Night Baseball on the final day of the season.

There's a 2-hour Baseball Tonight instead.

Arlie Rahn · 09-29-2007, 12:39 AM

With the DBacks win and the Mets loss tonight, Arizona has clinched no worse than a wild card birth. Their magic number for the division is 2.

Raderick · 09-29-2007, 12:42 AM

San Diego's magic number for a playoff spot is one.

kenyan_cheena · 09-29-2007, 02:06 AM

This capitulation by the Mets must rank as one of the biggest collapses in Major League history. Unbelieveable.

PotatoPeeler · 09-29-2007, 05:15 AM

I think the '95 Angels still have them beat.

Green & Gold Heart · 09-30-2007, 11:11 AM

The Rockies still have a prayer. With a San Diego loss and a Rockies win today, they'd be tied (or possibly a three-way tie, depending on what happens with the Mets and the Phillies).

Elendil · 09-30-2007, 11:54 AM

Edit: NM, went back in thread.

spark240 · 09-30-2007, 12:12 PM

MLB.com is describing today's last-RS-day scenario as "the most dramatic result of the Wild Card being added in 1995."

Um, no.

I'll be enjoying following the results of today's games as much as anyone, other than dedicated fans of the particular teams involved. I think almost any baseball fan has to enjoy how Colorado has made their final charge, and it's true that without the WC, they wouldn't be in it on this final day.

But...

Today's scenario involves four teams competing for two playoff spots. Arizona, by current standings the best team in the National League cannot be eliminated, so we're looking at effectively a four-way contest between the 2nd-through-5th teams (by standings, ignoring the different divisional schedules), in which two will be eliminated (either today, or in tiebreaker games to follow). Only the astonishing Colorado surge has increased this scenario from what I laid out ten days ago...

Quote:

Originally Posted by spark240

The NL situation looks better, because you have an NL Central race and a wild card "race." But the NL Central is a race only because both the Cubs and Brewers aren't good enough to have a shot at the WC, should they lose out in their division. And the wild card "race" is really a three-way contest among the Mets, Phillies, and Padres in which only one will be eliminated.

On the other hand, what would we have had today with no wildcard option?

That's right, four teams playing for two playoff spots. The difference is, without the WC, the spots in question would be the NL East and NL West divisional titles, and instead of the "2nd-through-5th" teams in the league, it would be the top two in each division, and we'd still have the possibility of one-game-playoffs in either or both divisions. Arizona would still be fighting.

So what has the wildcard given us? A relaxed day for the Diamondbacks, and a shred of hope for the Rockies. Followers of those two teams, today at least, may prefer the WC format.

Okay, enough already. For anyone who has the opportunity to watch any of the games involved, enjoy.

And, yes, I am psyched for the playoffs.

mrskippy · 09-30-2007, 01:21 PM

Why no television coverage of these games today?

Also, what are all the different tiebreaker scenarios?

rudel.dietrich · 09-30-2007, 01:31 PM

I pray Arizona does not make the playoffs
They are 11 (!) games over their Phythag record and have to rank as one of the luckiest teams in a long while
Luck and playing in a weak division
SD matches theirs and COL is under theirs by 2
Either team would be a better watch than Arizona

And if the Rockies were to some how make it I could find myself throwing my support behind them

I have no personal interest in any of the remaining teams
I just want a good playoffs with close games and long 7 game series
Some extra innings games would be nice too

Or perhaps a repeat of the 2001 playoffs which must surely rank among the greatest playoffs ever?

spark240 · 09-30-2007, 01:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fallschirmjager

I pray Arizona does not make the playoffs

They already have. They are the NL West winner.

(Even if they lose today and SD wins, Arizona wins the division based on the tiebreaker, given that SD in that scenario will be the WC. With no WC for SD, Arizona would not have claimed the clinch already, thus my argument above.)

Green & Gold Heart · 09-30-2007, 01:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Fallschirmjager

I pray Arizona does not make the playoffs

They've already clinched the division.

Still up for grabs: NL East, NL Wild Card

spark240 · 09-30-2007, 01:40 PM

Beat ya, GG!

Hey, do you like my new av?

rudel.dietrich · 09-30-2007, 01:47 PM

Well I guess we will see how luck holds up against the best teams in baseball
Actualy I would think the playoffs would favour them since low scoring games favour them and the playoffs tend to be lower scoring games.

09-29-2007, 12:39 AM	#28
Arlie Rahn All Star Reserve Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Phoenix, AZ Posts: 564	With the DBacks win and the Mets loss tonight, Arizona has clinched no worse than a wild card birth. Their magic number for the division is 2. __________________ Developer of Bowl Bound College Football http://www.greydogsoftware.com

09-29-2007, 12:42 AM	#29
Raderick Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: San Diego, California Posts: 2,737	San Diego's magic number for a playoff spot is one. __________________

09-29-2007, 05:15 AM	#31
PotatoPeeler Hall Of Famer Join Date: Aug 2002 Location: Rapid City, SD Posts: 3,639	I think the '95 Angels still have them beat. __________________ 培傑西 I have never taken a lesson on how to talk on TV in my life. - Tim McCarver Guns have only two enemies; rust and liberals. The world is a comedy to those that think; a tragedy to those that feel.

09-30-2007, 11:54 AM	#33
Elendil Hall Of Famer Join Date: Dec 2003 Location: the dynasty forum Posts: 2,318	Edit: NM, went back in thread. __________________ Heaven is kicking back with a double Talisker and a churchwarden stuffed with latakia. Last edited by Elendil; 09-30-2007 at 11:56 AM.

09-28-2007, 06:35 PM	#26
Le Grande Orange Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Up There Posts: 15,644	Gastric has it right. The only time head-to-head records are used to determine which team is the division winner is when both teams involved in the tie are in the post-season anyway. From MLB's point of view, they don't see any sense in playing a playoff game to determine the division winner when the losing team is going to be the wild card team anyway. In the hypothetical scenarios mentioned, there is a tie for the wild card, thus necessitating divisional and wild card tiebreaking playoff games.

09-29-2007, 02:06 AM	#30
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 9,037	This capitulation by the Mets must rank as one of the biggest collapses in Major League history. Unbelieveable.

09-30-2007, 11:11 AM	#32
Green & Gold Heart Hall Of Famer Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Wisconsin Posts: 5,242	The Rockies still have a prayer. With a San Diego loss and a Rockies win today, they'd be tied (or possibly a three-way tie, depending on what happens with the Mets and the Phillies).

09-30-2007, 01:21 PM	#35
mrskippy All Star Starter Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Northern California Posts: 1,011	Why no television coverage of these games today? Also, what are all the different tiebreaker scenarios?

09-30-2007, 01:31 PM	#36
rudel.dietrich Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Zürich, Switzerland Posts: 8,608	I pray Arizona does not make the playoffs They are 11 (!) games over their Phythag record and have to rank as one of the luckiest teams in a long while Luck and playing in a weak division SD matches theirs and COL is under theirs by 2 Either team would be a better watch than Arizona And if the Rockies were to some how make it I could find myself throwing my support behind them I have no personal interest in any of the remaining teams I just want a good playoffs with close games and long 7 game series Some extra innings games would be nice too Or perhaps a repeat of the 2001 playoffs which must surely rank among the greatest playoffs ever?

09-30-2007, 01:40 PM	#39
spark240 All Star Reserve Join Date: Nov 2003 Location: Highest county in the Virginia hills Posts: 637	Beat ya, GG! Hey, do you like my new av?

09-30-2007, 01:47 PM	#40
rudel.dietrich Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Zürich, Switzerland Posts: 8,608	Well I guess we will see how luck holds up against the best teams in baseball Actualy I would think the playoffs would favour them since low scoring games favour them and the playoffs tend to be lower scoring games.