pre-1900 tiebreaker scenario

thehef · 06-12-2012, 01:53 PM

In my historical sim that is in 1894, I use edited schedules that randomize missed games - presumbably due to rainouts or darkness - so I don't end seasons with all teams having completed a nice and tidy - but completely unrealistic - (for example) 140 games each. (This is for pre-1900 seasons. Once I hit the 20th century, I will switch to 'as played' scheds.)

So this resulted in an interesting scenario at the end of 1894. The two-time defending champ Detroit Tigers finished in a virtual tie with the Louisville Colonels, with the Tigers (76-64) having played their full 140-game schedule and the Colonels (75-63) having played 138 (the Colonels actually have the win % points edge, when the % is taken out to four decimals). My options to resolve the tie include the following:

1. Give it to Louisville based upon win %. This, however, is a pretty boring way to resolve it. After all, one-game playoffs are rare and cool, so since it's my game, I won't be going with this.

2. Have Louisville play its make-up games vs Philly and Washington. (The season ended on Sunday, with Philly and Louisville finishing at home, Detroit finishing in Louisville, and Wash closing in Chicago.) Although other scheduling options exist, this would likely involve Philadelphia traveling to Louisville for a Monday game, and then - regardless of the result of the first make-up game - Louisville traveling to Washington for a Tuesday game. Then, if Louisville were to go 0-2, the title goes to Detroit; if Louisville goes 2-0, they win the pennant; if Lousville splits, it's a one-game playoff on Wednesday between Louisville & Detroit (site to-be-determined)... This option would involve an awful lot of travel during a time when the powers that be would be unlikely to put something like that in play.

3. Simply have Detroit - which is already in town - play at Louisville in a one-game playoff on Monday. Pretty sure I'm going with this option. Although OOTP players wouldn't 'realize' it, both Philly and Washington would have nothing to play for, giving Louisville an advantage in a make-up-games scenario. So that, combined with the realities of geography, is sufficient rationale in giving Louisville home-field advantage for a playoff game (the two teams split their regular-season matchups, 10-10).

How do you think something like this would've been handled back then?

Le Grande Orange · 06-12-2012, 02:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by thehef

How do you think something like this would've been handled back then?

Prior to 1951, postponed games had to be made up before the scheduled end of the regular season (and it's still the case in the minor leagues today). If they can't, then they're gone. Consequently, teams often played differing numbers of games. The pennant went to the club with the best winning percentage based on the game played.

That is why, for example, Chicago won the 1915 Federal League pennant over St. Louis (the two clubs were tied in games behind, but Chicago was 86-66 .566 while St. Louis was 87-67 .565). It's why Toronto won the 1902 International League pennant over Buffalo (both clubs were tied in games behind but Toronto was 85-42 .669 compared to Buffalo's 88-45 .662).

(It occurs to me that OOTP really ought to let the user decide how such situations will be handled. There'd be three choices: (1) by games behind; (2) by winning percentage; and (3) by number of wins. In the case of the 1902 International League, using #1 would mean there'd be a tiebreaking playoff game since both clubs are tied in games behind for first place. Using #2 would mean Toronto gets the pennant. Using #3 would give Buffalo the pennant. All three of these methods have been used in baseball at various times.)

thehef · 06-13-2012, 12:54 PM

Thanks LGO. So in my scenario, OOTP would've gone with #2 (win %), right? And that's the way it likely would've been handled back in 1884, too.

Your suggestion for OOTP to allow the user to define the method is an excellent one...

So back to my scenario, as fyi, I didn't mention above that Louisville forged the tie beating Detroit in three straight to end the regularly-scheduled season. In the first game, the Colonels scored five in the bottom of the ninth to win, 6-5. In the second game, they won 4-3 in 10 innings. And in the regular-season finale they won 6-3. As I indicated above, I went with the one-game playoff option, and in that game, Louisville scored 4 in the 8th to win 7-3. It was Kid Nichols' 3rd win in four days against Detroit. (Two days later Nichols won the opener of the Temple Cup Series against Boston, so he's on quite a roll.)

bwburke94 · 06-13-2012, 07:53 PM

It'll be interesting to see how the inaugural Temple Cup plays out. (Wait... what was Boston's record? Somewhere around 80-60 or so?)

06-12-2012, 01:53 PM	#1
thehef Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,380	pre-1900 tiebreaker scenario In my historical sim that is in 1894, I use edited schedules that randomize missed games - presumbably due to rainouts or darkness - so I don't end seasons with all teams having completed a nice and tidy - but completely unrealistic - (for example) 140 games each. (This is for pre-1900 seasons. Once I hit the 20th century, I will switch to 'as played' scheds.) So this resulted in an interesting scenario at the end of 1894. The two-time defending champ Detroit Tigers finished in a virtual tie with the Louisville Colonels, with the Tigers (76-64) having played their full 140-game schedule and the Colonels (75-63) having played 138 (the Colonels actually have the win % points edge, when the % is taken out to four decimals). My options to resolve the tie include the following: 1. Give it to Louisville based upon win %. This, however, is a pretty boring way to resolve it. After all, one-game playoffs are rare and cool, so since it's my game, I won't be going with this. 2. Have Louisville play its make-up games vs Philly and Washington. (The season ended on Sunday, with Philly and Louisville finishing at home, Detroit finishing in Louisville, and Wash closing in Chicago.) Although other scheduling options exist, this would likely involve Philadelphia traveling to Louisville for a Monday game, and then - regardless of the result of the first make-up game - Louisville traveling to Washington for a Tuesday game. Then, if Louisville were to go 0-2, the title goes to Detroit; if Louisville goes 2-0, they win the pennant; if Lousville splits, it's a one-game playoff on Wednesday between Louisville & Detroit (site to-be-determined)... This option would involve an awful lot of travel during a time when the powers that be would be unlikely to put something like that in play. 3. Simply have Detroit - which is already in town - play at Louisville in a one-game playoff on Monday. Pretty sure I'm going with this option. Although OOTP players wouldn't 'realize' it, both Philly and Washington would have nothing to play for, giving Louisville an advantage in a make-up-games scenario. So that, combined with the realities of geography, is sufficient rationale in giving Louisville home-field advantage for a playoff game (the two teams split their regular-season matchups, 10-10). How do you think something like this would've been handled back then?

06-13-2012, 12:54 PM	#3
thehef Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2006 Posts: 5,380	Thanks LGO. So in my scenario, OOTP would've gone with #2 (win %), right? And that's the way it likely would've been handled back in 1884, too. Your suggestion for OOTP to allow the user to define the method is an excellent one... So back to my scenario, as fyi, I didn't mention above that Louisville forged the tie beating Detroit in three straight to end the regularly-scheduled season. In the first game, the Colonels scored five in the bottom of the ninth to win, 6-5. In the second game, they won 4-3 in 10 innings. And in the regular-season finale they won 6-3. As I indicated above, I went with the one-game playoff option, and in that game, Louisville scored 4 in the 8th to win 7-3. It was Kid Nichols' 3rd win in four days against Detroit. (Two days later Nichols won the opener of the Temple Cup Series against Boston, so he's on quite a roll.)

06-13-2012, 07:53 PM	#4
bwburke94 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: Belchertown, MA, USA Posts: 4,522	It'll be interesting to see how the inaugural Temple Cup plays out. (Wait... what was Boston's record? Somewhere around 80-60 or so?)