What if... At this time next Sunday, the Astros, Cubs, Phillies, and Marlins all have identical records?? Assuming the Astros and Cubs get to play a one-game playoff for the division, would the loser then get to play for the wild-card as well?? It really isn't fair if that doesn't happen... I mean, they would have finished with the exact same regular season record as the Marlins and Phillies, thus earning them the right to play for the wild card as well... right?
Interesting query... If that were the case, perhaps season record against each other or head to head matchups would help decide who would get it. Or maybe there could be a mini 4-team, 2 game playoff.
Taken from MLB website: http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/mlb/n...30919&content_id=534069&vkey=pr_mlb&fext=.jsp They don't mention a four team lock, however, looking at the scenario below, it would appear the NL Central Division Champ tie breaker game would be decided first, then the losing team would be thrown into a 3 team Wld Card tie breaker scenario, which would probably be scenario 4. Just a guess.. Scenario #5: If three Clubs in a League are tied with identical winning percentages at the end of the championship season and two of those tied Clubs are from the same Division and are also tied for first place in that Division and the third tied Club has the highest winning percentage among the second-place Clubs in the remaining two Divisions, the Division Champion shall first be determined by a one-game playoff on Monday, September 29. Any playoff games played to determine a Division champion shall not count in determining which Clubs are deemed tied for a Wild Card designation. Clubs that were originally tied with a Club or Clubs for a Wild Card designation shall still be considered tied. Example of Scenario #5: The Houston Astros, St. Louis Cardinals and Florida Marlins all have identical winning percentages at the end of the championship season. The Astros and Cardinals are tied for first place in the NL Central and the Marlins have the highest winning percentage among the second-place Clubs from the NL East and NL West. The Astros and Cardinals would play a one-game playoff on Monday, September 29. The winner shall be declared the Division Champion. Despite the loss, the losing Club would still be considered tied with the Marlins for the lead in the NL Wild Card. Those two Clubs would play a one-game playoff on Tuesday, September 30. The winner of that game shall be declared the Wild Card.
Also, the stros got screwed on tie breaker sites.. Any tiebreaker for Central Division would be played on the road.. All WC tiebreakers would be on road, except against Philly or Cards. A series of coin tosses were conducted today by Major League Baseball to determine the sites for potential two-team tiebreakers to clinch the NL Central and/or the NL Wild Card berth. The site for a one-game tiebreaker to determine the NL Central Division Champion is as follows: Opponents Site Houston and Chicago Wrigley Field, Chicago Houston and St. Louis Busch Stadium, St. Louis Chicago and St. Louis Busch Stadium, St. Louis Sites for a one-game tiebreaker to determine the NL Wild Card winner are as follows: Opponents Site Florida and Philadelphia Pro Player Stadium, Miami Florida and Los Angeles Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles Florida and Chicago Pro Player Stadium, Miami Florida and St. Louis Pro Player Stadium, Miami Florida and Houston Pro Player Stadium, Miami Philadelphia and Los Angeles Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles Philadelphia and Chicago Wrigley Field, Chicago Philadelphia and St. Louis Busch Stadium, St. Louis Philadelphia and Houston Minute Maid Park, Houston Los Angeles and Chicago Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles Los Angeles and St. Louis Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles Los Angeles and Houston Dodger Stadium, Los Angeles Houston and Chicago Wrigley Field, Chicago Houston and St. Louis Minute Maid Park, Houston Chicago and St. Louis Busch Stadium, St. Louis Any two-team tiebreakers to decide the NL Central Division Champion or the NL Wild Card are scheduled for Monday, September 29, 2003. ESPN and ESPN Radio will broadcast any playoff games, while game times will be determined at a later date. Major League Baseball will schedule additional coin tosses in the future if needed.
Thanks Sattle... that answers the question. If those four teams end up being tied, next Monday, the Astros and Cubs would play a one game playoff for the division, while there would be a three-way tie for the WC (with the Phillies, Marlins, and the loser of the NL Central). To avoid prolonging the playoffs too long, they'd probably have the Phillies and Marlins play that same day, and have the game between that winner and the NL Central loser the next day. In the end, if that scenario were to happen, whoever got that wild card would essentially be screwed for the playoffs, since they'd probably use all their best pitchers just to get to the playoffs, and have nothing left in the tank for those actual games. But, I guess, ... you never know once you're in the big dance.
I think they should just give every player a baseball bat, put 'em in a big field, and have a battle to the death. Last one standing, that's who's team goes to the playoffs...
I thought that if the Cubs and Astros were tied at the end of the season, the Central title would go to the Cubs because they beat us in the season series.
The only time head-to-head is used is if both teams qualify for the playoffs. In that case, the Cubs would be considered the division winner and the Astros would be the wild card team. This happened in 2001 with the Astros and Cardinals. The Astros had the better record during their season series, so they were declared division winner while the Cardinals played as the wild card.
Head to Head tie breaker is still used, however only applies when both tied teams are playoff bound. The only way Chicago can win the Central in a head to head record situation is if all the other teams except Astros are out of Wild Card. So if Stros and Cubs are only two left and they tie, Cubs are central champs. Scenario #1: If there is a tie for a Division Championship and the winning percentage of the two Clubs tied for first place is higher than the winning percentage of each of the second-place Clubs in the same League, the Division Champion shall be: The Club with the higher winning percentage in head-to-head competition between the two tied Clubs during the championship season; or If the Clubs remain tied, then to the tied Club with the higher winning percentage in intradivision games during the championship season; or If the Clubs remain tied, then to the tied Club with the higher winning percentage in the last half of intraleague games during the championship season; or If the Clubs remain tied, then to the tied Club with the higher winning percentage in the last half plus one of intraleague games during the championship season, provided that such additional game was not a game between the two tied Clubs. This process will be followed game-by-game until the tie is broken. Example of Scenario #1: The Oakland Athletics and Seattle Mariners end the championship season tied for the AL West Division Championship. Both Clubs have a higher winning percentage than the Boston Red Sox. Through games of September 18, the Mariners have the higher winning percentage in head-to-head competition (7-6, .538) and would be declared the Division Champion. Oakland would be the Wild Card.
Is the first round of playoffs best of 3 or 5 games? I remember them being 3 games last time stros were in playoffs, but seems like they changed or were going to change to 5 game series.
They talked about this on ESPNews. It sounds like MLB never planned for a 4-5 way tie like this so they have to figure out what to do. If it does happen, the ESPN guy said basically guessed what was said here would happen with the central playoff and then the wild card thing. A team could play 5 games in 5 days in 5 different cities.
