Major League Baseball: 2012 Season
- Thread starter JohnBM01
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Barra333
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- barra333
Care to elaborate?
What Smitty said makes sense to me. The WC team gets 'up' for what is effectively a game 7 just to make the DS, probably using a top pitcher in the process. This would prevent them from using him in game 1, and probably game 5 if there is one. Hence advantage to the team that topped the league.
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- xViLLaiNx12
It doesn't award you for a better season, it awards you for winning your division.
So you can be a second-place (or even third place) team with a better record (and therefore a better season) than one or both other division winners and still be forced to play a one-and-done playoff game. This also hurts you because you have to travel immediately after your wildcard game and you are not able to rest or reset your rotation.
I happen to like this new system, and I think it'll be very entertaining. But not for one second do I believe that it awards you for have a "better season."
So you can be a second-place (or even third place) team with a better record (and therefore a better season) than one or both other division winners and still be forced to play a one-and-done playoff game. This also hurts you because you have to travel immediately after your wildcard game and you are not able to rest or reset your rotation.
I happen to like this new system, and I think it'll be very entertaining. But not for one second do I believe that it awards you for have a "better season."
Barra333
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- barra333
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- BJBEOSmitty
Winning your division IS a better season than winning the Wildcard... Always has been. The Wildcard does not get home field when they play a division winner
Sure, you may gripe about a Wildcard with more wins than a division winner, but them's the rules. Complain to MLB, not me.
Sure, you may gripe about a Wildcard with more wins than a division winner, but them's the rules. Complain to MLB, not me.
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- Cowboys965
Patrick
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Exactly.
Winning your division is having a better season the rest of the teams in your division, yes, but you can finish second or third place in your division and have a better record than first place teams in other divisions (it is the case in both leagues this year). Of course I'm not surprised that you don't grasp this concept.
Let me just reiterate the point I'm making since you clearly didn't get it the first time:
The new wild card system does not award teams for having a better season. It awards teams for winning their division. That is not the same thing.
I'm not griping about it. Twice I've said that I like the new wildcard system. Read more closely.
- 336
- Anaheim, CA
- ANGELSFAN13
- LA ANGELSFAN14
Angels record: 89 - 73
Tigers record: 88- 74
I remember some of my Dodgers friends saying that the Angels played in an easy division
Also, what's the alternative to 2 on the road and 2 at home? 2 road, 2 home, 1 road? That makes for an extra and unnecessary trip, to me anyways. I know the LCS and WS have 2 trips, but those are a bit different.
BobK
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Interesting to note that if we were still following last year's format then the AL situation would be exactly the same -- a one-game playoff between the O's and the Rangers to determine the wild card team.
I agree that if you must have a wild card team, then the current "one and done" format is the way to do it. There was finally a real incentive for teams to win their divisions, instead of just coasting to the playoffs; for the first time since 1993.
However, I still dislike the idea of a second place team (or worse yet, a third place team, like we could have had this year) making the playoffs. Just because the other major sports leagues get it wrong means that baseball has to as well. Furthermore there just seems something wrong with .500 teams still being in contention for the postseason.
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I agree that if you must have a wild card team, then the current "one and done" format is the way to do it. There was finally a real incentive for teams to win their divisions, instead of just coasting to the playoffs; for the first time since 1993.
However, I still dislike the idea of a second place team (or worse yet, a third place team, like we could have had this year) making the playoffs. Just because the other major sports leagues get it wrong means that baseball has to as well. Furthermore there just seems something wrong with .500 teams still being in contention for the postseason.
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Which sports are you referring to? The playoff system seems fair in the NHL, NBA, and MLS - the top 8 from each conference get to go. The only problem I have with those systems is that over half of the teams get to go to the playoffs (seems like you have to be a really bad team to not get in).
But then again, my Kings were the 8-seed and they took the Cup for the first time just last you so you will never hear me complain about it.
So I guess that leaves (in the US) the NFL, NASCAR, and then college sports... Do you think March Madness gets it wrong? BCS?
Joel
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My.biggest complaint about the NHL playoffs is the division leaders automatically get seeded 1-2-3, often the #3 seed has less points than 4, 5, 6. Last season, the Devils were in 6th place, and had over 100 points, and the Panthers got seeded 3rd for winning a weak division, so the Panthers had home ice advantage despite only having 90~ points.
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NASCAR is wrong, only sport where there is no separation between those in the playoffs and everyone else. March Madness is good but otherwise (quite honestly) College Basketball doesn't get a ton of coverage. The BCS is broken terribly and the MLS is more confusing than anything I've seen. How does a team from New York end up in the Western Conference Finals?Which sports are you referring to? The playoff system seems fair in the NHL, NBA, and MLS - the top 8 from each conference get to go. The only problem I have with those systems is that over half of the teams get to go to the playoffs (seems like you have to be a really bad team to not get in).
But then again, my Kings were the 8-seed and they took the Cup for the first time just last you so you will never hear me complain about it.
So I guess that leaves (in the US) the NFL, NASCAR, and then college sports... Do you think March Madness gets it wrong? BCS?
I was thinking the same thing. Poorly named conferences.
CodeRedR51
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Anyone else think Texas has their game in the bag with Joe Saunders pitching for Baltimore? As soon as I heard he was pitching, I was like "Really!?!"
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All I have learned from this year (and many years before) is that saying Texas has a game in the bag opens them up to lose said game in the most spectacularly embarrassing way possible.
CodeRedR51
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They showed Saunder's stats for pitching in Texas and his ERA was over 9!
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- Houston, Texas, USA
- JMarine25
Proverbial calm before the storm. The BAL/TEX winner gets the Yankees, and the ATL/STL winner gets the Nationals.
Good luck to all four teams in these two games in what feels like two Game 7's. The mantra for tonight- win or go home.
Good luck to all four teams in these two games in what feels like two Game 7's. The mantra for tonight- win or go home.
CodeRedR51
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Found out that if the Cardinals make it to the NLCS, I may have left field tickets for Game 3.
CodeRedR51
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Right now, it's 5-2 in favor of St. Louis at Atlanta. Top of the 7th with one out. As I was going to post this update, a throwing error at home gave STL an extra run. So I changed it from 4-2 to 5-2.
I kind of want to see ATL advance just so Chipper Jones can extend his career a little longer. ATL led 2-0 earlier in the game.
I kind of want to see ATL advance just so Chipper Jones can extend his career a little longer. ATL led 2-0 earlier in the game.
CodeRedR51
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Looks like St. Louis is going to take it.... 
- 3,542
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Buster Posey is the first NL Catcher to win the batting title in 70 years. Last Giant to win was Bonds in 04' when he .370
What a boss that guy is. That among being the MVP favorite after what he went through last year is incredible.
What a boss that guy is. That among being the MVP favorite after what he went through last year is incredible.
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I think Yadier Molina has something to say about that...
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- Richmond, Va
- Scarecrow937
The city I live in used to be the homes of the Braves' AAA team. We are also really close to Washington. I was really hoping for a Nats-Braves series. Oh well...barring a comeback, it looks like my beloved Nats will be hosting the Red Birds.
