bjm676 Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 Tight races may set up crazy scenarios It doesn't happen very often -- a one-game end of the season playoff game to qualify for the postseason. But it could happen this year if a number of strange combinations fall into place. Everyone remembers Bobby Thomson's homer that sunk Brooklyn in favor of the New York Giants (1951) and Bucky Dent's Green Monster shot that helped the Yanks eliminate the Red Sox (1978) when it comes to end-of-the-regular-season playoff game heroics. But just to jog the memory, since the current three-division and Wild Card format spawned postseason competitors for the first time in 1995, three spots have been decided by game No. 163, one in which all personal records count as well as the final result in the standings. The Mariners won the American League West over the Angels in the old Kingdome in 1995; the Cubs vanquished the San Francisco Giants at Wrigley Field for the National League's Wild Card berth in 1998; and a year later, the Mets ousted the Reds to win the NL's Wild Card. Each year, the powers that be in Major League Baseball toss coins in the weeks before the end of the season to determine who would host those games. They usually don't happen. Remember last year? The Dodgers, Giants and Astros all went into the last weekend of the season with the possibility of a three-way tie that could have locked up the NL West and the Wild Card after 162 games were played. Coins were flipped and it was determined that the Dodgers would play the Giants in San Francisco for the NL West title on the Monday after the regular season ended. The loser would've had to have played the Astros for the Wild Card the next day. It never happened. The Dodgers defeated the Giants in L.A. on the next to last day of the season and the Astros eliminated the Giants by winning on the final day of the season. There are some scenarios -- a few crazy, the remainder a possibility -- that could result in some playoff games to get to the postseason if all the stars align come the end of play next Sunday. What if all three divisions in the AL end in a tie? Next Monday (Oct. 3), the Red Sox would play the Yankees at Yankee Stadium, the White Sox would play the Indians at Jacobs Field and the A's would play the Angels at Angel Stadium. The loser with the best record wins the Wild Card. What if two losers emerge from those games with the same record? Next Tuesday (Oct. 4), the Yankees would play the Indians at The Jake; the Red Sox would play Cleveland at Fenway Park, and all combinations against the White Sox are yet to be determined. The A's or Angels probably won't have good enough records to qualify. What if, in a highly unlikely event, all three losers wound up with the same record? That would set up the dreaded two-tier Wild Card playoff. The loser with the total of the best head-to-head records against the other two would have the choice of sitting out the first game or having home-field advantage in both games. The winner of the first game would then play the team with the bye to determine the AL Wild Card winner. What if three teams in the NL Wild Card race -- the Phillies, Marlins and Astros -- all wind up with the same record? See above. What if two teams in the AL Wild Card race finish with the same records? Next Monday (Oct. 3), the Yankees would play the Indians at the Jake or the Red Sox would play Cleveland at Fenway Park. All combinations against the White Sox are yet to be determined. What if two teams in the NL Wild Card race finish with the same records? Next Monday, (Oct. 3), the Astros would play the Phillies at Citizens Bank Park, or the Marlins would play the Phillies in Philadelphia, or the Astros would play the Marlins in Miami. What if the Phillies tie the Braves for the NL East? Next Monday (Oct.3), the Phillies would host the Braves. What if those two teams tie for the NL East and the Astros finish with the same record? Next Monday (Oct. 3), same as above. Next Tuesday (Oct. 4), if the Phillies lose the division playoff, they host the Astros in a Wild Card playoff game. If the Braves lose, where they play the Astros still must be determined. What if the Giants tie the Padres in the NL West? Next Monday (Oct. 3), San Francisco would play San Diego at PETCO Park. What if the Yankees tie the Red Sox in the AL East? Next Monday (Oct. 3), the Yankees would host the Red Sox. What if the Indians and the White Sox are tied in the AL Central? Next Monday (Oct. 3), the Indians would host the White Sox. What if the A's and Angels are tied in the AL West? Next Monday (Oct. 3), the Angels would host the A's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
daa84 Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 lets just win the thing so we dont have to look at this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
knightni Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 OW! MY BRAIN! :banghead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Texsox Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 Could it be that all combinations concerning the White Sox haven't been determined because no one in their frickin' mind thought we would be this close?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buehrle>Wood Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 What if, in a highly unlikely event, all three losers wound up with the same record? What if, in a highly unlikely event, all three losers wound up with the same record? That would set up the dreaded two-tier Wild Card playoff. The loser with the total of the best head-to-head records against the other two would have the choice of sitting out the first game or having home-field advantage in both games. The winner of the first game would then play the team with the bye to determine the AL Wild Card winner. WOAH! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sircaffey Posted September 26, 2005 Share Posted September 26, 2005 My brain hurts... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
GreatScott82 Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 Lets not worry about that and just win! We can still win 100 games 6-0 can happen! The latest goes as follows: If we go 4-2 we are IN! Let the other stuff take care of itself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxFan1 Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 Reading that was worse than a brain-freeze! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bjm676 Posted September 27, 2005 Author Share Posted September 27, 2005 QUOTE(SoxFan1 @ Sep 27, 2005 -> 06:01 PM) Reading that was worse than a brain-freeze! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SoxFan1 Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 QUOTE(robinventura23 @ Sep 27, 2005 -> 07:03 PM) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Steve9347 Posted September 27, 2005 Share Posted September 27, 2005 QUOTE(robinventura23 @ Sep 27, 2005 -> 06:03 PM) that looks damn tasty Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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