2018 Standings and Playoff Race Discussion

[tmwiese55]

I get the point (and it was my gut when it was implemented) that having the season come down to a 1 game playoff isn't quite right. However, beside the Division advantage mentioned already I think the biggest thing they like is that having the 2nd WC keeps several more teams 'alive' longer in the regular season. I don't care to get into specifics this year, but just talking in general. I think that is a huge aspect of them going to this format which can't be overlooked and after my gut not liking the 1 game I've come to accept this as a positive.

[brewcrewdue80]

1992 we finish with 92 wins 3rd best in AL 5th best in all of baseball behind only the division winners. Dont make the playoffs. At least the #1 non division winner gets to host 1game to play on. I think this is more being scared as a Brewer fan to face the Dodgers 1game vs if it were Colorado. Wouldn't here this argument right now.

 

This team should scare the other NL teams more than we are scared of any Playoff contender. We have the best BP guy and best talented bullpen to have to go through if we get just 4innings with a lead to turn to.

[82brewcrew82]

1992 we finish with 92 wins 3rd best in AL 5th best in all of baseball behind only the division winners. Dont make the playoffs. At least the #1 non division winner gets to host 1game to play on. I think this is more being scared as a Brewer fan to face the Dodgers 1game vs if it were Colorado. Wouldn't here this argument right now.

 

This team should scare the other NL teams more than we are scared of any Playoff contender. We have the best BP guy and best talented bullpen to have to go through if we get just 4innings with a lead to turn to.

Exactly! All this angst about which team ends up where is something I can't get my head around.

[TURBO]

It will all work itself out, and the daily grind of who is winning against who is fun for some, and stressful for others.

[sveumrules]

Under the current setup there is potential for 2 WC games, 20 DS games, 14 CS games & 7 WS games for 43 games total.

 

Contract two teams. Eliminate the leagues. Each team plays each of the other 27 teams 6 times (3 home/3 road) each for 162 regular season games.

 

The two best teams then play a best of 43 series so we have a large enough sample to determine The One True Champion.

 

I'm not even sure if I'm serious or joking at this point.

[MrTPlush]

You just recommended contraction...don’t think I can find a bigger pipe dream. More like we win the World Series for the rest of time.

[topper09er]

...but the one-game Wild Card playoff isn't fair...

 

This is why it is good, because now you actually want to win your division rather than making the playoffs on the same level as all the other division winners. It is also good because if you use your ace they very likely will not get 2 starts in the next round, a big disadvantage compared to the division winner you have to play. If it was a 3 game series with the off days you could start your ace in game 1 of the wildcard series and game 1 of the div series

[pacopete4]

...but the one-game Wild Card playoff isn't fair...

 

This is why it is good, because now you actually want to win your division rather than making the playoffs on the same level as all the other division winners. It is also good because if you use your ace they very likely will not get 2 starts in the next round, a big disadvantage compared to the division winner you have to play. If it was a 3 game series with the off days you could start your ace in game 1 of the wildcard series and game 1 of the div series

 

Playing the other side though, you get punished if you’re just in the wrong division at the wrong time. Could have the two best teams in a league and one might have to play a one game playoff just to get into the dance. I’m not sure that’s a great thing either. Unfortunately the unbalanced schedule ruins changing anything.

[sveumrules]

Unfortunately the unbalanced schedule ruins changing anything.

 

Exactly.

 

If you want true equity you need to balance the schedule & eliminate divisions (not to mention level the financial playing field). The only way to accomplish any of that is by adding/subtracting teams and/or regular season games.

 

Since we know none of that is going to happen anytime soon, any ensuing system will be unfair to some team depending on how any given season plays out.

 

And I don't think there is anything wrong with that. Such is baseball, such is life.

[MrTPlush]

...but the one-game Wild Card playoff isn't fair...

 

This is why it is good, because now you actually want to win your division rather than making the playoffs on the same level as all the other division winners. It is also good because if you use your ace they very likely will not get 2 starts in the next round, a big disadvantage compared to the division winner you have to play. If it was a 3 game series with the off days you could start your ace in game 1 of the wildcard series and game 1 of the div series

 

I think you want to win your division regardless.

 

There has to be a better answer to have 5 teams and not have one of them go out after one single crapshoot game and another having a huge disadvantage in the next round. I think a 3 game series would be solid.

[sveumrules]

I think a 3 game series would be solid.

 

Day off after the regular season. Five days to cover three games plus an off day in the middle of the series & another off day after its over.

 

The one seed division winner has now had six days off to accumulate rust while the team they will be playing has stayed sharp playing in & winning meaningful games. Almost sounds like a DISadvantage to me.

 

Also, how do you set up the three game series? Does the better WC play the first two games at home then have to win on the road in game three? Doesn't seem fair the lesser WC should host the deciding game.

[young guns]

If it happened they would probably do it like the minors. Lower seed hosts game 1 and better gets the last 2.

[MrTPlush]

I think a 3 game series would be solid.

 

Day off after the regular season. Five days to cover three games plus an off day in the middle of the series & another off day after its over.

 

The one seed division winner has now had six days off to accumulate rust while the team they will be playing has stayed sharp playing in & winning meaningful games. Almost sounds like a DISadvantage to me.

 

Also, how do you set up the three game series? Does the better WC play the first two games at home then have to win on the road in game three? Doesn't seem fair the lesser WC should host the deciding game.

 

All those days off has ended up feeling like a disadvantage for many teams in history. In MLB and in the NFL.

[Dead Simmons]

The Dodgers are pounding the crap out of the Cardinals' rookie staff (predictably) and I personally have given up on the season. Good luck to you guys in the post. I'll be rooting for you.

[brewmann04]

Brewers are again struggling with the pirates and reds cost them a division IMO

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I hate the second wild card. It's crap that you can now be better than a team for a 162 game season and have it all taken away in one single game. If you have one bad day, none of the 162 now matters.

 

I realize that I seem very biased on this because of the position we are in but I said the same things when they introduced the second wild card.

 

It puts a lot more value on winning your division which should be a huge advantage. The Wild Card should be a harder path to winning a World Series and in the past it wasn't, now it is. This is one of the better changes they have made.

 

Also teams play different schedules, being better by a game or two over 162 really means nothing at all. If there is a 20 game gap between teams I get your point but most of the time it is 2 or 3 games and that is nothing. If you want the highest chance to win in the playoffs win your division, every team has plenty of time to accomplish that.

 

I think this is the best argument for it that I've seen.

[adambr2]

I hate the second wild card. It's crap that you can now be better than a team for a 162 game season and have it all taken away in one single game. If you have one bad day, none of the 162 now matters.

 

I realize that I seem very biased on this because of the position we are in but I said the same things when they introduced the second wild card.

 

It puts a lot more value on winning your division which should be a huge advantage. The Wild Card should be a harder path to winning a World Series and in the past it wasn't, now it is. This is one of the better changes they have made.

 

Also teams play different schedules, being better by a game or two over 162 really means nothing at all. If there is a 20 game gap between teams I get your point but most of the time it is 2 or 3 games and that is nothing. If you want the highest chance to win in the playoffs win your division, every team has plenty of time to accomplish that.

 

I think this is the best argument for it that I've seen.

 

I've still yet to see anything that is based more on logic rather than just total subjectivity as to WHY the division winners should receive a bigger advantage than in any other professional sport, let alone "should" receive a "huge" advantage.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

The division winners get much bigger advantages in other sports. Home field is not nearly as important in baseball than other sports and winning a division gets you home field in the NFL. In football two division winners also get to skip an entire round.

 

But the argument I'd offer is that the baseball season is extremely long. Winning a division is a very impressive feat on its own, so I think there should be a distinctive advantage. There was no such thing in the previous set up, the wild card team was basically on equal footing. Even more so in situations where the WC got out of playing the top team because you couldn't play a team from your division in the NLDS.

[topper09er]

...but the one-game Wild Card playoff isn't fair...

 

This is why it is good, because now you actually want to win your division rather than making the playoffs on the same level as all the other division winners. It is also good because if you use your ace they very likely will not get 2 starts in the next round, a big disadvantage compared to the division winner you have to play. If it was a 3 game series with the off days you could start your ace in game 1 of the wildcard series and game 1 of the div series

 

Playing the other side though, you get punished if you’re just in the wrong division at the wrong time. Could have the two best teams in a league and one might have to play a one game playoff just to get into the dance. I’m not sure that’s a great thing either. Unfortunately the unbalanced schedule ruins changing anything.

 

I would say you are punished for not winning your division, period. Why should you be able to complete equally for a the best of 30 team title when you couldn't even win the best of 5 team title.

[pacopete4]

 

I would say you are punished for not winning your division, period. Why should you be able to complete equally for a the best of 30 team title when you couldn't even win the best of 5 team title.

 

It's about being punished if you happen to be in a division with all of the best teams. Say you are in a division where the top two teams with 95+ games and there is a division winner who wins 85. Is the punishment warranted to the 2nd team in the 95+ win division? I'm not so sure. But my second point was that it doesn't matter until there is a balanced schedule so all of this talk is pretty pointless to begin with.

[adambr2]

 

I would say you are punished for not winning your division, period. Why should you be able to complete equally for a the best of 30 team title when you couldn't even win the best of 5 team title.

 

Because not all 5 team groups within that larger group of 30 are created equally. The AL East and West may have three 90 win teams each, while the Central may have one team over 75.

 

I could turn that around and ask why you should be rewarded for the simple luck of being grouped with inferior teams.

[sveumrules]

How does Cleveland only have 83 wins playing in that division?

 

They should seriously let the Rays or Mariners have their spot in the postseason if they end up with a better record, both currently 1 win back.

 

How about this to make things more fair? Say we end up with NY/OAK & LA/MIL as the wild cards. The Yankees can only roster 80 million worth of players to match OAK's payroll & the Dodgers can only roster 107 million worth of players to match ours?

[obobo55new]

Gosh, I still want to hope for the division. Getting tough to imagine.

 

WC is looking pretty good. If the Crew goes just 7-5, both the Cards and Dodgers would need to go 10-2 to force a tie. One might do that, but hard to believe that both will.

 

Just my opinion, if they can't do 7-5 against this closing slate, they don't deserve to be in.

[shanedog19]

Its just crazy they can't figure out how to beat the Pirates of all teams. That 3 game series against them next weekend looms very large. I certainly don't expect the Pirates to roll over for us.

[OldSchoolSnapper]

I think the division is gone. The Cubs would probably have to really fall off for us to pick up 3ish games with 12 to play.

 

The realistic goal is getting the WC at home. I think we are well-built for that game with our pen. You need 4 innings from a starter and you're fine. Could do something unorthodox too like let Burnes start or something. I like our chances in that game against anybody.