Baseball Playoff Matchups

[JBS]

Quick question, when did baseball change the rule that two teams from the same division cannot play in the division series?

My second question is, does the top division winner (philly in this case) automatically play the wild card team, even if the wild card team has a beter record than one or both of the other division winners?

I am just trying to figure out how these matchups are going to turn out

Thanks

 

[peplaw06]

Quick question, when did baseball change the rule that two teams from the same division cannot play in the division series?

My second question is, does the top division winner (philly in this case) automatically play the wild card team, even if the wild card team has a beter record than one or both of the other division winners?

I am just trying to figure out how these matchups are going to turn out

Thanks

It's been that way since the Wild Card was instituted. And the top division winner will play the wild card, unless the wild card is from the same division, in which case, the division winner with the worst record is the opponent.

It's going to be the AL East winner vs. Texas and the Wild Card vs. Minnesota. Then in the NL, it will depend on who is the wild card. As of now, it looks like it will be Atlanta as the Wild Card. Philly would play the Reds and Atlanta would play the Giants as the standings are today.

 

[JBS]

It's been that way since the Wild Card was instituted. And the top division winner will play the wild card, unless the wild card is from the same division, in which case, the division winner with the worst record is the opponent.

It's going to be the AL East winner vs. Texas and the Wild Card vs. Minnesota. Then in the NL, it will depend on who is the wild card. As of now, it looks like it will be Atlanta as the Wild Card. Philly would play the Reds and Atlanta would play the Giants as the standings are today.

This is how I thought it worked out as well..However, I heard the Braves commentators talking about how the Phillies are essentially throwing the series vs the Braves this weekend (by not pitching Halladay, Hamels, and Oswalt) to set up another series between the two teams in the division series..

 

[Alumni2k11]

It's been that way since the Wild Card was instituted. And the top division winner will play the wild card, unless the wild card is from the same division, in which case, the division winner with the worst record is the opponent.

It's going to be the AL East winner vs. Texas and the Wild Card vs. Minnesota. Then in the NL, it will depend on who is the wild card. As of now, it looks like it will be Atlanta as the Wild Card. Philly would play the Reds and Atlanta would play the Giants as the standings are today.

Philly vs. Reds would be a very good series IMO.

 

[Alumni2k11]

Philly vs. Reds would be a very good series IMO.

Then again, after looking at the records maybe it wouldn't be as good of a series as I originally thought...

 

[peplaw06]

This is how I thought it worked out as well..However, I heard the Braves commentators talking about how the Phillies are essentially throwing the series vs the Braves this weekend (by not pitching Halladay, Hamels, and Oswalt) to set up another series between the two teams in the division series..

I don't think that's right... I've tried to look at the postseason scenarios on mlb.com, and if the Reds lose tonight, they're going to be locked in as a road club in the division series. That means they would have to play either the Giants or Phills, because they're only 1 1/2 games behind Atlanta in the records. There's no way that a loss today would ensure them of finishing behind/tied with Atlanta.

I think the Braves commentators are trying to drum up controversy. Manuel has said that Utley and Howard will be playing some this series with the Braves, so I doubt he's "throwing" the series. I suspect he's just not throwing his front line starters because he's lining them up to have plenty of rest going into the division series.

 

[Yeagermeister]

Go Cincy

They have been my favorite baseball team since I was a kid.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

Go Cincy

They have been my favorite baseball team since I was a kid.

I didn't know that Yeags. Cincinnati is my favorite team as well. I'm a Yankee fan in the American League but my Favorite team, either league, is Cincy.

Heck, growing up, I wanted to be Johnny Bench.

:laugh2:

 

[Alumni2k11]

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/schedule/ps.jsp

 

[jimmy40]

Rangers play at 12:30 Wed and 1:30 Thur. That freaking sucks

 

[Yeagermeister]

I didn't know that Yeags. Cincinnati is my favorite team as well. I'm a Yankee fan in the American League but my Favorite team, either league, is Cincy.

Heck, growing up, I wanted to be Johnny Bench.

:laugh2:

The only AL teams I like are the ones that beat the Yankees.

 

[peplaw06]

http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/schedule/ps.jsp

Right on the button.

 

[ABQCOWBOY]

The only AL teams I like are the ones that beat the Yankees.

A personal flaw I suppose. It's cool. I've long since decided you were OK, even though you are a Yankee hater.