It's a Big Night Tomorrow
We’re about 24 hours away from an event some of us view with hope and some of us greet with trepidation. Of course, I’m talking about the end of Major League Baseball’s regular season.
Even though we now know all the playoff participants save one, it’s still a complicated situation, given the addition of a one-game Wild Card Play-In initiated this year thanks to the creation of a second wild card team. So, as a service to the legion of Ricochet baseball fans out there, allow me to explain the various possibilities.
In the National League, the only question is whether the St. Louis Cardinals or the Los Angeles Dodgers will be the second wild card team. Heading into tonight’s action, the Cardinals lead the Dodgers by two games. If the Cardinals lose to Cincinnati tonight and tomorrow while the Dodgers take two from the Giants, the teams will be tied and there will be a one-game playoff on Thursday (in Los Angeles, due to the fact that the Dodgers have the edge in head-to-head competition), and the winner of that game will travel to Atlanta for the Wild Card Play-In game on Friday.
The American League situation is slightly more complex, but I’ll simplify. The Yankees lead the Orioles by one game and can clinch a division title tonight with a win against Boston coupled with a Baltimore loss at Tampa Bay. If, however, the Orioles win tonight while the Yankees lose, the teams will be tied, and it will all come down to what happens in those teams’ games tomorrow.
If the teams are tied at the end of play tomorrow night, there will be a one-game playoff on Thursday in Baltimore (determined by the second tie-breaker consideration—records within the division—since the teams split their regular season series) to determine who will win the division and who will be the wild card team. The wild card winner will play either the Oakland Athletics or Texas Rangers in one game on Friday, with the home park determined by which of the two teams has the better record. If they have the same record, head-to-head competition will determine the home field.
Meantime, Oakland trails Texas by one game, and the two teams play each other tonight and tomorrow; however, a tie between the two is impossible. If the Rangers win tonight, they clinch the division, and if they lose, the winner of tomorrow’s contest will win the division while the loser plays the other wild card team on Friday. Then, over the weekend, the team with the best record in each league will play the wild card winner in a five-game divisional series, with the remaining two division winners squaring off against each other.
Happily, the Detroit Tigers and Washington Nationals clinched division titles yesterday, while the Oakland A’s clinched a playoff berth, and the White Sox, Angels and Rays were eliminated. Otherwise, the playoff scenarios could have gotten a bit complicated.
Or you could just watch the debate.
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Jun '12
Re: It's a Big Night Tomorrow
The debate is fairly simple to understand no matter what happens.
I'll take baseball, thanks. At least there the outcomes are somewhat in question.
May '10
Re: It's a Big Night Tomorrow
How you got through all of that without noting the Giants had their division clinched 10 days ago, I don't understand.
Re: It's a Big Night Tomorrow
By george gummy dummit, Pat. I don't follow baseball, so that was like eating ice cream too fast and getting a brain freeze. It does, however, make more sense than Obamanomics which, admittedly, is a low bar.
Re: It's a Big Night Tomorrow
If the Kansas City Star won't print the word "Redskins," I don't have to say the G word.
Re: It's a Big Night Tomorrow
By george gummy?
May '11
Re: It's a Big Night Tomorrow
I normally spend my Wednesday nights catching up on all the "Wheel of Fortune" episodes I have backlogged on my Tivo. I might have to take a break and watch the pennant race. Maybe if I feel like throwing my remote at the T.V set I'll watch the debate.
Re: It's a Big Night Tomorrow
Pat Sajak
By george gummy? · 6 minutes ago
...dummit. I didn't want to cuss in Cajun.
Sep '10
Re: It's a Big Night Tomorrow
You really got me on this one! I thought you were actually going to discuss the debates. I'm soooo pleased you didn't! Thanks for that!
P.S. Not being into baseball, I love not having a dog in this fight.
Edited on October 3, 2012 at 1:09amJul '12
Re: It's a Big Night Tomorrow
I'm just waiting to see who the Tigers get to play. We've handled the Yanks pretty well in the playoffs of late, so I'd like to draw them in the 1st round.
Jan '11
Re: It's a Big Night Tomorrow
There will be many at the debate who will be following the game on their phones.
Will anyone at the game be following the debate?
'Nuff said.
Jun '10
Re: It's a Big Night Tomorrow
"The Nattering Nabobs of Negativism here will declare that Romney has lost his last possible chance of victory..."
Neither Safire nor Agnew can't say it for himself here, so someone has to!
May '11
Re: It's a Big Night Tomorrow
because the giants are eeeeevil. The best way to deal with the giants is to pretend they don't exist!
and Pat, I will be watching Baseball. You couldn't pay me to stomach an entire debate. I will read about it here on Thursday. If Romney dominates, I may check out a few highlights. Best chances are that he will dominate, and the press will unanimously declare him the loser and replay edited clips to try to make him sound stupid. Sounds fun, no?
Mar '11
Re: It's a Big Night Tomorrow
It's too soon for playoff season. I have a hard time with football anymore; the guys who call the games channel Captain Obvious far too often, and the commercials breaks seem to be getting longer and longer.
Jun '12
Re: It's a Big Night Tomorrow
I went to my 2nd Baseball game a few weeks ago, when the Seattle Mariners played the Orioles. And Seattle got trounced.
Pat, you have actually made it easy to understand the playoffs for this newbie. Thank you. I may actually watch the playoffs, and startle the husband into a heart attack! Heh. He's not a baseball fan and would probably keel over if I started watching baseball and enjoying it!
Oct '10
Re: It's a Big Night Tomorrow
I'm hoping every contingency goes the distance, that baseball stretches into November and snow postpones as many games as possible. Then, and only then, might MLB realize the idiocy of its schedule and go back to a 154-game schedule, with postseason games played NOT in frigid weather. It's The Summer Game, for God's sake! Not the NFL.
Jun '12
Re: It's a Big Night Tomorrow
As of right now:
It's the best time of the year to be a baseball fan! :)
Edited on October 3, 2012 at 3:21amJul '12
Re: It's a Big Night Tomorrow
Last night only made the playoff picture murkier. Now the Rangers may have to settle for the Wild Card. We may even see 2 playoff games for the Division titles. I can't remember a season ending with so many tight races. Thats good baseball.
Jun '12
Re: It's a Big Night Tomorrow
Indeed. A quick wrap-up:
May '12
Re: It's a Big Night Tomorrow
I want to see the Tigers win the World Series in their own stadium. Detroit has been getting the sharp end of the stick for too long. Just because the people there voted in the bozos who sharpened the stick doesn't mean they shouldn't get a break from all the bad news.
May '12
Re: It's a Big Night Tomorrow
Mind you, I lived in Baltimore for 2 years, and it is a charming place, with good, well watered soil for back yard gardening - a greener part of the Great Green East.
So, Detroit (they need some good news)
or Baltimore (they could also stand some good news, and it is still a nice city to live in, if you choose the right neighborhood)
Some people read through the Racing Form, some pick a horse for its name. Either way can lead to a winning bet.
ConservativeWanderer
Indeed. A quick wrap-up: · 1 hour ago