2012 MLB Season

[sportstar1212]

Guys, guys.

The Orioles won in extra innings again.

Jesus Christ! It sounds like a broken record!

[Kramerica Industries]

I cannot believe the Yankees won their game today.

Almost makes me not as mad about the Orioles, shockingly enough, winning an extra innings ballgame.

[sportstar1212]

Reds clinched the NL Central title.

[ninersdd]

NL West CHAMPS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Cujo]

Bufcan: It is now okay to stop sweating the Dodgers.

[raysfan24]

Reds clinched the NL Central title.

I was there. Not a Reds fan but it was awesome to see a team clinch live in person.

[Sport]

Reds clinched the NL Central title.

I was there. Not a Reds fan but it was awesome to see a team clinch live in person.

So was I.

That will be one of my favorite sports memories for a long time. It couldn't have played out any better.

[Kramerica Industries]

A's inch closer to the Orioles for the top wild card spot, while Boone Logan himself and prevents the Yankees from adding another game to their division lead.

Meanwhile, the White Sox lead in the Central is completely gone now. That team looks to be completely out of gas, and I fully expect Detroit to hold on for good over the last eight days of the season.

[pmoehrin]

Think the AL Central and the AL second Wild Card spot are really the only races left.

NL playoff picture is all but set, barring some type of major collapse from St. Louis. The Rangers, Yankees and Orioles I think are pretty much locked in at this point. Oakland/Anaheim could get a little interesting, but I think Oakland will hold on. They close out the season at home and get the Rangers for the last series of the season which shouldn't be a big challenge for them. The only way I see Anaheim getting back in the race is for them to beat Texas and for Oakland to fall against Seattle. They can't have this come down to the final day of the season with Texas throwing their B squad out there against Oakland.

Tigers have the Twins and Royals on the road. White Sox get the Rays at home and the Indians on the road. I'd give the edge to the Tigers there but it still anybody's race. That race could wind up coming down the final day of the season.

[Sport]

The Reds and Nationals are tied for the best record in the NL so that's sort of a mini-race on its own. Though, either team doesn't seem that eager to go after it. Davey Johnson said he's going to rest his guys as soon as the Nats clinch. Every day I change my position on whether I want the Reds to get the #1 seed. The 2 seed will know for a while that they have to go to San Francisco while the 1 seed basically has to sit on the tarmac and wait to see if they're going to St. Louis or Atlanta.

And excuse me, but how effing stupid is that? The higher seeds start the playoffs on the road? WHY? I know why, but still WHY? How is it an advantage that you have to travel to the worse team's city to play the first two games? Part of me wants the 3 seed for this reason alone. I know that it's been done this way for 5 game series in the past so there's historical precedence, but it was dumb when we did it that way before. I don't like it and I feel like it'll cost at least one of the higher seeds the divisional series.

[TheOldRoman]

We speculated last week, but it actually happened - the Braves popped the champagne and celebrated for making a play-in game.To add to the stupidity, they still have a chance to win the division. So, if they make it into the ACTUAL playoffs, they will either pop the champagne again to celebrate winning the division or winning the play-in game. Even more ridiculous - the players were given "playoffs" shirts, which look identical to the division champ shirts except without the division champs wording. So if they DO somehow overtake the Nats, they will put out another round of nearly identical shirts which say division champs.

[Sport]

Come on, Braves. You're better than that. If anyone should understand that just making the "playoffs" is not that big a deal, it's you.

I bet the Cardinals don't celebrate anything until they're actually in the playoffs.

[Fox]

The Reds and Nationals are tied for the best record in the NL so that's sort of a mini-race on its own. Though, either team doesn't seem that eager to go after it. Davey Johnson said he's going to rest his guys as soon as the Nats clinch. Every day I change my position on whether I want the Reds to get the #1 seed. The 2 seed will know for a while that they have to go to San Francisco while the 1 seed basically has to sit on the tarmac and wait to see if they're going to St. Louis or Atlanta.

And excuse me, but how effing stupid is that? The higher seeds start the playoffs on the road? WHY? I know why, but still WHY? How is it an advantage that you have to travel to the worse team's city to play the first two games? Part of me wants the 3 seed for this reason alone. I know that it's been done this way for 5 game series in the past so there's historical precedence, but it was dumb when we did it that way before. I don't like it and I feel like it'll cost at least one of the higher seeds the divisional series.

I was under the impression that only the 1 vs. 4/5 division series was going to be 2-3 with the 2 vs. 3 match up being the usual 2-2-1. Do both of the top seeds have to open on the road?

[rams80]

Come on, Braves. You're better than that. If anyone should understand that just making the "playoffs" is not that big a deal, it's you.

I bet the Cardinals don't celebrate anything until they're actually in the playoffs.

Well, yeah, but that's because the 2nd Wild Card is the only thing left to play for.

[Eye]

And excuse me, but how effing stupid is that? The higher seeds start the playoffs on the road? WHY? I know why, but still WHY? How is it an advantage that you have to travel to the worse team's city to play the first two games? Part of me wants the 3 seed for this reason alone. I know that it's been done this way for 5 game series in the past so there's historical precedence, but it was dumb when we did it that way before. I don't like it and I feel like it'll cost at least one of the higher seeds the divisional series.

I believe they did this in the mid 90s. It was stupid then.

[Dexter Morgan]

Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnación, meh before Toronto, 40-50 home run hitters in Toronto

What are they feeding these guys up there?

[zpqmaowl]

Jose Bautista and Edwin Encarnación, meh before Toronto, 40-50 home run hitters in Toronto

What are they feeding these guys up there?

HGH and poutine.

[Eye]

And excuse me, but how effing stupid is that? The higher seeds start the playoffs on the road? WHY? I know why, but still WHY? How is it an advantage that you have to travel to the worse team's city to play the first two games? Part of me wants the 3 seed for this reason alone. I know that it's been done this way for 5 game series in the past so there's historical precedence, but it was dumb when we did it that way before. I don't like it and I feel like it'll cost at least one of the higher seeds the divisional series.

I believe they did this in the mid 90s. It was stupid then.

And per wikipedia:

1995-1997 Division Series Format

The higher seed (in parentheses) had the home field advantage, which was not tied to playing record but was predetermined—a highly unpopular arrangement which was discontinued after the 1997 playoffs. Also, the team with home field "advantage" was required to play the first two games on the road, with potentially the last three at home, in order to reduce travel. The Red Sox played the Indians, rather than the wild card Yankees, because the Red Sox and Yankees are in the same division. Had the 1995 ALDS been played under the post-1997 arrangement, then Cleveland (1) would've played against New York (4) and Boston (2) would've faced Seattle (3).

Whatever the hell that means, as far as higher seed being predetermined.

1998 Division Series Format

The higher seed (in parentheses) had the home field advantage, which for the first time was determined by playing record. Also for the first time, the team with home field advantage played the first two games at home, with potentially Game 5 at home as well; previously, the team with the home field advantage had played the first two games on the road, with the possibility of the final three games at home. The Red Sox were ineligible for home field advantage due to not winning their division.

Basically Selig is clueless.

[cmm]

The return to the 2-3 NLDS/ALDS format is a one-year deal only. It was because the schedule was set before they decided to add the 2nd wild card. There wasn't enough time to do the 2-2-1 with the extra travel day and keep the rest of the postseason on schedule.

[Kramerica Industries]

And per wikipedia:

1995-1997 Division Series Format

The higher seed (in parentheses) had the home field advantage, which was not tied to playing record but was predetermined?a highly unpopular arrangement which was discontinued after the 1997 playoffs. Also, the team with home field "advantage" was required to play the first two games on the road, with potentially the last three at home, in order to reduce travel. The Red Sox played the Indians, rather than the wild card Yankees, because the Red Sox and Yankees are in the same division. Had the 1995 ALDS been played under the post-1997 arrangement, then Cleveland (1) would've played against New York (4) and Boston (2) would've faced Seattle (3).

Whatever the hell that means, as far as higher seed being predetermined.

1998 Division Series Format

The higher seed (in parentheses) had the home field advantage, which for the first time was determined by playing record. Also for the first time, the team with home field advantage played the first two games at home, with potentially Game 5 at home as well; previously, the team with the home field advantage had played the first two games on the road, with the possibility of the final three games at home. The Red Sox were ineligible for home field advantage due to not winning their division.

Basically Selig is clueless.

I think the pre-determined thing had to do with some cycle of two divisions being granted home field and it alternated on a three year basis. I imagine that's also why that flawed system lasted three full seasons - to at least have given every division a fair shake.

To wit, the '95 Cleveland Indians were a behemoth, 100-44 team. They were the division winner that was the victim of the 2-3 format, against a much weaker Red Sox team (that, victim or not, they absolutely slaughtered in the playoff series).

In regards to the AL, just from memory, I'm guessing the system went something like East/West in '95, Central/West in '96, and East/Central in '97.