Should the wild card exist?

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Alright, since my last article which applauded the New York Yankees for utilizing many homegrown kids in their current playoff run has turned into something of a forum to question the wild card... Here goes: comment here, let's have a valid discussion, should the Wild Card even exist? What changes can be made to better the wildcard?

A few background notes:

-In 1993, I think, the San Francisco Giants were eliminated in the last true pennant race. They did not make the playoffs despite winning 103 games

-I don't know the exact number, but since the wildcard's inception, numerous wild card winners have won the world series.

-As of Labor Day weekend of this year, 18 teams were still in postseason contention. So, if you are a fan in cities like Philadelphia, Denver, Detroit, Seattle, Atlanta, etc., would you rather your team be out of contention by Labor Day or still have something to play for?

My personal opinion... I am for the wildcard. I hate the feeling of knowing my team is done for the year, and I'd rather wait as long as possible for that feeling. If my team is 15 games out in August, but only 5 out in the wildcard, that is a great feeling. I think the wildcard should stay. I do, however, think there should be new rules that give the wildcard winner a severe disadvantage - maybe having 4 out 5 games in the ALDS/NLDS being away games for the wildcard team. What are some other rule changes to the wildcard you guys would like to see?

Enable Comment Auto-Refresher

796 days ago

Score 4

I'm with you Debs. I like the wildcard. It kinda gives everyone in each division a chance at the wild card. There are benefits and disadvantages when it comes to the wild card though. Firstly, this is an easy way to make all divisions whose teams are in second place pretty happy, as they battle it out.

On the other hand, with the wild card, this doesn't allow you to take the top 4 teams. For example, take 2001. The Oakland Athletics (in 2001) won the wild card with a 102-60 record. That is amazing. They were still 14 games back though, as the Mariners won the division with 116 wins. That was fine, as the Yanks, Mariners, A's and Indians all made the playoffs that year with the 4 best records in the AL. However, take a look at the 2006 NL Standings. If you took the best 4 teams based on winning percentage, you would've had the Mets, Padres, Dodgers, and PHILLIES make the playoffs that year with the Cardinals not making it, and there would've been a different World series champion that year.

BUT, I DO like the fact that each division gets at least one team to make the playoffs. If I had to make a change, my suggestion would probably be to take all of the divisions and combine them into 2; the NL West, Central, and East would be combined again... and the same would go to the AL. BUT, I like the playoffs the way it is, so, I'm happy.

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BOMBERSDiv-I Stud

796 days ago

Score 1

Not sure about rule changes but I do like the wild card. One reason being the 1993 Giants. A team could be in a really tough division and come in second but still have a really good record. They deserve to play in the playoffs.

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TylersaltAll-Star

796 days ago

Score 3

I think they should add another wild card team per team and have them play each other in a three-game series. Punishes the wild card, and increases the competitiveness at the end of the season, which increases excitement and interest in September.

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Afjumpman08Waterboy

796 days ago

Score 0

Man, I've been saying that for awhile, and was looking forward to adding that as a comment, but you beat me to it. The 10-team playoff system with the two wild cards playing each other in a 3 game series makes perfect sense to me though. Maybe Game 1 at the team w/ the worse record and 2 and 3 at the team w/ the better record. The only thing is that purists who are already uneasy about having an 8-team playoff will never go for it, but definitely, it would make the wild cards who got into the playoffs through the back door have to earn their way to the pennant and eventually, the World Series. Might even inject a measure of excitement into playoff races similar to the Red Sox/Yankees one of this year. Sure, a team like the Yankees would have still have the wild card to fall back on, but there is so much more incentive to win the division this way.

Taytay 24All-American

796 days ago

Score 0

I like the current format, but I wouldn't be opposed to this. I don't like the idea of playing one at the lesser team's park then playing two more at the better team's because if home field holds, the better team would be facing elimination for their first home game. If this format were put in place, I say just play a three game series at the better team's park.

NejoshiDiv-I Stud

796 days ago

Score 1

I think the playoff format just the way it is. Having two teams per league like it used to be was too exclusive (see 1993 Giants). Expanding the playoffs to 16 teams total would make baseball like the NBA where simply too many teams get in, and it dilutes the quality of postseason play. I like the eight team playoff format the way it is.

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RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer

796 days ago

Score 0

Sidenote: the last TRUE pennant race was 1967, the last year before there were divisions and the last year that having the best record meant you went to the World Series. I like the idea of making wild card teams have to play more games on the road. Then again, the wild card team sometimes has the 2nd or 3rd best record amongst the playoff teams. Also, the wild card team doesn't always play the #1 seeded team. They frequently play the #2 team because the #1 team is from the same division.

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WrmjrRed-Shirting

796 days ago

Score 0

The wild card is here to stay, but I have to admit I liked it better when it didn't exist. At that time, the regular season in the MLB meant more than any other sport. They still have the smallest playoff pool, so it still matters, just less than it did pre-wild card. I may have liked Rawbeezeitz "true" pennant races even better, but I was too young to remember any.

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Phoenix SuperfanVarsity

796 days ago

Score 1

The fact that so many wild card teams have won the World Series is proof in itself that it should exist.

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WoodsmeisterVarsity Captain

796 days ago

Score 0

I would like to see it become harder for wild cards to make the World Series. Perhaps in series with wild card teams, the other team's homefield advantage should be considerably greater - maybe 1 home game out of 5 in the Division Series and 2 home games out of 7 in the Championship Series.

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WoodsmeisterVarsity Captain

796 days ago

Score 0

That's what I get for not reading the article all the way through. Sorry for being repetitive.

TylersaltAll-Star

796 days ago

Score 0

The problem with the home field advantage argument is that it means remarkably little statistically... I don't remember how little or where I heard that, but I distinctly recall hearing that home field in the baseball playoffs means very little.

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Rewind2482JV Squad

796 days ago

Score 0

Baseball is thanking its lucky stars for providing a way for the Yankees and Red Sox to meet in the postseason. This is definitely a much more wide-open way to do it. How many championships would the Yankees have won before 1969 if they had to go through 3 rounds of playoffs...

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WoodsmeisterVarsity Captain

796 days ago

Score 0

I believe the Indians and Angels might have some problems with the assumption that the Yankees and Red Sox will be meeting in the postseason.

WoodsmeisterVarsity Captain

796 days ago

Score 2

I also don't see why it should be a problem for the team with the best record and the wild card to meet in the first round of the playoffs, even if they're from the same division.

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RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer

796 days ago

Score 1

I don't know why that is forbidden either. Happens in the other sports quite frequently.

Gav76Div-I Stud

796 days ago

Score 0

I am a Rockies fan living in Denver and I'm loving this years wild card race!

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796 days ago

Score 0

I'm loving it this year too. I love rooting for the underdog, and in this case, I'm rooting for the Rockies. They've won 10 games, and are winning against the Dodgers 4-2 in the 7th inning right now. I'd love to see the Rockies make the playoffs. But imagine this: The Rockies take over second place (let's just say) and the Pads fall behind. What if the Phils take the wild card because they won 1 more game than you did in the season? You're eliminated, and a team like the Cubs or the Brewers would take your position in the playoffs. That'd be sad. So, from your perspective, wouldn't you agree that we need to start taking the 4 winningest teams from each league?

LASportsblogAAA-er

796 days ago

Score 0

I have always had an idea for baseball where each League has 2 divisions, (AL East/West, same for NL) so the playoffs would have 2 division winners and 2 wild cards from each league. The wild cards play the division winners and we go form there like we already do it. I also think 120-140 games could take care of the whole season. Interleague can piss off for all I care.

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WoodsmeisterVarsity Captain

796 days ago

Score 0

I would love to see a return to the balanced schedule. It sucks that the Indians only get one home series against the Yankees, Red Sox, Orioles.

RawbeezeitzMajor Leaguer

796 days ago

Score 1

The problem with having 2 divisions is that it divides up the Midwest.

The easternmost 7 teams in the AL are: New York, Boston, Tampa Bay, Baltimore, Toronto, Cleveland, Detroit

The westernmost 7: Los Angeles, Seattle, Texas, Oakland, Kansas City, Minnesota, Chicago

In the NL, the easternmost 8 are: New York, Philadelphia, Atlanta, Florida, Washington, Pittsburgh, Cincinnati, Chicago

Westernmost 8: Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco, Arizona, Colorado, Houston, St. Louis, Milwaukee

Three divisions is perfect, if you ask me.

WoodsmeisterVarsity Captain

796 days ago

Score 0

If such a division and playoff division were in effect this year, the Indians, Red Sox and Yankees would be battling it out for two spots, and the Angels and Mariners would have clinched the other two. Boston and Cleveland would be fighting for the chance to get the best record and plow Seattle like a cornfield in the first round, with NY a couple games back.

DonatevoMajor Leaguer

796 days ago

Score 1

Of course there should be a wildcard. It creates more widespread interest. Besides, its good for business.

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WizardmanRed-Shirting

796 days ago

Score 0

I have no problems with the wild card; that's waht makes baseball so enjoyable this time of year.

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B-ryeJV Squad

796 days ago

Score 1

People who dont like the Wild Card are the same people that think the BCS works.

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KelsdadAll-Star

796 days ago

Score 0

No wild card. And the BCS doesn't work.

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796 days ago

Score 0

i like the wild card unless mlb adds more divisions

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ChangoloteWaterboy

796 days ago

Score 0

the wild card is great for keeping interest going past Aug 1. The wild card team should have some kind of handicap; perhaps forced to use wild monkeys as bat boys would spice it up a bit. Frankly, I'd rather see the season shortened to 90 or 100 games. Too many meaningless games in marathon seasons. I only watch baseball in April and September for that reason.

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795 days ago

Score 0

i think your forgeting october right

J CunninghamVarsity Captain

796 days ago

Score 0

The wild card: you mean Bud Selig actually got something right?! Holy cow ... Yes, I love the wild card; I wouldn't object to adding two more teams per league, but leaving the playoffs as-is would be fine. Though this BS about the AL front-runner getting to choose the number of off days; why doesn't the NL get this option? Makes no sense.

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Debs10Red-Shirting

795 days ago

Score 0

The NL gets the option next year. They are giving the option every other year to each league.

Anonymous Fanatic #1

790 days ago

Score 0

Expand the playoffs to 16 teams, with the firs round a single-game crapshoot

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