Mains: Simulating the proposed playoff system
From SABR member Rob Mains at Baseball Prospectus on February 27, 2020:
MLB, as you’ve doubtlessly heard, is contemplating a change to the postseason starting in 2022. The changes under consideration are:
- Increasing the number of wild card teams, from two to four.
- Postseason teams would be seeded. The division winners would hold the top three seeds, in descending win order. The four wild cards would be the next four seeds, also in descending win order.
- All teams but the team with the best record in the league would play in the wild card round, expanded to best-of-three games. All wild card games will be played at the home of the higher-seeded team.
- The number two seed (the division winner with the second-best record) would select which of the three lowest seeds it will play in the wild card round.
- The number three seed (the division winner with the worst record) would select which of the remaining lowest seeds it would play in the wild card round.
- In the Division Series, the top seed would play the lowest remaining seed. The other two wild card round winners would play.
It’s easiest to illustrate this by example. Take last year’s National League. The Dodgers, at 106-56, had the best record in the league. They’d be the first seed. The second seed would be the 97-75 East champion Braves, followed by the 91-71 Central titlist Cardinals. The fourth seed would be the top wild card, the 93-69 Nationals, followed by the 89-73 Brewers, 86-76 Mets, and 85-77 Diamondbacks.
Read the full article here: https://www.baseballprospectus.com/news/article/57345/flu-like-symptoms-simulating-the-proposed-playoffs/
Originally published: February 27, 2020. Last Updated: February 27, 2020.