Postseason Outsider doesn’t like the Wild Card. Never did, never will. Bobby V should win a division title before he gets crowned a genius (I mean, even Willie Randolph has a division titile. Even Jerry Manuel has a division title.)
Division Titles are manly. Mr. Girardi doesn’t want it badly enough and Saint George would be sad (I know, I’ve covered this.)
On this fine morning of Game 162, Playoffs Outsider misses the old days of East and West. Now I admit that my argument below is shaky since the schedules might have been different, and managers surely would be managing differently if they didn’t have the wild card on which to fall back. Let’s step into the What If machine and take a peek…
AL EAST
New York 95-64 —
Tampa 95-64 —
AL WEST
Minnesota 94-67 —
Texas 90-71 4
NL EAST
Philadelphia 97-64 —
NL WEST 90’s
San Francisco 91-70 —
San Diego 90-71 1
Cincinnati 90-71 1
NL WEST 70’s/80’s style
San Francisco 91-70 —
San Diego 90-71 1
Cincinnati 90-71 1
Atlanta 90-71 1
Go ahead and rave about this Giants-Padres series, and the whole what if there’s a three way tie angle but my scenario is much more fun. The whole Yankees/Rays thing is like two teams trying to avoid winning. Much better they run the risk of a game 163 on Monday (and each getting to “waste” their ace.)
As for the “ALDS” and “NLDS” they always seem lame. The “real playoffs” to me start in that second round.
Like most things I type I expect very few people to agree. Discuss!
…
Playoffs Outsider is written by a fat guy in sweatpants who knows almost nothing about the teams he is writing about this October.
