OnlyBucs

1E2B3C3C370E3C3C37303C590 wrote: Win the division...or, roll the dice.



That's the option.  Dodgers chose to roll the dice.



Division winners earn certain advantages; rightly so.



Do what it takes.  Respect those who did- the Giants.



I said the same thing when the Pirares fell short. 



This isn't on MLB.  It's on teams that don't win their divisions.  I dont care who they are.



I respect the Dodgers, but sell it to someone else.  I'm not buying.
I don't care about the teams involved, but I dislike the theory of the 1 game playoff in baseball. The 2015 season is a good example. Divisional formats create competitors and schedules of uneven difficulty depending on which division you happen to be in. So comparing records isn't necessarily the best indicator of team strength. And being good enough to be a division winner depends on which division you happen to be in.



In the NL in 2015 the Central was very strong with Cards, Pirates and Cubs at 100, 98 and 97 wins respectively. Those were the 3 best records in the NL despite having to beat up on each other. LA won 92 and the Mets won 90 to win weaker divisions while compiling those lesser records playing only a handful of games against the 3 best teams in the NL. So the Pirates and Cubs faced a 1 game elimination contest because they had the misfortune of being in the Central Division while the lesser Dodgers and Mets were rewarded with a series because they lucked out with easier schedules and weaker teams competing against them to win their divisions. So I have a problem with punishing a team for not winning its division when so many other factors are involved. IMHO, if you qualify for the post season by whatever criteria MLB uses (division winner or WC) you should be entitled to play a series.

694449585F4E59191A2B0 wrote: Win the division...or, roll the dice.



That's the option.  Dodgers chose to roll the dice.



Division winners earn certain advantages; rightly so.



Do what it takes.  Respect those who did- the Giants.



I said the same thing when the Pirares fell short. 



This isn't on MLB.  It's on teams that don't win their divisions.  I dont care who they are.



I respect the Dodgers, but sell it to someone else.  I'm not buying.
I don't care about the teams involved, but I dislike the theory of the 1 game playoff in baseball. The 2015 season is a good example. Divisional formats create competitors and schedules of uneven difficulty depending on which division you happen to be in. So comparing records isn't necessarily the best indicator of team strength. And being good enough to be a division winner depends on which division you happen to be in.



In the NL in 2015 the Central was very strong with Cards, Pirates and Cubs at 100, 98 and 97 wins respectively. Those were the 3 best records in the NL despite having to beat up on each other. LA won 92 and the Mets won 90 to win weaker divisions while compiling those lesser records playing only a handful of games against the 3 best teams in the NL. So the Pirates and Cubs faced a 1 game elimination contest because they had the misfortune of being in the Central Division while the lesser Dodgers and Mets were rewarded with a series because they lucked out with easier schedules and weaker teams competing against them to win their divisions. So I have a problem with punishing a team for not winning its division when so many other factors are involved. IMHO, if you qualify for the post season by whatever criteria MLB uses (division winner or WC) you should be entitled to play a series. 


This 100%. Honestly, is there an argument "for" a 1 game WC? How you would even make that argument other than, "the Pirates had to do it." And I think you deconstructed the "win your division" argument well. That is very much beyond a team's control.

Winning the 162-game division deserves significant advantages over teams that didn't.



Else, less incentive to....win the division.



The Dodgers had what? 56 games to win 2 games.  They didn't.



So, now, they are FORCED to show up for a game.



If they're that good, they will win it.  They're at home.  No excuses.

5D707D6C6B7A6D2D2E1F0 wrote: Win the division...or, roll the dice.



That's the option.  Dodgers chose to roll the dice.



Division winners earn certain advantages; rightly so.



Do what it takes.  Respect those who did- the Giants.



I said the same thing when the Pirares fell short. 



This isn't on MLB.  It's on teams that don't win their divisions.  I dont care who they are.



I respect the Dodgers, but sell it to someone else.  I'm not buying.
I don't care about the teams involved, but I dislike the theory of the 1 game playoff in baseball. The 2015 season is a good example. Divisional formats create competitors and schedules of uneven difficulty depending on which division you happen to be in. So comparing records isn't necessarily the best indicator of team strength. And being good enough to be a division winner depends on which division you happen to be in.



In the NL in 2015 the Central was very strong with Cards, Pirates and Cubs at 100, 98 and 97 wins respectively. Those were the 3 best records in the NL despite having to beat up on each other. LA won 92 and the Mets won 90 to win weaker divisions while compiling those lesser records playing only a handful of games against the 3 best teams in the NL. So the Pirates and Cubs faced a 1 game elimination contest because they had the misfortune of being in the Central Division while the lesser Dodgers and Mets were rewarded with a series because they lucked out with easier schedules and weaker teams competing against them to win their divisions. So I have a problem with punishing a team for not winning its division when so many other factors are involved. IMHO, if you qualify for the post season by whatever criteria MLB uses (division winner or WC) you should be entitled to play a series. 


In addition to your first post above, this is completely correct. The reasons to make the Wildcard game into at least a three game series are overwhelming.

1D283F3F340D3F3F34333F5A0 wrote: Win the division...or, roll the dice.



That's the option.  Dodgers chose to roll the dice.



Division winners earn certain advantages; rightly so.



Do what it takes.  Respect those who did- the Giants.



I said the same thing when the Pirares fell short. 



This isn't on MLB.  It's on teams that don't win their divisions.  I dont care who they are.



I respect the Dodgers, but sell it to someone else.  I'm not buying.
Not sure what you mean roll the dice. if it means they didn't attempt to improve the club, they did

What it means is- roll the dice on going out and winning the WCG (as opposed to receiving the benefit of being able to afford to lose a game that a three-game series allows for.)



My points been- if we cut the Dodgers some break, then we'd darned well better do something even more for the Giants, Brewers, Braves, Rays, so forth and so on.



I want teams to aim for that division title. If they decide to aim lower, the overall quality of play will suffer noticeably.

467364646F5664646F6864010 wrote: What it means is- roll the dice on going out and winning the WCG (as opposed to receiving the benefit of being able to afford to lose a game that a three-game series allows for.)



My points been- if we cut the Dodgers some break, then we'd darned well better do something even more for the Giants, Brewers, Braves, Rays, so forth and so on.



I want teams to aim for that division title.  If they decide to aim lower, the overall quality of play will suffer noticeably.
Wouldn't you say that obtaining Scherzer is attempting to win it

Of course. Why ask?

A little more clarity: I consider WCG to be a one-game 'dice roll.' The game is a roll of the dice. As Pirates fans surely must know, the "favorite" loses as often as it wins.



Ppl want those three games to lessen that risk.



To which, I say, "you had your chances (to win the division.")



The Dodgers had 56 chances to win two more games. Sometimes in sports- in life- you come up a little short. They still got in. They just have it a little harder, which I find perfectably acceptable. The Giants deserve to have the much better upper hand.



Our own A.J. Burnett said it better than anyone can. "Win the damned division."

6C594E4E457C4E4E45424E2B0 wrote: Of course.  Why ask?
To me rolling the dice means "Ok lets see what happens." If you pick up Scherzer, one is trying to make something happen not just roll the dice. Only one team can come in first. The Giants got Bryant which helped them maintain First Place.