sunsentinel.com

If there's a two-way tie for the NL Central, a one-game playoff would be necessary if the loser would miss the postseason. If not, the teams' head-to-head record would be used to determine a division champion.

 

This was the case in 2001, when the Astros and Cardinals each finished with 93 wins. Houston was crowned division champ and St. Louis made it in as the wild card.

 

In 1995, the first postseason after realignment, the Mariners beat the Angels in a playoff for the American League West crown.

 

In a two-way tie for the wild card, the teams would have a one-game playoff. This happened in both 1998 (Giants-Cubs) and 1999 (Mets-Reds).

 

Head-to-head records don't matter in this case. That's because the basic rule of thumb is anytime a team could be sent home, that must be determined on the field.

 

What about a three-way tie involving the top two teams in the NL Central and a wild-card hopeful from another division? This would involve two playoff games.

 

First, the two Central teams would meet on Monday Sept. 29, with the winner taking the division. The loser would then face the third team for the wild-card spot on Sept. 30.

 

This rule was changed after 1999, when Jack McKeon's Reds fell a game short of the Astros in the Central. Had the Reds, Mets and Astros all been tied, the rules at the time would have put the Mets into the playoffs as the wild-card with the loser of a Reds-Astros playoff going home.

 

Because all playoffs are considered part of the regular-season standings, the Mets would have been a half-game ahead of the NL Central runner-up. At the behest of former Reds GM Jim Bowden, the rule was changed.

 

How about a three-way tie for the wild card not involving a division crown?

 

"That," Gould said, "is where it starts to get complicated."

 

Two playoff games would be scheduled, with the teams seeded as Club A, Club B and Club C. Head-to-head records would be used for seeding, but if those turned out to be identical -- "Pretty unlikely," Gould said, "especially since a lot of teams play an odd number of games" in their season series -- the commissioner's office would hold a drawing.

 

Club A would play host to Club B on the Monday, then Club C would play at the winner of the first game on Tuesday. The winner of that game would take the wild card.

 

How about this twist, though? Provided the three clubs don't have identical marks, the team with the best head-to-head record gets first choice whether it wants to be Club A, Club B or Club C.

 

Is it best to play one game on the road (with a day of rest to prepare) for the chance to go to the playoffs or two at home? What do you pick with the second choice?

 

Four-way tie for the wild card? Head-to-head marks would not be used. Instead, there would be a two-day tournament with seeding determined by a commissioner's office blind draw.

 

Five-way tie for the wild card? Uh, you might not want to go there.

 

"To be honest," Gould said, "that would have to be a decision that was made. There's nothing in the rule that technically states it."

 

Gould's best guess for this scenario is some sort of split into a two-team and three-team competition, with the two winners advancing to play for the wild card.

 

Worst-case estimate for a five-way tie would be four straight days of playoff games for one "lucky" team. Of course, by then, the wild-card "winner" might be too tired to feel like dealing with either the Atlanta Braves or San Francisco Giants.

I found this a little more interesting, further down in his article:

 

"According to a former teammate who knows him well, Pedro Martinez views the Marlins as his first choice should he become a free agent after next season."

i just crapped myself...

 

unfortunately, this will not happen

Link to article?

sunsentinel.com

According to a former teammate who knows him well, Pedro Martinez views the Marlins as his first choice should he become a free agent after next season. At least he did before they traded away his second cousin, Denny Bautista. Plus, there's the small matter of finding $15 million-plus to keep Pedro happy. ...

Thats where my idea of Trading Dlee in a deal to get bautista and levinski back in the offseason would work out

who knows if that part is even true.... that 2nd part sounds more like speculation...

I found this a little more interesting, further down in his article:

 

"According to a former teammate who knows him well, Pedro Martinez views the Marlins as his first choice should he become a free agent after next season."

Whipes drool