8/24 Indians (Kluber) @ Cubs (Lester) 1:05, WPWR

[JonJayCutler]

I'm not saying its unfair.

 

It is unfair.

[UMFan83]

What sucks is the fact that the two wild cards would lead any division and have to go through an extra round...but i'm not sure what practical way there is around that. It just so happens the 3 best teams in the NL are all in the same division. You could seed them all based on record but then there's really no point to even having divisions.

 

Well thats basically what I'm saying. The 3 best teams in the NL are in the same division and will play anywhere from 4-6 games against each other to canabalize themselves into 1 team to play one of the lesser two teams for the right to go into the WS.

 

Like I said, I'm not saying the system is unfair its just really unfortunate that it's playing out this way, but I guess this will happen on occasion.

 

As for the seeding based on record, guaranteeing a divison winner a playoff spot would lessen but not eliminate the point of divisions. It's the same argument thats going on in the NBA right now, the major difference being that a team plays the teams in its division 3x as much as they play teams outside of their division (in the same league). That heavily unbalanced scheduling, to me, means that you have to give a heavy weight to division winners. But I'm not really a fan of unbalanced scheduling anyways (at least not to the degree its at now)

[Guest]

MLB should just recognize that the wild card winner may be stronger than a division winner. Have the top record play the worst team in the NLDS instead of automatically playing the wild card.

[BrockLanders]

I still think the Dodgers are the best team in the NL and the toughest out in the playoffs.

 

[Cubswin11]

We'll all have a good laugh coming back looking at this thread talking about the unfortunateness of having the 3rd best record in the NL but being a WC when we pass the Cardinals for the division in about a month.

[UMFan83]

We'll all have a good laugh coming back looking at this thread talking about the unfortunateness of having the 3rd best record in the NL but being a WC when we pass the Cardinals for the division in about a month.

 

True, but we would still have to face either the 2nd best or 3rd best team in the NL in the NLDS as a reward for having the best record in baseball (or at least best in NL)

[Sammy Sofa]

NOTHING EVER MAKES YOU HAPPY.

[UMFan83]

NOTHING EVER MAKES YOU HAPPY.

 

i think ive been reading too many game threads lately

[Sammys Boombox]

Soler out a month? When did he even get hurt?

[Sammys Boombox]

Two big divisions and 4 wild cards.

[Andy]

Oblique strain for Soler. Bruce Levine saying Motte to the DL too (shoulder). La Stella in lineup today, so he's replacing Soler.

[Andy]

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Day off for Russell. Lester bats 9th - first time pitcher has hit 9th this year.

[Thed Hoyerstein]

tommy la stella is alive

 

surprised to not see a few of the regular guys with days off

[Guest]

WTF

[Cubswin11]

Why no Javy???

[Thed Hoyerstein]

oh crap i totally glossed over that soler is not in the lineup.... in addition to DL stint Edited August 24, 2015 by Thed Hoyerstein

[BigSlick]

6-9 in the order could be reaaaaaaaaal brutal. I guess thats what Lester gets for wanting his own pet catcher. We'll see.

 

Best of luck boys!

[apete6]

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Day off for Russell. Lester bats 9th - first time pitcher has hit 9th this year.

 

That 6 through 9 is putrid.

[Cubswin11]

Is this the first time the pitcher has hit 9th all year?

[Guest]

Yes

[Sammys Boombox]

If the Cubs keep Arrieta on the same schedule the rest of the season he will face SF, LAD, AZ, STL, PIT, STL, PIT, CIN and then would be due to pitch the WC game with 2 extra days rest.

[itisallpartoftheplan]

Tommy La Stella....Whoa!!

 

At first I thought it was Russell to the dl but it's Soler.

[Vinestal]

I have a lot more faith in La Stella's bat than in Castro's he will likely get on base and then be stranded there by the next 3 batters over and over. Im not going to miss Motte but Soler being out really sucks. Whats with this team and oblique strains?

[itisallpartoftheplan]

Rosscup up for Motte

[Guest]

Apparently Russell is having a kid today

 

wait, what?

 

this is his baby too?

[bbvideo=560,315]https://instagram.com/p/5nlEQlTNQh/?taken-by=addison_russell[/bbvideo]