2020 Playoff Race

[UMFan83]

Hope you guys are enjoying this 16 team playoffs because it doesn’t look like it’s going away.

 

 

I am not a traditionalist. I dig change when it’s good. But this is NOT good change. It he tries to jam the extra innings rule down our throats next year I don’t know what I’ll do

[Cubswin11]

Hope you guys are enjoying this 16 team playoffs because it doesn’t look like it’s going away.

 

 

I am not a traditionalist. I dig change when it’s good. But this is NOT good change. It he tries to jam the extra innings rule down our throats next year I don’t know what I’ll do

That's so absurd. It makes a 162 game season so meaningless. Teams will drastically shift usage to protect guys, imo, and also spend less because why build a projected 85-90 win team when 75-80 wins gives you just as good a chance to make the playoffs and you can save a couple million dollars.

[UMFan83]

Hope you guys are enjoying this 16 team playoffs because it doesn’t look like it’s going away.

 

 

I am not a traditionalist. I dig change when it’s good. But this is NOT good change. It he tries to jam the extra innings rule down our throats next year I don’t know what I’ll do

That's so absurd. It makes a 162 game season so meaningless. Teams will drastically shift usage to protect guys, imo, and also spend less because why build a projected 85-90 win team when 75-80 wins gives you just as good a chance to make the playoffs and you can save a couple million dollars.

 

Man that is so true, I didn’t even think of the depressed salaries angle. Does the PA have any say in this? This change would be a negative for everyone involved with baseball except the owners. horsefeathers Manfred, I hate this soooo much

[Cubswin11]

Hope you guys are enjoying this 16 team playoffs because it doesn’t look like it’s going away.

 

 

I am not a traditionalist. I dig change when it’s good. But this is NOT good change. It he tries to jam the extra innings rule down our throats next year I don’t know what I’ll do

That's so absurd. It makes a 162 game season so meaningless. Teams will drastically shift usage to protect guys, imo, and also spend less because why build a projected 85-90 win team when 75-80 wins gives you just as good a chance to make the playoffs and you can save a couple million dollars.

 

Man that is so true, I didn’t even think of the depressed salaries angle. Does the PA have any say in this? This change would be a negative for everyone involved with baseball except the owners. horsefeathers Manfred, I hate this soooo much

They’ll probably go along with it in the end because they’ll see getting the DH, 26-28 man full time roster and an expansion team or two as a big win in the short term. Meanwhile teams will be lowering payrolls league wide since you don’t need to be aiming as high to make the playoffs.

[Bertz]

My guess is that they will keep expanded playoffs, but not these expanded playoffs. They're probably gonna do the plan from February where the top one or two seeds get a bye and you do the whole choose your opponent thing.

 

It still sucks, but I don't think the lack of incentives to make good teams better will still be there like they are this year.

[Andy]

Of course this is about depressing salaries. Why would it be about anything else? Now no owner will have to bother trying to make their team better than 85 wins. There's no reason to. Bigger playoff checks, no reason to spend in free agency - it's the owners' dream.

 

This whole thing is horsefeathering [expletive] and should be blocked at every turn by the PA, but it won't be.

[Bryants Disco Ball]

Ouch. The 16-team playoff would be a game-changer for me. Can't say I'd totally stop caring because the team has been part of my life since childhood, but...........I'd stop caring a whole lot.

[ChiCubsFan]

Yep. Agree with everyone else. I’d be okay with it if you shorten the regular season and then make every playoff series 7 games. But that won’t happen.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I think the motivation is probably more increased revenue than marginally decreasing salaries, but even if this meant the owners had to pay players more this is a terrible idea.

[bukie]

Back on the task of this year's playoff picture, here's today's update:

 

Current AL seedings (magic #):

1. White Sox 32-16 (3)

2. Rays 31-17 (4)

3. Athletics 30-19 (5)

4. Twins 30-20 (5)

5. Yankees 27-21 (8)

6. Astros 24-24 (11)

7. Blue Jays 26-21 (9)

8. Indians 26-22 (9)

-----------------------------

Outside looking in (elimination #):

9. Mariners 22-26 (11)

10. Tigers 21-26 (9)

11. Orioles 21-27 (8)

12. Angels 20-29 (8)

13. Royals 20-29 (6)

14. Red Sox 18-31 (4)

15. Rangers 17-31 (4)

 

Current NL seedings (magic #):

1. Dodgers 34-15 (2)

2. Cubs 29-20 (7)

3. Braves 29-20 (7)

4. Padres 32-18 (4)

5. Marlins 24-22 (12)

6. Cardinals 21-22 (15)

7. Phillies 24-23 (12)

8. Giants 23-24 (13)

----------------------------

Outside looking in (elimination #):

9. Reds 24-26 (14)

10. Brewers 22-25 (15)

11. Rockies 22-25 (12)

12. Mets 21-27 (10)

13. Nationals 17-29 (8)

14. Diamondbacks 18-31 (6)

15. Pirates 14-33 (4)

 

Eliminations:

- The Diamondbacks can't win or finish 2nd in the NL West

- The Pirates can't win the NL Central

- The Rangers can't win the AL West

- The Royals can't win the AL Central

- The Red Sox can't win the AL East

[Bertz]

From Rosenthal this AM

 

So, when commissioner Rob Manfred said in an online event through Hofstra University’s business school that he was a “fan of the expanded playoffs,” he was not necessarily endorsing the precise format we will see next month, the one that, according to Dodgers manager Dave Roberts, has a “non-existent” benefit for division winners.

 

Manfred also was not specifically talking about a 16-team field, considering Major League Baseball’s pre-pandemic idea, as first reported by the New York Post’s Joel Sherman, was for 14 teams.

 

And he definitely was not speaking with complete authority, knowing the Players Association must agree to any permanent change in the postseason. The union does not currently favor the idea, in part because of concerns that easier paths to the playoffs would disincentivize competition and reduce spending on player salaries. Many players opposed expanding from 10 to 16 teams even in this unprecedented season, and ultimately approved a plan only for 2020, not ’21.

[Andy]

It made me feel a tiny bit better knowing there were some among the players who didn't approve the plan. And I do remember it being on the table that they would approve a playoff expansion in '21, too, and that didn't happen.

 

I just don't want them to horsefeathers it up.

[minnesotacubsfan]

That's so absurd. It makes a 162 game season so meaningless. Teams will drastically shift usage to protect guys, imo, and also spend less because why build a projected 85-90 win team when 75-80 wins gives you just as good a chance to make the playoffs and you can save a couple million dollars.

 

otoh, the grift is on you if you think owners actually need or want to try to win, at all

[CyHawk_Cub]

That's so absurd. It makes a 162 game season so meaningless. Teams will drastically shift usage to protect guys, imo, and also spend less because why build a projected 85-90 win team when 75-80 wins gives you just as good a chance to make the playoffs and you can save a couple million dollars.

 

otoh, the grift is on you if you think owners actually need or want to try to win, at all

There are still plenty of fans who unironically laud the Ricketts for being a top 5 spender. Imagine falling for that; believing being one of (not even THE, mind you, but one of) the tallest midgets is worthy of praise. A select group of billionaires doing all that they can to impose self-rule to limit spending....but thinking they are swell for spending near the self-imposed restrictions. It's unreal to me.

[bukie]

Playoff update 9/17:

 

Current AL seedings (magic #):

1. White Sox 32-17 (2)

2. Rays 31-18 (3)

3. Athletics 31-19 (3)

4. Twins 31-20 (3)

5. Yankees 28-21 (6)

6. Astros 24-25 (10)

7. Blue Jays 26-22 (8)

8. Indians 26-23 (8)

-----------------------------

Outside looking in (elimination #):

9. Mariners 22-27 (10)

10. Orioles 22-27 (8)

11. Tigers 21-27 (8)

12. Royals 21-29 (8)

13. Angels 20-30 (7)

14. Rangers 18-31 (6)

15. Red Sox 18-32 (3)

 

Current NL seedings (magic #):

1. Dodgers 34-15 (X)

2. Cubs 30-20 (5)

3. Braves 29-21 (6)

4. Padres 32-19 (3)

5. Marlins 25-22 (10)

6. Reds 25-26 (13)

7. Phillies 24-24 (11)

8. Giants 24-24 (11)

----------------------------

Outside looking in (elimination #):

9. Cardinals 22-23 (14)

10. Brewers 23-26 (11)

11. Rockies 22-26 (11)

12. Mets 22-27 (10)

13. Nationals 18-29 (8)

14. Diamondbacks 19-31 (6)

15. Pirates 14-34 (3)

 

Clinches:

- The Dodgers have clinched a playoff spot.

 

Potential clinches today:

- The White Sox clinch a playoff spot with a win or losses by Seattle and Baltimore

- The Dodgers clinch no worse than the 6 seed with a win or Giants loss

- The Nationals would be eliminated from the NL East race with a loss and a Braves win

 

Eliminations:

- The Diamondbacks can't win or finish 2nd in the NL West

- The Pirates can't win the NL Central

- The Rangers can't win the AL West

- The Royals can't win the AL Central

- The Red Sox can't win the AL East

[stitchface]

Only in 2020 can the Cubs calculate their division winning magic number off the third place team instead of the second place team.

[bukie]

Today's White Sox win clinches them a playoff spot. 2 down, 14 to go.

[Brian]

I don't know why anybody would buy them already, but the hats with the playoff logo patch on the side this year are $42.99! I recall the special event type hats were usually like $35.

[bukie]

Rays clunch a playoff spot after sweeping a double header against the Orioles, coupled with losses for the Mariners and Tigers.

[Derwood]

Rays clunch a playoff spot after sweeping a double header against the Orioles, coupled with losses for the Mariners and Tigers.

 

Clutch + clinch = Clunch.

 

I like it

[jersey cubs fan]

Rays clunch a playoff spot after sweeping a double header against the Orioles, coupled with losses for the Mariners and Tigers.

 

Clutch + clinch = Clunch.

 

I like it

 

You're so clunch and you don't even know it

[bukie]

Playoff update 9/18:

 

Current AL seedings (magic #):

1. White Sox 33-17 (X)

2. Rays 33-18 (X)

3. Athletics 31-19 (2)

4. Twins 31-21 (2)

5. Yankees 29-21 (4)

6. Astros 25-25 (8)

7. Indians 27-23 (6)

8. Blue Jays 26-23 (7)

-----------------------------

Outside looking in (elimination #):

9. Mariners 22-28 (8)

11. Tigers 21-28 (7)

10. Orioles 22-29 (6)

12. Royals 21-29 (6)

13. Angels 21-30 (6)

14. Red Sox 19-32 (3)

15. Rangers 18-32 (4)

 

Current NL seedings (magic #):

1. Dodgers 36-15 (X)

2. Cubs 30-20 (5)

3. Braves 29-21 (6)

4. Padres 32-19 (3)

5. Marlins 25-23 (10)

6. Reds 25-26 (12)

7. Giants 25-24 (10)

8. Phillies 24-25 (11)

----------------------------

Outside looking in (elimination #):

9. Cardinals 22-24 (14)

10. Brewers 23-26 (11)

11. Mets 23-27 (10)

12. Rockies 22-27 (10)

13. Nationals 18-29 (8)

14. Diamondbacks 19-32 (5)

15. Pirates 15-34 (3)

 

Clinches:

- The Dodgers have clinched a playoff spot, no worse than the 6 seed.

- The White Sox have clinched a playoff spot.

- The Rays have clinched a playoff spot

 

Potential clinches today:

- The Athletics clinch a playoff spot with a win or loss by Seattle.

- The Twins clinch a playoff spot with a win or losses by Seattle and Detroit

- The Nationals would be eliminated from the NL East race with a loss and a Braves win.

- The Pirates would be eliminated with 2 losses today.

 

Eliminations:

- The Diamondbacks can't win or finish 2nd in the NL West

- The Royals can't win or finish 2nd in the AL Central

- The Red Sox can't win or finish 2nd in the AL East

- The Pirates can't win the NL Central

- The Rangers can't win the AL West

[NOLA]

Rays clunch a playoff spot after sweeping a double header against the Orioles, coupled with losses for the Mariners and Tigers.

 

Clutch + clinch = Clunch.

 

I like it

 

You're so clunch and you don't even know it

I judge that movie so unfairly, mainly because I was prime bar going age when it came out and I wanted to punch every douche who pulled out that whole “money” schtick. THEY WERE MAKING FUN OF THEM YOU IDIOT.

[bukie]

The Pirates are the first team eliminated from playoff contention, with 9 games to play.

[bukie]

The A's have clinched a playoff spot.