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rileyblue
09-27-2010, 11:20 PM
Anybody know why the wild card team can't play a team in the same division in first round of the playoffs? To me it smells of MLB wanting to insure of a NYY - Bos ALCS as often as possible. But is there any more legitimate reason?
757690
09-28-2010, 12:02 AM
Anybody know why the wild card team can't play a team in the same division in first round of the playoffs? To me it smells of MLB wanting to insure of a NYY - Bos ALCS as often as possible. But is there any more legitimate reason?

Nope You nailed it.

I am sure Bud will come up with a more convoluted lie to justify it, but that really is the only reason. They don't want to give TBS any good series.

Welcome to Redszone. Nice first post :)
gilpdawg
09-28-2010, 07:04 AM
Yeah..that's not actually the reason. When the wild card was conceived Boston wasn't yearly contenders at that point. That's absolutely not the reason. Boston only made the playoffs 3 times in the 90s.


I don't know the real reason, but there's not always a conspiracy.
Captain13
09-28-2010, 07:50 AM
The reason has something to do with the fact that those teams have already played 18 times throughout the season and MLB wanting them to play someone else.
Girevik
09-28-2010, 09:19 AM
Doesn't football have a similar rule? I don't think a wildcard team can play a team from their division in the first round either, and it may even be the first couple of rounds.
mroby85
09-28-2010, 09:21 AM
Doesn't football have a similar rule? I don't think a wildcard team can play a team from their division in the first round either, and it may even be the first couple of rounds.

No they don't, the Bengals played the Steelers in the 1st round in 06, Steelers being the wild card team.
Girevik
09-28-2010, 09:33 AM
Oh yeah....should have remembered that.
gmt
09-28-2010, 10:08 AM
I can't believe any conspiracy theories. It's better entertainment to mix it up rather than have the same matchups in the first round that your team has seen 18 or so times during the regular season. So what if the wildcard has a better record than the 2nd and 3rd best division records? Should the wildcard then host the 3rd best team?
757690
09-28-2010, 03:28 PM
Yeah..that's not actually the reason. When the wild card was conceived Boston wasn't yearly contenders at that point. That's absolutely not the reason. Boston only made the playoffs 3 times in the 90s.


I don't know the real reason, but there's not always a conspiracy.

Obviously it wasn't aimed specifically at NY and Boston, but it was aimed at making sure that the NLCS was the best match up for the networks possible.

This system makes it more likely that the NLCS will have two coastal teams. It's not a conspiracy, as that is how baseball makes nearly all of it's decisions, what is best for the TV ratings.
rileyblue
09-29-2010, 01:23 AM
Yeah..that's not actually the reason. When the wild card was conceived Boston wasn't yearly contenders at that point. That's absolutely not the reason. Boston only made the playoffs 3 times in the 90s.


I don't know the real reason, but there's not always a conspiracy.

What's with the snarky response to my first post, gilp?