Only playing NL and AL Central teams helps the Reds

[dougdirt]

right, but only the division champs get to avoid the 1-game wildcard crapshoot. winning the division is huge. and no one would be winning the nl west other than the dodgers. the reds could very well win the central.

Counterpoint: There's a highly infectious virus that could take out a team for weeks. Take your chances on the overall weakest division.

[JFLegal]

Counterpoint: There's a highly infectious virus that could take out a team for weeks. Take your chances on the overall weakest division.

but i don't think the west is as weak as some believe. obviously the dodgers have the best roster in the national league, but i also think the dbacks will be pretty good this year. i think they'll be better than the cubs, for example. the padres won't be good imo, but they could be decent.

i would take being in the nl central over the nl west this year for sure. i think the cubs are going to be a lot worse than some people seem to believe. losing maddon and having a rookie manager won't help the cause. their already-aging pitching staff is a year older, and they did nothing to improve their club in the offseason. and not only didn't they improve, they actually got worse because they lost some key parts like castellanos, to a divisional foe no less.

[M2]

right, but only the division champs get to avoid the 1-game wildcard crapshoot. winning the division is huge. and no one would be winning the nl west other than the dodgers. the reds could very well win the central.

It's a short sprint. If they're good, they could very well win any division. Yet in a division with more good teams, your odds are lower. If the Cardinals/Brewers/Cubs get crazy hot, then you don't win the division. Plus your wild card chances are lower if 2/3 of your opponents were quality teams vs. 1/3 if you were in the West.