Tie-Breakers Ahoy!

[Frayed Knot]

And apparently today is "Emergency Coin Flip Thursday"

Jayson Stark has all your info - including all that weird multi-team stuff that's just too horrible to contemplate and too complicated to predict.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Wow, great stuff.

The Mets would host the Padres or Diamondbacks in a wild card tiebreaker, but would have to go to Denver if they tied for the card with the Rockies.

Wouldn't it be something if this happened:

="Jayson Stark"]Five-way tie (Mets, Philllies, Diamondbacks, Padres, Rockies): � The Mets and Phillies play a one-game playoff Monday in Philadelphia to decide the NL East. � The Rockies, Diamondbacks and Padres would have a three-team playoff Monday and Tuesday to decide the NL West champ. (The Rockies, the team with the best three-way head-to-head record, would have the option of playing two games at home or one game on the road.) � That would still leave three teams tied for the wild card. So those three then would kick off another three-team playoff for that spot Wednesday and Thursday. (If Colorado is involved, it's just about guaranteed to have the best head-to-head record and, again, the option to choose two home games or one road game. But if the Rockies win the West and three other teams are involved in the wild-card playoff, don't even ask. Too many different scenarios.) � The survivor of those four days of madness would be the wild-card team and, if it's an NL West club, would start the playoffs in either New York or Philadelphia. If it's an NL East team, it would start the playoffs in the park of the NL West winner.)

[DocTee]

Awesome.

[nymr83]

so an NL west team, lets say the padres, can beat ARZ on monday and then lose the division to COL on tuesday, then beat PHI and and ARZ on weds and thurs day and then head to Shea for game 1 completely spent while the Mets have been napping for 4 days? sign me up for that one.

[Guest Mendoza Line]

Jayson Stark wrote: � The Rockies, Diamondbacks and Padres would have a three-team playoff Monday and Tuesday to decide the NL West champ. (The Rockies, the team with the best three-way head-to-head record, would have the option of playing two games at home or one game on the road.)

So, how does this work? Sounds like either:

(a) Rockies play one road game against the opponent of their choice - if they win, they're the NL West champs, and if they lose, the Padres and Diamondbacks play each other for the title

or

( Rockies play both opponents at home. What if they beat the Padres and lose to the Diamondbacks? Then, I guess, the D-Backs play the Padres and win the NL West if they win. But if the D-Backs lost that game, all three teams would be 1-1 in the playoff. What happens then?

[Frayed Knot]

It's not a round-robin type system, it's a one-and-done.

In that example, the Rox are the "first among equals" by virtue of their best head-to-head. That gives them the choice of:
a) playing twice: first meeting one team (eliminating the loser) and then the other but having both games (if you live that long) at home

OR

opting out of game 1 while the others play first and going up against the winner for the div title - but having to do so on the road.

This system has been in place for several years now but has never been needed. I think you'd be crazy to take option 'A'; fuck home field and go for the one less game would be my choice every time.

[Guest Mendoza Line]

Frayed Knot wrote: I think you'd be crazy to take option 'A'; fuck home field and go for the one less game would be my choice every time.

Makes perfect sense. That's why it sounded so weird - option 'A' is just nuts. Thanks.

[metirish]

I probably shouldn't look past tonights game but if the Mets do need to go to Philly on Monday for a one game playoff who would pitch that game?, Pedro has said he would come back on three days rest, would it be Hernandez who is probably not ready or maybe he is, or Pelfrey.

[Benjamin Grimm]

It would be Humber's turn in the rotation!

I'd be inclined to go with Hernandez. Pedro on three would be my second choice.

[Centerfield]

There will be no play in game.

[Benjamin Grimm]

I suspect not: My guess is that the Phillies sweep the Nationals and the Mets take two of three from Florida.

But if both teams take two of three (which is quite possible) we're on for Monday.

Charlie Manuel said the other day that Kyle Lohse would be pitching for the Phillies if the game was necessary.

[metirish]

Willie has said the Mets will win the Division, I heard him say it and apparently later he guaranteed it.

[Benjamin Grimm]

Oh! Then what were we so worried about? Now I feel silly!

[metirish]

Yancy Street Gang wrote: Oh! Then what were we so worried about? Now I feel silly!

Hahaha, I wrote that like I believed it.