AL Central Thread

[Jimbo]

And with that the Tigers would have to lose the final 3 games with the white sox winning out to force a game 163. Barring that the Tigers are going to the postseason! It looks like we will probably be playing the Yankees or Orioles in the first round depending on who wins the AL East.

I prefer the yankees .... they have a good history against them in the post season in the last 6 years or so.

Then again, I prefer the yankees NOT MAKING IT, better yet.

IF Baltimore should Win thier division, wouldn't the yankees have to play the extra WC game just to get in ?

 

[riffjim4069]

I prefer the yankees .... they have a good history against them in the post season in the last 6 years or so.

I would prefer Baltimore...I can probably get tickets for the game at Camden Yards.

 

[satjay]

Interesting matchups for sure...we have ended the Yankees seasons in the playoffs the last few years which is nice of course

Baltimore, would remind me of the old AL east days

 

[riffjim4069]

Okay, with the adding of 2nd Wild Card team I have absolutely no idea who the playoff work these days. So who will the Tigers play if they don't collapse?

 

[Jimbo]

Okay, with the adding of 2nd Wild Card team I have absolutely no idea who the playoff work these days. So who will the Tigers play if they don't collapse?

I heard the yanks erlier, but that was pure speculation at the time I think, that was earlier in the week too.

I think it will depend on who ends up with the WC's

Ok, on ESPN they have a "If the season ended today"

Detroit would play Baltimore
and
Oakland or NY would play Texas
(depending on the WC)

 

[king3pj]

I heard the yanks erlier, but that was pure speculation at the time I think, that was earlier in the week too.

I think it will depend on who ends up with the WC's

Ok, on ESPN they have a "If the season ended today"

Detroit would play Baltimore
and
Oakland or NY would play Texas
(depending on the WC)

I believe the postseason picture feature on MLB.com is actually right not the ESPN one. If ESPN is saying Detroit would play Baltimore that's because they are assuming they will win the division for some reason even though NY and Baltimore are currently tied. If the season ended today the Yankees and Orioles would have to play a game 163 to see who won the AL East. The winner would get the Tigers and the loser would have to play in the one game wildcard playoff.

It is a fairly complicated system. If I understand it correctly the AL Division winning team with the best record gets the winner of the one game wildcard playoff. The other two division winners would then play each other. Right now Texas has the best AL record so they would get whichever wild card team comes out on top. Texas currently has a half game lead over both AL East teams. If the winner of the East passes Texas in the next 3 games Detroit would play Texas in the ALDS. If Texas holds on Detroit plays either NY or Baltimore depending on who wins the division.

So to sum all of that mess up, there are 3 different possibilities for the Tigers ALDS opponent. NY, Baltimore, or Texas. Anyone can get hot in the playoffs. That being said, my preference would be Baltimore in the first round. I would love it if Oakland could knock off the Yankees in the one game playoff and then beat Texas. To make things even better Oakland could then knock off Texas in the ALDS. Texas drives me crazy. They scare me more than any other team in the postseason. They knocked us out last year and they have had our number this year.

Edit: I forgot to include a link to the MLB.com postseason picture. http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/standings/postseasonpicture.jsp

 

[Mr Tony]

If I understand it correctly the AL Division winning team with the best record gets the winner of the one game wildcard playoff. The other two division winners would then play each other.

correct...this is new for 2012
Beginning with the 2012 season, the wild card team that advances to the Division Series will face the number 1 seed, regardless of whether or not they are in the same division.

The old rule use to be the Wild Card would play the #1 seed as long as it wasnt in the same division. That rule is now gone

 

[Jimbo]

I believe the postseason picture feature on MLB.com is actually right not the ESPN one. If ESPN is saying Detroit would play Baltimore that's because they are assuming they will win the division for some reason even though NY and Baltimore are currently tied. If the season ended today the Yankees and Orioles would have to play a game 163 to see who won the AL East. The winner would get the Tigers and the loser would have to play in the one game wildcard playoff.

It is a fairly complicated system. If I understand it correctly the AL Division winning team with the best record gets the winner of the one game wildcard playoff. The other two division winners would then play each other. Right now Texas has the best AL record so they would get whichever wild card team comes out on top. Texas currently has a half game lead over both AL East teams. If the winner of the East passes Texas in the next 3 games Detroit would play Texas in the ALDS. If Texas holds on Detroit plays either NY or Baltimore depending on who wins the division.

So to sum all of that mess up, there are 3 different possibilities for the Tigers ALDS opponent. NY, Baltimore, or Texas. Anyone can get hot in the playoffs. That being said, my preference would be Baltimore in the first round. I would love it if Oakland could knock off the Yankees in the one game playoff and then beat Texas. To make things even better Oakland could then knock off Texas in the ALDS. Texas drives me crazy. They scare me more than any other team in the postseason. They knocked us out last year and they have had our number this year.

Edit: I forgot to include a link to the MLB.com postseason picture. http://mlb.mlb.com/mlb/standings/postseasonpicture.jsp

The MLB one shows Baltimore playing Detroit, which is also wrong as that winner hasn't been determined yet.
Both espn and MLB are showing Baltimore when neither can be determined yet.

 

[king3pj]

The MLB one shows Baltimore playing Detroit, which is also wrong as that winner hasn't been determined yet.
Both espn and MLB are showing Baltimore when neither can be determined yet.

Check it out again. It says Baltimore OR NY for both the ALDS and the wildcard game. The NY logo is right above the Baltimore logo.

 

[Sparkman]

The MLB one shows Baltimore playing Detroit, which is also wrong as that winner hasn't been determined yet.
Both espn and MLB are showing Baltimore when neither can be determined yet.

Are they playing a one game playoff to determine division winner/wild card or are they going with head to head season winner? If it's the 2nd case, Baltimore must have won that and that's why they would be listed as division winner.

 

[Mr Tony]

Are they playing a one game playoff to determine division winner/wild card or are they going with head to head season winner? If it's the 2nd case, Baltimore must have won that and that's why they would be listed as division winner.

if Baltimore and NY finish tied there is a one game playoff Thursday....winner is division winner. Loser plays Friday against Oakland for wild card

 

[riffjim4069]

Cool. So the winner of the division will play either New York or Baltimore...depending on who wins.

 

[Sparkman]

if Baltimore and NY finish tied there is a one game playoff Thursday....winner is division winner. Loser plays Friday against Oakland for wild card

That's what I thought.

 

[king3pj]

Cool. So the winner of the division will play either New York or Baltimore...depending on who wins.

Or Texas if either New York or Baltimore finish with a better record than Texas. Texas is 1 game ahead of both of them right now.

The team with the best record in the AL gets the winner of the wildcard game and the other two division winners play each other.

 

[Mr Tony]

The team with the best record in the AL gets the winner of the wildcard game and the other two division winners play each other.

correct. That is new for this year. Use to be the wild card team couldnt play the "best record" AL team if it was same division. That is no longer the case

 

[riffjim4069]

Hopefully the Tigers will win the division and play the Orioles in the opening round. Of course, after watching the U.S. fall on their swords in spectacular fashion at the Ryder Cup...I wouldn't count-out Chicago until we actually win it.

 

[riffjim4069]

Tonight's games...

Chicago at Cleveland (7:05 PM ET)
CHW: Santiago (3-1, 3.69 ERA)
CLE: Kluber (2-4, 5.02 ERA)

Detroit at Kansas City (8:10 PM ET)
DET: Porcello (9-12, 4.68 ERA)
KC: Chen (11-13, 5.13 ERA)

I predict Porcello and Chen will be light the board up tonight - with runs. Go Tigers!

 

[satjay]

Lets go Porcello, it's been a while since we have seen a w, tonight would be a great night for it

 

[hwkn]

Whitesox 4 indians 0 in the 7th

 

[satjay]

1-0 Tigers, fifth inning