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Suggested tiebreakers

AG/DC
Aug 26 2008 02:50 PM

If two teams are tied by for a playoff spot, what tiebreakers would you suggest as an alternative to a one-game playoff? A quick suggestion.

Division Tiebreakers

  1. Division Record

  2. League Record

  3. Head-to-Head Record

  4. Net Run Differential

  5. Division Run Differential

  6. League Run Differential

  7. Head-to-Head Run Differential

  8. Total Reyeses

  9. Scrabble Tournament
Wild-Card Tiebreakers

  1. League Record

  2. Head-to-Head Record

  3. Net Run Differential

  4. League Run Differential

  5. Head-to-Head Run Differential

  6. Total Reyeses

  7. Scrabble Tournament

Nymr83
Aug 26 2008 02:54 PM

if there are two teams with identical records i'd want the 1 game playoff. the only time i'd want to use an alternative method is if the "loser" of a division tie will win the wild card anyway.

if i'm making a list though i'd put head to head first.

AG/DC
Aug 26 2008 03:01 PM
Edited 1 time(s), most recently on Aug 26 2008 04:46 PM

I hear you. It's exciting and dramatic, if hastily arranged and often anti-climactic. That's why I phrased this as an if-then question.

On the other hand, if the Mets win 10 of 14 from the Phils during the regular season, is it really more meaningful if the Phils take number 163?

Nymr83
Aug 26 2008 03:07 PM

well i think all the games should count the same when there are 162 of them (which means you need a tiebreaker game.)

the NFL is in a bit of a different situation because with only 16 games there are multiple ties every year and worse yet there are often 3 teams tied for one spot, and with how physical football is the idea of a team having to play 2 tiebreaker games is not one that many people would endorse.

Frayed Knot
Aug 26 2008 04:17 PM

NFL tiebreakers exist for convenience sake. There's simply no room in their tightly scripted schedule for an extra game.

So if that means that there are 5 seperate 9-7 teams and only room for two in the playoff scheme then three of them have to be eliminated. And if the elimination process is meaningful (initial tie-breakers) then that's good, and if it's silly and arbitrary then that's tough.

If there's a MLB tie for a playoff spot I want a game!

seawolf17
Aug 26 2008 05:26 PM

Dammit. When I saw the thread title I was going to suggest "Total Reyeses." I hadn't thought of Scrabble tournament, though. I might get myself an MLB contract yet.

metsguyinmichigan
Aug 26 2008 06:01 PM

Well clearly, you need different rules for each league, what with the DH and all.

NL: If your team name begins with M, you may proceed.

AL: If the greater good of all humanity is served by your evil asses getting sent home early, then you do not proceed.

That takes care of the Yankees. I don't care about the rest of the AL teams.

AG/DC
Aug 26 2008 08:00 PM

Frayed Knot wrote:
If there's a MLB tie for a playoff spot I want a game!


Well, this isn't what I wanted to talk about, but there certainly is an argument that it's less meaningful --- single games including only a small portion of your pitching staff and all.

Frayed Knot
Aug 26 2008 08:13 PM

Less meaningful than what -- a series of tie-breaking procedures which arbitrarily favor one statistical variation over another?

AG/DC
Aug 26 2008 08:26 PM

Jeez, the sarcasm.

No, you... sarcasm guy, a series of tie-breaking procedures which considerately favor wins and losses accrued in situations meaningful to the championship being won.

Do you really think awarding a division championship to a team with the best won-loss record in the division is an arbitray statistical variation?

Hey cool, our pen is pissing runs away.

Frayed Knot
Aug 26 2008 08:28 PM

I've either lost track of what you're talking about or I never understood it in the first place.

AG/DC
Aug 26 2008 08:42 PM

You're doing fine.