The Insane, 87 Win, Five Team Wild Card Tie Scenario That Keeps Bud Selig Awake At Night

by brianp88 on Sep 16, 2008 4:46 PM CDT Comment 29 comments

Now, I realize that this scenario is VERY unlikely to occur, however it is possible. The Florida Marlins hold the key to this scenario. They must get hot and do some damage in the final two weeks. Here's what whould have to happen to create a five-way, 87 win Wild Card tie in the NL:

Division Champs are the Cubs, Mets & Dodgers

Philadelphia (83-67) goes 4-8 the rest of the way, getting swept by the Marlins in a three game set and then goes 4-5 vs. Braves and Nationals.

Milwaukee (83-67) goes 4-8 the rest of the way, vs Cubs, Reds and Pirates.

Houston (80-69) goes 7-6 the rest of the way, gets swept by Florida in a three game set and then goes 7-3 vs. Pirates, Reds and Braves.

Florida (77-72) goes 10-3, sweeps Astros and Phillies and goes 4-3 vs. Reds (one rain-out make-up) Nationals and Mets

St. Louis (78-71) Goes 9-4 vs. Cubs, Reds and D-Backs.

I know, it's far fetched, but anything can happen in baseball. It'll be fun to watch. How do you break a five-way tie?

This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of SB Nation or Al Yellon, managing editor (unless it's a FanPost posted by Al). FanPost opinions are valued expressions of opinion by passionate and knowledgeable baseball fans.

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Florida goes 10-3?

We have to go 10-4 to get to 100 wins. I’ll be on that happening before I bet on Florida going 10-3.

Our 2008 Chicago Cubs -- FINDING WAYS TO WIN!

by drewishdrewid on Sep 16, 2008 4:58 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I'm really hoping the Cubs will only have to play 13 more games...

… one of them really, really hungover. (Perhaps Saturday?)

McCain / Palin: The POW / WOW! Ticket

by Goat Whisperer on Sep 16, 2008 5:10 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I certainly am not betting on it

but the possibilities are fun to think about :)

One day, the dream will come true.

by brianp88 on Sep 16, 2008 5:03 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

If this happened

I expect they would have to postpone the entire playoffs one day so that the wild card could be determined in a round robin elimination tournament taking place over two days….?

by cubsonWGN4ever on Sep 16, 2008 5:07 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Or two days

since that third hurricane game would become necessary, and be made up on the 29th

by The Deputy Mayor of Rush Street on Sep 17, 2008 8:56 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

How do you break a five-way tie?

An exciting game of:

Theriot, Fonty, and Johnson = The Scrappy Pyramid of Victory

by BrewCrew'sPrinceofDarkness on Sep 16, 2008 5:23 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Too bad it's not 6-way

then they can play chandeliers.

Sweet Lou for Mayor in '11.

by blackhawk24 on Sep 17, 2008 8:01 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

if it's quarters

the brewers win…..fat dudes ALWAYS rule at quarters

"Pounding sand since 1982...."

by cubswynn on Sep 17, 2008 8:17 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

No wonder I got my ass kicked so many times

back then I was almost as skinny as a rail.

Sweet Lou for Mayor in '11.

by blackhawk24 on Sep 17, 2008 8:36 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Me too.

"I see the playoff schedule posted in the paper, and that stuff makes me nervous because you can't take anything for granted. We have a great team. We have a really good team. We're playing well, but we haven't won yet." - Jim Edmonds, 8/31/08

by dat cubfan daver on Sep 17, 2008 11:44 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

It's going to take more than 87 wins.

Interesting scenario thought.

I think 93 wins will get Wildcard though.

by ak123 on Sep 16, 2008 5:41 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

93???

That would mean either NY or Mil would have to go 10-2 or 10-1. I doubt that will happen. I would guess 89 or 90 wins would take it.

"I'm petrified of nipple chafing. Once it starts, it's a vicious circle." Andy Bernard

by TXCub on Sep 17, 2008 8:04 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

After last night

I’d agree more like 90…

by ak123 on Sep 17, 2008 1:36 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Bud Selig is too incompetent to worry about this.

Evey Hammond: Vi Veri Veniversum Vivus Vici. V: By the power of truth, I, while living, have conquered the universe.

by dtpollitt on Sep 16, 2008 6:11 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

+1

ha ha. sad but true.

"This is an environment of welcoming, and you should just get the hell outta here." --Michael Scott

by Reddevil on Sep 16, 2008 6:28 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

+2

Drayton Mclane refuses to acknowledge the possibility.

by 08Cubs on Sep 17, 2008 11:29 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I just hope game 162 has no meaning

so we don’t have to play it.

"He's a pro. Me? I just try not to swear on the air.'' Bob Brenly talking about Len Kasper

by halfblindcubbiegirl on Sep 16, 2008 6:12 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Doubt he'd care...

might make the playoffs end later….extra publicity…excitement…etc.

Free Ronny Cedeno

by Kansas25 on Sep 16, 2008 7:37 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Oh, man.

I hope this happens. I do enjoy headache scenarios. That’s why I hope every top college football team finishes the season with two losses.

Before each game, please remember to feed the bats.

by Cool Hand on Sep 16, 2008 7:57 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Or 3 or 4 teams go undefeated.

The BCS is the worst way to crown a championship ever. College football needs a playoff system but that’s another topic for another blog.

"Destiny is a matter of choice, not chance"

by MerlinDog on Sep 17, 2008 6:46 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

What I really want to see....

Is a mid-major team go undefeated, and others with multiple losses, just to see a situation where they HAVE to put that mid-major into the title game.

What amazes me about the BCS is that every year seems to be the worst situation ever. I swear, if this keeps up we’ll have a year where everyone finishes 6-5.

Before each game, please remember to feed the bats.

by Cool Hand on Sep 17, 2008 7:52 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

The question I always ask fans of the BCS system is

How do you think this system would go over with fans if the NFL, the NBA, MLB or any other sports league in the world tried it? It’s an awful system

"Destiny is a matter of choice, not chance"

by MerlinDog on Sep 17, 2008 1:01 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

That would mean the Cubs would have to play the makeup game in Houston.

Hope that doesn’t happen.

"That's my opinion and if you don't like it, well, I have others." ~ Groucho Marx

by Al on Sep 16, 2008 10:51 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

From Baseball Prospectus

That’s as far as Major League Baseball’s doomsday scenarios go. But what would happen if Philadelphia, Florida, Montreal, Arizona, and Los Angeles all ended the season with the exact same record? Asked how they would break a five-way tie, the friendly, patient folks in the Major League Baseball office were forced into hypothetical territory. Pending consultation with and approval by the player’s union, what might happen is that the team with the best combined head-to-head record of the five (currently Florida) would get a bye. Then, the other four teams would play bracketed elimination games. The winners of those two games would then join the Marlins in a two-game tournament, with Florida automatically designated as Team A. The winner of that tournament would take home the coveted Wild Card trophy (or gold watch, or whatever it is they get). Four games later, we’d finally have a Wild Card entrant.

Aramis Ramirez- NL MVP
Kosuke Fukudome- NL ROY
Carlos Marmol- Rolaids Relief Man

by sheamcmurray on Sep 16, 2008 11:16 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

On this is from 2003

n/t

Aramis Ramirez- NL MVP
Kosuke Fukudome- NL ROY
Carlos Marmol- Rolaids Relief Man

by sheamcmurray on Sep 16, 2008 11:17 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Why not Tug-of-War like the old Superstars competition on ABC?

n/t

by DudeVf11 on Sep 17, 2008 9:00 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

What should keep Bud Light up at night

is how he fucked up the ’stros situation when everyone in the country knew by Thursday morning, that ’cane was heading right for a metro area of 5 million!

The only commish with less leadership ability is that NBA reject heading up the NHL.

Sweet Lou for Mayor in '11.

by blackhawk24 on Sep 17, 2008 7:37 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Look to the WCHA in college hockey!

Sorry guys, but I’m from Minnesota…where most people care more about hockey than any other sport (I like hockey too, but obviously not more than baseball.) The WCHA conference tournament is called the final five. Whatever your way to rank them would be, teams 1, 2, 3 get a bye. 4/5 play each other in the play in game, and winner plays the #1, while 2 plays 3…then the winners of those 2 play for the top spot.

by jbertram on Sep 17, 2008 8:20 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs