MLB: 2016 Regular Season

[YmoBeThere]

Cardinals have their backs firmly against the wall today needing a win and a Giants loss to force a play-off. Even if today ends up being the last day of the season, it has been a good ride.

This didn't happen:

Giants already up 4 in the bottom of the second with two outs.

Make that 5...

[DU82]

My ESPN schedules suggests that every game today, the last day of the regular season, begins at 3 PM (or so) EDT. I follow baseball pretty closely, but I didn't realize this. I know the Wrold Cup (soccer) does this to prevent gaming of match-ups. Is that even a risk in the baseball playoffs?

It's possible. Say the Dodgers are playing the Giants, with the Giants one down on the Cards for the second wild card, and the Dodgers were one up on the Cards for the first wild card. If the Cards lose, then the Dodgers clinch the home WC game, and if the Dodgers then lose, the Giants and Cards would have to play a Monday play-in game in order to face the Dodgers on Tuesday. The Dodgers, if they knew this ahead of time, would have a huge advantage in losing the game. If all games are played at the same time, they would at least have to start playing to win.

There's other scenarios, I'm sure, that's just the first one I thought of.

[weezie]

Called final strike by a relief pitcher that we had last year...That's the Tigers Way!

[Olympic Fan]

So everything set.

Baltimore at Toronto Tuesday in the AL wild card. The winner goes to Texas to start the ALDS.

Boston goes to Cleveland to start the other ALDS.

Texas has the homefield as long as they survive.

San Francisco goes to the Mets for the NL wild card Wednesday. The winner goes to Chicago to start the NLDS.

Los Angeles goes to Washington to start the other NLDS.

The Cubs have the homefield as long as they survive.

Tense final day. Yeah, the Tigers choked, but it wouldn't have mattered if they won (with Toronto and Baltimore both winning). The Cards did what they had to do, but it wasn't enough with the Giants winning easily.

For me, a lot of good baseball ... I'm just disappointed we won't have a game Monday (which very easily could have happened).

[JBDuke]

The MASN production team put up a stat during the Nats final game today that was kinda mind-boggling. They listed the top rookies in history in hits/game. Joe Jackson was #1. Icihiro was #2 (although not the traditional rookie, given his age and experience). DiMaggio was #3. I'm forgetting the player at #4 - he was from the 20's. Turner was fifth all time at 1.42 hits/game.

Some pretty nice company. It'll be fun to see him on the big stage.

[Reilly]

So everything set.

Baltimore at Toronto Tuesday ...

Wait, what? Baltimore's coming in last this year, per the experts ....

[Troublemaker]

San Francisco goes to the Mets for the NL wild card Wednesday. The winner goes to Chicago to start the NLDS.

As a neutral observer, I'd love to see a Cubs-Giants NLDS. The "Playoff Giants" vs the best team in baseball this season.

[duke74]

As a neutral observer, I'd love to see a Cubs-Giants NLDS. The "Playoff Giants" vs the best team in baseball this season.

As a strongly non-neutral observer...LGM!