In its 10th season, is anyone still wild about the MLB Wild Card?

foreverfree | 7/13/03 | foreverfree

[foreverfree]

While you're chewing on this question, I hereby present how the division races would have come out beginning 1994 had the grand old game stuck to the East/West, division-winners-only format.

(This assumes that in 1998, the Brewers would have moved from AL East to NL East, expansion D'Rays enter AL East, and expansion D'Backs enter NL West. This also assumes that interleague play would have commenced in 1997 nevertheless.)

1994 (leaders at the strike): Yankees, White Sox, Expos, Braves

1995: Indians, Mariners, Cubs, Braves

1996: Indians, Rangers, Expos vs. Cards in playoff, Braves

1997: Orioles, Mariners, Marlins, Braves

1998: Yankees, Rangers, Cubs, Braves

1999: Yankees, Rangers, Mets, Braves

2000: Indians, White Sox, Cards, Giants

2001: Yankees, Mariners, Cards, Astros

2002: Yankees, Athletics, Cards, Braves

Source: The Sports Encyclopedia: Baseball

, 2003 edition by David Neft, Richard Cohen and Michael Neft

[foreverfree]

And at the 2003 AS break, the division leaders under the old format would have been... the Yanks, M's, Braves and Phillies.

Just something to chew on as the All Stars get ready to play in two nights...

foreverfree

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[Lawgvr1955]

While I am not crazy about the wild card, it does allow another city the chance to taste post season play. It is always exciting to be in post season action.

It is better than hockey though, where practically everyone makes the playoffs and the season is of little importance.

[Revenge of Sith]

Before the wild card, I thought it was a travesty that the Braves were in the NL West and the Cardinals were in the NL East.