Does It Matter At all If We Win The Division?

[Soxsi75 35]

I saw the playoff pairings if the playoffs started today. And we would play.........the Twins. So winning the division will just mean we play the team we are battling for the division? Let's say we swap places with the Twins. They finish first and we finish 3rd.  Then we would play........the Twins. With everyone going to some remote place, home field certainly won't matter. They really ought to reward the division winners a bit more in this ridiculous season. Make it so the division winner has to only win 2 games in that opening round where as the lower seeded non divisional winner has to win 3. Unless something like this is already in place.....then I stand corrected. So my question is, is there?

[SonofaRoache 1,435]

5 minutes ago, Soxsi75 said:

I saw the playoff pairings if the playoffs started today. And we would play.........the Twins. So winning the division will just mean we play the team we are battling for the division? Let's say we swap places with the Twins. They finish first and we finish 3rd.  Then we would play........the Twins. With everyone going to some remote place, home field certainly won't matter. They really ought to reward the division winners a bit more in this ridiculous season. Make it so the division winner has to only win 2 games in that opening round where as the lower seeded non divisional winner has to win 3. Unless something like this is already in place.....then I stand corrected. So my question is, is there?

In the first round the higher seed gets HFA for all three games. 

[Soxsi75 35]

5 minutes ago, SonofaRoache said:

In the first round the higher seed gets HFA for all three games. 

They do? OK Good. So there's at least some incentive there then. Thanks. I didn't know that. Guess I didn't hear that, because if that's the case, why do they have to go to some remote place at all for the later rounds? 

Edited September 7, 2020 by Soxsi75

[asindc 51]

Yes.

[Dominikk85 436]

I think it is still an advantage to play at home because you don't have to travel, can sleep at home and so on. Still not the same as with fans of course. Some studies suggest that the biggest factor is umpires because unconsciously the are afraid to make close calls against the home team and getting booed

 

[flavum 991]

Probably won't catch the Rays for the 1-seed, but the 2-seed would be nice...and then beat the Twins 2 out of 3; the Indians 3 out of 5; and the Rays and Dodgers 4 out of 7. 

[southsider2k5 6,119]

Aren't we playing a neutral site playoff bubble?  

If that is the case, no, it doesn't matter. 

[joesaiditstrue 390]

I'm not too hot on a twins matchup

these guys just cant beat them it seems

[poppysox 1,443]

5 minutes ago, flavum said:

Probably won't catch the Rays for the 1-seed, but the 2-seed would be nice...and then beat the Twins 2 out of 3; the Indians 3 out of 5; and the Rays and Dodgers 4 out of 7. 

This would be an excellent plan!

[flavum 991]

4 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Aren't we playing a neutral site playoff bubble?  

If that is the case, no, it doesn't matter. 

It may be a bubble after the best-of-3, but I don’t think that’s finalized.

 

[flavum 991]

Sox are falling back to the 4-seed tonight, btw.

[SonofaRoache 1,435]

46 minutes ago, Soxsi75 said:

They do? OK Good. So there's at least some incentive there then. Thanks. I didn't know that. Guess I didn't hear that, because if that's the case, why do they have to go to some remote place at all for the later rounds? 

It's a reward for division winners. The later rounds is to keep players from getting Covid and throwing the post season out of whack. And if things need to get extended, they'd probably prefer to be in warm weather. 

[South Side Hit Men 558]

12 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

Aren't we playing a neutral site playoff bubble?  

If that is the case, no, it doesn't matter. 

Yes, that makes the most sense, though they haven't announced anything yet. Ballpark configuration is the key advantage of playing at a home stadium beyond the last at bat.

When I read about this new format, which hopefully is one and done (16 teams playoffs are absurd, especially for baseball), I thought I also read teams would be able to select their opponent for the opening round based on seed (#1 seed could pick any team, #2 the next then #3 with #4 defaulting to the final remaining team).

The way things stand now, it sucks to be the top two seeds without the selection format, as you are stuck playing the Yankees or Astros. Standings will likely change, but I think for a one time only format (16 teams), the selection show for teams to select playoff opponents would be very interesting for teams and fans.

Edited September 8, 2020 by South Side Hit Men

[SoxAce 2,242]

SMALL SAMPLE SIZE ALERT.

FYI, The Sox have been better on the road this season than at home. 

[mqr 2,479]

They’ll be playing at neutral sites. It does not matter.

[joesaiditstrue 390]

19 minutes ago, mqr said:

They’ll be playing at neutral sites. It does not matter.

No

Quote

As has been the case since 2012, there will be four rounds. But instead of a round featuring a sudden-death Wild Card Game with the division winners resting, the format will be as follows:

Wild Card Series (best-of-three, with all games at the higher seed’s home ballpark) No. 1 seed vs. No. 8; No. 2 vs. No. 7; No. 3 vs. No. 6; No. 4 vs. No. 5.

Division Series (best-of-five, with traditional 2-2-1 home/road format): Winner of 1-8 vs. Winner of 4-5; Winner of 2-7 vs. Winner of 3-6. Home-field advantage goes to the higher seed.

League Championship Series (best-of-seven, with traditional 2-3-2 home/road format): Winner of 1-4-5-8 vs. Winner of 2-3-6-7. Home-field advantage goes to the higher seed.

World Series (best-of-seven, with traditional 2-3-2 home/road format): AL champion vs. NL champion. Home-field advantage goes to the team with the superior regular-season record.

 

Edited September 8, 2020 by joesaiditstrue

[Orlando 1,416]

Yes, I want merch

[southsideirish71 833]

2 hours ago, Soxsi75 said:

I saw the playoff pairings if the playoffs started today. And we would play.........the Twins. So winning the division will just mean we play the team we are battling for the division? Let's say we swap places with the Twins. They finish first and we finish 3rd.  Then we would play........the Twins. With everyone going to some remote place, home field certainly won't matter. They really ought to reward the division winners a bit more in this ridiculous season. Make it so the division winner has to only win 2 games in that opening round where as the lower seeded non divisional winner has to win 3. Unless something like this is already in place.....then I stand corrected. So my question is, is there?

Well I for one like to have last ABs more than my opponent in a playoff series.  But thats just me. 

Edited September 8, 2020 by southsideirish71

[Tnetennba 1,461]

I dig division banners hanging in the ballpark.

[ChiSox1917 457]

Best seed will be whoever gets the blue jays or yankees in the first round

[Jose Abreu 2,197]

The wild-card series (if that's what they're calling it) is at the home ballpark of the higher seed. It's the ALDS, ALCS, and World Series that will be played at neutral sites (AL @ LAD/SDP, NL @ TEX/HOU). It hasn't been officially announced yet, but I'd bet on it

[supernuke 63]

If given the choice I would rather the Sox be the 2020 AL Central champions than not the 2020 AL Central champions.

[ron883 2,364]

I've been told by somebody here that the Sox are merely bumslayers. So unless they're playing the Royals or tigers, they got no chance. No chance in hell. 

[poppysox 1,443]

7 hours ago, supernuke said:

If given the choice I would rather the Sox be the 2020 AL Central champions than not the 2020 AL Central champions.

Seems logical.

[NWINFan 454]

8 hours ago, supernuke said:

If given the choice I would rather the Sox be the 2020 AL Central champions than not the 2020 AL Central champions.

This is one big drawback of the expanded playoffs. It cheapens the season somewhat. We fans shouldn't be having this debate. It should always be better to win the division.