So you win the Division and you get to face the 8th seed and home field advantage for the first round best of three. How important is that this year with no fans and no real home field advantage. The 8th seed is going to be a very good team regardless and playing a best of three is a real toss up against anyone. Most teams have at least two real quality starting pitchers. So how hard should the Sox go after that Division Title? 

Edited September 18, 20205 yr by brijames1957

It is more important for the team to be aligned, healthy, rested, and ready to go for the playoffs than it is to win the division.

I want the Sox to win it.  Winning the division in this season means no one can question the legitimacy of your playoff appearance.

Edited September 18, 20205 yr by asindc

Baseball playoffs are so random, and a 3 game series even moreso. Every single team has a significant chance of being "swept" out (if 2 games is even a sweep) of the first round.

That's why I think it is pretty important to win the division for the Sox. As a young, breakout team, I think having a division banner to put up next year would be huge for confidence and momentum in the likely case that we don't win the world series. 

I don't think it is worth something like getting your pitchers out of alignment to try and win the division, but I do think it is worth still playing our starters for most of the rest of the season. 

Division banners fly forever. Doesn't matter who we face. They're all decent teams. Would suck to face the Cleveland Biebers but this team is starting to prove it can win some close games and the Indians offense is hot garbage. 

Sox Park needs more banners.  Winning the division and lining things up for the post season are both attainable.  Lock up the Central, get guys some rest, and get to the 29th ready to go.

We got the division. No worries there. I actually don’t care how it washes out. Be healthy. Win games. Advance.

MLB Power Rankings: Will White Sox Reign in October?

Chicago White Sox, Kings of the American League?

59 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

It is more important for the team to be aligned, healthy, rested, and ready to go for the playoffs than it is to win the division.

I would prefer to win but it is not worth to burn out the pitching to chase the division. If you can win you take it but better give away a win or two than going into the postseason with a burned out bullpen.

I'd like to win the division because I hate the twins.

2 hours ago, brijames1957 said:

So you win the Division and you get to face the 8th seed and home field advantage for the first round best of three. How important is that this year with no fans and no real home field advantage. The 8th seed is going to be a very good team regardless and playing a best of three is a real toss up against anyone. Most teams have at least two real quality starting pitchers. So how hard should the Sox go after that Division Title? 

I think home is significant because of no travel and a park that your team is suited for.

Winning the division means nothing in terms of chances to win WS. 

it's important because no one wants the yankees in a 3 game series with Cole and the way they are playing lately. let the twins get raw dogged by them as the 4th seed. 

3 hours ago, asindc said:

I want the Sox to win it.  Winning the division in this season means no one can question the legitimacy of your playoff appearance.

Bingo!  Might as well start now letting people know who is the team to beat in the Central.  The experts were picking us for third.  Insulting!

3 hours ago, brijames1957 said:

So you win the Division and you get to face the 8th seed and home field advantage for the first round best of three. How important is that this year with no fans and no real home field advantage. The 8th seed is going to be a very good team regardless and playing a best of three is a real toss up against anyone. Most teams have at least two real quality starting pitchers. So how hard should the Sox go after that Division Title? 

Winning the division doesn’t guarantee you the one seed. 

Winning the Division is important because you get a home 3-game series to start the playoffs.

Winning the top seed is very different, and may be detrimental to the Sox hopes of advancing.

At the moment, the Sox are the #2 seed, 1/2 game behind the Rays and a game ahead of Oakland. The Rays are likely to maintain their lead against the Yankees, and Oakland's lead over Houston isn't at risk. Plus the Sox have a lead of 4 games in the loss column over the Twins, plus the tiebreaker. So if the Sox win 5 of 9 to finish the season, they will win the Division. If only 4 of 9, we will win if the Twins lose 1 game of 7 left, etc.

The ideal scenario may be for the Sox to fall to the 3rd seed, with the Rays staying #1, and Oakland #2. That would mean Houston would be the opening opponent. Maybe they'll be better in a week, but they have the worst record among the playoff teams at the moment. And by skipping Cleveland, we don't get Shane Bieber in a 3-game set. 

The second round would then be against the Oakland/Cleveland, or Oakland/Toronto winner. 

But if we get the #1 seed, we'll be looking at the potential for the Yankees in round two.

I don't know if it's important, or even beneficial (matchup ?), but I'm old fashioned in thinking winning your division means something in sports.

I'm no Cubs fan, but seeing Kyle Hendricks own the Twins looked real nice.