Fantasy Baseball Cafe Forums

by **BitterDodgerFan** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 9:12 am

i never understood why the rule prevents divisional series opponents from the same division. what's the point of it?

by **Bloody Sox** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 9:50 am

Actually, I disagree that the NL Central winner (Cubs) is getting the shaft because two division opponents can't meet in Round 1. The wild-card is (and should in my opinion) automatically be the #4 seed and not be seeded higher than a division winner, thus the Cubs are playing exactly who they should play in Round 1. This is how it is in all sports. Otherwise, don't even bother with divisions because winning your division means nothing.

Now - if the Phillies had the best record in the NL and had to play the Mets instead of the Dodgers, then you'd have an argument. That rule should probably be removed.

If you recall, it used to be WORSE when they first went to the wild card system. The first three years of the wild-card system, they based the first round matchups on a rotating system where one division winner - regardless of record - would automatically be a road-team in Game 1 of the first series and not play the wild-card, even if they were not in the same division. Now THAT was stupid.

by **great gretzky** » Mon Sep 22, 2008 7:43 pm

I'm not a big believer in worrying about that when you get to the playoff stages of sports. You play who play, and to be the best, you beat the best. Otherwise, I don't worry about it. You are going to have to play good teams (well relative in some instances) regardless. You want a WS? Well, you gotta beat someone good to get it.

by **Snakes Gould** » Tue Sep 23, 2008 3:05 am

great gretzky wrote:I'm not a big believer in worrying about that when you get to the playoff stages of sports. You play who play, and to be the best, you beat the best. Otherwise, I don't worry about it. You are going to have to play good teams (well relative in some instances) regardless. You want a WS? Well, you gotta beat someone good to get it.

all very true, but if the other team you're facing can get a cupcake (not true in this case, just a hypothetical) then they can rest up their rotation, while you have a 5 game grind to win.