Playoff Tiebreakers

[CalvnHobs6]

From espn.com

Coin Flips

 

American League

East: Boston at New York

Central: Chicago at Cleveland

West: Oakland at Los Angeles

Wild card:

• New York at Cleveland

• Oakland at Cleveland

• Oakland at New York

NOTE: If three clubs finish the season with the same winning percentage and one team will be a division winner and another will be the wild card, the games will be played as follows: The two teams tied for the division lead will play the one-game tie-breaker, with the winner being declared the division champion. The losing team will then play the club from the other division for the wild card.

 

National League

Wild card:

• Houston at Florida

• Washington at Houston

• Florida at Philadelphia

• Houston at Philadelphia

• Florida at Washington

• Philadelphia at Washington

NOTE: If three clubs finish the season with the same winning percentage and one team will be a division winner and another will be the wild card, the games will be played as follows: The two teams tied for the division lead will play the one-game tie-breaker, with the winner being declared the division champion. The losing team will then play the club from the other division for the wild card.

 

Playoff Scenarios

 

Scenario No. 1: If there is a tie for a division championship and the winning percentage of the two clubs tied for first place is higher than the winning percentage of each of the second-place clubs in the same League, the division champion shall be:

• The club with the higher winning percentage in head-to-head competition between the two tied clubs during the championship season.

• If the clubs remain tied, then to the tied club with the higher winning percentage in intradivision games during the championship season.

• If the clubs remain tied, then to the tied club with the higher winning percentage in the last half of intraleague games during the championship season. • If the clubs remain tied, then to the tied club with the higher winning percentage in the last half plus one of intraleague games during the championship season, provided that such additional game was not a game between the two tied clubs.

This process will be followed game-by-game until the tie is broken.

 

Scenario No. 2: If there is a tie for a division championship and the winning percentage of the two tied clubs is lower than the winning percentage of the second-place club with the best record among all non-division winners in the same league, the tie for the division championship shall be broken as follows:

• A one-game playoff shall be played to determine the division championship. The site of the game would be determined by a coin flip and the winner of the game shall be declared the division champion.

 

Scenario No. 3: If two teams are tied for the wild card, the tie shall be broken as follows:

• A one-game playoff shall be played to determine the wild card. The site of the game would be determined by a coin flip and the winner of the game shall be declared the wild card.

 

Scenario No. 4: If three clubs are tied for first place in a division (or wild card) with an identical winning percentage at the conclusion of the championship season and the tied clubs do not have identical records against one another in the championship season, the tie for the division championship (or wild card) shall be broken as follows:

• If the three tied clubs have identical records against one another in the championship season, the Office of the Commissioner shall supervise a draw that results in the clubs' being designated Club "A," "B," and "C."

• If the tied clubs do not have identical records against one another in the championship season, they will be designated Club "A," "B," and "C" based on their records in head-to-head competition during the championship season as follows:

• If Club 1 has a better record against each of Clubs 2 and 3, and Club 2 has a better record against Club 3, then Club 1 shall choose a designation as Club "A," "B," or "C," and Club 2 shall choose a designation from the remaining two designations. Club 3 shall be assigned the remaining designation.

• If Club 1 has a better record against each of Clubs 2 and 3, and Club 2 and Club 3 have the same record against each other, then Club 1 shall choose a designation as Club "A," "B," or "C," and the Office of the Commissioner shall supervise a draw between Clubs 2 and 3, the winner of which shall choose one of the remaining two designations. The remaining club shall be assigned the remaining designation. • If Club 1 and Club 2 have the same record against each other but each has a better record against Club 3, then the Office of the Commissioner shall supervise a draw between Clubs 1 and 2, the winner of which shall choose a designation as Club "A," "B," or "C." The club losing the draw shall choose a designation from the remaining two designations. Club 3 shall be assigned the remaining designation.

• If Club 1 has a better record against Club 2, Club 2 has a better record against Club 3, and Club 3 has a better record against Club 1, then the three clubs shall be ranked on the basis of overall winning percentage within that three-club group, and the club with the highest winning percentage from among that three-club group shall have first choice among designations as Club "A," "B," or "C," the club with the next highest winning percentage from among that three-club group shall have the next choice between the two remaining designations, and the club with the lowest winning percentage from among that three-club group shall be assigned the remaining designation.

• If two or more of the clubs within such three-club group have the same winning percentage among the group, the Office of the Commissioner shall supervise a draw between the clubs so tied to determine priority of selection among the designations. Club "A" shall play Club "B" at the ballpark of Club "A." The following day, the winner of the first game shall be the home club in a second game, against Club "C." The winner of the game between Club "C" and the Club that won the game between Club "A" and Club "B" shall be declared the division champion.

 

Scenario No. 5: If three clubs in a league are tied with identical winning percentages at the end of the championship season and two of those tied clubs are from the same division and are also tied for first place in that division and the third tied club has the highest winning percentage among the second-place clubs in the remaining two divisions, the division champion shall first be determined by a one-game playoff. Any playoff games played to determine a division champion shall not count in determining which clubs are deemed tied for a wild-card designation. Clubs that were originally tied with a club or clubs for a wild-card designation shall still be considered tied.

 

Scenario No. 6: If four clubs are tied for first place in the wild card (or division) with an identical winning percentage at the conclusion of the championship season, the tie for the wild-card (division) shall be broken as follows:

• The four teams will be designated Club "A," "B," "C," and "D" based on a draw by the Office of the Commissioner. Club "A" shall play Club "B" at the ballpark of Club "A" and Club "C" shall play Club "D" at the ballpark of Club "C." The following day, the winner of these games shall play one game, at the ballpark of Club "A" or Club "B," whichever has won the game between the two. The winner of the third game shall be declared the wild card.

 

Scenario No. 7: There is a two-way tie for highest winning percentage among division winners and a tiebreaker is required to determine home-field advantage in the Division Series.

• If one of the division winners tied for the highest winning percentage is from the same division as the wild card: The division winner from the same division as the wild card cannot play the wild card in the Division Series. The other division winner tied for the highest winning percentage plays the wild card.

• If neither division winner tied for the highest winning percentage is from the same division as the wild card: A tiebreaker system will be used to determine which division winner with the best record plays the wild card.

• The first tiebreaker will be head-to-head competition between the two clubs during the championship season.

• If the clubs remain tied, then the tied clubs with the higher winning percentage in intradivision games during the championship season.

• If the clubs remain tied, then the tied club with the higher winning percentage in intraleague games during the championship season.

• If the clubs remain tied, then the tied club with the higher winning percentage in the last half of intraleague games during the championship season.

• If the clubs remain tied, then the tied club with the higher winning percentage in the last half plus one of intraleague games during the championship season. This process will be followed game-by-game until the tie is broken.

[CalvnHobs6]

Scenario No. 8: There is a three-way tie for highest winning percentage among division winners and a tiebreaker is required to determine home-field advantage in the Division Series. The tied club that has a better record against both of the other division champions during the championship season will be deemed to have the higher winning percentage. The tie between the two remaining clubs shall be broken as follows:

• The first tiebreaker will be head-to-head competition between the two clubs during the championship season. If the clubs remain tied, then the tied club with the higher winning percentage in intradivision games during the championship season.

• If the clubs remain tied, then the tied club with the higher winning percentage in intraleague games during the championship season.

• If the clubs remain tied, then the tied club with the higher winning percentage in the last half of intraleague games during the championship season.

• If the clubs remain tied, then the tied club with the higher winning percentage in the last half plus one of intraleague games during the championship season. This process will be followed game-by-game until the tie is broken.

• If none of the three tied clubs has a better record against both of the other division champions during the championship season, then the club deemed to have the higher winning percentage shall be the tied club with the higher winning percentage in head-to-head competition among the tied clubs during the championship season.

• If the clubs remain tied, then the tied club with the higher winning percentage in intradivision games during the championship season.

• If the clubs remain tied, then the tied club with the higher winning percentage in intraleague games during the championship season.

• If the clubs remain tied, then the tied club with the higher winning percentage in the last half of intraleague games during the championship season.

• If the clubs remain tied, then the tied club with the higher winning percentage in the last half plus one of intraleague games during the championship season. This process will be followed game-by-game until the tie is broken.

[Sox Fan on Cape]

Thanks CH. Is there a test on this latter ?

[yankthis]

Tie or not, it's starting to look like chances are 2nd place in AL East won't be sitting in the wild card seat.

[Soxfan1]

Isn't there a thread about this already?