BASE-BALL

[NWI_Irish96]

The White Sox can clinch a playoff birth for the first time in 12 years with a win, a Det loss, and a Sea loss

Seattle loss not necessary. They have 3 games remaining with Houston, so at least one of those two teams ends up with at least 27 losses even if both win tonight, which is convenient because I'm not staying up until midnight to celebrate.

[Stephane Dumas]

The AL championship series will be played at Arlington, the NLCS at San Diego, and the World Series at Arlington, with the higher seed batting last in games 1, 2, 6, and 7 (same as if they were playing the series in home stadiums). The World Series will start October 20 and end no later than October 28.

You mean that the ALCS will be played in San Diego, and the NLCS in Arlington. My guess is, the two leagues have flipped to the other league's stadiums to avoid an unfair advantage for their teams. As for the World Series in Arlington, it'll be the first time in 76 years that the same stadium hosted every game in the Fall Classic, with the all-St. Louis Series in which the Cardinals defeated the Browns (the same team that's now known as the Orioles). Before that, the Giants beat the Yankees in consecutive World Series (1921-22) when both teams called the Polo Grounds their home; of course, the Yankees would get their revenge in 1923, when they moved to Yankee Stadium, their permanent home since then (but in three versions, with the team playing in Shea Stadium for the 1974 and '75 campaigns).

So for the first time ever, all four major sports championships will be decided at a neutral site, with the NBA championship being awarded in Orlando and the Stanley Cup in Edmonton. Of course, the Lombardi Trophy is always awarded at a neutral site, and that will never change.

Maybe, just maybe, I think it won't be the last time then all four major sports championship will be decided at a neutral site.  Had the NHL practiced this for years and had Toronto hosted the Stanley Cup finals, some players could said as a joke, I won a Stanley Cup championship in Toronto and I didn't played for the Leafs.

[ftballfan]

The AL championship series will be played at Arlington, the NLCS at San Diego, and the World Series at Arlington, with the higher seed batting last in games 1, 2, 6, and 7 (same as if they were playing the series in home stadiums). The World Series will start October 20 and end no later than October 28.

You mean that the ALCS will be played in San Diego, and the NLCS in Arlington. My guess is, the two leagues have flipped to the other league's stadiums to avoid an unfair advantage for their teams. As for the World Series in Arlington, it'll be the first time in 76 years that the same stadium hosted every game in the Fall Classic, with the all-St. Louis Series in which the Cardinals defeated the Browns (the same team that's now known as the Orioles). Before that, the Giants beat the Yankees in consecutive World Series (1921-22) when both teams called the Polo Grounds their home; of course, the Yankees would get their revenge in 1923, when they moved to Yankee Stadium, their permanent home since then (but in three versions, with the team playing in Shea Stadium for the 1974 and '75 campaigns).

So for the first time ever, all four major sports championships will be decided at a neutral site, with the NBA championship being awarded in Orlando and the Stanley Cup in Edmonton. Of course, the Lombardi Trophy is always awarded at a neutral site, and that will never change.

It is theoretically possible for a team to win the Super Bowl in their home stadium, but it has never happened.

[NWI_Irish96]

Angel Hernandez is a shitty umpire and a fucking asshole.

[SEWIGuy]

The AL championship series will be played at Arlington, the NLCS at San Diego, and the World Series at Arlington, with the higher seed batting last in games 1, 2, 6, and 7 (same as if they were playing the series in home stadiums). The World Series will start October 20 and end no later than October 28.

You mean that the ALCS will be played in San Diego, and the NLCS in Arlington. My guess is, the two leagues have flipped to the other league's stadiums to avoid an unfair advantage for their teams. As for the World Series in Arlington, it'll be the first time in 76 years that the same stadium hosted every game in the Fall Classic, with the all-St. Louis Series in which the Cardinals defeated the Browns (the same team that's now known as the Orioles). Before that, the Giants beat the Yankees in consecutive World Series (1921-22) when both teams called the Polo Grounds their home; of course, the Yankees would get their revenge in 1923, when they moved to Yankee Stadium, their permanent home since then (but in three versions, with the team playing in Shea Stadium for the 1974 and '75 campaigns).

So for the first time ever, all four major sports championships will be decided at a neutral site, with the NBA championship being awarded in Orlando and the Stanley Cup in Edmonton. Of course, the Lombardi Trophy is always awarded at a neutral site, and that will never change.

It is theoretically possible for a team to win the Super Bowl in their home stadium, but it has never happened.

But it is still considered a neutral site.  The Super Bowl is in Tampa this year.  If the Bucs make it, while it is still their stadium, it won't be a Bucaneers home game.

[ilpt4u]

But it is still considered a neutral site.  The Super Bowl is in Tampa this year.  If the Bucs make it, while it is still their stadium, it won't be a Bucaneers home game.

Semantic BS

The only "On Field"  difference of Home vs Away is an/the Away Captain makes the Coin Toss(es) call, and the Home Team gets 1st choice for Uniform Color Scheme

Otherwise, if a team qualifies for a Super Bowl the year they are the predetermined host, it is still a home game. I don't think the NFL will force a "home"  team to live at the assigned hotel. Sure, they will still be required to make media commitments and all that.

I don't even know if a set amount of tickets are reserved for the Host Stadium/Team to sell in addition to the tickets reserved for the 2 participating teams. If there are those 3 pools, obviously if the Host and one of the Participants are the same, that would be more "home"  tickets available. I doubt it would be enough for a decided advantage in terms of fan noise (in a "normal"  fan year, anyway)

Whether Ticket Resale markets would help a "home"  Super Bowl team pack the stadium, remains to be seen

[NWI_Irish96]

But it is still considered a neutral site.  The Super Bowl is in Tampa this year.  If the Bucs make it, while it is still their stadium, it won't be a Bucaneers home game.

Semantic BS

The only "On Field"  difference of Home vs Away is an/the Away Captain makes the Coin Toss(es) call, and the Home Team gets 1st choice for Uniform Color Scheme

Otherwise, if a team qualifies for a Super Bowl the year they are the predetermined host, it is still a home game. I don't think the NFL will force a "home"  team to live at the assigned hotel. Sure, they will still be required to make media commitments and all that.

I don't even know if a set amount of tickets are reserved for the Host Stadium/Team to sell in addition to the tickets reserved for the 2 participating teams. If there are those 3 pools, obviously if the Host and one of the Participants are the same, that would be more "home"  tickets available. I doubt it would be enough for a decided advantage in terms of fan noise (in a "normal"  fan year, anyway)

Whether Ticket Resale markets would help a "home"  Super Bowl team pack the stadium, remains to be seen

The coaches might want the team in a hotel anyway, at least the night before the game, just to control the environment.

The host team gets a few tickets, but not enough to make a difference.

[SEWIGuy]

But it is still considered a neutral site.  The Super Bowl is in Tampa this year.  If the Bucs make it, while it is still their stadium, it won't be a Bucaneers home game.

Semantic BS

The only "On Field"  difference of Home vs Away is an/the Away Captain makes the Coin Toss(es) call, and the Home Team gets 1st choice for Uniform Color Scheme

Otherwise, if a team qualifies for a Super Bowl the year they are the predetermined host, it is still a home game. I don't think the NFL will force a "home"  team to live at the assigned hotel. Sure, they will still be required to make media commitments and all that.

I don't even know if a set amount of tickets are reserved for the Host Stadium/Team to sell in addition to the tickets reserved for the 2 participating teams. If there are those 3 pools, obviously if the Host and one of the Participants are the same, that would be more "home"  tickets available. I doubt it would be enough for a decided advantage in terms of fan noise (in a "normal"  fan year, anyway)

Whether Ticket Resale markets would help a "home"  Super Bowl team pack the stadium, remains to be seen

If you don't have a significant crowd behind you, the home field advantage isn't much.  Right now home teams only win 55% of regular season home games.  Without a significant home crowd, and with a quality opponent on the other side of the ball, it's pretty much 50/50.

Also, many, if not all, NFL teams spend the night at hotels prior to home games so I don't think that matters much either.

[Alps]

But it is still considered a neutral site.  The Super Bowl is in Tampa this year.  If the Bucs make it, while it is still their stadium, it won't be a Bucaneers home game.

Semantic BS

The only "On Field"  difference of Home vs Away is an/the Away Captain makes the Coin Toss(es) call, and the Home Team gets 1st choice for Uniform Color Scheme

Otherwise, if a team qualifies for a Super Bowl the year they are the predetermined host, it is still a home game. I don't think the NFL will force a "home"  team to live at the assigned hotel. Sure, they will still be required to make media commitments and all that.

I don't even know if a set amount of tickets are reserved for the Host Stadium/Team to sell in addition to the tickets reserved for the 2 participating teams. If there are those 3 pools, obviously if the Host and one of the Participants are the same, that would be more "home"  tickets available. I doubt it would be enough for a decided advantage in terms of fan noise (in a "normal"  fan year, anyway)

Whether Ticket Resale markets would help a "home"  Super Bowl team pack the stadium, remains to be seen

If you don't have a significant crowd behind you, the home field advantage isn't much.  Right now home teams only win 55% of regular season home games.  Without a significant home crowd, and with a quality opponent on the other side of the ball, it's pretty much 50/50.

Also, many, if not all, NFL teams spend the night at hotels prior to home games so I don't think that matters much either.

There are slight advantages in having your own (more luxurious) locker room and the other team having the bare-bones edition. You can also spend the night at home with better sleep, get more time on your own field, etc.

[SEWIGuy]

But it is still considered a neutral site.  The Super Bowl is in Tampa this year.  If the Bucs make it, while it is still their stadium, it won't be a Bucaneers home game.

Semantic BS

The only "On Field"  difference of Home vs Away is an/the Away Captain makes the Coin Toss(es) call, and the Home Team gets 1st choice for Uniform Color Scheme

Otherwise, if a team qualifies for a Super Bowl the year they are the predetermined host, it is still a home game. I don't think the NFL will force a "home"  team to live at the assigned hotel. Sure, they will still be required to make media commitments and all that.

I don't even know if a set amount of tickets are reserved for the Host Stadium/Team to sell in addition to the tickets reserved for the 2 participating teams. If there are those 3 pools, obviously if the Host and one of the Participants are the same, that would be more "home"  tickets available. I doubt it would be enough for a decided advantage in terms of fan noise (in a "normal"  fan year, anyway)

Whether Ticket Resale markets would help a "home"  Super Bowl team pack the stadium, remains to be seen

If you don't have a significant crowd behind you, the home field advantage isn't much.  Right now home teams only win 55% of regular season home games.  Without a significant home crowd, and with a quality opponent on the other side of the ball, it's pretty much 50/50.

Also, many, if not all, NFL teams spend the night at hotels prior to home games so I don't think that matters much either.

There are slight advantages in having your own (more luxurious) locker room and the other team having the bare-bones edition. You can also spend the night at home with better sleep, get more time on your own field, etc.

Pretty minor.  Not really enough to call it an advantage. 

It's a neutral site in more than name only.

[Buck87]

The 2020 Postseason bracket is set.

In the Wild Card round the higher seeds hosts and bats last in each game of a best of 3 series.
After that the the LDS, LCS and WS will all be played at neutral bubble locations.

[SEWIGuy]

I think are the Brewers are the worst team to make the playoffs in MLB history.

[NWI_Irish96]

I think are the Brewers are the worst team to make the playoffs in MLB history.

The Brewers and Astros both finished 29-31, but the Astros are seeded 6th in the AL due to being a 2nd place team.

[SEWIGuy]

I've watched the Brewers all summer and they're just not very good. 

[Alps]

I think are the Brewers are the worst team to make the playoffs in MLB history.

The 2005 Padres finished the regular season at 82-80, being the "worst" team thus far to make the playoffs, and were summarily swept in the ALDS. The Brewers and Astros have the worst winning percentages in this asterisk year, and we'll see how they fare.

[Thing 342]

The 2020 Postseason bracket is set.

In the Wild Card round the higher seeds hosts and bats last in each game of a best of 3 series.
After that the the LDS, LCS and WS will all be played at neutral bubble locations.

Hopping into this thread to express how much I hate this new postseason format, and how much fun it will be to see the 112-win paced Dodgers lose to the sub-.500 Brewers.

[NWI_Irish96]

The 2020 Postseason bracket is set.

In the Wild Card round the higher seeds hosts and bats last in each game of a best of 3 series.
After that the the LDS, LCS and WS will all be played at neutral bubble locations.

Hopping into this thread to express how much I hate this new postseason format, and how much fun it will be to see the 112-win paced Dodgers lose to the sub-.500 Brewers.

It was necessary for this season in order to generate enough TV money to pay players enough to get them to play at all.

I don't think it's going to stay.

[mgk920]

[image snippage]

Hopping into this thread to express how much I hate this new postseason format, and how much fun it will be to see the 112-win paced Dodgers lose to the sub-.500 Brewers.

It was necessary for this season in order to generate enough TV money to pay players enough to get them to play at all.

I don't think it's going to stay.

Also hoping and praying that once things are allowed to go back to normal, they dump this post-season format (heck, I think that they should go back to the pre-1968 format).

In addition, lose the DH at least in the National League, seven-inning double header games (those are soooooo Minor League!) and a runner on second to start each extra inning!



Mike

[SEWIGuy]

The baseball playoffs go too long from a weather perspective for the teams in the north already.  MLB is getting away with this because they are putting the LDS, LCS and WS at neutral sites in the south.  That is why I doubt the new first round is permanent.

Also, I think the double headers for 7 innings are not permanent.  Traditional double headers don't exist really.  They are usually Day/Night double headers where different crowds come in and there is rest between.  The 7 inning was a compromise knowing there would be a number of cancellations and a short time to make them up.

But pitchers batting can go away forever.

[NWI_Irish96]

Pitchers batting will come back for at least a few years. When it goes away permanently, NL teams will get some notice so they can build rosters appropriately.

As for expanded playoffs, I don't know that it ever gets to 16 permanently, but I think eventually there is a trade-off with some expanded playoffs in exchange for a shorter regular season so that they don't end so late.

[74/171FAN]

Pitchers batting will come back for at least a few years. When it goes away permanently, NL teams will get some notice so they can build rosters appropriately.

I think the MLBPA will make sure it never comes back ever again.

[Takumi]

Can't say I've missed pitchers batting either.

[NWI_Irish96]

White Sox finished the season 14-0 in games where the opponent started a left-handed pitcher. First time in MLB history that a team has done this. One of those things that likely never happens in a full season, but it counts.

[SEWIGuy]

Pitchers batting will come back for at least a few years. When it goes away permanently, NL teams will get some notice so they can build rosters appropriately.

What kind of notice to teams need to have to add a DH?

[NWI_Irish96]

Pitchers batting will come back for at least a few years. When it goes away permanently, NL teams will get some notice so they can build rosters appropriately.

What kind of notice to teams need to have to add a DH?

They could have a backup OF or utility IF signed to a multi-year deal taking up a roster spot they need for a better hitter to be the DH. Maybe there aren't enough teams in this situation to create opposition, but it's at least a possibility.