Division Series
Part of a series on the |
Major League Baseball postseason |
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Wild Card Series |
|
Division Series |
League Championship Series |
World Series |
Teams |
The Division Series is the
1981 season
The first use of the term "Division Series" dates from
1993–1994: Proposal, realignment, and cancellation of 1994 postseason
In
1995–1997: Pre-arranged seeding
Since its inception, the Division Series has been
Originally, the East, Central, and West Division champions rotated home-site priority, with two division winners getting the extra home game, and third one not having the extra game along with the wild-card team, who never had it. The 2–3 format was used in which the disadvantaged team hosted the first two games, and the team with the advantage hosted the remaining game(s). This made it impossible for the disadvantaged team to clinch the series at home. A similar format had been used for the League Championship Series from 1969 to 1984. It also allowed the disadvantaged teams the unusual luxury of starting a series at home, and a guarantee that they play two games at home, whereas the advantaged team may play only one game at home if the series ends in a three-game sweep.
1998–2011
The two division champions with the best regular-season records have been accorded with the home-field advantage, forcing the worst division winner to play an extra road game. Also, the format changed to a 2–2–1 layout with the team having home-field advantage hosting Games 1, 2, and (if necessary) 5.[3][4][5] In both the AL and the NL, the three division champions were automatically given the top three seeds, seeded #1–3 based on record, and the wild-card was given the 4th seed regardless of record. In both the AL and the NL, the #1 seed played the #4 seed and the #2 seed played the #3 seed, unless the #1 and #4 seed were in the same division. Because teams from the same division couldn't play each other in the first round, if the normal matchups would cause this, then the #1 seed played the #3 seed, and the #2 seed played the #4 seed. In all cases, the top two seeds had home-field advantage.
From 2007–2011, the #1 seed of the league that won the All-Star Game was given another advantage. In addition to earning home-field advantage throughout the entire playoffs, they were allowed to choose their schedule for the series. They could either choose to have an extra day off (usually between games 1 and 2) during the series and start a day early, or start a day late, with one less off day (only having travel days off, between games 2 and 3, and if necessary 4 and 5). The American League's best record received this option from 2007–2009 and the National League's best record received it in 2010.[6]
2012–2019, 2021
A revised playoff system was utilized beginning with the
2020
The 2020 postseason was modified from its usual format due to the temporary expansion of the playoffs for the 60-game regular season. After a best-of-three Wild Card Series, the winners of the 1/8 matchup faced the winners of the 4/5 matchup while the 2/7 faced the 3/6. Each of the four matchups were played in consecutive days at neutral sites, with the usual 2–2–1 structure used to determine the designated home teams. When every team from the Central divisions lost, it meant that all four Division Series matchups would feature teams from the same division playing each other (i.e. East playing East and West playing West), the first occasion of this happening since 1981.
Since 2022
With the expansion of the postseason to six teams per league since the 2022 season, only the two best division winners earn byes to the Division Series. The wild card round was expanded to a best-of-three series and the winners of that round advance to the Division Series. In this round, the #1 seed faces the 4/5 winner, and the #2 seed plays the 3/6 winner; the bracket does not re-seed.[8][9][10][11][12]
Criticism of scheduling
There has been some criticism on how Major League Baseball schedules Division Series games. Teams with large national fan followings like the
However, in 1995, (as aforementioned, the 1994 series was not played due to the strike), the Division and League Championship Series was aired by the league's television operation, The Baseball Network, a joint syndication package between ABC and NBC. In order to increase viewership, all games were played in primetime at consistent times, and each affiliate of the network carrying the series could only air one of the games each night, determined by the station's area. While this prevented the issue of afternoon games (and did, as planned, increase viewership), the plan drew ire from critics for not allowing viewers to choose the games they want to watch during the post-season.[15][16]
See also
- MLB division winners
- American League Division Series
- National League Division Series
- MLB postseason
- Wild Card Series
- League Championship Series
References
- ^ Castrovince, Anthony (October 4, 2022). "Complete history of baseball's postseason formats". mlb.com. Major League Baseball. Retrieved March 14, 2023.
MLB's 1994 realignment to three divisions per league (East, Central and West) was paired with the creation of a Wild Card postseason spot in each league (giving the postseason an even number of teams) and a permanent version of the "quarterfinal," best-of-five Division Series.
- The Milwaukee Journal Sentinel
- ^ "Baseball Changes Playoff Format". AP NEWS. Retrieved 2021-04-08.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
- ^ Archives, L. A. Times (1998-03-20). "Change in Playoff Format Becomes a Matter of Record". Los Angeles Times. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
- ^ 2010 MLB Postseason Schedule MLB.com
- ^ Bloom, Barry M. (March 2, 2012). "Addition of Wild Card berths finalized for 2012". MLB.com.
- ^ "MLB playoff picture: Bracket, standings, new format explained with 12-team postseason field set". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 2023-01-02.
- ^ "2022 MLB playoffs: New postseason format explained, and why there are no more Game 163 tiebreakers". CBSSports.com. Retrieved 2023-01-23.
- ^ "New MLB postseason format, explained". MLB.com. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
- ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2023-03-09.
- ^ "Everything you need to know about '22 season". MLB.com. Retrieved 2022-03-10.
- ^ Street, Jim (2006-10-04). "Mailbag: Was Penny the right choice?". MLB.com. Retrieved 2006-10-07.
- ^ Kroner, Steve (2005-10-14). "Blame it on TV — but not always Baseball, too, wants top draw for prime time". San Francisco Chronicle. Retrieved 2006-10-07.
- ^ "TV'S COVERAGE OF PLAYOFFS A 'WHO'S ON?' ROUTINE". Pittsburgh Post-Gazette. 1 October 1995. Retrieved 31 May 2011.
- ^ Hooper, Ernest (29 September 1994). "Baseball strikes out - again Series: TV / RADIO; FANFARE". St. Petersburg Times. Retrieved 31 May 2011.[permanent dead link]