i don't understand what it exactly..can someone explain in detail please.
2007-08-26 14:50:35 · 8 answers · asked by molovekayak 1 in Sports ➔ Baseball
In major league baseball, the National League and the American League are divided into three geographical divisions. The first place divisional leaders automatically go into the playoffs. To ensure that they have an even number of teams for the playoffs, each League also qualifies a wildcard team for the post season.
The wildcard team is the team that has the best record among all the remaining teams that did not finish in first place in their respective division. In other words, the wild card team is usually a team that finished in second place within their division, and had the best record among the other second place finishers within the league.
In most cases, the wildcard team plays the team with the best record in the first round in a best of five series. The wildcard team plays the team with the second best record if it finishes second in the same division as the team with the best first place record.
I hope that helps! Good luck to your favorite team.
2007-08-26 15:00:21 · answer #1 · answered by Sock 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The best team in the whole of their league amongst those who did not win their division is the wild card. In other words, they are the best second-place team.
The Wild Card faces the division winner who had the best record in the league in the first round of the playoffs, unless they come from the same division (in which case the wild card plays the second best team in the league), while the remaining two play eachother.
Homefield advantage is granted to the team with best regular season record, but the wild-card cannot get home field advantage, even if they had a better record than the team they're facing.
For example, if the NL playoffs were decided today, it would look like this:
NL East: NY Mets (73-56)
NL Central: Chicago Cubs (66-63)
NL West: Arizona Diamondbacks (74-57)
Wild Card: San Diego Padres (70-59)
The Padres would win the wild card, because the other two second place teams (the Phillies and he Brewers) have 67 and 65 wins, respectivley.
The first round of the playoffs would be Diamondbacks v. Padres and Cubs v. Mets, except that the Padres and the Diamondbacks are in the same division (the NL West). So, the match-up would instead read: Mets v. Padres and Cubs v. Diamondbacks.
2007-08-26 17:38:19 · answer #2 · answered by jigokusabre 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
The wildcard race is a race for the playoffs. All the teams that are not in first place in their division are ranked by record for a final playoff spot, one in each the National League and American League,
2007-08-26 14:59:59 · answer #3 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 0⤋
When second-best is good enough.
The wildcard is an at-large postseason berth awarded to the team per league with the best record not to win a division championship berth (best second-place team). The wildcard is seeded #4 for the playoffs regardless of its record.
2007-08-26 17:54:41 · answer #4 · answered by Chipmaker Authentic 7 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It means the team with the best record of all the divisions, in their league, can go to the playoffs even if they didn't win their division. This helps for those competitive divisions like the East, with the Yankees and Red Sox. Both cannot win the division, but they are both usually, not this year, good teams that both deserve to make the playoffs.
2007-08-26 14:54:21 · answer #5 · answered by krysteven 4 · 1⤊ 0⤋
A wild card team is a team that didn't win it's division. Each league has three divisions. The winner of each division makes the play-off. In order to have an even play-off, a fourth team has to be brought in. This is a team with the best record of the non divisional winners. They are called the WILD CARD team.
2007-08-26 17:32:15 · answer #6 · answered by angry_swan 2 · 0⤊ 0⤋
A team who isnt 1st in their division gets another chance and goes into a 'Mini Division'. Who ever has the best record in the 'Mini Division' goes to the playoffs.
Its sorta like a extra division except people call it a Wild Card.
2007-08-27 05:06:17 · answer #7 · answered by #1 New York Yankees Fan 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
it is the round in the playoffs before the finals
2007-08-26 14:55:36 · answer #8 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 2⤋