|
COPYRIGHT 2001 South Florida Sun-Sentinal
Byline: Mike Berardino
FORT LAUDERDALE _ By now everyone seems to have adjusted to the once-feared concepts of the wild card and 3-D (three-divisional) play. Most observers contend the wild card has been good for the game with all the September excitement it has created the past few years.
Certainly, fans of the 1997 Marlins and 2000 Mets would not argue that point.
But according to research conducted by Brian Troxell, an Atlanta-based software consultant, and posted at baseballprospectus.com, the game's biggest blight might not be revenue and payroll disparity so much as its bastardized divisional alignment.
Troxell ran the numbers back to 1995, the first year of the wild-card format, and came up with some startling findings. Had baseball kept the old setup _ no wild card, two divisions in each league _ we would not be fretting about another Yankees dynasty.
The Bronx Bombers would have missed the playoffs in four of the past six years, prevailing only in 1998 and 1999. The Indians would have won the old American League East three other times and the Orioles still would have won in 1997.
Sorry, Joe Torre. And how are you enjoying broadcasting these days?
The Braves would have been nearly as dominant had they stayed in the National League West, falling short only once in six tries; the Giants would have edged them out last year. Five teams would have claimed at least a share of the NL East title under the old alignment, including (surprise) two division crowns for the Cubs (`95 and `98).
Over in the AL West, four winners would have...
Read the full article for free courtesy of your local library.
|
Bookmark this article
Print this article
Link to this article
Email this article
Digg It!
Add to del.icio.us
RSS
