Call to the pen
Fansided

MLB Playoffs: Which Wild Card Race Is More Intriguing?

By Greg Goldstein

Sep 22, 2016; New York City, NY, USA; New York Mets shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (13) reacts after hitting a walk off three run home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the 11th inning at Citi Field. The Mets won 9-8. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 22, 2016; New York City, NY, USA; New York Mets shortstop Asdrubal Cabrera (13) reacts after hitting a walk off three run home run against the Philadelphia Phillies during the 11th inning at Citi Field. The Mets won 9-8. Mandatory Credit: Andy Marlin-USA TODAY Sports /
facebooktwitterreddit
Prev
2 of 7
Next

Separation

Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports
Evan Habeeb-USA TODAY Sports /

AL Wild Card Standings

  1. Toronto Blue Jays (1.0 game lead)
  2. Baltimore Orioles –
  3. Detroit Tigers 2.0 GB
  4. Seattle Mariners 2.0 GB
  5. Houston Astros 3.5 GB

NL Wild Card Standings

  1. New York Mets (0.5 game lead)
  2. San Francisco Giants –
  3. St. Louis Cardinals 1.0 GB

One of the truly best parts of a playoff race is how bunched together the contending clubs are. Most likely the closer the teams are in the home stretch, the better the chance that we will get games that actually matter on the final day of the regular season. Remember the craziness of the 2011 season’s final day? That all unfolded because the Boston Red Sox/Tampa Bay Rays and the St. Louis Cardinals/Atlanta Braves were neck-and-neck in the final days of the postseason chase. This type of intrigue is what keeps baseball fans coming back each and every day to see all the moving and shaking.

Taking a look at the standings, both leagues have two solid strengths for their playoff push. In the American League, they have the advantage in the sheer number of teams that are involved in the final days. Having more clubs bunched together creates more excitement because multiple fanbases can envision themselves wearing t-shirts that say “postseason bound” after the final out as been made.

However, in the National League, while there may not be as many teams still alive for the Wild Card, the separation is much closer. All three teams remain within a game and a half of each other. This may make it more likely that the final six days will see a lot of switching in the standings, and it should keep fans on the edge of their seats too.

In the end, while having more teams to keep track of is fun, I would much rather watch the race that can change everyday. The AL Wild Card needs a couple of days for the standings to change, while the NL has the ability to flip-flop on any single day. This is why in terms of separation, the National League takes the cake.

Verdict: National League

Home/MLB Playoffs