Updated Scenarios in the NL Heading Into Sunday!

[DirtyKash]

09/29/2007 11:34 PM ET

Scenarios aplenty for NL contenders

Tiebreakers could force extra baseball before playoffs start
By Mychael Urban / MLB.com


Still unclear.

With one game left in the regular season, that's where we're at in regards to the National League playoffs. And there's still a chance that Sunday won't solve anything. In fact, there's a chance that all four postseason participants won't be locked in until Wednesday.


The only certainty provided by Saturday's action was that the Diamondbacks, who clinched a playoff spot by winning Friday night, clinched the NL West title before they even stepped on the field Saturday in Colorado; the Padres' heart-breaking loss in 11 innings at Milwaukee killed San Diego's slim hopes for an NL West repeat.


But the Padres are still very much in the Wild Card mix, along with the Rockies, who ended up pounding the Snakes. And the Mets won while the Phillies lost, so there's a tie atop the NL East again, and both of those teams still have a shot at the Wild Card, too.


Only the Padres control their own destiny. Beat the Brewers and they're in as the NL Wild Card. Everyone else will be doing an awful lot of scoreboard-watching, including the executives at Turner Broadcasting.


Already gearing up for its first autumn of broadcasting an MLB postseason (all Division Series and the NL Championship Series), Turner -- utilizing TBS and TNT, as necessary -- will televise whatever tiebreaker games are required by Sunday's results.


And there could be quite a few of them. Here's the latest on what'll happen if Monday brings more ball.

If there's a four-way tie among the Mets, Phillies, Rockies and Pads:


• The Mets and Phillies would play in Philly on Monday to crown the East champ.


• The loser would then enter a three-game mini-tournament for which the Rockies, based on head-to-head records during the regular season, would have the option of trying to win at home and then on the road or just once on the road to advance.


• If the Rockies choose to stay home, their opponent would be determined by the wishes of the team with the second-best combined head-to-head record; it'd be the Phillies if they're involved, but the Padres if the Mets drop into the three-way. That team could choose to play at the Rockies on Tuesday, but it's more likely that it would opt for a single game and travel to play the winner of Tuesday's game on Wednesday.


• If the Rockies opt for the one road game, Tuesday's game would feature New York at San Diego, or San Diego at Philly, with the winner hosting Colorado on Wednesday.

If there's a three-way tie among the Padres, Mets and Phillies: This scenario is possible only if the Padres and Rockies both lose Sunday and the Phillies and Mets both win.


• The Mets and Phillies would play in Philly on Monday to crown the East champ.


• Monday's losing team would play Tuesday to decide the Wild Card. The Padres would either host the Phils, or travel to New York.


There also remains the possibility that there will be a pair of two-way ties needing to be broken, and they will be created only if the Rockies win Sunday and the Padres lose, while the Mets and Phillies both lose to end their Wild Card bids.

If the Mets and Phillies end up tied in the NL East: You already know this one; they'll play one game in Philly on Monday to crown the champ. And if you're wondering why the Phillies don't just get the division title based on their season-series victory over the Mets, it's because head-to-head tie-breakers are used only when both teams already have a playoff spot secured, and they simply determine seeding. Any regular-season tie that would send the loser home for the year has to be broken on the field.

If the Padres and Rockies finish in a tie for the Wild Card: A one-game playoff will be played Monday at Colorado.

[realmofotalk]

What would happen in a 3-way tie between 3 non-divisonal teams for the wildcard? For example, if the Brewers were still in the race and they were tied with the Padres and the Mets for the wildcard?

[DirtyKash]

I believe that there would be a three-way mini-tournament where the team with the best head-to-head record against the other two teams chooses whether to play two games at home or one game on the road.

Anyways, this seems like a moot point right now. Phillies are on their way to winning, Mets got pounded early, Padres are winning early. If things hold up, it should be the Phillies, Cubs, Dbags, and Padres.

[love_that_reefer]

Pads/Rockies tomorrow. Awesome!!!

[HollywoodLeo]

Should be a good game.

[Providence A's]

go Rockies! I'll win some more S3F cash

[love_that_reefer]

You have to root for the Rockies if you are a baseball fan. Helton has had such a great career yet no one hardly knows this guy. They have a ROY and MVP candidate and Jeff Francis has been a beast this year. This postseason is going to be a great one. The Cubs, Yankees, Red Sox, Indians and Phillies are all in and these are teams enriched with history. Great for the game!!!

[Kingdom]

Something I really like, the world series will be completely different from last season. No repeats. Weee!

[HollywoodLeo]

You have to root for the Rockies if you are a baseball fan.

Not if you're also a Padres fan