The problem with the wild card

We admit that we weren't early proponents of the wild card "innovation." We feared that it would undermine the importance of the divisional races and dilute the one thing that distinguishes baseball from other sports: the 162 game season is a great means to determine the best teams in the game. The wild card permits teams who didn't distinguish themselves as champions in the regular season to get into the playoffs, and once in the playoffs they could win the World Series because the characteristics that are necessary for victory in the playoffs are not necessarily the same as those that are necessary for victory in the divisional races.

Some of those worries were well founded, others were not, but before you attack us we'll concede that we've been converted: the wild card is a net positive for baseball and has generated increased interest in the playoff races.

But here's one problem with the wild card race that we didn't anticipate: as the wild card teams near the end of the season, the schedule isn't necessarily related to the wild card race and may do nothing to build interest in that race. The regular season schedule is built exclusively on the divisional race; as the season ends, teams play most of their games against their division opponents. When the divisional race is close, this schedule helps build interest in that race. But the schedule is largely irrelevant to the wild card race when a team like the Braves or the Cardinals has locked up that race and the wild card teams aren't in the same division.

The Nationals, Phillies, and Marlins are all in the race this year, so the fact that the schedule has them playing each other is a good thing. But the scheduling problem we've identified is on prominent display this year: the two teams at the top of the wild card race--the Nationals and the Astros--WILL NOT PLAY EACH OTHER AS THE RACE INTENSIFIES! What kind of stretch drive is that?!

We realize that there is no way to build a wild card race into the schedule because you're never really sure who will be in the race as the season ends. But, as fans, we can say this of the schedule and the race between the Nationals and the Astros: IT SUCKS!