2009 AL Playoffs Scenario Update

Things are becoming clearer friends, what with Fish's Red Sox recent 2-1 series win over the KC Butler Royals (as played by Nick).  With that series win Fish completed his regular season, sitting at 20-16, one game ahead of Keith, and in 1st place.  More importantly though, he has clinched a playoff slot and at a minimum, the #2 seed.

As a cascade effect, Butler losing 2 of 3 to Fish also clinched a playoff spot for Torto, as my squad holds the W-L record tiebreaker over Nick.  So if Butts sweeps me out on my last series, I still finish ahead of Nick via tiebreaker.  At this point, my Yankees still control their fate.  Sweep Butler, and I am regular season champ and #1 seed.  Win 2 of 3 and I tie Fish in standings, but Fish wins regular season title and #1 seed due to runs scored head-to-head tiebreak (we finished 3-3, but with runs going 24-20, Fish).  If I win 1 of 3 vs. Butts, then I slip to 3rd place and the #3 seed (Keith has me h2h). 

For Butler to get in, he needs to now win at least 5 of his last 6 games (and possibly all six) to hit a 0.500 record and push Nick for the tiebreak.  Nick and Butler split 3-3 this season, so it comes down to runs scored, which I have no idea who wins.  Gents, you'll have to inform us on the winner of that tiebreak, because it may or may not end up to be critical.  From the 3 games posted on this site, its an 11-11 tie...

Basically it comes down to Butts winning lots of  games to get in and steal Nick's all but locked up #4 seed. The law of averages says that the playoffs will probably look like this...

#1 Fish vs. #4 Nick
#2 Keith vs. #3 Torto

...but Butler's team can be deadly with that Jeter-Pedroia-Mauer-Cabrera top 4. Can't wait to see how this shakes out.

AL 2009 -- Post-APD Playoff Picture

Well gents - lots of games were played on Friday, in lieu of our highly anticipated NL 2010 draft.  And because of this, our current season is nearly done, and there is some improving clarity in the playoff picture. 

3 teams have completely finished out the 36 game season (Keith, Nick, and Matt).  3 more teams (Fish, Spence, and Torto) have one series remaining, all vs. Butler.  Butler then, by default has 3 series left vs. these 3 teams.

So, at this point, only one team has clinched a playoff spot and guaranteed a record over 0.500 - Keith.  Congrats to Keither on this achievement in a very tight season. 

Spencer and Matt are the only teams formally eliminated from post-season play, as Matt cannot finish at 0.500, the minimum record required to get the #4 seed, and Spencer (even if he wins out vs. Butler) and finishes at 18-18, loses head-to-head tiebreakers vs. Nick, Torto, and Fish.

For Butler to get in, he needs to win some games - 6 could possibly get him in putting him in a tie with Nick for the #4 seed, if he has the runs scored tiebreaker (not sure on that). Win 7 of the remaining 9 and Butts is in.  Simple as that.  Really what it boils down to for our Commish, is that that if he wants to make the playoffs he needs Butler to lose at least 4 games. 

Fish and I need to win at least one game over Butler to clinch a playoff spot.