Watching the epic Twins/Tigers game tonight got me thinking: why are there tiebreakers in HBD? Why don't we have one-game playoffs? HBD is supposed to be close to real life, and this seems like an easy way to get closer to actual MLB rules. What's wrong with letting both teams pick their best pitcher and go at it in an all-or-nothing game just like they do in real life?

Am I wrong in believing this would make the game better and more true to life?

Quote: Originally Posted By prezuiwf on 10/06/2009Watching the epic Twins/Tigers game tonight got me thinking: why are there tiebreakers in HBD? Why don't we have one-game playoffs? HBD is supposed to be close to real life, and this seems like an easy way to get closer to actual MLB rules. [easy if you don't have to program it] What's wrong with letting both teams pick their best pitcher [why should they be able to pitch the guy out of order. You argue against your own "closer to real life" argument] and go at it in an all-or-nothing game just like they do in real life
Am I wrong in believing this would make the game better and more true to life

It would be fun, though.

I am assuming it is a schedule thing?

They would have to schedule an extra day for this every season, even when there is no need for it. Not exactly a major task, but it's unlikely to happen.

They have said that because they have 2 wild card teams and a total of 12 playoff teams (instead of 8 as in MLB), they wont do one game playoffs.

Plus, remember it would be more complicated then just if two teams tie, have them play a one game playoff. There could be 3, 4 or 5 way ties that may involve wild card and division titles and there could be a need for multiple games.

Quote: Originally posted by csherwood on 10/07/2009They have said that because they have 2 wild card teams and a total of 12 playoff teams (instead of 8 as in MLB), they wont do one game playoffs.Plus, remember it would be more complicated then just if two teams tie, have them play a one game playoff.  There could be 3, 4 or 5 way ties that may involve wild card and division titles and there could be a need for multiple games.

you mean like in RL?

True, but that's the way it works in real life also. If all 6 teams in the NL Central tied one year, MLB has a contingency plan that would involve a complicated series of 1-game playoffs until one team is standing, while the other teams just have off days. Complicated, yes, but impossible? Not nearly, in my opinion.

I realize that there are also more playoff teams in HBD, but that still doesn't really make a difference-- if two teams tie for the top Wild Card spot, or if two teams tie for a division title with records that would give them one Wild Card spot anyway, then a tiebreaker could be used (this is the way it works in MLB as well: if two teams tie for the division title but they both have a record good enough to secure the Wild Card spot, then a tiebreaker is used to determine seeding but no 1-game playoff is played). However, it seems silly to use a tiebreaker if it's the difference between one team making the playoffs and the other team not making them at all.

i agree completely. i think a tiebreaker game (or series of games) is absolutely needed.

tiebreaker games to make the playoffs seems warranted...and it would be lots of fun, add to the drama

There is already a "Placeholder Day" that could be switched to an "Off Day", but like someone mentioned, the problem ISN'T a one-game playoff. It's the multiple team matrix event that would screw up the programming.

Right now, the system runs all of the tiebreaking scenarios to get a winner, and you could probably just adjust it so the top TWO teams in a multiple team tie would be in the playoff, but imagine the ******** and whining that would come from the other teams if it was 3 or 4 teams tied and someone got out of the one-game playoff.

As soon as the playoff ended, they'd be crying about how their winning percentage is higher than the losing team, and how they should get their shot and their team deserved it, blah blah blah.

I'm sure it would be a programming nightmare. In my 50someodd seasons, I've never been tied for a playoff spot. And I can only think of one time that it ever happened in one of my worlds.

Quote: Originally Posted By MikeT23 on 10/07/2009I'm sure it would be a programming nightmare. In my 50someodd seasons, I've never been tied for a playoff spot. And I can only think of one time that it ever happened in one of my worlds.

It's happened to me at least twice. Once for a division title, the other for a wild card. Lost both tiebreakers and missed the playoffs both times.

Win more games.

I know.

dumb