What happens in this crazy Al wildcard tiebreaker scenario?

So there's a plausible (if unlikely) path to a 6 way tie for the 2 AL wildcard slots, each team with 87 wins. I'm not sure of the tiebreaker rules, but I believe the head-to-head wins is the first tiebreaker. If so, the tiebreakers would, in this scenario, break down like this:

Yankees over Rays, Indians and Royals
Rays over Orioles, Indians and Rangers
Orioles over Yankees and Rangers
Indians over Orioles, Royals and Rangers
Royals over Rays, Orioles and Rangers and
Rangers over Yankees

If that happens, who plays who? How do you get two winners?
Also, if you have all the same scenario except the Rangers win the first slot (which is slightly less unlikely) and the other teams tie five ways for the second slot, then what happens?

Anybody know? Are the rules even robust enough to handle that?

Slickterp2013-09-10T12:42:12Z

Favorite Answer

There won't be a 6 way tie.

You would use whatever tiebreakers there are and the four "worst" teams would play each other. The winners would then play the two "best teams" and the winners of those games would play each other to go to the LDS.

02

Chipmaker Authentic2013-09-10T18:41:53Z

MLB is ready with a four-team scenario, but if they have a six-team method they haven't yet opened the envelope.

When there are too many teams to fit their qualified postseason berths, MLB plays extra games. (Note: the lesser sports never do this.) There are paper tiebreaking methods, and here those would be used for seeding the playoff tournament and determining which teams get home fields. Be certain that each team will get a real chance on a diamond, and not be merely sent home because the accountants say so.

02

The Mick 72013-09-10T18:52:18Z

As one who is not in favor of the new playoff structure I would enjoy seeing this scenario come to fruition. Muddy the waters I say. Allowing teams with mediocre seasons a chance to become "World Champions". How convincing is that?

Perhaps the day will come when teams so lopsided with victories will create a situation whereby a franchise, perhaps the Cubs, will squeak in with a losing record and win it all for the goat! Hell, why not let every team in the playoffs just like T-Ball?

You see where I'm going with this. Teams that can't even win their division being rewarded for what? MLB is getting more and more like the NFL & NBA. Why? Additional revenue of course!

01

?2013-09-10T17:24:42Z

Anybody know? Well, I don't know.
Suggest we wait to see how the regular season plays out before dreaming up crazy wildcard tie breaker scenarios.

02

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