Wednesday, September 03, 2003
Regarding Tom's post on the 29th: I think that the NL Wild Card race this year proves how great the playoff system truly is. I do know that only four teams in each league make the playoffs, which is less than most other sports. But when whispers about competative balance continue to swirl even after the luxury tax was introduced, the amazing race in the NL shows us that the Wild Card keeps us glued to the tube in September, when most teams are starting their September callups and making golf reservations.
However, it's also showing us just how mediocre the NL is this year. As Tom pointed out, teams in the NL Central have a lot of losses (Houston and St. Louis have 66 and 67, respectively, as of this moment) and because of that race, no one is exactly running away with the Wild Card. And how about those Marlins? Just when you thought that they were headed for another season of trading away stars and "rebuilding," they're in the thick of a race. Sure, they lost their best player, Mike Lowell, but they're a scrappy team with a good pitching staff and a pretty solid lineup. If Dontrelle Willis can pick up his game from a recent slump (compared to his previous numbers), they'll be able to beat out teams that should be winning, like the Phillies, who are tied for the WC lead. I'm looking forward to seeing this race and the NL Central race being decided on the last day of the season. Great baseball...
posted by Charles Curtis 9:03 PM
