The All-Star Game, the alignment of divisions, and Wild Cards: How it has affected World Series outcomes

By Evan Troxel

This article will be about Major League Baseball and how the All-Star Game, the alignment of divisions over the years, Wild Card teams, and expansion teams have affected the outcome of the World Series. 

 For this article I chose three years: 2004, 2005, and 2007.  Why did I choose these years?  It was the years that formerly “cursed” Major League Baseball teams broke their “curses” by winning the World Series.  Okay, the Boston Red Sox were no longer “cursed” in 2007, but it’s worth noting how they fared without the pressure of having to put up with a “curse.”

Starting in 2003, the winning league (American or National) or (AL or NL) would have home-field advantage for that league’s team representative in the World Series.

2004

The Boston Red Sox ended up having home-field advantage in the 2004 World Series because the American League won the All-Star Game that year.  That would not have happened if the National League had won the All-Star Game.  The Red Sox would have been the home team in the 2004 World Series even if the rules that started in 2003 were not implemented.

 Before 1969, the team in each league who won the most games in the Regular Season advanced to the World Series.  If that was the case in 2004, the New York Yankees would have gone to the World Series.  On the National League side of things in 2004, the St. Louis Cardinals (105-57) made it to the World Series anyway.

 Before 1994, the two teams who won their respective divisions within each league faced each other in the League Championship Series (LCS).  If that was the case, the New York Yankees would have faced the Anaheim Angels (92-70) in the 2004 American League Championship Series (ALCS) instead.  Meanwhile, the Cardinals would have faced the Atlanta Braves (96-66) in the 2004 National League Championship Series (NLCS).   

 The Red Sox Regular Season record of 98—64 in 2004 was the second best record in the American League and the third best in Major League Baseball.  If the divisions hadn’t been realigned and the implementation of a Wild Card didn’t take place, the Red Sox would not have even made the playoffs in 2004 and ultimately not have broken the Curse of the Bambino by winning the World Series.  Fortunately for Red Sox fans, they ended up making the playoffs and winning the World Series. 

What actually happened:

AL: Boston Red Sox (98-64), Anaheim Angels (now Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim) (92-70), New York Yankees (101-61)

NL: Atlanta Braves (96-66), Houston Astros (92-70), St. Louis Cardinals (105-57)

Boston Red Sox win the American League Championship Series (ALCS) over the New York Yankees.  St. Louis Cardinals win the National League Championship Series (NLCS) over the Houston Astros. Boston Red Sox win the World Series over the St. Louis Cardinals.

            Before 1969’s Rules applied to 2004:

World Series-New York Yankees vs. St. Louis Cardinals

Before 1994’s Rules applied to 2004:

ALCS-Anaheim Angels vs. New York Yankees

NLCS-Atlanta Braves vs. St. Louis Cardinals

2005

The All-Star Game did have an effect on the National League Champion Houston Astros (89-73) in that they would have had home field advantage in the World Series had the American League not won the All-Star Game. 

Before 1969’s rules, the Chicago White Sox (99-63) would have faced the St. Louis Cardinals (100-62) in the 2005 World Series.  Before 1994’s rules, the White Sox would have faced the New York Yankees (95-67) in the 2005 ALCS.  The Cardinals would have faced the Atlanta Braves (90-72) in the 2005 NLCS. 

What actually happened:

AL: Chicago White Sox (99-63), New York Yankees (95-67), Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (95-67)

NL: Atlanta Braves (90-72), Houston Astros (89-73), St. Louis Cardinals (100-62)

Chicago White Sox won the ALCS over the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.  Houston Astros won the NLCS over the St. Louis Cardinals.  Chicago White Sox won the World Series over the Houston Astros.

 

            Before 1969’s Rules applied to 2005:

            World Series-Chicago White Sox vs. St. Louis Cardinals

            Before 1994’s Rules applied to 2005:

            ALCS-Chicago White Sox vs. New York Yankees

            NLCS-Atlanta Braves vs. St. Louis Cardinals

I like the idea of teams who have a better record than any of the division champions within the American or National League or perhaps entirely in Major League Baseball (outside of a team’s own division) automatically get to make the playoffs.  For instance, if the Boston Red Sox are in second place in the AL East with a record of 100 wins and 62 losses and the Detroit Tigers are division champions within the AL Central and have 90 wins and 72 losses, the Boston Red Sox should get to automatically go to the playoffs since they have a better record than the Detroit Tigers.  Perhaps division champions should not be going to the playoffs if teams in other divisions win more games than they do.

The problem with about all sports is that they are obsessed with having a fixed number for something.  For baseball (like a lot of sports) their fixed number is the number of teams who can make the playoffs each season.