Wildcard open thread
By 
This is a good ranking of the games played so far in MLB’s excellent single-game-elimination wildcard format. Can we talk about one of the worst high-stakes calls in MLB history?
Watching this in real time, I assumed that the umpire called the infield fly prematurely and then had the ball drift on him. But as you can see on the replays, that’s not it — the LF umpire called it at the last second, despite it being abundantly clear that 1)the ball was nowhere near the infield and 2)not a routine chance. Bad calls happen, but bored umpires who screw up because they want to galaxy-brain themselves into being the center of attention are the absolute goddamned worst. (Cf. also the ridiculous baseline call by Sam Holbrook in 2019, which damn near changed the outcome of a World Series.)
While we’re here, I have less than no patience with claims that it’s “unfair” for wildcard winners to be put at a disadvantage relative to division winners to protect the integrity of the pennant races:
If you don’t want a system that doesn’t always reward the “best” team you’re just opposed to playoffs in principle. And if MLB had a Premier League-style format…the Dodgers still lose! Because the Giants beat them! People whining on their behalf can eat shit— Scott Lemieux (@LemieuxLGM) October 5, 2021
There has literally not been a season since 1901 in which the two best teams in MLB were guaranteed the top postseason seeds, only in the old days if you finished second in your league/division you went home rather than getting a wildcard game.The current format is just fine— Scott Lemieux (@LemieuxLGM) October 5, 2021