Yesterday my colleague Alexandra Greaves was writing about divisions and their importance. After all, we know that some are higher than others.
To see that the Blue Jays (fifth in the East) have almost a better record than the Twins (first in Central) in the American, it’s… crazy.
We have another example.
Heading into Sunday games, the Chicago Cubs have the worst record in the Nationals (22-29). That said, because they evolve in the central, they are still well placed.
Right now, they’re just 4.5 games behind the Brewers, who sit atop the division with a 27-25 record.
It looks a lot like Toronto’s 27-26.
What we notice is that being 4.5 games from the top, the path to the playoffs (it won’t happen, but let’s imagine it does, for the sake of argument) is almost as easy from the top of the division than by the best runners-up.
It’s annoying for the Yankees, the Mariners, the Phillies or the Padres, to name a few. After all, they are good and they are more than 4.5 games away from the top of their division.
The Baltimore Orioles, who are 33-19 and an MLB powerhouse, are four games behind the Rays.
The Cubs are 4.5 games behind the Brewers…
There is a world where a powerhouse club in any league will make the playoffs with only the seventh-best record in its division. There are many games left, but it’s still something.
And that, even the Cubs know it.
