Should tiebreaker games be counted as regular season games?

**BiZmaRK** · 10-05-2009, 12:24 PM

**metfan13** · 10-05-2009, 12:26 PM

Yes..........

**EdTarbusz** · 10-05-2009, 12:27 PM

Yes. Tiebreakers are the same as extra innings.

**BigRon** · 10-05-2009, 12:31 PM

Yes- they are a continuation of the regular season to see who qualifies to play in the post-season. It's not complicated.

**Honus Wagner Rules** · 10-05-2009, 12:42 PM

This may be an issue if someone is close to breaking a major single season record. Remember the big hoopla over Maris having eight extra games in 1961? MLB decided to keep two separate records because of it. They did the same thing to Maury Wills in 1962 and his stolen base record. But there was a problem with Wills situation that made his situation different than Maris' season. When Cobb set the record with 96 SB in 1915 he actually played 156 games. Wills tied and broke Cobb's record in game 156. Wills ended up playing 165 games in '62 stealing four bases in the three game playoff with the Giants.

**dgarza** · 10-05-2009, 12:52 PM

It could go either way. It's not inherently one way or the other.

I see the regular season as 162 scheduled games. Anything after is "post-" to me.

To me, any games in which two teams are purposefully matched against each other based on records in an effort to "move up" or "be eliminated" is post-season mentality and spirit.

**BiZmaRK** · 10-05-2009, 01:05 PM

Why don't league playoff, league championship series and world series games count as regular season?

**ipitch** · 10-05-2009, 01:08 PM

No. Why should some players be given an unnecessary advantage?

Fictional (but possible) scenario:
Carlos Pena - 162 games played, 39 HR
Mark Teixiera - 162 games played, 40 HR
Pena's team has a tiebreaker game, and he hits 2 HRs to win the HR crown.

That's fair?

MLB apparently thinks stats are so important that official scorers sometimes take 24 hours to determine whether a player should be given a hit or an error. But, they have no problem allowing stats from an unnecessary tie-breaking game to count for the regular season? Hmmm.

MLB could easily just consider them to be playoff games. Not that I don't like them, but tie-breaking games aren't even necessary in the first place (see the NFL, NHL, and NBA).

**baseball junkie** · 10-05-2009, 01:10 PM

Originally Posted by BigRon

Yes- they are a continuation of the regular season to see who qualifies to play in the post-season. It's not complicated.

Can't say it any better than that!

**BigRon** · 10-05-2009, 01:12 PM

Originally Posted by BiZmaRK

Why don't league playoff, league championship series and world series games count as regular season?

I think because they are part of a pre-determined structure that today includes 2 rounds of league playoff series plus the world series. Until the late 60s the only structured "playoff" was the World Series. When 2 teams in a league tied, those 2 teams continued their regular season by 1 (AL) or as many as 3 (NL) games to determine who would compete in the post-season (World Series before 1969, league playoffs + possibly World Series thereafter).

You could argue that either way makes sense, but looking at the history, it seems understandable why those infrequent tiebreakers were considered part of the regular season.

**RuthMayBond** · 10-05-2009, 01:23 PM

Originally Posted by ipitch

No. Why should some players be given an unnecessary advantage?

Fictional (but possible) scenario:
Carlos Pena - 162 games played, 39 HR
Mark Teixiera - 162 games played, 40 HR
Pena's team has a tiebreaker game, and he hits 2 HRs to win the HR crown.

That's fair?

MLB apparently thinks stats are so important that official scorers sometimes take 24 hours to determine whether a player should be given a hit or an error. But, they have no problem allowing stats from an unnecessary tie-breaking game to count for the regular season? Hmmm.

MLB could easily just consider them to be playoff games. Not that I don't like them, but tie-breaking games aren't even necessary in the first place (see the NFL, NHL, and NBA).

Could be a disadvantage. you hit in an extra game or pitch in an extra game, and lose the batting title or ERA crown

**DodgerBlue8188** · 10-05-2009, 01:24 PM

I don't think it should be counted as regular season games. All the other teams had 162 games to accumulate X amount of stats. Why should a players for a teach playing tomorrow have an extra game.

**dgarza** · 10-05-2009, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by BigRon

I think because they are part of a pre-determined structure that today includes 2 rounds of league playoff series plus the world series.

Thing is, the regular season is also a "pre-determined structure". Actually, the regular season is even more "determined", because all games are generally played. The post-season is an only somewhat determined schedule. Some "scheduled" games are never even played in the playoffs. To me, the "post-season" is more malleable and should adsorb the fluke events.

I am more of a traditionalist in regards to the regular season. While I accept the Wild Card structure of the playoffs and understand why it exists now days, I don't really care much for it. To me, the playoffs are already somewhat bastardized, so go ahead, add more, add less, I don't care anymore.

**dgarza** · 10-05-2009, 01:26 PM

Originally Posted by RuthMayBond

Could be a disadvantage. you hit in an extra game or pitch in an extra game, and lose the batting title or ERA crown

True, and you won't be asked to sit out this one to preserve your crown!

**RuthMayBond** · 10-05-2009, 01:42 PM

Originally Posted by DodgerBlue8188

I don't think it should be counted as regular season games. All the other teams had 162 games to accumulate X amount of stats. Why should a players for a teach playing tomorrow have an extra game.

Wrong, you could have rainouts that aren't made up

**dgarza** · 10-05-2009, 01:46 PM

Originally Posted by RuthMayBond

Wrong, you could have rainouts that aren't made up

I wonder how many rainouts are never made up these days.

Any one know?

**RuthMayBond** · 10-05-2009, 01:50 PM

Originally Posted by dgarza

I wonder how many rainouts are never made up these days.

Any one know?

Cubs-Pirates this year.
Last year, 2 NL, 1 AL

**EdTarbusz** · 10-05-2009, 01:57 PM

Back in the days before lights, it was common for players to get extra games to play in a season when making up tie games that had been rained out or called for darkness. Check out Lou Gehrig's stats to see how many times that he played more than 154 regular season games.

**Seattle1** · 10-05-2009, 02:06 PM

Originally Posted by BigRon

Yes- they are a continuation of the regular season to see who qualifies to play in the post-season. It's not complicated.

But they are post season. Literally. When the schedule for the regular season comes out, those such games are not listed. Therefore they are post season.

**ol' aches and pains** · 10-05-2009, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by Seattle1

But they are post season. Literally. When the schedule for the regular season comes out, those such games are not listed. Therefore they are post season.

But the season can't end until you have a division winner-then the division playoff series begin. These games aren't on the post-season schedule, either. It's an extra game that's necessary to decide who goes to the post- season. I like the present arrangement.

**metfan13** · 10-05-2009, 02:13 PM

Originally Posted by Seattle1

But they are post season. Literally. When the schedule for the regular season comes out, those such games are not listed. Therefore they are post season.

They're not POST season if they are needed to determine who wins the regular season.

**downstairs** · 10-05-2009, 02:20 PM

I don't care so much about individual stats (because you already have extra innings, rain-outs, and the like that mess up the abosolute equality of players' seasons).

Its really just like extra innings. Consider it 9 extra innings to determine the winner of the division.

Plus, there's the reality that you're playing to win the division. Which is the "job" of the regular season. The AL Central is not won yet, and one team needs to win it. In the regular season.

**Honus Wagner Rules** · 10-05-2009, 02:20 PM

Currently, Mauer is hitting .364 for the season which is two points above Bill Dickey and Mike Piazza's .362 BA "record" for a catcher. An 0-for-4 tomorrow night drops Mauer to .361.

**ol' aches and pains** · 10-05-2009, 02:30 PM

Originally Posted by Honus Wagner Rules

Currently, Mauer is hitting .364 for the season which is two points above Bill Dickey and Mike Piazza's .362 BA "record" for a catcher. An 0-for-4 tomorrow night drops Mauer to .361.

I'm not a gambling man, but I'd take that bet. No way he goes 0-for-4 tomorrow.