A.L. East Co-Champs?
From the Toronto Sun, back in 2002:
So, who won the National League’s Central Division in 2001, anyway?
The St. Louis Cardinals or the Houston Astros?
Several Astros were upset when they saw that the Cards were displaying a 2001 NL Central co-championship banner. The Astros won the tiebreaker and are the real champions.
“I would think that they would have more serious matters than to be concerned with than something so trivial,” Cards general manager Walt Jocketty said.
Both teams finished 2001 with 93-69 records. The Astros entered the 2001 post-season as the NL’s top seed after beating the Cardinals in the final game of the season to win the season series 9-7.
“When we saw the Cards press guide, we scratched our heads,” Astros GM Gerry Hunsicker said. “We were awarded the division championship and they were awarded the wild card. I think the commissioner’s office should clarify it.”
A defaced Cardinals media guide made the rounds of the Astros clubhouse with the words ’2001 NL Central Division Co-Champs’ modified to read `wild card.’ The Astros also fly a banner in left field of Astros Field recognizing them as NL Central champs.
A Major League Baseball official called the scrap “silly” but added there is no definitive right or wrong in this instance.
“It’s basically the wild card, but it’s also co-champions,” said vice-president of scheduling and club relations Katy Feeney. “Since the Astros had the better head-to-head record, they were determined to be the champs and the Cards the wild card for the post-season. But since they both had the same regular season record, they were both co-champs. Technically, the Astros get the champion title.”
The St. Louis front office has a plaque that reads: “By virtue of having the highest percentage of games won in the NL Central, the lesser record versus co-champion Astros and better record of all second-place teams, the St. Louis Cardinals are hereby declared the 2001 Wild Card Champions and Central Division Co-champions of the NL.”
If the Yankees lose today, and the Red Sox lock up the Wildcard, I fully expect Larry Lucchino to attempt that “co-champions” claim and make a banner, etc. Just another reason why it would be great to see the Sox not make the post-season in 2005 – albeit a hard nut to make happen.
Stupid. In the NFL, you never hear anything like “AFC East Co-Champs”.
I, too, wouldn’t be surprised to see Lucchino and the Red Sox try to claim a share of the title should the Sox win today. But I don’t care, because *I* know who won the division under MLB’s rules. And the Yankees know, too. I only hope the Yankees have more class than the Astros – enough class to let the Red Sox whine without whining right back.
Whatever…
They won the same number of games overall, they’re “co-champs”
If the Yanks win it all, does this mean TB can claim a piece of the trophy? After all, they DID win the season series vs. the Yanks.
There’s no such things as “co-champs” in baseball (or even ties.) This isn’t kindergarten. If the Yankees won the A.L. East pennant (which they did), then they’re the champions; the Red Sox are in second place. If the Red Sox had won the season series, you wouldn’t hear the Yankees pathetically protesting that they were really “co-champs”, too. Get a clue, Raf; the whole point of the competition is that there’s just one winner.
Steve, it looks like you were right on the money:
“Co-division champs. That’s what I’m calling it,” Red Sox owner John Henry said. “I can understand why there isn’t [a playoff], but frankly, I would have liked to have had one. It would have been nice to settle the division championship.
Having seen that crew in action, it was an easy thing to call. It was like predicting that a duck would quack.
Get a clue, Raf; the whole point of the competition is that there’s just one winner.
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Um, yeah…
Looking at the standings,
NYY 95-67
BOS 95-67
Season series, schmeason series. In 1951, the Jints lost the season series to the Dodgers. 1978, the Yanks won the season series against the Red Sox (before gm 163).
But hey, if you want to determine some “champion” by some arcane system go right ahead. It’s the state of MLB that a second place team can be considered the “best team in baseball”
Interesting comments in the Boston Globe today:
”We are co-champions,” said Sox vice president Charles Steinberg. ”The rule is in place only for playoff seeding.”
Consistent with that remark, Sox scoreboard operators flipped the Yankees and Red Sox in the standing on the Green Monster scoreboard less than 10 minutes after the completion of the finale. While ”Tessie” blared over the Fenway sound system, the ”Boston” placard was placed atop the ”New York” sign. However, the Red Sox’ celebration garb made no reference to the word ”champion.” The hats read ”Division Series” while the T-shirts broadcast ”Wild Card.”
”I’m not going to get into that debate,” said Red Sox CEO Larry Lucchino. ”What this means is that we are postseason participants. October baseball was our goal and I think we should focus on that imagery.”
Wunderkind general manager Theo Epstein said, ”The rule says we’re wild-card champs, so we’re wild-card champs.”
Yet another reason to hate the current playoff structure…