Previewing a Tiebreak Scenario

With just one game separating the Cardinals and Braves for the NL Wild Card lead, the possibility of these two teams having identical records after the final three games of the season is highly likely. In that case, the infamous one-game tiebreaker for the right to play in October would take effect. It wasn’t all that long ago that baseball analysts marveled at the lack of any real race down the stretch, but now it seems we have two of the more interesting and closely-contested Wild Card chases in recent memory.

Here’s how everything would work out if St. Louis and Atlanta require a tiebreaker:

• If things are indeed all even after game No. 162, the tiebreaker would be played on Thursday. This, of course, is the day after the conclusion of the regular season.
• The tiebreaker would be played at Busch Stadium in St. Louis. The Cardinals’ 5-1 regular season edge over the Braves warrants home field advantage.
• If the Cardinals would win the tiebreaker and advance to the postseason, they would play the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS. This five-game series holds a 2-2-1 format with the first game starting on Saturday (Oct. 1) and the final game (if necessary) being played on the following Friday (Oct. 6).

Tickets for this potential tiebreaker are already on sale on the Cardinals’ website, so you know that this is not exactly a long shot to become reality. With Chris Carpenter schedule to pitch Wednesday, Tony La Russa has already said he plans to send Kyle Lohse out to the mound for that game. On the other side, the Braves would probably send out either Tommy Hanson or Jair Jurrjens since Lowe and Hudson are schedule to pitch on Tuesday and Thursday.

If I had to bet right now, I’d say there is going to be a tiebreaker when it’s all said and done. I have faith in St. Louis making up one more game on Atlanta, but two games in three days is a tall order. If I’m right, this tiebreaker will be as intense a game as we’ll see given how much is at stake. In a one-game contest, I’m confident about the red-hot Cardinals beating the slumping Braves. All we can do is wait and see how this all plays out.