I'm right and everyone else is wrong.

"The New York Yankees are on pace for 111 wins as of Wednesday. The archrival Boston Red Sox are on pace for 107.

Even if they maintain that pace—an admittedly massive "if"—one of them will face a one-and-done wild-card playoff at best.

Is that justice?"

It's Sweet Injustice.

Besides, if the Wild Card team doesn't like it, there are a couple of things they can do:

1) Win the division.

2) Win the Wild Card game.


"On its face, the renewal of the Red Sox-Yankees rivalry is a great thing for the game. Two ancient foes with large, vocal fanbases crossing swords. What could be better?

Here's one thing that could be better: a club with triple-digit victories not being subjected to sudden death."

What would be even better is two ancient foes with large, vocal fanbases crossing swords all year with no safety net.


"The do-or-die wild-card play-in has undeniably provided drama. It's an instant Game 7; just heat and serve."

It's cheap thrills. I can't recall any of the Wild Card matchups except when the Yankees were involved.


"It's not all about the Yankees and Red Sox. Over in the AL West, the defending champion Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners are also on pace for 100-plus victories. Two of the four best teams in baseball, at least by current record, could be shoved into the wild-card crucible where one costly error or errant pitch can tip the scales."

You make it sound kind of ... dramatic and great when you put it that way.


"The point, though, is that it was unjust then and unjust today. The playoffs should be about the best teams competing under the brightest lights, not a top World Series hopeful going home because it ran into an ace in the smallest possible sample of one game."

"Running into an ace" sounds like a perfectly great reason to topple a World Series hopeful ... who should have won the division.

If the teams stay on course, the September pennant race will be great.

It would be even better without the Wild Card.

It would be schoolkids at the beach checking the out-of-town scoreboard every evening.

It would be a real pennant race.