Now let's look at 1984, beginning in the National League:
East- The Cubs' feel-good story stays intact, as they take their third Eastern Division title and first since 1970 despite dropping five games (96-65 to 91-70). They triumph by four and a half over, of all people, the Pirates, who jump up all the way from last with a division-best twelve-game surge (75-87 to 87-75) fueled by the league's best pitching staff. The defending champion Phils improve by three (81-81 to 84-78) to grab third.
At the bottom, a four-game improvement (78-83 to 82-79) gives the fourth-place Expos a winning season, and the Cards give the East its first year with five teams over .500 despite a two-game slide (84-78 to 82-80). And then there are the Mets, who drop a division-worst dozen games (90-72 to 78-84) and thus exchange places with the Bucs for yet another cellar finish.
FINAL STANDINGS:
1. Cubs: 91-70 (-5)
2. Pirates: 87-75- 4.5 GB (+12)
3. Phillies: 84-78- 7.5 GB (+3)
4. Expos: 82-79- 9 GB (+4)
5. Cardinals: 82-80- 9.5 GB (-2)
6. Mets: 78-84- 13.5 GB (-12)
West- We have a change at the top, as the Houston Astros win their second division title, nipping the Padres at the wire on the strength of an eight-game upswing (80-82 to 88-74). Their margin of victory is a game, as the Pads drop five (92-70 to 87-75) and finish second. The defending champion Braves and the Dodgers finish tied for third, as Atlanta drops a pair of games (80-82 to 78-84) while the Men in Blue fall off by one (79-83 to 78-84).
The Giants get out of the basement with a three-game surge (66-96 to 69-93). This dooms the Reds to their third consecutive last-place finish (68-94, two-game drop), and marks the first time that they've finished last three years running since 1932-34.
FINAL STANDINGS:
1. Astros: 88-74 (+8)
2. Padres: 87-75- 1 GB (-5)
3. (tie) Braves: 78-84- 10 GB (-2)
(tie) Dodgers: 78-84- 10 GB (-1)
5. Giants: 69-93- 19 GB (+3)
6. Reds: 68-94- 20 GB (-2)
The Cubs will meet the Astros in the NLCS, with home field advantage going to the Stros as Western Division champs.
Now to the American League:
East- The Tigers aren't quite as dominant as they were in real life; they drop five games, from 104-58 to 99-63. But they still take their first-ever Eastern Division title by ten games over the second-place Yankees. The Yanks and Blue Jays switch places, with New York's two-game upswing (87-75 to 89-73) bumping them up to second and the Jays' two-game slip (89-73 to 87-75) dropping them back to third. The Red Sox hold on to fourth after a one-game downgrade (86-76 to 85-77).
The defending champion Orioles check in fifth (83-79, two game slide) while the Indians improve by a division-high six (75-87 to 81-81) to give the East six teams that finish .500 or better. Only the Brew Crew misses the boat (71-90, four-game improvement).
FINAL STANDINGS:
1. Tigers: 99-63 (-5)
2. Yankees: 89-73- 10 GB (+2)
3. Blue Jays: 87-75- 12 GB (-2)
4. Red Sox: 85-77- 14 GB (-1)
5. Orioles: 83-79- 16 GB (-2)
6. Indians: 81-81- 18 GB (+6)
7. Brewers: 71-90- 27.5 GB (+4)
West- This might just be the most crowded pennant race to date. First of all, we have a rare double change on top, as the Minnesota Twins and California Angels each freeze at 81-81 while the Royals fall by four (84-78 to 80-82) The end result is that we'll need a one-game playoff to determine the Western Division champion, just the third playoff in American League history.
Another group of three teams contests places four through six, and the A's and White Sox end up tying for fourth at 75-87 when the A's drop two games from 77-85 while the Pale Hose improve a notch from 74-88. The Rangers finish just a half-game behind those two teams at 74-87 after a five-game hike that lifts them past the Mariners and out of the cellar. The M's, for their part, drop a pair (74-88 to 72-90). Just nine games separate all seven teams in what is almost surely the tightest top-to-bottom race in the divisional era so far.
FINAL STANDINGS:
1. (tie) Twins: 81-81 (0)
(tie) Angels: 81-81 (0)
3. Royals: 80-82- 1 GB (-4)
4. (tie) Athletics: 75-87- 6 GB (-2)
(tie) White Sox: 75-87- 6 GB (+1)
6. Rangers: 74-87- 6.5 GB (+5)
7. Mariners: 72-90- 9 GB (-2)
Note: The Twins won their season series with the Angels 9-4, so their playoff will take place at the Metrodome.
The Tigers will meet the winner of the one-game playoff between the Angels and the Twins in the ALCS, where they'll have home field advantage. Whoever wins that series will go on to meet the winner of the NLCS between the Cubs and the Astros, in which the National League champion will have home field advantage.
Next: We skip ahead to 1987.
Thoughts?
East- The Cubs' feel-good story stays intact, as they take their third Eastern Division title and first since 1970 despite dropping five games (96-65 to 91-70). They triumph by four and a half over, of all people, the Pirates, who jump up all the way from last with a division-best twelve-game surge (75-87 to 87-75) fueled by the league's best pitching staff. The defending champion Phils improve by three (81-81 to 84-78) to grab third.
At the bottom, a four-game improvement (78-83 to 82-79) gives the fourth-place Expos a winning season, and the Cards give the East its first year with five teams over .500 despite a two-game slide (84-78 to 82-80). And then there are the Mets, who drop a division-worst dozen games (90-72 to 78-84) and thus exchange places with the Bucs for yet another cellar finish.
FINAL STANDINGS:
1. Cubs: 91-70 (-5)
2. Pirates: 87-75- 4.5 GB (+12)
3. Phillies: 84-78- 7.5 GB (+3)
4. Expos: 82-79- 9 GB (+4)
5. Cardinals: 82-80- 9.5 GB (-2)
6. Mets: 78-84- 13.5 GB (-12)
West- We have a change at the top, as the Houston Astros win their second division title, nipping the Padres at the wire on the strength of an eight-game upswing (80-82 to 88-74). Their margin of victory is a game, as the Pads drop five (92-70 to 87-75) and finish second. The defending champion Braves and the Dodgers finish tied for third, as Atlanta drops a pair of games (80-82 to 78-84) while the Men in Blue fall off by one (79-83 to 78-84).
The Giants get out of the basement with a three-game surge (66-96 to 69-93). This dooms the Reds to their third consecutive last-place finish (68-94, two-game drop), and marks the first time that they've finished last three years running since 1932-34.
FINAL STANDINGS:
1. Astros: 88-74 (+8)
2. Padres: 87-75- 1 GB (-5)
3. (tie) Braves: 78-84- 10 GB (-2)
(tie) Dodgers: 78-84- 10 GB (-1)
5. Giants: 69-93- 19 GB (+3)
6. Reds: 68-94- 20 GB (-2)
The Cubs will meet the Astros in the NLCS, with home field advantage going to the Stros as Western Division champs.
Now to the American League:
East- The Tigers aren't quite as dominant as they were in real life; they drop five games, from 104-58 to 99-63. But they still take their first-ever Eastern Division title by ten games over the second-place Yankees. The Yanks and Blue Jays switch places, with New York's two-game upswing (87-75 to 89-73) bumping them up to second and the Jays' two-game slip (89-73 to 87-75) dropping them back to third. The Red Sox hold on to fourth after a one-game downgrade (86-76 to 85-77).
The defending champion Orioles check in fifth (83-79, two game slide) while the Indians improve by a division-high six (75-87 to 81-81) to give the East six teams that finish .500 or better. Only the Brew Crew misses the boat (71-90, four-game improvement).
FINAL STANDINGS:
1. Tigers: 99-63 (-5)
2. Yankees: 89-73- 10 GB (+2)
3. Blue Jays: 87-75- 12 GB (-2)
4. Red Sox: 85-77- 14 GB (-1)
5. Orioles: 83-79- 16 GB (-2)
6. Indians: 81-81- 18 GB (+6)
7. Brewers: 71-90- 27.5 GB (+4)
West- This might just be the most crowded pennant race to date. First of all, we have a rare double change on top, as the Minnesota Twins and California Angels each freeze at 81-81 while the Royals fall by four (84-78 to 80-82) The end result is that we'll need a one-game playoff to determine the Western Division champion, just the third playoff in American League history.
Another group of three teams contests places four through six, and the A's and White Sox end up tying for fourth at 75-87 when the A's drop two games from 77-85 while the Pale Hose improve a notch from 74-88. The Rangers finish just a half-game behind those two teams at 74-87 after a five-game hike that lifts them past the Mariners and out of the cellar. The M's, for their part, drop a pair (74-88 to 72-90). Just nine games separate all seven teams in what is almost surely the tightest top-to-bottom race in the divisional era so far.
FINAL STANDINGS:
1. (tie) Twins: 81-81 (0)
(tie) Angels: 81-81 (0)
3. Royals: 80-82- 1 GB (-4)
4. (tie) Athletics: 75-87- 6 GB (-2)
(tie) White Sox: 75-87- 6 GB (+1)
6. Rangers: 74-87- 6.5 GB (+5)
7. Mariners: 72-90- 9 GB (-2)
Note: The Twins won their season series with the Angels 9-4, so their playoff will take place at the Metrodome.
The Tigers will meet the winner of the one-game playoff between the Angels and the Twins in the ALCS, where they'll have home field advantage. Whoever wins that series will go on to meet the winner of the NLCS between the Cubs and the Astros, in which the National League champion will have home field advantage.
Next: We skip ahead to 1987.
Thoughts?
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