# AL Tiebreakers **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 28, 2000, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-tiebreakers/34868 "2000-09-28T14:10:39Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 9\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![PatrickM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7feea3/32.png) [@PatrickM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickM)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2000, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-tiebreakers/34868/1 "2000-09-28T14:10:39Z")
As I write this on Thursday morning, September 28, 2000, my Cleveland Indians are 1.5 games behind Oakland for the American League Wild Card. Oakland is 0.5 games behind Seattle in the American League West. What happens if Cleveland, Oakland and Seattle finish the regular season (including Oakland’s makeup game with Tampa Bay this Monday) tied? What are the tie breakers, if any? What happens if Cleveland finishes tied with either Seattle or Oakland for the wild card? Anybody know? ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2000, 2:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-tiebreakers/34868/2 "2000-09-28T14:19:48Z")
**Pure, rampant speculation** : If Cleveland, Oakland and Seattle were _all_ tied, I’d have to imagine that Oakland and Seattle would play a one-game playoff for the AL West title, making Cleveland the wild card by default. I couldn’t find anything addressing this at [majorleaguebaseball.com](http://majorleaguebaseball.com), so this is simply dredged from my own imagination. ---
**Author:** ![mazzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@mazzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mazzer)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2000, 2:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-tiebreakers/34868/3 "2000-09-28T14:41:48Z")
From the playoff rules: Tie among three teams. If the tied teams have identical records against each other, the League President shall supervise a draw which results in the tied teams being designated the A, B and C teams. A will play B at the home field of A, the day after the conclusion of the championship season. The following day, C will play the winner of A-B at the winner’s home field. The winner of the game shall be declared the Division Champion. When, however, the tied teams do not have identical records against each other, their designation as the A, B, or C teams shall be determined as follows: (1.) Team 1 has better record against both Team 2 and Team 3, and Team 2 has better record against Team 3: Team 1 chooses designation as A, B or C team, and Team 2 chooses from remaining choices; (2.) Team 1 has better record against both Team 2 and Team 3, and Team 2 and Team 3 have same record against each other: Team 1 chooses designation as A, B or C team and League President supervises draw between Teams 2 and 3 for remaining choices; (3.) Team 1 and Team 2 have same record against each other but better record against Team 3: League President supervises draw between Teams 1 and 2. Winner chooses designation as A, B or C team and loser chooses from remaining choices; (4.) Team 1 has better record against Team 2, Team 2 has better record against Team 3, and Team 3 has better record against Team 1: Rank teams on the basis of overall winning percentage within the three-team group; team(s) with higher percentages select designation as A, B or C teams(s); when two or more teams tied in overall winning percentage, League President supervises draw between teams so tied. ---
**Author:** ![mazzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@mazzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mazzer)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2000, 2:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-tiebreakers/34868/4 "2000-09-28T14:55:19Z")
Sorry, that rule does not apply since they are not in the same division. Oakland would win the AL West since their record against Seattle is 9-4. Seattle and Cleveland would then have a one-game playoff to determine who is the wild card. This is right, I promise. ---
**Author:** ![mazzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@mazzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mazzer)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2000, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-tiebreakers/34868/5 "2000-09-28T15:02:00Z")
One more thing: a coin-toss (by the League President) determines the home field of the one-game playoff between Cleveland and Seattle, in case you were wondering. ---
**Author:** ![Oblong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/c0e974/32.png) [@Oblong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Oblong)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2000, 3:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-tiebreakers/34868/6 "2000-09-28T15:03:02Z")
If Oakland/Cleveland/Seattle all have the same record, then Cleveland would win the wild card and Oakland and Seattle would play for the west title. The reasoning is that Oakland and Seattle would have to play a playoff game to decide the western champion. That game is considered to be the regular season. Since the loser of that game would ge a half game behind Cleveland for the wild card, they are SOL. This info came from [here](http://espn.go.com/mlb/columns/stark/grumblings/767892.html) ---
**Author:** ![mazzer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eada6e/32.png) [@mazzer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mazzer)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2000, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-tiebreakers/34868/7 "2000-09-28T15:06:27Z")
[chriszarate defaults on his promises, send stock tumbling.] sorry, oblong is right. i read the rules wrong. geez, what a morning. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickM](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7feea3/32.png) [@PatrickM](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickM)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2000, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-tiebreakers/34868/8 "2000-09-28T15:23:17Z")
Thanks guys! ---
**Author:** ![pldennison](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/9fc29f/32.png) [@pldennison](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pldennison)\ **Post date:** [September 28, 2000, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/al-tiebreakers/34868/9 "2000-09-28T15:23:23Z")
Oh my god . . . my idle speculation was **correct**? I’m as shocked as anybody!!