The Tiebreakers Got Mighty
Complicated
We didn't have to go far in MMSL annals to know we tested the
tiebreaker system this year unlike any time in league history.
When the final results were tallied, six teams had 12-6 records,
and since two of those teams were division champions, that meant
four were vying for three wild-card berths.
It
took most of Saturday afternoon to pilfer through the head-to-head
battles and run differentials, and when all the little yellow
Stickies were put together, U.S. News was the team left at home
for the Playoff Championship Series.
Coach Myke Freeman took the news in stride by saying, "what can you do?" And really, there is nothing. It stinks to outhouse proportions when a team wins 12 games, beats the defending champions, wins against two other playoff teams and loses a berth by half of a run.
By virtue of our tiebreaker system, which was put into place in 1992 and has been a solid process over the years, U.S. News lost the No. 8 and final seed to ABC News by a runs differential of +3.4 to +2.8. Yes, losses to the Associated Press, USA Today and CNN hurt, but what killed U.S. News was one bad game on Final Day.
After beating the Post 20-16 in their Final Day opener, U.S. News had to figure it was safe for the playoffs with 12 victories--even after USA Today posted a 15-3 victory against them in the second game. But what happened was U.S. News gave up 31 runs in its last two games. The amount of runs they allowed to USA Today Saturday cost them a tiebreaker in head-to-head games with the Gannetoids because the two teams split their season series. The whammy is those runs allowed cost them in the tiebreaker with ABC News, too. Had U.S. News allowed on Final Day its average of just 7.75 runs per game through the first 16 games, they would have won the tiebreaker against two teams by nearly half a run and be going to the playoffs.
ABC News is extremely grateful for the berth after losing a 10-4 lead and the Capitalview/Homewood title to CNN. It would have been a terrible way to go home for the winter, coach Eric Wray says, "but we wouldn't have deserved to go to the playoffs."
This was the most complicated tiebreaker we have experienced. Usually, the tiebreakers decide slotting for seeds; rarely do the tiebreakers eliminate teams. That's just been the luck. The previous most notable instance of the tiebreaker impacting a team was in 1997, when USA Today missed the playoffs in a tiebreaker with WUSA and the Gazette.
While the current tiebreaker system has been in place since 1992, with some tweaks along the way, one of the changes that should be made is giving division record more impact. To this point, division record has only counted toward breaking a tie for the division championship and has not been applied toward the wild-card berths. The reason, according to notes from that landmark 1992 meeting of the league "forefathers" at the county office, is that the '92 playoff system did not have wild-cards. We took the top two teams from the two divisions. When the league expanded in 1993 and split into four divisions, we added the wild-card system to also expand the playoffs. We never went back and re-addressed the division record application.
Now, 10 years later, that hindsight has bitten a team on the hiney. The suggestion has come in with great legitimacy that when two division teams are vying for a wild-card and they split their season series, that the next tiebreaker should be the division record. If they are still tied, then refer to the runs differential in head-to-head games.
This makes too much sense. It adds credence to the division games and takes away the subjectivity of a team having one bad half inning--not a bad game, not a bad season, but one half of an inning!--and missing the playoffs.
The tiebreakers were the talk of the post-game gatherings at the Stained Glass Pub and edgy coaches were e-mailing and phoning da Commish all Saturday afternoon. But as Freeman was informed, U.S. News became not just the victim of the tiebreaker system, but the aberration of the Veirs Mill Division sending a sub-.500 team to the playoffs. We knew for more than half the season the inevitable was coming for some deserving team. It arrived Saturday on the green digital backdrop of a calculator's read-out.
LAST CALL FOR THE CRAZY EIGHTS? Maybe it's fitting that NewsChannel 8 received the automatic berth by winning the Veirs Mill Division. Who knows if the Crazy Eights will be back next year?
With layoffs and the news operation
merger with WJLA, the feeling is that those two teams might 
merge into one in 2003. Each will
be moving to a new facility in the old USA Today building in Rosslyn
this fall and most staffers have little clue as how this new operation
is going to stay fully separate.
NewsChannel 8 has been in the MMSL 10 seasons now and has an inglorious 65-106 record (.380). Folks such as Bill Walker, Dave Willingham, Bruce DePuyt and John Lisle have seen the very worst of times, and a few great ones. In 1999, they won the Norwood (now Veirs Mill) Division with a 12-6 record and went to the playoffs for the first time.
That 1999 season was one of great contrast for the Crazy Eights, who entered that year with a 29-76 all-time record for a .276 percentage, seventh-worst in league history. They had never had a winning season to that point, yet had rarely forfeited a game. They remained spirited and reliable despite being on the short end of way too many historical games, notably a 38-0 loss to AP in 1997 and a 35-8 defeat to the Gazette in 2000. But getting to the playoffs that one year seemed to make up for all those difficult years.
Now, the Crazy Eights, 8-10, make their second trip to the postseason as the No. 9 seed, facing ABC News in the play-in game to face the top-seeded Washington Times. No one is giving them a lot of credit or promise of advancing in the playoffs. But if this is how their team comes to an end, it ain't a bad way to go: divisional champs.
AMW'S MIA SEASON: America's Most Wanted is another team that went out on a good note, winning twice in the Veirs Mill Division Saturday and keeping things close in the division all year along. But the team realizes it could be going to the playoffs this week if not for a lousy early season. The Manhunters didn't practice once before Opening Day and then got beat by WTTG and NewsChannel 8 in games that ultimately cost them the division title.
But
there were other factors to their 7-11 season, too. Reliable 2b
Kristen Noyes is on maternity leave for the season and C Sereita
Cobbs' knee is so bad her softball days might be over. Kristen's
shortstop-playing husband, Scott, pulled a Ripken by hurting his
back and was lost for the season after a few games. Mike Theissen
was sidelined a couple of weeks with bruised ribs. And several
normally reliable players simply could not make it to enough games.
"That's a lot of bodies to lose, especially seeing as how small our squad is," says coach Jeremy Cohen. "We better get some of those guys back next year or make some decent hires, or we're going to have a tough time again next year."
Still, the undermanned Manhunters still made some noise. They beat CNN and AOL, and won their last four games in the division. If NewsChannel 8 had stumbled once on Final Day, the Manhunters, owners of two four-game losing streaks, would have made the playoffs.
"With all those problems, we should be happy we were able to win the games we did," Cohen adds. "But the fact of the matter is: we played well when we all came with game faces on. With a little practice and a little consistency, we could be a contending team again next year."
THE PERCENTAGES: Final Day brought the annual update of the MMSL all-time records. As usual, there are some interesting numbers.
First, AOL's 15-3 season and 29-7
overall record in two years moves the AOLiens into the No. 1 spot
with an .807 lifetime winning percentage. This isn't overtly significant
because of the years and number of games the AOLiens have played.
But what is interesting is they overtook WRC for No. 1. Channel
4 
hasn't been in the league since
1998, and with AP's three-year rebuilding stretch that cost it
some percentage points, the Channel 4 mark of 95-27 for a .779
percentage looked like it would stand for a while longer.
It was also a big year for teams hitting 100 wins. CNN, America's Most Wanted, ABC News and AP went over the century this season. The Post needed a win on Final Day, but begins next year with 99 victories.
One other number stands out--154, the number of wins for the Washington Times. Yes, the Rags are charter members who have been in the MMSL all 12 seasons. But the Times' 154-54 (.740) record is truly astounding. The Rags also have a championship, three Championship Day appearances, and 10 playoff appearances.
DIS 'N DAT: In case you're wondering: before NewsChannel 8's entry to the playoffs this year, the closest a sub-.500 team has come to making the postseason was the Washington Times with a 9-9 mark in 1996. . . .It was a hard year for 3-15 NBC News Channel and the Peacocks never recovered from that 31-0 drubbing from the Gazette in Week 2. They lost their first six games and had a seven-game losing streak going into their final game. But they ended on a great high by upsetting NatGeo Channel, 6-5, behind Mike "The Flounder" O'Connell's three big hits and three RBI, and OF David Shuster's great over-the-shoulder grab. "Not to sound like a Cubs fan," says coach Will Glynn, "but I think next year could be better for us if Shuster continues to prowl center field and we get our bats working. I see more batting practice for us in early spring '03." . . . Another team that had a tough year, the Press Club, can only ponder (or maybe not) the opportunities missed. It happened again Saturday when Big Blue fell to Comcast SportsNet, 7-6. They had the game to end when the tying run was nailed going from first to third and slid too far past the bag. . . . CBS News finished 5-13, same as last year, but the Eyeballs saw progress. They didn't forfeit any games and had a good, spirited group of people all season. "Even though we lost 13 games this year, you couldn't tell by the team's attitude," says coach Steve Chaggaris. "In the past, it seemed people mailed it in after Week 6 or 7. All year this year we had fun--having fun losing, but having fun nonetheless." . . . The Post got yet another big day from Mike Mattix, who was 5 for 7 with a triple, 2 homers, grand slam and 9 RBI. But their playoff chances were dashed by pitching that allowed 20 runs in two games that came from batters being walked. The Post's normally reliable pitchers allowed 40 walks on the day, prompting legend Donald Beard to say, "oh, those bases-on-balls. You put all of those on base, a lot will score." . . . Don't think too many of the playoff teams are sorry to see AMW sitting at home. The top of the Manhunters' order, with Evan Marshall, Lynn "Tumbleweed" Howard, Mike Theissen and Kenny Young, are as good as anyone's. They had a monster Final Day. . . . BTW: Young hit for the cycle against WJLA when he tried to extend a double into a triple and got thrown out by a Bavarian mile. What a hoot. . . . Bulletin board fodder for the playoffs? USA Today overheard a Times player say they had the Gannetoids beat even though they were trailing only 5-2 at the time. . . . Post.com did not have the kind of day it wanted to head into the playoffs. The Bucketheads were missing a number of key players, especially outfielders, and they had to work hard for even that 13-5 victory against NBC News Channel. "If we have the same kind of turnout for the tournament, it could be a short stay for the Bucketheads," says P Johnny Livengood. . . . This is a test to see if CNN SS John King is reading the entire notebook or just doing a quick scan for his name. The lug got a mouthful of dust making a great diving catch of a liner against ABC News and also went 3 for 4 with 5 RBI. . . . Speaking of shortstops and infielders, in general, you're gonna love the playing surfaces at Cabin John in the playoffs. But what is gonna be curious is to see how you handle that grass infield on Field 2. . . . AP likes the way its women players are coming around. OF Denise Vance had a nice day in the field Saturday and 2b Elizabeth Wolfe had 2 hits, a walk and 3 runs against the Press Club. C Lauren Vicary got a booming double down the left-field line, a breakthrough hit in a game because she's been killing 'em in BP. . . . Wow, the woodpeckers are still buzzin' at Layhill about the satellite that Comcast SportsNet's Jake Katz launched against the Press Club. He cleared the left-center fence and the projectile hit high in the trees, a good 315 feet from the plate. He also had another tater and drove in five runs. . . . CNN has so many visions of how its season could have ended, but none of them included a scare by CBS News in Saturday's opener. The Eyeballs trailed just 9-6 going in the fifth, and if not for five walks sandwiched around eight hits that led to nine runs, this would have been a helluva way for CBS to look toward next year. "Said CNN's Jim Barnett: "Who wrote this script?" . . . NewsChannel 8's season might have taken a different turn in the opening victory against WJLA had it not been for the defense of LC Jason Hartelius, who made several sensational flying, tumbling, running grabs that had the Sevens muttering. . . . Big news for the Gazette. 2b Cathy Hekimian reports she's done with rehab and has full range of motion in her injured knee. If all goes well, she may be available for pinch hitting and spot duty in the playoffs. . . . AMW believes it has a nice core of promising women players, who were thrown into the breech early this season and began to develop. Sarah Gibson, Paula Simpson and Nan Waffin, along with here-today, gone-tomorrow, party-everyday sparkplug Stacy Fusaro, really did a nice job and were making big contributions by Final Day. "Without them we wouldn't have had the wins that we did," says coach Jeremy Cohen. . . . NBC News Channel's victory against NatGeo was significant to the Peacocks because it was their first division win since getting a forfeit from CBS News May 13, 2000. The Peacocks had lost 13 in a row in the division. Now, that's incredible.. . . The Press Club left 17 runners on base with nine of them in scoring position. That's the kind of stuff that drives you bonkers. . . . Fox News would have forfeited both games if not for some loaners from CBS News. We know poor Mike Carpel ain't getting enough sleep because he played four outfielders and one player on the left side of the infield against CBS. The Eyeballs played pepper with that hole. . . . CNN did some adjustments to its struggling lineup by putting Darrin White in the 1-hole, where he went 7 for 7 with a walk, and batting women back-to-back down in the order. The tandem went 5 for 10 with a walk. But batting women back-to-back eliminates the possibility of the co-ed walk rule. . . . AP felt it had its best possible team on the field Saturday, and they came out roaring to avenge an Opening Day loss to the Press Club by scoring five in the first and six in the second. . . . It was a fun day all around for Comcast SportsNet, ruined only by the rainbow throw by 1b Mark Penn, who had the easiest triple play this side of assisted living. With runners on first and second against the Press Club, Penn snagged a liner for the first out, stepped on first base to double up the runner there and looked up to see the runner on second halfway to third. But his easy-as-pie throw sailed into left field. . . . Fox News SS Dave Shott slid hard into second and jumped up holding his hand. Everyone was sure he had broken his thumb, but he insisted he hadn't, so he just popped it back into place. Yeeeeu. . . . Talk about clutch. CNN's last five batters in the oder went 11 for 17 against ABC News and C Lindy Royce had four hits. You have wonder what she put in those Rice Crispies Treats, but they were sure as sugar good. . . . The Gazette doesn't have to ponder how its season would have transpired if not for the contributions of OF/1b Jason Linville and OF Dave Sheffer. With regular outfielders Brian Heard and Clarence Fairfax out with injuries, Linville has been getting clutch hits and Sheffer has added some badly needed pop in the lineup. . . . AOL put up a nine-run fifth to open up the game against NatGeo Channel, but it was 2b Julie Margolis who got things started in the fourth, getting the go-ahead run. She had 2 hits, 2 runs and an RBI for the game, and she plays swell defense. . . . The Times' Cool Al Sims had a rough day in the outfield, misjudging one ball and dropping a liner. So coach Paul Carr sat him down. Looks like the Rags are getting serious about a championship runs. . . . Speaking of which, the Times has gone about winning the top seed the quietest we can recall. Has anyone noticed they have 16 victories? How methodical. If not for being swept by ABC News and CNN May 4, they would be challenging history. . . . John Gallagher had a big day for the Press Club, going 5 for 7 with 4 RBI and a triple while Neil Stempleman also had 4 hits with 2 runs, 2 walks and a triple. . . . Jerry Williams was the beeeg bopper for USA Today in that critical victory against U.S. News. He was 3 for 3 with 3 runs, 2 homers, a double and 5 RBI. But he almost got benched for dawgin' it on his second homer, a pop-fly drive that nearly hit the tennis courts at Wheaton Forest 2. He was almost thrown out at the plate because we're still waiting for Jerry to start his run. . . . Post.com's depth may be an issue for the playoffs, but seeing 2b Andrea Closkey for the first time this season and the continued offense of Brian Cordyack (5 hits, homer), Cesar Zambrana (6 hits, triple), Johnny Livengood (5 hits) and Mike Corones (6 hits, 2 homers) gives the Bucketheads reason for expectations. . . . It was a pretty funny scene when former AP player Bart Jansen came to bat for the Press Club and saw the "Williams Shift" with three outfielders and three infielders on the right side of the diamond. So Jansen did everything but wave a magic wand to bloop a hit to shallow left, but he was laughing so hard that he couldn't run to second when the ball took a crazy hop. . . . And U.S. News coach Myke Freeman is so quiet that he doesn't even know when he's in a room. So it was no surprise that during the July 4 holiday that he quietly got married. If you'll notice, that was an offweek for softball. Way to go, Myke! v