The playoff schedule primer

There are still some issues to be decided, but here's what we know about the American League playoffs:

Game days

One divisional series will begin Wednesday (Oct. 1), the other on Thursday (Oct. 2). The first round is best-of-five.

The team with the best regular-season record gets to choose the day it starts the playoffs, and the decision is likely to be based on things like pitching matchups and depth. Most likely, that team is the Angels, who will clinch the best record with one more win or a Rays loss.

After Game 1,  the days are the same for each series: Game 2 Friday (Oct. 3), Game 3 Sunday (Oct. 5), Game 4 Monday (Oct. 6), Game 5 Wednesday (Oct. 8). The game times are different, of course, and will be set by TV.

Rays vs. ?????

If the Rays win the American League East, they play the AL Central champion (Twins or White Sox). Games 1, 2 and (potentially) 5 would be played in Tropicana Field.

Keep in mind, if the Rays and Red Sox finish tied in the standings, the tiebreaker is head-to-head record and the Rays have the edge, having won the season series 10-8.

If the Rays finish the regular season in second place, they are the wild-card team. They would play the Angels and have to open on the road. Games 3 and (potentially) 4 would be at the Trop.

And then?

If the Rays advance, the next round of the playoffs, called the championship series, would start Oct. 10.

Comments

[kathy]

I'm a Red Sox fan and I thank you for explaining the playoff schedule - it is a service to many of us.
The Rays are a great story - up here in New York and Boston,all the 'pundits' said the Rays would fold under the pressure of a pennant race. So much for the pundits!
So, I'll root for my Sox but I salute the Rays because baseball is about the stories we tell and pass down - the Rays of 2008 are one of the stories.

[Amanda]

Try the whole "reading" concept, Chief. First, see the little copyright thing on the bottom? Where it says 'St. Petersburg Times'? Yeah, that's a newspaper.
"If the Rays advance, the next round of the playoffs, called the championship series, would start Oct. 10." The series starting October 10th, that would be the ALCS. I know I'm just a lowly Rays fan, but I'm pretty sure the CS stands for "championship series".
And *I'm* the moron? Nice. Try again.

[Chief]

"If the Rays advance, the next round of the playoffs, called the championship series, would start Oct. 10."

HAHA, "called the championship series" Rays fans are complete idiots. whats next? is it called "the world series"

and hey amanda, this isnt a newspaper you moron, its a blog

[Mike]

Has anyone seen the website at TropicanaField.com?? It's hilarious. A picture of Yankees and Red Sox fans kissing saying "Even We Love The Rays"

I got an idea, don't come on our boards anymore!

Go Rays!!

[John McCain]

I didn't wear a flag lapel pin at the debate tonight, but Obama did. Therefore, I hate America more.

Rays and Marlins suck, as does every sports team in Florida. Go Diamondbacks!!!

[Sen. Obama]

I hate America

[Cheryl]

Amanda...Thank you, thank you, thank you...I'm going to check it out right now. I don't have a big monitor to begin with...so with these damn banners some sites have...I'm down to a 2"x4" screen (OK exaggerating a little, but you get my point)

[Amanda]

Oh, and to the guy complaining about the banner at the bottom...
Totally agree. I hated that thing. Downloaded a new browser, though, that blocks all those. It's the new one from Google, called Chrome. Might be worth checking out.

[Amanda]

Alright, listen...
1. Don't label Amber as a "Democrat". She's a nutjob who is obviously completely ignorant in the fields of sociology, social psychology, or civics. Organized athletics have been part of nearly every society since the earliest civilizations. Why it is necessary in part to keep society functioning is part of a whole different diatribe... (By the way, how does the description of the days that games will be played "sound expensive"? Um...?)
2. No, "Chief", Rays fans do not need the playoffs explained to them. This thing you're reading here, it's called a "newspaper". Look it up. Go ahead, it's on wikipedia. It's sort of a public thing, you know, for the general population. That would include non-baseball fans in the area who are curious. Oh, and your tribe has already invaded this area. They all suddenly showed up in late 2004, and we can easily recognize them by their adorable pink hats.

[This banner at the bottom sucks!]

Get rid of the damn banner!!!

[Amber]

I'm sorry everyone..when I said that we should abolish organized sports, what I REALLY meant to say was the I am a dried up prune and haven't seen any action since Nixon was in office. I am a complete idiot and someone needs to take me out of my miserable existance and filet me like a trout.

Seriously.....I am a Democrat....but this chick is just a Nazi or something. Why dont we abolish organized government and show up at your house and pee on your carpets and crap on your sofa? Would you enjoy that? I will sacrifice my tickets to Game 1 if you let me make a BIG stinky poopoo on your living room carpet you stinky old hag.

And Chief......you are an idiot. Sox fans are pathetic because thier team spent 14 bajillion dollars and got thier @$$es handed to them by a team with a 40 million dollar payroll. Go chowdah ya wifey's clam there budski because she told me she was tired of you lack of performance in the clutch.....OH WAIT!!! I meant to say that you are just a complete loser and should join Amber in the "Drunk on Haterade" club. LOSER!!!!!

[Paul]

Hey Amber,

Why don't we confiscate your computer, tv, radio, and anything YOU enjoy, sell it, and use that money to feed the homeless and donate to moveon.org?We don't tell you what to do with your money and your free time, don't tell us what to do in ours.

[Carol C.]

Hey Chief--if you move your wigwam back to Boston, then you could watch your team all the time--even become a season ticket holder. You see, Fenway is your place, the Trop is the Rays' domain. Man, get a clue. Go Rays--get those Tigers!!Let's clinch this thing tonight!

[Bill]

Amber
Is just mad Because shes a Yankee Fan
Ha Ha go cry in your Hundreds of million Dollars of pay roll

GOOOO Rays!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and dont worry Sox Fans Your Not Lasting long either!!!

[Charlie G]

Have fun with the Angels Chief.

[Mike]

Go SOX your A back to Boston

[JOhn]

Chief's been in the sippin' whiskey again! Big medicine, huh Chief?

[Rob]

"Chief" was the Indian in the Village People.

[Chief]

I'm from the tribe full of Hosses. We've come to take over Tampa and root for the Red Sox

[nick]

The vagin' hang down like sleeve of wizard

[Tgoody]

Hey Amber
so in other words us hard working folk that save our dollars should not be allowed to spend them on the pleasure of sports. You must be a Democrat and think I should donate all my extra money to those less fortunate even though some, not all, are there by choice.

[Johnny Lawrence]

Amber's just mad because she was the fat girl in dodgeball back in the 5th grade. Easy target.

[Jason]

Amber,

Here is a idea. You go and feed the homelss and find homes for them. Then you can stop the war somehow with your super powers. Us fans need a break from people like you that can't do anything about it except talk about it. Now go away and leave us alone. Let us enjoy history, away from politics.

And by the way OBAMA sucks! Can't even feed is own brother inlaw that lives in poverity.

All I got to say about that!

GO RAYS!!! SCREW POLITICS!!!

[Jimbo]

Wow, even the left-wing trolls made their way here.

Hey Amber, you know Obama's all for organized sports, right? So's Ron Paul, so good luck with your pathetic ideas....

[Lone Ranger]

Hey Chief what tribe are you from?

[Amber]

This sounds expensive. I bet you think we're going to pay for it, don't you REPUBLICANS?

It's time we abolish organized athletics and focus on things that matter - feeding the homeless and ending this WAR.

[Chief]

Rays fans are so pathetic that they need the playoffs explained to them. Go Sox!

[AB]

GO RAYS!!!