The end
of regular season baseball has arrived! That means that it is time for
baseball playoffs! Let us review how a team gets to play in the playoffs
in major league baseball.
There are
two major leagues in baseball: the National League and the American
League. Each of these leagues has three divisions: east, central, and
west. The winner of each division goes on to play in the playoffs. One
other playoff spot from each division is awarded and this is known as
the "wildcard" team. The "wildcard" team is the team that has the best
win/loss record out from remaining teams in each league.
The first
round of the playoffs is known as the division series. Eight teams make
the division playoffs each year. (Please read on in our Fun Facts section
to learn some fun facts about each team). This series is a five game
series and the winner is the first team that wins three games. The teams
that are playing in the division series at this time are as follows:
National
League Teams:
Arizona Diamondbacks -Vs- New York Mets
Houston Astros -Vs- Atlanta Braves
American League Teams:
New York Yankees -Vs- Texas Rangers
Cleveland Indians -Vs- Boston Red Sox
The winner
of the above stated series will continue to play in the second round
of the playoffs which is known as the league championship series. The
season is over for the losing teams. This series is a seven game series
and the winner is the first team to win four games. The winner of this
series is known as the league champion! The league championship series
is to begin on October 13, 1999.
Next is
the World Series to determine the best team in baseball. This is also
a seven game series and the winner is the first team to win four games.
The World Series is to begin October 23, 1999. We will follow the baseball
playoffs in The Kidsnewsroom!
