Magic Number Thread

formerlybis · September 20, 2023

Getting back to magic number talk, let's discuss clinching a playoff spot....

There are 3 teams currently on the outside of the WC race that the Brewers have not yet closed out - Miami, Cincy, and SF.

The magic number for Miami is 5 - sort of. If Milw wins just one of its remaining 3 games with the Marlins, the Brewers would win the season series and thus own the tiebreaker. So, if the Brewers entered that series still at magic number 5 (perish the thought), winning that one game would bring it down to 2.

For Cincy, it is now 3, and for SF it's 4 by virtue of SF having the tiebreaker.

If you're wondering about the #1 WC spot (because they get to host, too), we are concerned with Philly and Az - we know our magic number is 6 with Chicago. We have a magic number of 8 with Philly and 7 with SF.

So, to summarize the magic numbers: Division: 6, any WC: 5, #1 WC: 8.

tmwiese55 · September 20, 2023

1 hour ago, formerlybis said:

Getting back to magic number talk, let's discuss clinching a playoff spot....

There are 3 teams currently on the outside of the WC race that the Brewers have not yet closed out - Miami, Cincy, and SF.

The magic number for Miami is 5 - sort of. If Milw wins just one of its remaining 3 games with the Marlins, the Brewers would win the season series and thus own the tiebreaker. So, if the Brewers entered that series still at magic number 5 (perish the thought), winning that one game would bring it down to 2.

For Cincy, it is now 3, and for SF it's 4 by virtue of SF having the tiebreaker.

If you're wondering about the #1 WC spot (because they get to host, too), we are concerned with Philly and Az - we know our magic number is 6 with Chicago. We have a magic number of 8 with Philly and 7 with SF.

So, to summarize the magic numbers: Division: 6, any WC: 5, #1 WC: 8.

Surprising the #3 division winner wouldn't automatically get the home field. Have you checked that?

I just assumed it would be that way, thinking about it I suppose it will come up in the AL this year for sure since MN is much worse than the #2 team in the AL East.

ETA: quick find on MLB.com with a 'current playoff bracket' setup and it has it listed at #6 AT #3 Twins. So it seems the division winner does get the automatic 3 seed and homefield. Although on re-read of the original post I see you might have been focused purely in terms of WC in case we somehow lost division.

SomewhereInTime · September 20, 2023

1 hour ago, formerlybis said:

Getting back to magic number talk, let's discuss clinching a playoff spot....

There are 3 teams currently on the outside of the WC race that the Brewers have not yet closed out - Miami, Cincy, and SF.

The magic number for Miami is 5 - sort of. If Milw wins just one of its remaining 3 games with the Marlins, the Brewers would win the season series and thus own the tiebreaker. So, if the Brewers entered that series still at magic number 5 (perish the thought), winning that one game would bring it down to 2.

For Cincy, it is now 3, and for SF it's 4 by virtue of SF having the tiebreaker.

If you're wondering about the #1 WC spot (because they get to host, too), we are concerned with Philly and Az - we know our magic number is 6 with Chicago. We have a magic number of 8 with Philly and 7 with SF.

So, to summarize the magic numbers: Division: 6, any WC: 5, #1 WC: 8.

It just gets too confusing when you try to do a magic number for a WC spot especially with today's postseason rules allowing so many teams in. Better to worry about winning something. Winning the division means you're champions and is worthy of a magic number. Making the postseason isn't winning anything.

formerlybis · September 20, 2023

24 minutes ago, tmwiese55 said:

Surprising the #3 division winner wouldn't automatically get the home field. Have you checked that?

I just assumed it would be that way, thinking about it I suppose it will come up in the AL this year for sure since MN is much worse than the #2 team in the AL East.

ETA: quick find on MLB.com with a 'current playoff bracket' setup and it has it listed at #6 AT #3 Twins. So it seems the division winner does get the automatic 3 seed and homefield. Although on re-read of the original post I see you might have been focused purely in terms of WC in case we somehow lost division.

Sorry if I made it confusing. Yes, #3 hosts the last WC (#6). The first WC also hosts the second WC - this is probably where the confusion set in because I labeled it as #1 WC, which is really the 4-seed.

So, to get the 3-seed, the magic number is 6. That’s the focus of this thread.

We will probably clinch a playoff spot before we do that, though, and I was working through the magic numbers for that.

HarryDoyle · September 20, 2023

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Brewcrew82 · September 21, 2023

Braves losing has been the best thing for the Brewers. Now, the Braves will actually want to win against the Cubs next week to wrap up home field advantage over the Dodgers, thereby increasing the chances of clinching the division before that final series.