Wild card has cut need for a playoff

This is the first time in American League history that a playoff game is not being held to break a first-place tie. Since the wild card became part of the postseason format in 1995, there has been only one tie for first place in an AL division. That was in 1995, when the Mariners and Angels tied in the AL West with records of 78-66 (the schedule was only 144 games because of a work stoppage). The Mariners won, 9-1, in a one-game playoff that eliminated the Angels. In 1978, the Red Sox and Yankees tied in the AL East with records of 99-63; the Sox lost a one-game playoff to the Yankees, 5-4. In 1948, the Sox and Indians tied for the AL pennant with records of 96-58; the Sox lost a one-game playoff to the Indians, 8-3.

Why didn't the Sox and Yankees, who finished this season with 95-67 records, have a one-game playoff to determine the division champion? Because Major League Baseball rules stipulate that in the event of a tie, regular-season head-to-head records determine the winner when both teams are assured of a playoff spot. But if the wild-card race is affected, a playoff game would have been necessary. Once Cleveland lost to the White Sox on Saturday, eliminating the possibility of a three-way tie, the Yankees were declared winners of the AL East on the basis of a better record against the Sox (10-9). Had there been a three-way tie, the Sox and Yankees would have had a one-game playoff in Yankee Stadium today, with the loser facing the Indians tomorrow.

In the wild-card era in the National League, the Astros and Cardinals had identical records of 93-69 in 2001, but the Astros were awarded the NL Central title on the basis of a 9-7 record against the Cardinals, who qualified as the wild card. Playoff games were held in 1998 (Cubs beat the Giants) and 1999 (Mets beat the Reds) to determine the wild-card entry.

In 1996, the Dodgers were tied with the Padres in the NL West going into the final game of the season in LA against the Padres. But because they already were assured of a playoff spot, the Dodgers used starting pitcher Ramon Martinez for just one inning and lost to the Padres in 11 innings, 2-0. Dodgers catcher Mike Piazza summarized the lack of drama connected with the finale when he said, ''What does the winner get, a fruit basket?" Both teams, incidentally, were swept in the first round of the playoffs.

GORDON EDES