Let’s begin with this as a guiding principle: any team that makes the postseason can win the World Series. That’s just the nature of baseball, a sport where even the worst teams win four out of every ten games. But now, thanks to MLB’s recent expansion of the postseason field, we have a further proposition to consider: any team that merely hovers around .500 for most of the season has a shot at making the playoffs.
As the theory goes, giving more teams a shot at the postseason keeps more fans engaged and makes a for a more exciting fan viewing experience.