At some point in the next few days the Chicago Cubs are going clinch the National League Central. Perhaps the champagne will have been popped by the time you read this article. But with the inevitability of a division title established some time ago, a debate has already begun online. There’s a fear shared by some that the Northsiders will have won too soon. These fans say an extended period of meaningless games will leave Joe Maddon’s team rusty for the postseason.
The best way to examine if an early playoff berth can hurt a club’s postseason prospects is to examine the last few World Series victors.