The model is the 2015 Houston Astros. Or maybe it’s the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals, or the 2005 San Diego Padres, or even the 1981 Royals.
You remember that team, right? They made the playoffs despite a 50-53 record in a strike-shortened season 36 years ago, the standard bearer for a team sneaking into the postseason. That was a strange year, of course. The players’ strike interrupted most of June and July. The owners elected to split the season, with the first-half winners facing the second-half victors in a best-of-five division series. The Royals, who finished 20-30 in the first half, took advantage of the bizarre setup, finishing 30-23 and snagging a playoff spot before bowing out to the Oakland A’s in three games.