Every game, the old chestnut goes, counts the same in the standings. And this is true. Baseball gives no additional weight to extra-inning games, blowouts or comebacks. Each is 1/162nd of an expertly divided pie.
The next two weeks' worth of games, though? They are different. Even the strictest adherents to the they-all-count-equally crowd will admit as much. That especially goes in 2019, when Major League Baseball's playoff picture consists of a few have-lots, a vast majority of have-somes and six distinct have-nots. These games, executives this week said, will serve as the impetus for those in-the-muddled-middle teams to cast their lot.