Chris Russo argued vociferously that the Yankees MUST enter the playoffs with home-field advantage if they have any hope of beating the ‘Stros in the best-of-seven series and making it to the World Series. Is he right?
Many if not most sports analysts, whether it be football, basketball, or baseball, believe that teams tend to play significantly better at home than on the road. This year in baseball, for example, the Chicago Cubs have a home record of 44-21 (.677 winning percentage) and an away record of only 25-39 (a dismal .391 winning percentage). In the case of the Cubbies, the difference between their home and road records is considerable.