Dummies guide: British Baseball leagues in 2012
In the past there have been a few inconsistencies with how the senior league system works here in British baseball, as there is the possibility for promotion and relegation, which is quite apart from the Major Leagues in America, while on occasion up to half the teams across the leagues, and up to 80 per cent of some divisions, have qualified for the playoffs.
In 2012 that won’t be much different, although there are more teams in the senior divisions which brings down the percentage of post-season attendees. Most junior sides will still qualify for the end-of-season action I believe, depending on whether there is the possibility to play playoff fixtures before the NYBCs in September.
Starting with the NBL, the league is back to one division, so the top two teams will qualify for the NBCs and the next four will playoff for the other two spaces, with third place taking on sixth, fourth playing fifth, in a one-game elimination contest. It means that 75 per cent of the sides will make the post-season, as opposed to 60 per cent last year, but this is due to a couple fewer teams rather than more playoff places.
In AAA the current situation is less clear, although it would make sense that:
In the North, the top team qualifies for the NBCs, while second and third playoff for the other place
In the South, the winners of the divisions play against second place in the opposite group to make up the two qualifiers
There was rumour that the top team from AAA North might be a qualifier for the NBL’s Championship weekend, but that remains to be seen. It could be harsh if they win the division and then fall at the first hurdle in a league higher than the one they have competed in all season, but at the same time it will give teams such as the Liverpool Trojans a chance to demonstrate the strength of the sport at their club. The Trojans were only beaten by an all-star NBL team at the London Tournament last season, and remained undefeated in BBF competition during 2011.
If this were to take place then it would mean that there would only be one additional place available for the NBL teams after the top two qualify, so third would play fourth and it’d be reduced to 50 per cent of the sides making the playoffs, a more reasonable number, especially if then second and third place in AAA North took the NBC positions – again, 50 per cent from that division taking a post-season berth. This would match up to AAA South, and everything’s hunky-dory.
In AA North, the top two of six qualify for the regional playoffs, playing conversely against their opposite numbers from the AA Midlands division, while the teams finishing third and fourth would play against the Midlanders for the right to represent the area in Single-A, the same as last year. It provides a 67 per cent chance to make a playoff place in the AA North division (made up of six teams) and an 80 per cent chance from AA Midlands (five teams), but it remains a decent way to pick a winner to go through to the NBCS.
AA South will be the same as AAA South, with the winners and second place teams taking part in a playoff weekend. A more MLB-esque percentage of playoff places are available in AA South, at 29. However, following the strength of baseball at this level last year, and the extended three-day NBC weekend, there’s a case to be made that more teams from the divisions could play in semi-finals and finals at the NBCs, similar to AAA and NBL-ball.
And, like the other southern divisions, Single-A will playoff against their regional opponents to take the right to represent the region against the best from the North and Midlands leagues. Again, a more exciting 36 per cent of sides will make the playoffs from this league, making it extra special to earn a position in August baseball.
At the moment this is just my understanding of the playoff system and how the league formats will work, but there may be changes during the year based on unforeseen circumstances.