With the 2015 season winding down, the Asheville Tourists have once again put themselves in contention for a playoff spot and a chance at another South Atlantic League championship.
For Asheville for make the post-season they need to either win the Southern division in second half outright or win the wild card. Savannah won the Southern division in the first half. If Savannah wins the second half as well, the wild card then comes into play.
FAQs:
What if the Tourists win the Southern division in the second half?
–Asheville will make the playoffs.
What if Savannah wins the Southern division in the second half?
–Since Savannah also won the Southern division in the first half, the second playoff team will go to the Wild Card team in the Southern division.
How is the Wild Card team determined?
–The Wild Card team will be the team with the second best overall winning percentage (behind Savannah); first and second half records combined.
Who is still alive in the Southern division Wild Card race?
–Asheville, Greenville, Augusta, and Charleston.
Assuming Savannah wins the second half, what happens if two or more teams have the same winning percentage for the Wild Card race at the end of the season?
–The team with the best head-to-head record throughout the season will be awarded the Wild Card. If the head-to-head record is the same, the next tiebreaker is bettersecond half record against Southern division opponents.
Of the teams vying for the Wild Card, who does Asheville hold the better/worse head-to-head record against?
–Asheville holds a better head-to-head record against Greenville and Charleston. They have a worse head-to-head record against Augusta.
What if Asheville finishes tied for second with another team in games behind Savannah, but they haven’t played the same number of games as the team they tied with due to rainouts and cancellations?
–In that case, the Wild Card spot will still be awarded to the team with the best winning percentage throughout the season.
If the Tourists make the playoffs, when will they play at McCormick Field?
– Asheville will host Game 1 of the Southern division series on Wednesday, September 9. If the Tourists make it to the SAL Championship Series, they will host Game 3 on Thursday, September 17 and Games 4 and 5 if necessary on Friday, September 18 and Saturday, September 19.