Playoffs Guide

Who makes the playoffs?

The top two teams from each division make the playoffs - the division winner and the runner-up. Tiebreaker rules are based on the following:

       * Won-lost record
       * Won-lost record against division teams
       * Runs scored
       * Runs scored against division teams
       * Coin flip

The Playoff Model

CSFBL uses a three-round playoff model. Each round is a 7-game series (i.e. first team to win 4 games wins the round). There are off-days between Games 2 and 3 as well as between Games 5 and 6.

       * Division Championship: Each division winner plays the runner-up in that division. The division winner has home-field advantage.
       * League Championship: The winners of the first round in each "association" (divisions 1 and 2, and divisions 3 and 4, are grouped) pair up. Home-field advantage goes to the team with the best won-lost record (using the same tiebreaker rules as outlined above), excluding playoff games.
       * World Series: The two winners of the second round pair off in the World Series. Home-field advantage goes to the team with the best won-lost record (using the same tiebreaker rules as outlined above), excluding playoff games.

Pitching rotations

When your team makes the playoffs, here are some guidelines for managing your pitching rotation.

• If you have not adjusted your pitching rotation during the regular season. When the playoffs start, Division Championship Game 1 will use your SP1 pitcher, Game 2 SP2, Game 3 SP3, Game 4 SP4, and so on. But if you did change it, you'll need to make sure your rotation is setup before the playoffs begin.
  
• When you advance to the next round, your rotation picks off where it ended in the previous round. So for example, say your team sweeps (4-0) the Division Championship round using pitchers SP1, SP2, SP3, and SP4. In Game 1 of the League Championship round, SP5 will be used. Or if your series ends after 7 games, your Game 1 starter in the League Championship round will be SP3.
  
• Because the playoffs are so competitive, it is possible and perfectly legal to use a 3-man rotation. Most starters can recover to full strength or very close to it on 3 complete days of rest. CSFBL currently doesn't allow you to select your rotation size, however you can do this manually with great success. For example, move your game 1 starter (usually SP1) to SP4 as soon as his start is completed, then move Game 2 starter (usually SP2) to SP5, and so on. Use your worst pitchers to fill in the other starter pitcher roles (which if you manipulate things right, they will never pitch). Things will turn out to look this way in a 7 game series (assuming all of your starters are able to pitch on schedule), guaranteeing your ace 3 starts and the other two starters 2 starts:
  
  Game 1: SP1 (your ace)
  Game 2: SP2 (your 2nd best starter)
  Off Day
  Game 3: SP3 (your 3rd best starter)
  Game 4: SP4 (your ace)
  Game 5: SP5 (your 2nd best starter)
  Off Day
  Game 6: SP1 (your 3rd best starter)
  Game 7: SP2 (your ace)
  
  
• Special note if you use a 3-man rotation: throw your other starters into the bullpen. If you have closer problems, maybe throw your 4th starter as closer. Or if you have a closer, move the extra starters to fill long and middle relief roles just in case your playoff starters falter.