How much do you care about winning the division?

[Billy F-Face3]

Over the past few seasons the World Series teams have been Wild Card teams and the division winners with the best records had a bye, but got knocked out by the wild card teams. 

The Orioles experienced this 1st hand in 2023.

This season the Orioles are in a division pennant race against the Yankees, much the same way they were against the Rays last season. 

If it were a race against the Rays again, I'd probably think the Wild Card would serve us better for the Playoffs. Hitters need their timing & practice, and pitchers need their routines.

But I hate losing to the Yankees on anything. It's a pride thing that we would want to beat out the Yankees to defend the AL East Championship.

How does everyone else see this? Is it better to be a Wild Card team in the playoffs?

[DirtyBird]

I would like to win the division

[Sports Guy]

I’d prefer to win it but I’m more interested in acquiring better pitchers and getting the roster to its best position going into the playoffs. 

[Spy Fox]

A lot. It’s still an advantage and I hate the Yankees. 

[LGOrioles]

I’d still much rather win the Division. Take your off days and set up the rotation how you want to. But mainly, I’ll take a freebie to the ALDS versus risking losing in the Wildcard. Anything can happen even if Wildcard winners have fared well recently. 

[Billy F-Face3]

2 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I’d prefer to win it but I’m more interested in acquiring better pitchers and getting the roster to its best position going into the playoffs. 

Agreed, especially if this is the only season we will have Corbin Burnes to pitch for us.

[emmett16]

Win the division.  To want/desire anything else is stupidity.  

[Orioles West]

American League East Champions is one of my favorite combination of words on the planet, but World Champions is the preferred title. I care about winning the division, but if we get to the Fall Classic as a Wild Card, I’m all for it.

[Spy Fox]

I also think, postseason accomplishments being equal, division titles “age” better as accomplishments. The goal is the World Series but no matter how many World Series they win, I’d rather look back on this run and say something like “they won 4 AL Easts and 2 Wild Cards berths” as opposed to “they went to the playoffs 6 times including 2 division titles.”

[Just Regular]

Our recency bias of waiting then flopping influences us, but it really is a big advantage in the current setup.

The Orioles and Yankees do seem clearly the league's two best teams and one will begin with nearly double the odds.

A TEX-NYY ALWC series while BAL waits in the ALDS would stir up some feelings around here.

Corbin Burnes will take care of Corey Seager easy peasy, right?

[Malike]

I want them to win the world series, I don't care how they get there.

[allquixotic]

I don't have any stock in wild card winner "trends" or whatever; it's such a small sample size and it doesn't really mean much that recent WC teams have gone to the World Series.

Win the division. Do it, do it, do it. If we can't, and we have a WC berth, that's a Plan B if things don't go as well as they could in the regular season.

This does not mean I'm unhappy with the team's performance when we're 38-20 and 2.5 games out of first place, and 2.5 games out of being the best team in the AL.

But, I can be happy and wish for more at the same time. I am, and I do.

Of course I think we need to be buyers and shore up some weaknesses. Having some relatively fresh pen arms for the playoffs would be huge.

Edited June 4 by allquixotic

[OsFanSinceThe80s]

I'd like to win the division, but I want the team to be ready for the playoffs which likely means trading for a couple pitchers. The Yankees are going to win a lot of game so finishing second in the AL East isn't the worst thing in the world.

I want to see this team advance in the playoffs this year and at least get to the ALCS.

Edited June 4 by OsFanSinceThe80s

[Can_of_corn]

I'd rather they did but I won't obsess over it,

[oriolediehard]

I definitely want to win the division and more so that the Yankees don't win it. But the bye week may hurt the O's.