An ode to the GB column in standings

First, they got rid of the LOOGY with the three-batter minimum rule. Then, because of the pandemic-shortened season, the designated hitter was added to the National League and doubleheaders were turned into seven-inning games.

MLB has expanded the playoffs and will determine postseason qualifications based on winning percentage because not all teams will be able to play 60 games.

So long games back and magic numbers, hello magic percentage points?

With all of baseball’s complicated numbers of ERA, OPS, WAR, WHIP, the standings have been the one constant in baseball since professional leagues were formed. The column for games back just simplified everything.

It cut to the chase — one team led another team by this many games.

It didn’t matter if one team had played more or less than the other, it was a simplified way of looking at how one team was doing compared to the team leading the league.

Sure, after 162 games it’s easy to see the difference between teams, but during the season when one team might have a day off or another may have played two or three more games than another, it’s the go-to column of the standings.

It’s also one of the first algebra problems sports-mad children can learn.

To calculate games back, the formula is ((aW-bW)-(aL-bL))/2 in that the first-place team’s wins and losses (aW, aL) are subtracted by the second-place team’s wins and losses (bW, bL) and the difference is divided by two.

So while the Cubs lead the NL Central, before the start of Friday’s games, with a record of 22-15, the Cardinals trail by 3 1/2 games with a record of 14-14, or (22-14)-(14-15)/2 equals 3.5.

MLB still shows the games back on its online standings page, along with WCGB (games out of the last playoff spot), L10 (record over the last 10 games), STRK (the streak of wins or losses), RS and RA (runs scored and allowed), X-W/L (expected wins and losses based on the runs differential), and, records for home and away games.

Really all that matters is how many wins a team can pick up before the end of this month.

With every team trying to squeeze in as many games as possible, the doubleheader has made a resurgence, albeit shortened. Friday saw 20 games on the MLB schedule for just the 23rd time ever and first since 1974.

Eight teams from both leagues will advance and seeded based on winning percentage (just in case they all don’t finish with 60 games).

Like past seasons since 2012, there will be four rounds in the postseason — a best-of-three Wild Card Series, a best-of-five Division Series and a best-of-seven League Championship Series leading to the best-of-seven World Series.

Before another shortened season way back in 1994, during which no postseason was held, there was only four teams that made the playoffs and a best-of-7 League Championship Series. It was that way with the exception of a wacky 1981 season since 1969. From 1903 to 1968, the league champions advanced straight to the World Series.

Weird, right?

Before there was such a thing as a World Series, that’s how one league crowned a champion.

The St. Louis Browns won the American Association five times until the Brooklyn Bridegrooms edged them by two games in 1889. The Browns had a pitcher named Ice Box Chamberlain who won 32 games but didn’t lead the team in wins or complete games despite finishing 44 of his 51 starts.

There was no such thing as a LOOGY back then, a left-handed pitcher who would face one batter. Pitchers pitched.

That season saw the Bridegrooms play 137 games, finishing 93-44, while St. Louis (90-45) played 135.

I guess what’s old is new again.