Baseball's confused wild card system

Dear Joel, By now, the New York Mets would've clinched their division with only 84 wins (in reality, they clinched last weekend with 88). In the NL Central, it took 100 wins out of 159 games for the Cardinals to clinch theirs. The Chicago Cubs, who have the third best record in all of Major League Baseball and would've clinched any other division by...

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NFL Quartz Ball

First of all, I know it doesn't make much sense, but I completely agree with you about the AFC and the DH in baseball. I don't know that I had ever consciously made the connection in my own mind before, but as I read your reasoning for disliking the AFC, it was like words were being put to my own thoughts. Secondly, as I've grown in love for baseball...

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The NFL Crystal Ball

It's week two so I have an advantage. I'm going to get the AFC out of the way.  I don't like the AFC.  I think it's because, get this, no really, this is actually my reason I think, I hate the designated hitter.  Really, the DH is not for people who love baseball, it's for people who love action movies.  Since the DH is an American...

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The Big Game

Dear Joel, I was going to begin by apologizing for missing my post last week, but it appears you've missed your posts for the last two weeks, so maybe I don't need to. If I'm not mistaken, today is your 10th wedding anniversary, so CONGRATULATIONS to you and your wonderful wife, Pam. I was thinking about you both yesterday because I have a co-worker...

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Is this called having a fetish?

Dear Joel, In a few hours I'll be on a flight to Connecticut to have an on-site meeting with one of my customers. It's my fourth trip to the same location in the last 12 months. I like traveling, but I've discovered that I don't love it when it's for work. Having said that, I think I'd enjoy traveling for work a little more if I got to visit a different customer...

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Four Eyes

Dear Jake, I have to start by saying that your response to my question from my previous post leaves me wondering if you understood the tongue-in-cheek nature with which I was asking.  I was not-so-subtly hinting that I think it would be wonderful if you, your wife, and my niece moved over my way.  Though it's in all ways selfish I do think...

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I'm Edumacated

Dear Joel, There's an episode of The West Wing in which Sam Seaborn says, "Education is the silver bullet. Education is everything. We don't need little changes, we need gigantic, monumental changes. Schools should be palaces. The competition for the best teachers should be fierce. They should be making six-figure salaries. Schools should...

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