But because the two halves of the season were independent of one another, the winner of the first half had no real incentive to try to win the second half as well (since, unlike in the minor leagues, if the same team did win both halves it was not given a bye into the next round), and a team that won neither half could have actually had the best overall record in the division; indeed, the latter actually occurred, as the Cincinnati Reds and the St. Louis Cardinals had the two best won-lost records (in both halves of the season combined) in the National League West and East respectively, with the Reds having the best overall winning percentage in all of Major League Baseball, yet neither advanced to the playoffs because they finished second in their divisions in each half.
However, this expanded playoff format did not return until the following year, because a players' strike, which began on August 12, 1994, led to the cancellation of that season's playoffs and World Series (and caused the 1995 regular season to have 18 fewer games for each team than the standard 162 [for a total of 144 games]).
In addition to earning home-field advantage throughout the entire playoffs, they were allowed to choose their schedule for the series.
[6] A revised playoff system was utilized beginning with the 2012 season, which added a second wild-card team for each league.
[7] The 2020 postseason was modified from its usual format due to the temporary expansion of the playoffs for the 60-game regular season.
Each of the four matchups were played in consecutive days at neutral sites, with the usual 2–2–1 structure used to determine the designated home teams.
Teams with large national fan followings like the New York Yankees are almost always scheduled to play in prime time at 8 p.m. ET/5 p.m. PT to generate the highest TV ratings.
As a result, West Coast teams generally have to play on the road in the afternoon, when many of their fans are unable to watch the game because they are at work or school.
However, in 1995, (as aforementioned, the 1994 series was not played due to the strike), the Division and League Championship Series was aired by the league's television operation, The Baseball Network, a joint syndication package between ABC and NBC.