National League Division Series
Encyclopedia
In Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball
Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

, the National League Division Series (NLDS) determine which two teams from the National League
National League
The National League of Professional Baseball Clubs, known simply as the National League , is the older of two leagues constituting Major League Baseball, and the world's oldest extant professional team sports league. Founded on February 2, 1876, to replace the National Association of Professional...

 will advance to the National League Championship Series
National League Championship Series
In Major League Baseball, the National League Championship Series is a round in the postseason that determines who wins the National League pennant and advances to Major League Baseball's championship, the World Series, facing the winner of the American League Championship Series. The reigning...

. The Division Series consist of two best-of-five series, featuring the three division winners and a wild-card
Wild card (sports)
The term wild card refers broadly to a tournament or playoff berth awarded to an individual or team that has not qualified through normal play.-International sports:...

 team.

History

The Division Series was implemented in 1981 as a result of a midseason strike with first place teams before the strike taking on the first place teams after. After 1993, it was implemented for good when Major League Baseball restructured each league into three divisions, but their next playing was in 1995 due to the cancellation of the 1994 playoffs. Previously, because of a players' strike in 1981
1981 in baseball
-Major League Baseball:*World Series: Los Angeles Dodgers over New York Yankees ; Ron Cey, Pedro Guerrero, and Steve Yeager, co-MVPsNOTE: Due to a strike in mid-season, the season was divided into a first half and a second half...

, a split-season format forced a divisional playoff series, in which the Montreal Expos
1981 Montreal Expos season
The Montreal Expos made it to the postseason for the only time in franchise history. The season was separated into two halves due to the 1981 Major League Baseball strike.- Offseason :...

 won the Eastern Division series over the Philadelphia Phillies
1981 Philadelphia Phillies season
The Philadelphia Phillies' 1981 season was a season in American baseball.- Offseason :* November 25, 1980: Rick Schu was signed as an amateur free agent by the Phillies....

 three games to two while the Los Angeles Dodgers
1981 Los Angeles Dodgers season
The Los Angeles Dodgers season got off to a strong start when rookie pitcher Fernando Valenzuela pitched a shutout on opening day, starting the craze that came to be known as "Fernandomania." Fernando went on to win both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards.The season was divided into two...

 beat the Houston Astros
1981 Houston Astros season
The Houston Astros' 1981 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Houston Astros attempting to win the National League West.- Offseason :* December 4, 1980: Don Sutton was signed as a free agent by the Astros....

 three games to two in the Western Division. The team with the best overall record in the major leagues, the Cincinnati Reds
1981 Cincinnati Reds season
The Cincinnati Reds' 1981 season consisted of the Reds finishing with an overall record of 66-42 the National League West, putting them in first place. However, due to a split-season format, caused by a mid-season players' strike, they failed to make the MLB Playoffs that year...

, failed to win their division in either half of that season and were controversially excluded, as were the St. Louis Cardinals
1981 St. Louis Cardinals season
The St. Louis Cardinals 1981 season was the team's 100th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 90th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 59-43 during the season and finished second in the National League East in the first and second halves of the season...

, who finished with the NL's second-best record. The Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....

 have currently played in the most NL division series with eleven appearances. One team has yet to play in an NL division series, the Pittsburgh Pirates
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pittsburgh Pirates are a Major League Baseball club based in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. They play in the Central Division of the National League, and are five-time World Series Champions...

. The Washington Nationals
Washington Nationals
The Washington Nationals are a professional baseball team based in Washington, D.C. The Nationals are a member of the Eastern Division of the National League of Major League Baseball . The team moved into the newly built Nationals Park in 2008, after playing their first three seasons in RFK Stadium...

 also have only appeared as the Montreal Expos.

Format

Since 1998, the wild-card team has been assigned to play the division winner with the best winning percentage in one series, and the other two division winners meet in the other series. However, if the wild-card team and the division winner with the best record are from the same division, the wild-card team plays the division winner with the second-best record, and the remaining two division leaders play. The two series winners move on to the best-of-seven NLCS. The winner of the wild card has won the first round 7 out of the 11 years since the re-alignment and creation of the NLDS. According to Nate Silver
Nate Silver
Nathaniel Read "Nate" Silver is an American statistician, psephologist, and writer. Silver first gained public recognition for developing PECOTA, a system for forecasting the performance and career development of Major League Baseball players, which he sold to and then managed for Baseball...

, the advent of this playoff series, and especially of the wild card, has caused teams to focus more on "getting to the playoffs" rather than "winning the pennant" as the primary goal of the regular season.

Currently, the Division Series follows a 2-2-1 format. The higher seed plays at home in Games 1 and 2. The lower seed plays at home in Game 3 and Game 4 (if necessary). If a Game 5 is needed, the teams return to the higher seed's field.

Historically, MLB had also used a 2-3 format in a best-of-5 series, but no longer uses that format.

There is currently no award for the Most Valuable Player of the Division Series.

Frequent matchups

Count Matchup Record Years
5 Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....

 vs. Houston Astros
Houston Astros
The Houston Astros are a Major League Baseball team located in Houston, Texas. They are a member of the National League Central division. The Astros are expected to join the American League West division in 2013. Since , they have played their home games at Minute Maid Park, known as Enron Field...

Braves, 3-2 1997
1997 National League Division Series
-Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves:-San Francisco vs. Florida:The San Francisco Giants made it back to the postseason for the first time since the 1989 World Series. The Florida Marlins were in the postseason for the first time ever.-Game 1, September 30:...

, 1999
1999 National League Division Series
-Arizona Diamondbacks vs. New York Mets:-Game 1, October 5:Turner Field in Atlanta, GeorgiaA pitcher's duel between Shane Reynolds and Greg Maddux highlighted Game 1. The Astros struck first in the top of the second when Tony Eusebio singled in Carl Everett. Gerald Williams would tie the game in...

, 2001
2001 National League Division Series
-Arizona Diamondbacks vs. St. Louis Cardinals:-Houston vs. Atlanta:The Atlanta Braves won their tenth straight division title, despite having the worst record among playoff teams. With that record, 2001 was also the Braves' worst season since 1990, when they had the worst record in baseball...

, 2004
2004 National League Division Series
-Atlanta Braves vs. Houston Astros:-Game 1, October 5:Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriOdalis Perez faced Woody Williams in Game 1. Albert Pujols got the Cardinals started with a solo homer to make it 1–0 in the first. Then in the third, Perez reached his limit after surrendering five two-out...

, 2005
2005 National League Division Series
-Atlanta Braves vs. Houston Astros:-Game 1, October 4:Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriIt was a matchup between Jake Peavy and eventual 2005 Cy Young Award winner Chris Carpenter. In the bottom of the first, Jim Edmonds's one-out solo homer put the Cardinals up 1–0...

3 San Diego Padres
San Diego Padres
The San Diego Padres are a Major League Baseball team based in San Diego, California. They play in the National League Western Division. Founded in 1969, the Padres have won the National League Pennant twice, in 1984 and 1998, losing in the World Series both times...

 vs. St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...

Cardinals, 3-0 1996
1996 National League Division Series
-Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers:-Game 1, October 1:Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriThe Cardinals and Padres began their rivalry in this series. The Cardinals' first of three postseason victories against the Padres took place here. Their dominance is overwhelming to the tune of only one...

, 2005
2005 National League Division Series
-Atlanta Braves vs. Houston Astros:-Game 1, October 4:Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriIt was a matchup between Jake Peavy and eventual 2005 Cy Young Award winner Chris Carpenter. In the bottom of the first, Jim Edmonds's one-out solo homer put the Cardinals up 1–0...

, 2006
2006 National League Division Series
-San Diego Padres vs. St. Louis Cardinals:-New York vs. Los Angeles:The series seemed over for the Mets before it even started, first by losing ace Pedro Martínez for the postseason and then losing probable Game 1 starter Orlando Hernández. Despite having a potent offense, many people didn't seem...

2 St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...

 vs. Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...

Tied, 1-1 2001
2001 National League Division Series
-Arizona Diamondbacks vs. St. Louis Cardinals:-Houston vs. Atlanta:The Atlanta Braves won their tenth straight division title, despite having the worst record among playoff teams. With that record, 2001 was also the Braves' worst season since 1990, when they had the worst record in baseball...

, 2002
2002 National League Division Series
-Arizona Diamondbacks vs. St. Louis Cardinals:-Atlanta vs. San Francisco:The Atlanta Braves had won their eleventh straight division title. The San Francisco Giants were making their third appearance in the postseason since 1997...

2 Florida Marlins
Florida Marlins
The Miami Marlins are a professional baseball team based in Miami, Florida, United States. Established in 1993 as an expansion franchise called the Florida Marlins, the Marlins are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Marlins played their home games at...

 vs. San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....

Marlins, 2-0 1997
1997 National League Division Series
-Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves:-San Francisco vs. Florida:The San Francisco Giants made it back to the postseason for the first time since the 1989 World Series. The Florida Marlins were in the postseason for the first time ever.-Game 1, September 30:...

, 2003
2003 National League Division Series
-San Francisco Giants vs. Florida Marlins:-Game 1, September 30:Turner Field in Atlanta, GeorgiaIn Game 1, Kerry Wood faced Russ Ortiz. Both pitchers were on their game and in the bottom of the third the Braves struck first when Marcus Giles homered to make it 1–0 Braves. The score remained 1–0...

2 Chicago Cubs
Chicago Cubs
The Chicago Cubs are a professional baseball team located in Chicago, Illinois. They are members of the Central Division of Major League Baseball's National League. They are one of two Major League clubs based in Chicago . The Cubs are also one of the two remaining charter members of the National...

 vs. Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....

Tied, 1-1 1998
1998 National League Division Series
-Houston Astros vs. San Diego Padres:-Game 1, September 30:Turner Field in Atlanta, GeorgiaThe Braves faced the Chicago Cubs, who made it into the playoffs by beating the San Francisco Giants in a tiebreaker for the Wild Card spot. The Braves had sixteen more regular season wins and it showed in...

, 2003
2003 National League Division Series
-San Francisco Giants vs. Florida Marlins:-Game 1, September 30:Turner Field in Atlanta, GeorgiaIn Game 1, Kerry Wood faced Russ Ortiz. Both pitchers were on their game and in the bottom of the third the Braves struck first when Marcus Giles homered to make it 1–0 Braves. The score remained 1–0...

2 St. Louis Cardinals
St. Louis Cardinals
The St. Louis Cardinals are a professional baseball team based in St. Louis, Missouri. They are members of the Central Division in the National League of Major League Baseball. The Cardinals have won eleven World Series championships, the most of any National League team, and second overall only to...

 vs. Los Angeles Dodgers
Los Angeles Dodgers
The Los Angeles Dodgers are a professional baseball team based in Los Angeles, California. The Dodgers are members of Major League Baseball's National League West Division. Established in 1883, the team originated in Brooklyn, New York, where it was known by a number of nicknames before becoming...

Tied, 1-1 2004
2004 National League Division Series
-Atlanta Braves vs. Houston Astros:-Game 1, October 5:Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriOdalis Perez faced Woody Williams in Game 1. Albert Pujols got the Cardinals started with a solo homer to make it 1–0 in the first. Then in the third, Perez reached his limit after surrendering five two-out...

, 2009
2009 National League Division Series
The National League Division Series consisted of two concurrent best-of-five game series that determined the participating teams in the 2009 National League Championship Series. Three divisional winners and a "wild card" team played in the two series. The NLDS began on Wednesday, October 7 and...

2 Philadelphia Phillies
Philadelphia Phillies
The Philadelphia Phillies are a Major League Baseball team. They are the oldest continuous, one-name, one-city franchise in all of professional American sports, dating to 1883. The Phillies are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League...

 vs. Colorado Rockies
Colorado Rockies
The Colorado Rockies are a Major League Baseball team based in Denver, Colorado. Established in 1991, they started play in 1993 and are in the West Division of the National League. The team is named after the Rocky Mountains...

Tied, 1-1 2007
2007 National League Division Series
-Philadelphia Phillies vs. Colorado Rockies:-Game 1, October 3:Chase Field in Phoenix, ArizonaEighteen-game winners Carlos Zambrano and Brandon Webb matched each other pitch for pitch in the opening game of the series. Stephen Drew's fourth-inning home run stood as the game's only run until Ryan...

, 2009
2009 National League Division Series
The National League Division Series consisted of two concurrent best-of-five game series that determined the participating teams in the 2009 National League Championship Series. Three divisional winners and a "wild card" team played in the two series. The NLDS began on Wednesday, October 7 and...

2 San Francisco Giants
San Francisco Giants
The San Francisco Giants are a Major League Baseball team based in San Francisco, California, playing in the National League West Division....

 vs. Atlanta Braves
Atlanta Braves
The Atlanta Braves are a professional baseball club based in Atlanta, Georgia. The Braves are a member of the Eastern Division of Major League Baseball's National League. The Braves have played in Turner Field since 1997....

Giants, 2-0 2002
2002 National League Division Series
-Arizona Diamondbacks vs. St. Louis Cardinals:-Atlanta vs. San Francisco:The Atlanta Braves had won their eleventh straight division title. The San Francisco Giants were making their third appearance in the postseason since 1997...

, 2010
2010 National League Division Series
The 2010 National League Division Series were two best-of-five game series to determine the participating teams in the 2010 National League Championship Series. The three divisional winners and a fourth team—a "Wild Card"—played in two series from October 6 to 11...


NLDS results

  • Team names link to the season in which each team played

2010
2010 National League Division Series
The 2010 National League Division Series were two best-of-five game series to determine the participating teams in the 2010 National League Championship Series. The three divisional winners and a fourth team—a "Wild Card"—played in two series from October 6 to 11...

San Francisco Giants
2010 San Francisco Giants season
The San Francisco Giants are an American Major League Baseball team. Their 2010 season marked their 128th year in Major League Baseball, and their fifty-third year in San Francisco since their move from New York following the 1957 season...

American League Division Series
American League Division Series
In Major League Baseball, the American League Division Series determines which two teams from the American League will advance to the American League Championship Series...

 (ALDS)
  • MLB division winners
    Major League Baseball division winners
    This is a list of division champions and wild-card winners in Major League Baseball.-Four-division alignment :*Team names link to the season in which each team playedYearAL EastAL WestNL EastNL West...

  • MLB postseason
    Major League Baseball postseason
    The Major League Baseball postseason is an elimination tournament held after the conclusion of Major League Baseball's regular season. It consists of one best-of-five series and two best-of-seven series...

  • List of American League pennant winners
  • List of National League pennant winners
  • List of World Series champions

  • External links

    The source of this article is wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.  The text of this article is licensed under the GFDL.
     
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    Year Winner Loser Wins Losses Notes
    1981
    1981 National League Division Series
    -Philadelphia Phillies vs. Montreal Expos:-Game 1, October 6:Astrodome in Houston, TexasFernando Valenzuela faced Nolan Ryan, a matchup worthy of a pitcher's duel. The game remained scoreless until the bottom of the sixth. Tony Scott singled home Terry Puhl to score the game's first run, but Steve...

    Montreal Expos
    1981 Montreal Expos season
    The Montreal Expos made it to the postseason for the only time in franchise history. The season was separated into two halves due to the 1981 Major League Baseball strike.- Offseason :...

     
    Philadelphia Phillies
    1981 Philadelphia Phillies season
    The Philadelphia Phillies' 1981 season was a season in American baseball.- Offseason :* November 25, 1980: Rick Schu was signed as an amateur free agent by the Phillies....

    3 2 Specially-formed series due to split-season format.
    Included first post-season games in Canada
    Los Angeles Dodgers
    1981 Los Angeles Dodgers season
    The Los Angeles Dodgers season got off to a strong start when rookie pitcher Fernando Valenzuela pitched a shutout on opening day, starting the craze that came to be known as "Fernandomania." Fernando went on to win both the Rookie of the Year and Cy Young Awards.The season was divided into two...

     
    Houston Astros
    1981 Houston Astros season
    The Houston Astros' 1981 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Houston Astros attempting to win the National League West.- Offseason :* December 4, 1980: Don Sutton was signed as a free agent by the Astros....

    3 2
    1994 Not held due to player strike.
    1995
    1995 National League Division Series
    -Cincinnati Reds vs. Los Angeles Dodgers:-Game 1, October 3:Coors Field in Denver, ColoradoGame 1 was a match-up between aces: Greg Maddux for the Atlanta Braves and Kevin Ritz for the Colorado Rockies. Ritz and Maddux worked their way out of minor trouble early on, but, in the top of the third,...

    Atlanta Braves
    1995 Atlanta Braves season
    The 1995 Atlanta Braves season was the 125th season in the history of the franchise and 30th season in the city of Atlanta. The team finished the strike-shortened season with a record of 90–54, the best in the National League, en route to winning the World Series. For the sixth straight season,...

     
    Colorado Rockies
    1995 Colorado Rockies season
    The Colorado Rockies' 1995 season was the 3rd for the Rockies. The team competed in the National League West, finishing with a record of 77-67, 2nd in the division. This earned the Rockies the 1995 National League Wild Card, and a first round matchup in the playoffs against eventual World Series...

    3 1
    Cincinnati Reds
    1995 Cincinnati Reds season
    The Cincinnati Reds' 1995 season was a season in American baseball. It consisted of the Reds winning the National League Central, and the National League Division Series in three straight games over the Los Angeles Dodgers before losing the National League Championship Series in four games to the...

     
    Los Angeles Dodgers
    1995 Los Angeles Dodgers season
    The 1995 season was notable for the American baseball debut of Japanese pitcher Hideo Nomo. In his first season with the Dodgers after an accomplished career in the Japanese leagues, Nomo went 13-6 with an 2.54 ERA and a league leading 236 strikeouts...

    3 0
    1996
    1996 National League Division Series
    -Atlanta Braves vs. Los Angeles Dodgers:-Game 1, October 1:Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriThe Cardinals and Padres began their rivalry in this series. The Cardinals' first of three postseason victories against the Padres took place here. Their dominance is overwhelming to the tune of only one...

    Atlanta Braves
    1996 Atlanta Braves season
    -Offseason:* January 3, 1996: Jerome Walton was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.* January 9, 1996: Mike Kelly was traded by the Atlanta Braves to the Cincinnati Reds for a player to be named later and Chad Fox...

     
    Los Angeles Dodgers
    1996 Los Angeles Dodgers season
    The 1996 season saw the Dodgers remain atop the standings most of the season. However, long time manager Tommy Lasorda suffered a heart attack in mid-season and had to step down...

    3 0
    St. Louis Cardinals
    1996 St. Louis Cardinals season
    The St. Louis Cardinals 1996 season was the team's 115th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 105th season in the National League. During the first year of the William DeWitt, Jr. era, the Cardinals went 88-74 during the season and won their first-ever National League Central division title by...

     
    San Diego Padres
    1996 San Diego Padres season
    -Offseason:* October 28, 1995: Rico Rossy was signed as a Free Agent with the San Diego Padres.* November 29, 1995: Mike Sharperson signed as a Free Agent with the San Diego Padres....

    3 0
    1997
    1997 National League Division Series
    -Houston Astros vs. Atlanta Braves:-San Francisco vs. Florida:The San Francisco Giants made it back to the postseason for the first time since the 1989 World Series. The Florida Marlins were in the postseason for the first time ever.-Game 1, September 30:...

    Atlanta Braves
    1997 Atlanta Braves season
    -Offseason:*November 20, 1996: John Smoltz was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.* November 25, 1996: Paul Byrd was traded by the New York Mets with a player to be named later to the Atlanta Braves for Greg McMichael...

     
    Houston Astros
    1997 Houston Astros season
    The 1997 Houston Astros season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Houston Astros attempting to win the National League Central.-Opening Day starters:*Bobby Abreu*Brad Ausmus*Jeff Bagwell*Derek Bell*Sean Berry*Craig Biggio*Luis Gonzalez...

    3 0
    Florida Marlins
    1997 Florida Marlins season
    The 1997 Florida Marlins season started off with the team trying to improve on their record from 1996. Their manager was Jim Leyland. They played home games at Pro Player Stadium...

    San Francisco Giants
    1997 San Francisco Giants season
    -Offseason:*November 13, 1996: Matt Williams was traded by the San Francisco Giants with a player to be named later to the Cleveland Indians for a player to be named later, Jeff Kent, Julian Tavarez, and Jose Vizcaino. The Cleveland Indians sent Joe Roa to the San Francisco Giants to complete the...

    3 0
    1998
    1998 National League Division Series
    -Houston Astros vs. San Diego Padres:-Game 1, September 30:Turner Field in Atlanta, GeorgiaThe Braves faced the Chicago Cubs, who made it into the playoffs by beating the San Francisco Giants in a tiebreaker for the Wild Card spot. The Braves had sixteen more regular season wins and it showed in...

    Atlanta Braves
    1998 Atlanta Braves season
    -Offseason:*November 17, 1997: Walt Weiss was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.*January 30, 1998: Dennis Martinez was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.*February 6, 1998: Curtis Pride was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves....

     
    Chicago Cubs
    1998 Chicago Cubs season
    The Chicago Cubs season was a significant one for the team for several reasons. Firstly, it saw the Cubs reach the playoffs for the first time since 1989 by way of a Wild Card berth, which they clinched after winning a one-game playoff against the San Francisco Giants. The Cubs, however, would...

    3 0
    San Diego Padres
    1998 San Diego Padres season
    The San Diego Padres season was a Major League Baseball season. The Padres won the National League championship and advanced to the World Series for the second time in franchise history....

     
    Houston Astros
    1998 Houston Astros season
    The 1998 Houston Astros season marked their second consecutive trip to the postseason. It was the only time in history that the Astros had over 100 wins in a season...

    3 1
    1999
    1999 National League Division Series
    -Arizona Diamondbacks vs. New York Mets:-Game 1, October 5:Turner Field in Atlanta, GeorgiaA pitcher's duel between Shane Reynolds and Greg Maddux highlighted Game 1. The Astros struck first in the top of the second when Tony Eusebio singled in Carl Everett. Gerald Williams would tie the game in...

    Atlanta Braves
    1999 Atlanta Braves season
    -Offseason:*November 10, 1998: Bret Boone was traded by the Cincinnati Reds with Mike Remlinger to the Atlanta Braves for Rob Bell, Denny Neagle, and Michael Tucker.*December 1, 1998: Otis Nixon was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves....

     
    Houston Astros
    1999 Houston Astros season
    The 1999 Houston Astros season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Houston Astros attempting to win the National League Central.-Offseason:* November 17, 1998: Ken Caminiti was signed as a free agent by the Astros....

    3 1 Series included last two games played at Astrodome
    New York Mets
    1999 New York Mets season
    The New York Mets' 1999 season was the 38th regular season for the Mets. They went 96-66 and finished 2nd in the NL East but won the NL Wild Card by beating the Cincinnati Reds in a one game playoff. They were managed by Bobby Valentine...

    Arizona Diamondbacks
    1999 Arizona Diamondbacks season
    The 1999 Arizona Diamondbacks looked to improve on their 1998 expansion season. They looked to contend in what was a strong National League West Division. They finished the season with a highly surprising record of 100-62, good enough for the NL West division title. In the NLDS, however, they fell...

    3 1 Todd Pratt
    Todd Pratt
    Todd Alan Pratt is a former Major League Baseball catcher from 1992-2006. He has primarily served as a back-up catcher for most of his career....

     hit a home run in the 10th inning of Game 4 to win series for Mets
    2000
    2000 National League Division Series
    -St. Louis Cardinals vs. Atlanta Braves:-Game 1, October 4:Pacific Bell Park in San Francisco, CaliforniaGiants Pitcher Liván Hernández allowed one run and five hits over a inning effort, backed by a three-run home run by Ellis Burks as the Giants cruised to an easy 5–1 victory.-Game 2, October...

    St. Louis Cardinals
    2000 St. Louis Cardinals season
    The St. Louis Cardinals 2000 season was the team's 119th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 109th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 95-67 during the season and won the National League Central division by ten games over the Cincinnati Reds...

     
    Atlanta Braves
    2000 Atlanta Braves season
    The 2000 season would mark the first time since 1990 that the Braves did not appear in the National League Championship Series. One of the highlights of the season was that the All-Star Game was held at Turner Field in Atlanta.-Offseason:...

    3 0
    New York Mets
    2000 New York Mets season
    The New York Mets' 2000 season was the 39th regular season for the Mets. They went 94-68 and finished 2nd in the NL East, but earned the NL Wild Card. They made it to the World Series where they were defeated by their crosstown rival New York Yankees. They were managed by Bobby Valentine...

    San Francisco Giants
    2000 San Francisco Giants season
    The San Francisco Giants, an American baseball team, won the National League West Championship. The team played their first season in newly opened Pacific Bell Park.-Offseason:...

    3 1 Bobby Jones pitched a 1-hit shutout in Game 4 to clinch series for Mets
    2001
    2001 National League Division Series
    -Arizona Diamondbacks vs. St. Louis Cardinals:-Houston vs. Atlanta:The Atlanta Braves won their tenth straight division title, despite having the worst record among playoff teams. With that record, 2001 was also the Braves' worst season since 1990, when they had the worst record in baseball...

    Atlanta Braves
    2001 Atlanta Braves season
    The 2001 Atlanta Braves season saw the team finish first in the NL East Division with an 88-74 record - the worst among playoff teams in 2001, and also the worst for the Braves since 1990 , when they had the worst record in baseball.The Braves swept the favored Houston Astros in the NLDS before...

     
    Houston Astros
    2001 Houston Astros season
    The Houston Astros' 2001 season was a season in American baseball. It involved the Houston Astros successfully attempting to win the National League Central.-Offseason:*January 2, 2001: Charlie Hayes was signed as a Free Agent with the Houston Astros....

    3 0
    Arizona Diamondbacks
    2001 Arizona Diamondbacks season
    The 2001 Arizona Diamondbacks, in their fourth year of existence, looked to improve on their 2000 season. They had to contend in what was a strong National League West Division....

     
    St. Louis Cardinals
    2001 St. Louis Cardinals season
    The St. Louis Cardinals 2001 season was the team's 120th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 110th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 93-69 during the season and finished tied for first in the National League Central division with the Houston Astros...

    3 2
    2002
    2002 National League Division Series
    -Arizona Diamondbacks vs. St. Louis Cardinals:-Atlanta vs. San Francisco:The Atlanta Braves had won their eleventh straight division title. The San Francisco Giants were making their third appearance in the postseason since 1997...

    St. Louis Cardinals
    2002 St. Louis Cardinals season
    The St. Louis Cardinals 2002 season was the team's 121st season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 111th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 97-65 during the season and won the National League Central division by 13 games over the Houston Astros...

     
    Arizona Diamondbacks
    2002 Arizona Diamondbacks season
    The 2002 Arizona Diamondbacks looked to repeat as World Series champions. They looked to contend in what was once again a strong National League West Division. They finished the season with a record of 98-64, good enough for the division title...

    3 0
    San Francisco Giants
    2002 San Francisco Giants season
    The 2002 San Francisco Giants season was the 120th in franchise history, and the franchise's 45th season in San Francisco. The season ended with the Giants winning the National League pennant but losing to the Anaheim Angels in the 2002 World Series....

    Atlanta Braves
    2002 Atlanta Braves season
    -Offseason:*October 26, 2001: Aaron Small was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.*December 4, 2001: John Smoltz was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.*December 17, 2001: Julio Franco was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves....

    3 2
    2003
    2003 National League Division Series
    -San Francisco Giants vs. Florida Marlins:-Game 1, September 30:Turner Field in Atlanta, GeorgiaIn Game 1, Kerry Wood faced Russ Ortiz. Both pitchers were on their game and in the bottom of the third the Braves struck first when Marcus Giles homered to make it 1–0 Braves. The score remained 1–0...

    Chicago Cubs
    2003 Chicago Cubs season
    The Chicago Cubs' 2003 season was the 131st season for the Cubs. The Cubs went 88-74 during the season and won the National League Central Division for the first time since the division's formation in 1994, and the team's first division title since their 1989 NL East title...

     
    Atlanta Braves
    2003 Atlanta Braves season
    -Offseason:*November 20, 2002: Donzell McDonald was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.*December 18, 2002: Paul Byrd was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.*December 19, 2002: Greg Maddux was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves....

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    Florida Marlins
    2003 Florida Marlins season
    The 2003 Florida Marlins season was a season in American baseball. The Marlins were the National League Wild Card Winners, the National League Champions, and the World Series Champions.-Offseason:...

    San Francisco Giants
    2003 San Francisco Giants season
    The San Francisco Giants are an American baseball team.-Offseason:*November 15, 2002: Tsuyoshi Shinjo was released by the San Francisco Giants. *December 7, 2002: Marquis Grissom signed as a Free Agent with the San Francisco Giants....

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    2004
    2004 National League Division Series
    -Atlanta Braves vs. Houston Astros:-Game 1, October 5:Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriOdalis Perez faced Woody Williams in Game 1. Albert Pujols got the Cardinals started with a solo homer to make it 1–0 in the first. Then in the third, Perez reached his limit after surrendering five two-out...

    St. Louis Cardinals
    2004 St. Louis Cardinals season
    The St. Louis Cardinals 2004 season was the team's 123rd season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 113th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 105-57 during the season and won the National League Central division by 13 games over the NL Wild-Card Champion Houston Astros...

     
    Los Angeles Dodgers
    2004 Los Angeles Dodgers season
    The 2004 season brought change to the Dodgers as the sale of the franchise to developer Frank McCourt was finalized during spring training. McCourt promptly dismissed General Manager Dan Evans and hired Paul DePodesta to take over the team...

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    Houston Astros
    2004 Houston Astros season
    The Houston Astros' 2004 season was a season in which the Astros endured various changes. The biggest change was at the managerial level. Despite a 44-44 record, Jimy Williams was replaced by Phil Garner. Roger Clemens would win the NL Cy Young Award and become the fourth pitcher to win the Cy...

    Atlanta Braves
    2004 Atlanta Braves season
    -Offseason:*October 25, 2003: DeWayne Wise was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.*November 14, 2003: Jorge Velandia was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves.*December 13, 2003: J.D. Drew was traded by the St...

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    2005
    2005 National League Division Series
    -Atlanta Braves vs. Houston Astros:-Game 1, October 4:Busch Stadium in St. Louis, MissouriIt was a matchup between Jake Peavy and eventual 2005 Cy Young Award winner Chris Carpenter. In the bottom of the first, Jim Edmonds's one-out solo homer put the Cardinals up 1–0...

    St. Louis Cardinals
    2005 St. Louis Cardinals season
    The St. Louis Cardinals 2005 season was the team's 124th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 114th season in the National League. The Cardinals went 100-62 during the season and won the National League Central division by 11 games over the NL Wild-Card Champion and eventual NL Champion Houston...

     
    San Diego Padres
    2005 San Diego Padres season
    -Opening Day starters:Played at Coors Field on April 4, 2005. The Colorado Rockies defeated the Padres 12-10.-Notable transactions:*June 7, 2005: Josh Geer was drafted by the San Diego Padres in the 3rd round of the 2005 amateur draft. Player signed July 1, 2005.-Roster:-Starters by position:Note:...

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    Houston Astros
    2005 Houston Astros season
    The Houston Astros' 2005 season was a season in which the Houston Astros qualified for the postseason for the second consecutive season. The Astros overcame a sluggish 15-30 start to claim the wild card playoff spot, and would go on to win the National League pennant to advance to the World Series...

    Atlanta Braves
    2005 Atlanta Braves season
    -Offseason:*October 15, 2004: DeWayne Wise was selected off waivers by the Detroit Tigers from the Atlanta Braves.*December 3, 2004: Julio Franco was signed as a Free Agent with the Atlanta Braves....

    3 1 Game 4 was the longest postseason game in MLB
    Major League Baseball
    Major League Baseball is the highest level of professional baseball in the United States and Canada, consisting of teams that play in the National League and the American League...

     history (18 innings)
    2006
    2006 National League Division Series
    -San Diego Padres vs. St. Louis Cardinals:-New York vs. Los Angeles:The series seemed over for the Mets before it even started, first by losing ace Pedro Martínez for the postseason and then losing probable Game 1 starter Orlando Hernández. Despite having a potent offense, many people didn't seem...

    New York Mets
    2006 New York Mets season
    The New York Mets' 2006 season was the 45th regular season for the Mets. They went 97-65 and won the NL East. They were managed by Willie Randolph. They played home games at Shea Stadium. They used the marketing slogan of "The Team. The Time...

     
    Los Angeles Dodgers
    2006 Los Angeles Dodgers season
    In 2006, the Los Angeles Dodgers looked to improve their record from 2005. The team switched General Managers from Paul DePodesta to Ned Colletti, and hired Grady Little as the new manager. The Dodgers were able to win 88 games...

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    St. Louis Cardinals
    2006 St. Louis Cardinals season
    The St. Louis Cardinals 2006 season was the team's 125th season in St. Louis, Missouri and the 115th season in the National League. The season started out with a bang, as the team raced out to a 31-16 record by late May...

     
    San Diego Padres
    2006 San Diego Padres season
    The 2006 San Diego Padres season captured their second consecutive National League West crown, with a record of 88-74, and for the first time in franchise history back-to-back postseason appearances, and three consecutive winning seasons...

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    2007
    2007 National League Division Series
    -Philadelphia Phillies vs. Colorado Rockies:-Game 1, October 3:Chase Field in Phoenix, ArizonaEighteen-game winners Carlos Zambrano and Brandon Webb matched each other pitch for pitch in the opening game of the series. Stephen Drew's fourth-inning home run stood as the game's only run until Ryan...

    Colorado Rockies
    2007 Colorado Rockies season
    The Colorado Rockies' 2007 season started off with the team trying to improve on their 2006 record . They finished with a franchise record of 90 wins in 163 games and earned a playoff berth as the National League Wild Card team. The Rockies swept their first seven playoff games en route to winning...

    Philadelphia Phillies
    2007 Philadelphia Phillies season
    The Philadelphia Phillies' 2007 season began with the Phillies approaching an historic mark. The Phillies started the year with an MLB-record 9,955 losses in franchise history. On July 15, they lost their 10,000th game to the St. Louis Cardinals...

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    Arizona Diamondbacks
    2007 Arizona Diamondbacks season
    The Arizona Diamondbacks' 2007 season started with the Diamondbacks attempting to win the NL West Division. The Arizona Diamondbacks' biggest move in the offseason was when, on January 9, 2007, they got their 2001 World Series co-MVP back, pitcher Randy Johnson after making a blockbuster deal with...

     
    Chicago Cubs
    2007 Chicago Cubs season
    The Chicago Cubs' 2007 season began with the Cubs trying to rebound after a season in which they finished last in their division for the first time since .-Offseason:...

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    2008
    2008 National League Division Series
    -Philadelphia Phillies vs. Milwaukee Brewers:-Game 1, October 1:Wrigley Field in Chicago, IllinoisThe Dodgers swiped Game 1 from the Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mark DeRosa gave the Cubs an early lead in the second inning with an opposite-field home run. James Loney's fifth inning grand slam proved to...

    Los Angeles Dodgers
    2008 Los Angeles Dodgers season
    The 2008 Los Angeles Dodgers season features the Dodgers celebrating their Golden Anniversary in Southern California under new manager Joe Torre as they won the National League West for the first time since 2004, and returned to the postseason after missing the playoffs in 2007. They swept the...

     
    Chicago Cubs
    2008 Chicago Cubs season
    The Chicago Cubs' 2008 season was the 136th season for the Chicago Cubs. It is considered one of their most impressive regular seasons in the entire history of the franchise. Despite 97 regular season wins—the most since 1945—they failed to make it past the first round of the playoffs, losing 3-0...

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    Philadelphia Phillies
    2008 Philadelphia Phillies season
    The Philadelphia Phillies' 2008 season was the 126th in the history of the franchise. The team finished with a regular season record of 92–70, first in the National League East. In the post-season, the Phillies won the World Series; this was the first major sports championship for...

     
    Milwaukee Brewers
    2008 Milwaukee Brewers season
    The 2008 Milwaukee Brewers season opened with optimism as the team attempted to build on the success of the 2007 season - their first winning season since 1992....

    3 1 Shane Victorino
    Shane Victorino
    Shane Patrick Victorino is an outfielder in Major League Baseball who plays for the Philadelphia Phillies. He is a switch-hitter and throws right-handed.-Career:...

    's grand slam in Game 2 was key moment in Phils' win
    2009
    2009 National League Division Series
    The National League Division Series consisted of two concurrent best-of-five game series that determined the participating teams in the 2009 National League Championship Series. Three divisional winners and a "wild card" team played in the two series. The NLDS began on Wednesday, October 7 and...

    Los Angeles Dodgers
    2009 Los Angeles Dodgers season
    The 2009 Los Angeles Dodgers season sees the team defend their National League West title while earning the best record in the National League, and marks the fiftieth anniversary of their 1959 World Series Championship...

     
    St. Louis Cardinals
    2009 St. Louis Cardinals season
    The St. Louis Cardinals' 2009 season was the 128th season for the franchise in St. Louis, Missouri and the 118th season in the National League. The Cardinals, coming off a 86-76 season and fourth place in the NL Central, got off to a strong start in April before a team-wide offensive breakdown...

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    Philadelphia Phillies
    2009 Philadelphia Phillies season
    The Philadelphia Phillies' 2009 season was the 127th season in the history of the franchise. The team, managed by Charlie Manuel, began their sixth season at Citizens Bank Park and defense of their 2008 World Series championship on April 5...

     
    Colorado Rockies
    2009 Colorado Rockies season
    The Colorado Rockies' 2009 season is a season in American baseball, in which the Rockies won their third Wild Card title, and second in three years. The Rockies drew 2,665,080 fans for the season, their highest total since 2002...

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    Philadelphia Phillies
    2010 Philadelphia Phillies season
    The Philadelphia Phillies' 2010 season was the 128th season in the history of the franchise. The team was the two-time defending National League champion, having appeared in the 2008 and 2009 World Series...

     
    Cincinnati Reds
    2010 Cincinnati Reds season
    The Cincinnati Reds' 2010 season was the 121st season for the franchise in Major League Baseball. The Reds began their season at home against the St. Louis Cardinals on April 5, losing 6 to 11. Cincinnati was coming off a 78-84 season and fourth place in the NL Central. The Reds were managed by...

    3 0 In his playoff debut, Roy Halladay
    Roy Halladay
    Harry Leroy "Roy" Halladay III , nicknamed "Doc", is a Major League Baseball starting pitcher for the Philadelphia Phillies...

     threw the second no-hitter
    No-hitter
    A no-hitter is a baseball game in which one team has no hits. In Major League Baseball, the team must be without hits during the entire game, and the game must be at least nine innings. A pitcher who prevents the opposing team from achieving a hit is said to have "thrown a no-hitter"...

     in MLB post season history
    Atlanta Braves
    2010 Atlanta Braves season
    The 2010 Atlanta Braves Season featured the Braves' attempt to reclaim a postseason berth for the first time since 2005. The Braves once again were skippered by Bobby Cox, in his 25th and final season managing the team. It was their 45th season in Atlanta, and the 135th of the franchise...

    3 1 In his playoff debut, Tim Lincecum
    Tim Lincecum
    Timothy Leroy Lincecum is an American professional baseball starting pitcher for the San Francisco Giants of Major League Baseball. He was nicknamed "The Freak" and "Big Time Timmy Jim" and "The Franchise." He throws right-handed and bats left-handed....

     threw a 2-hit, 14 strikeout complete game shutout
    2011
    2011 National League Division Series
    The 2011 National League Division Series were two best-of-five playoffs comprising the opening round of the Major League Baseball postseason, played to determine the participating teams in the 2011 National League Championship Series. Three divisional winners and a fourth team—a wild card—played...

    St. Louis Cardinals
    2011 St. Louis Cardinals season
    The St. Louis Cardinals' 2011 season was the 130th season for the franchise in St. Louis, Missouri, the 120th season in the National League, and the sixth season at Busch Stadium III. The Cardinals began their season at home against the San Diego Padres on March 31, coming off a 86-76 season and...

    Philadelphia Phillies
    2011 Philadelphia Phillies season
    The Philadelphia Phillies 2011 season was the 129th season in the history of the franchise. The Phillies won their fifth consecutive National League East championship, and also finished with the best record in baseball for the second straight year. The Phillies, at 3-1 odds, were the heavy-favorite...

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    Milwaukee Brewers
    2011 Milwaukee Brewers season
    The Milwaukee Brewers' 2011 season was their 42nd season for the franchise in Milwaukee, the 14th in the National League, and 43rd overall. The Brewers posted a franchise-best record of 96-66, winning their first-ever National League Central Division title...

     
    Arizona Diamondbacks
    2011 Arizona Diamondbacks season
    The Arizona Diamondbacks' 2011 season, the franchise's fourteenth season in Major League Baseball, included the team's first National League West championship since 2007, subsequently, their fifth division title since coming into the MLB...

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