National League Division Series
The National League Division Series ( NLDS ) is part of the play-offs in Major League Baseball. Through them, it is determined which compete against each other two teams in the National League ( NL) in the National League Championship Series, by the turn of the representatives of the NL in the World Series is determined. The Series consists of two best-of -five series in which play the winners of the three divisions of the NL and the winner of the wildcard. The wildcard is replaced by the one team that achieves the best balance of victories and defeats, but could not win the NL divisions (East, Central, West).
History
The Division Series was created in 1993 as a permanent part of the play-offs after the MLB had divided each of their two leagues (American League and National League), each in three divisions. Because of the players strike in 1994 the first edition, however, only in 1995 was held. Prior to the strike of 1981 had made a play-off series within the divisions required. Winner of the Eastern Division were then the Montreal Expos, who was able to prevail against the Philadelphia Phillies in three games. The Western Division was won by the Los Angeles Dodgers, who could defeat the Houston Astros also in three games. Currently, the Atlanta Braves have the highest number participations in the Division Series. Only one team, the Pittsburgh Pirates, has not yet made it into the Division Series. The Washington Nationals have played in the Division Series only as Montreal Expos.
Determination of Fixtures
Since 1998, the team that won the wild card plays against those division winners, who scored the highest winning percentage outside of their own division. The remaining two division winners get in the second series against each other. Come, however the winner of the wildcard and division winner with the best winning percentage of the same Division, plays the wildcard team against the division winner with the second-best winning percentage, while the remaining two teams play against each other. The winners of the two series then play in the National League Championship Series and determine the best- of-seven - mode the winner of the NL.
(Provided a fourth game required) Participants of the two series each carry two games in their own stadium from. If there is a fifth and deciding game, it will be held in the stadium of that team that reached the better winning percentage in the regular season. This so-called Home Field Advantage ( three instead of just two games in their own stadium ), however, is the wildcard team did not benefit.