Eight Washington Nationals teams begin their quests to be named the best Nationals team of all-time. Which four will advance?
We have arrived! In this slideshow, the best Washington Nationals teams go head-to-head to compete for a spot in the final four.
If this is the first article you are reading in this series, be sure to check out our first post introducing the concept, and our slideshows introducing the eight teams in our field. There are four teams from the “Old School” Nationals and four teams from the “New School” Nationals.
Now, let’s cover some basic ground rules for how these games will work.
The eight teams are seeded one through eight based on the number of wins they earned in their respective real-life seasons. For this series, there won’t be a regular season simulation, just the playoffs. It’s like getting to eat dessert without having to eat dinner!
The tournament itself looks just like it does in the NBA. Seeds 1, 8, 4, and 5 are in the top half of the bracket while seeds 2, 7, 3, and 6 are in the bottom half. All series are a best of seven. Home field advantage will rotate as it does in the MLB (2/3/2).
Speaking of home field advantage, there are some things to note.
First, yes, home field advantage matters. If the 2012 and 2016 Nationals meet in the finals, home field will matter despite all of the games being played in “Nationals Park.” The simulation program automatically gives the designated home team a small bump in production to account for the advantage.
Lastly, there is no losers bracket. Once a team is eliminated, they are gone for good. Alright, let’s get started, shall we?