Wild Card Teams, Selection, Playing Games in Post Season

Question
QUESTION: Hello,  I am very confused about how the Wild Card system in baseball works.  I think I understand that there is one Wild Card team chosen from the National and one team chosen from the American Leagues.  Since there are only three divisions in each of the two Leagues, I believe the one with the highest won-lost record, without winning their division, becomes the Wild Card, allowing for four teams in each of the Leagues.  What happens next?  Which team plays which team so finally there is a winner in the American  and a winner in the National Leagues?How many games are played with Wild Card teams, and how many within other division winning teams?  Do Wild Card teams play only in their division (one game) or do they play different teams who have won their division titles?  Thanks so much for your help, in advance.  I want to understand this easily and hope you will explain the basic and rules to me in clear, easy to understand English, using an example here and there.  My sincerest thanks for your time, help, and courtesy.  Thanks, John

ANSWER: John,

Here's an example and I'll try and explain how it works:

East Division
Team 1  50-40
Team 2  48-42

Central Division
Team 3  60-30
Team 4  53-37

West Division
Team 5  55-35
Team 6  51-39

The first thing is that the best team in each division makes the playoffs.  So Team 1, Team 3, and Team 5 make the playoffs.  Team 1 gets in even though there are two other teams that have better records then them.

The wildcard team is then determined by the team with the best record that didn't win a division.  In the example above, Team 5 is the wildcard team.

So now you have four teams.  The team with the best record plays the team with the worst record, second best record plays second worst record and the best team gets home field advantage.  So, the matchups using the example above would be Team 3 vs Team 1 and Team 5 vs Team 4.  The only time this matchup doesn't happen is if the two teams from the same division would play each other.  Then the matchups are altered to make sure the two teams in the same division don't play each other in the first round.

The first round series is the best of five games (whichever team wins three first).  Then the two winners play each other in a best of seven games (first team to win four) to decide who goes to the world series.

Hopefully this answers your question.  If you need any clarification, please let me know.

Brian

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: Brian,  What a guy you are--you write succinctly, lucidly, and without a lot of unnecessary information that confuses people.  Thanks a million, guy.  Just a couple points of clarification, please:  (1)  You mentioned that Team 5 is the Wild Card.  But, they did win their division, according to your example.  In your next paragraph with examples of who plays whom, you mention that Team 3 plays Team l and Team 5 plays Team 4.  Since Team 4 had the best record but didn't win a Division, should they be considered the Wild Card?  Or was it just a typo on your part--no offense intended.  I can't thank you enough for your help, really.  
If you have time, can you also explain how the infield fly rule works.  I think it is quite simple, but I am not sure of who has to be on what base, or how many outs there must be, etc.  I wish I could do something for you in return--tutor your kids, etc., since I am a school teacher.  Thanks a million.  Sincerely,  John Dillis

Answer
John,

Thanks for the kind words.

In my response, it was a typo.  Team 4 is the wildcard team and Team 5 wins their division.

The infield fly rule:  It is only possible when the bases are loaded or when there is a runner on first and second base and when there are less then two outs.  In this type of situation, the batter hits a popup in the infield.  The umpire should call infield fly.  The batter is immediately out.  If the ball is dropped, the runners may run, but they are at their own risk.

The reason this rule was put into place is because infielders would drop the ball on purpose.  Since the runners wouldn't run (on danger of being doubled off of their base) it made for an easy double play.  So now the runners don't have to run and the batter is automatically out.

Hope this helps!

Brian