10 MLB Teams That Will Benefit Most from the Extra Wild Cards

The playoffs just became a more realistic dream for many teams across MLB, as commissioner Bud Selig announced today that an additional wild-card spot will be added in each league by the 2013 season.

For many fans, it has been a long time since their team has seen playoff action. This is a godsend for them as they have something more to hope for in two years.

For fans of teams with recent success that were shut out of the playoffs this year, this gives them a stronger opportunity to become perennial contenders.

All in all, this looks like a win for all sides. The owners get to sell more tickets, the players get a greater chance at success and more fans get to watch their heroes in playoff action.

Here are 10 teams that will benefit most from the new wild-card spots.

Cincinnati Reds

The 2011 version of the Cincinnati Reds fared much differently than the previous year in which they won the NL Central.

While they received good hitting last year, especially from stars Joey Votto, Brandon Phillips and Jay Bruce, their pitching wasn’t great. The most successful pitcher for the Reds last year, Mike Leake, only won 12 games.

Still, they are the 20^th-youngest team in MLB. They have time to improve and climb back up the NL Central standings.

Having another wild-card spot in 2013 will make that mountain smaller. 

Los Angeles Angels

Making the playoffs has not been much of an issue for the Los Angeles Angels recently, as they have qualified for the playoffs in six of the past 10 years.

This is a franchise that has become very good at winning, even though they finished last year five games out of the Wild Card and 10 games out of the AL West.

Let’s give them a break though; they’ve had to play a significant amount of games against a strong Texas Rangers team that has played in the last two World Series. It has been the emergence of the Rangers that has knocked the Angels out of the playoffs.

The new wild-card spot could act as an equalizer.

Cleveland Indians

Even though they finished under .500, the AL Central division was so weak last season that they managed to finish in second place.

Led by Carlos Santana, Asdrubal Cabrera and Justin Masterson, the rebuilding of the Tribe seems to be coming along quicker than anticipated.

However, the upcoming free-agency season might change the landscape of the AL Central for next season. Also, the Twins will be improved as Joe Mauer and Justin Morneau will return from injury.

At least the new wild-card spot gives the Indians something else to shoot for.

Washington Nationals

Ever since they moved from Montreal in 2005, the Washington Nationals have not played one playoff game. However, there were some bright spots from last season.

Young phenom Stephen Strasburg, described as baseball’s version of LeBron James, showed signs that he has successfully returned from Tommy John surgery, winning his final start of the season and striking out 10 batters in the process.

The real question for the Nationals is how to stay competitive in a division with the impressive Philadelphia Phillies and the tough Atlanta Braves.

Perhaps another Wild Card acting as a cushion will provide the answer.

Atlanta Braves

A five-game losing streak at the end of last season cost the Atlanta Braves a shot at the playoffs.

Tim Hudson was timeless for the Braves last year as he won 16 games, but he could not beat the Philadelphia Phillies in the last game of the season to force a wild card playoff with the eventual World Series champions, the St. Louis Cardinals.

Since their impressive streak of winning the NL East for 14 years straight ended after the 2005 season, the Braves have only made the playoffs once.

A new wild-card spot could be just what the doctor ordered.

San Francisco Giants

A little over one year after their World Series victory, the San Francisco Giants have some work to do to improve their hitting statistics that ranked amongst the lowest in Major League Baseball last year.

Trading for Melky Cabrera will certainly help, as his batting statistics from last year are superior to anyone currently playing for the Giants.

Last year’s record has some fans panicking, as one has suggested that the Giants should trade reliable ace Tim Lincecum.

The addition of another wild-card spot will help to alleviate those worries for sure, even though it isn’t for another season.

Chicago White Sox

Last season was one that fans of the Chicago White Sox would like to forget.

They won eight fewer games, their coach jumped ship to the Miami Marlins and new addition Adam Dunn flopped.

There is also the possibility that starting ace Mark Buehrle might join his former manager for next season.

The White Sox could use some good news right about now. Here it is.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Although the Los Angeles Dodgers had a poor start to the season, they rebounded after the All-Star break, posting a 41-28 record between mid-July and September.

Newly crowned NL Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw was a big part of that resurgence, winning 12 games and only losing one after July 12^th.

Of course, having an extra wild-card spot will mean that the Dodgers will have a greater buffer zone to work with should the same thing happen again in 2013.

Dodger fans hope that it won’t come to that.

Toronto Blue Jays

The Toronto Blue Jays have not seen playoff action since Joe Carter’s magical swing in Game 6 to end the 1993 World Series, giving the Jays back-to-back titles.

In what is frequently described as the toughest division in baseball, the Jays have struggled to win in the AL East with teams like the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees as their payroll is much smaller.

The emergence of the Tampa Bay Rays as a threat hasn’t helped either.

With Jose Bautista leading the way, the Jays hope that they’ll be able to end their playoff-less streak after almost 20 years.

Boston Red Sox

The collapse of the Boston Red Sox this past season was monumental, bringing back bad memories of the past to fans.

However, they ended up finishing just one game behind the eventual wild-card winners, the Tampa Bay Rays.

If there was an extra wild-card spot this year, there would be no worries—the Red Sox would still be in the playoffs. In fact, the Red Sox have been the runner-up for the Wild Card three times in the past 10 years.

The collective blood pressure of Red Sox fans has surely gone down a little bit with today’s announcement.