The Chicago Cubs begin each season with a significant disadvantage in their quest to win the World Series: they play in the National League Central Division, which has six teams. All else being equal (and ignoring the wild card), the Cubs have a 16.7% chance of reaching the postseason at the beginning of the season. The same is true, of course, for every other team in the NL Central. Each team in every other division save the American League West, however, has a 20% of winning its division; the AL West teams have a 25% chance.

Consequently, the Atlanta Braves, for instance, have approximately a 20% greater chance of winning its division than the Cubs have of winning the NL Central. The Texas Rangers have a 50% greater chance.

There is, in my mind, no greater blight on major league baseball than the fundamental unfairness of its divisional alignment. And no one of importance ever says a word about it.

Given the opportunity to ask Bud Selig one question, and have it answered, it would be this: "No other major professional sport places different numbers of teams in its various divisions. They do not do such a thing because it would be uncommonly silly. We would not set up a Little League like that. Why does Major League Baseball?"