Here is how the Wichita Wind Surge can play for a minor league baseball championship
The Wind Surge have grown accustomed to being in the No. 1 spot in the standings in their inaugural summer as Wichita’s affiliated baseball team.
Wichita (63-48) has been in first place in the Double-A Central standings for nearly 85% of the season, which is winding down with its second-to-last series concluding this weekend at Riverfront Stadium. The Wind Surge host Northwest Arkansas at 7 p.m. Friday, 6 p.m. Saturday and 1 p.m. Sunday.
So what does the Wind Surge need to do to make the minor league baseball playoffs? Here’s everything Wichita fans need to know.
What is the MILB playoff procedure?
Despite Double-A Central having a North and a South division, those divisions will be meaningless when it comes to the postseason, which will feature the top two teams based on winning percentage in Double-A Central regardless of division.
For example, if Wichita finishes in second place in the North division but has a better winning percentage than the South division winner, then it would advance to the playoffs.
The top two teams in the league will play a best-of-5 series beginning on Tuesday, Sept. 21 for the championship. The first two games of the series — Sept. 21 and Sept. 22 — will be played at the lower seed’s home field, while the final three games of the series — Sept. 24, Sept. 25 and Sept. 26 — will be hosted at the higher seed’s ball park.
Where do the Wind Surge stand in the playoff hunt?
As detailed above, the Wind Surge have held the top spot in the standings for the majority of the summer. But that doesn’t mean they have a secure playoff berth.
After losing six of eight games in September, the Wind Surge (63-48) have seen their lead dwindle to a mere two games over Arkansas (61-50) and Frisco (60-49).
So it all comes down to the last week of the season?
Pretty much.
The good news for the Wind Surge is that their final nine games of the season are at home, as they play three more times against Northwest Arkansas this weekend then close out the season with what will be a dramatic, six-game finale against Arkansas.
If Wichita can tack on another game to its lead over Arkansas this weekend, then it would force Arkansas to take at least five of six games on the road at Riverfront Stadium next week. If Wichita’s same 2-game lead exists entering Tuesday’s opener, then Arkansas would need a series victory (four out of six wins) to move past the Wind Surge in the standings.
There’s still a possibility for Wichita to lose next week’s series to Arkansas, fall behind them in the division standings, and still advance to the playoffs. For that to happen, Wichita would need a better winning percentage than Frisco. However, that scenario seems unlikely with Frisco finishing the season with 10 games against sub-.500 teams.
That means Wichita’s postseason hopes will almost certainly come down to if the Wind Surge can play Arkansas to at least a series split in the regular season’s final week.
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