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Should a B-Class Team Make the Playoffs?

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Should a B-Class Team Make the Playoffs?
If things stay the way they are this season, there's a possibility that the last Pacific League playoff spot might just go to a team that is under .500. I did a search on the Internet, but I couldn't find any statistics on how many teams under the .500 mark have made the playoffs in major sports. (To my knowledge it's never happened in MLB or the NFL.) Softbank and Lotte are both running pretty strong at the moment, and Orix, Nippon Ham, and Seibu are all pretty evenly matched as well, but none seem to be able to make it back above the .500 mark.

Do you think that a requirement to make the playoffs should be a record of .500 or better, or to be an A-class team?
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Re: Should a B-Class Team Make the Playoffs?
[ Author: Number_65 | Posted: Jul 1, 2005 5:52 AM ]

I think this shows how good the teams are in this league. To constantly beat up on each other is a good sign of quality competition.
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Re: Should a B-Class Team Make the Playoffs?
[ Author: Guest: John Brooks | Posted: Jul 1, 2005 9:18 AM ]

- (To my knowledge it's never happened in MLB or the NFL.)

Only once has a below .500 team made the playoffs in MLB, the strike-shortened 1981. The Royals were 50-53 in 1981. In a full regular season, however, no team has made the playoffs with a below .500 record. [Baseball-Reference]
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Re: Should a B-Class Team Make the Playoffs?
[ Author: Mischa | Posted: Jul 1, 2005 9:34 AM | TYS Fan ]

When you have half the league make the playoffs, you'll probably wind up with quite a few sub-.500 teams in. I think this is yet another reason not to have playoffs - make the regular season count by having the top team go straight to the Japan Series.

In regards to MLB, it almost happened in 1994, when the 52-62 Rangers were leading the AL West when the strike ended the year.
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Re: Should a B-Class Team Make the Playoffs?
[ Author: himself | Posted: Jul 1, 2005 8:57 PM | FSH Fan ]

The solution to this is as easy as just having the top two teams in the playoffs. It's rather confusing why they put such an emphasis on A-class and B-class teams; I doubt that they go into the season wanting to be the third-best team in the league.
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Re: Should a B-Class Team Make the Playoffs?
[ Author: mijow | Posted: Jul 1, 2005 8:58 PM | HT Fan ]

I agree that it's ridiculous to have half the teams in the playoffs, but I do think playoffs are sorely needed in NPB. Why not just the top two in each league?

The real problem with the current setup, of course, is that the CL and PL follow different rules. I'd like to see them both agree on some simple playoff system and then stick to it.
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