The Playoffs have changed over the years, expanded to include more teams. The League Championship Series began in 1969, when both Leagues were reorganized into two divisions: the East and the West. The winner of each division, in the old days, used to play each other in a best-of-five series to determine who would advance to the World Series. 1985 bought a slight change. The format added two games in the series, making it best-of-seven. Then, in 1994, the league expanded into three divisions. This necessitated the creation a forth team to be included into the playoffs: the wild card team (a team that didn't win a division and had the best record of all teams not making the playoffs). Once determined, the four playoff teams play a best-of-five series. The wild card team plays the division champ that has the best record; simultaneously--the remaining two teams play against each other. The two winners of the division series go on to play in the championship series. Since the American League went to its best-of-seven Championship Series, games are always played in a 2'3'2 format. Games 1 and 2 then 6 and 7 are played in the city that has home field advantage. The middle three games, 3 through 5 are played at the other team's stadium. The series concludes after one of the teams records its fourth victory. Home field advantage is granted to the team that has the better regular season record, but not if that team is the Wild Card team. The Wild Card team is never allowed home field advantage in a Division Series. In the event that both teams have the same regular season record, advantage goes to the team that has the better win ratio in games played against each other. (From 1969-1993, home field advantage alternated between the two divisions.)

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Major League playoffs are the best part of baseball. In the hearts of many Americans, Major League Baseball owns October. It's the exciting time when the American and National League Championship Series begins. The celebrated postseason battle determines the winner of both pennants. It's the fight to gain the next step: the two pennant team winners travel to "the Fall Classic" and play each other in the World Series.