WFBL PLAYOFF HISTORY
In the inaugural short season of 1998, the two division winners and the next two overall clubs with the best records made the playoffs. Beginning with the league's first Expansion season in 1999 and running through the 2002 season, each Division pennant winner received a bye. The next four best overall teams were seeded 1-4 and played one another in an Opening Round. In those first five seasons it was possible for two teams from the same division to meet in the WFBL Championship, and this happened in both 2001 & 2002.
For the WFBL's 2nd Expansion season of 2003 and continuing through the 2010 season the league introduced Divisional playoffs, with the 1-4 and 2-3 place finishers in each division meeting one another with no byes, and then Divisional playoff winners advancing to meet in a true East vs West battle for the WFBL Championship.
For the league's 3rd Expansion beginning in 2011, a 3-division setup was introduced with all pennant winners receiving byes and the next 2 best overall teams meeting in a Wildcard game. Then in 2018-19 thanks to the makeup of the MLB schedule, an extra "Opening Round" of playoffs was added, allowing four 'Wildcard' teams into the postseason along with the three Pennant winners.
The 2020 campaign was severely altered by the COVID19 pandemic, with a Divisional Round Robin setting up an eight-team playoff in which the three pennant winners were joined by the next five teams in a one-year response to the virus. In 2021 the schedule returned to normal with the 2011-17 setup of three Pennant winners and two Wildcard teams making the playoffs.
For 2022, eight teams made the postseason, with a Quarter-Finals, Semis, and Finals. Then in 2023, the largest postseason field ever saw 12 teams advance. There was a Wildcard round of four matchups with four teams (the three pennant winners and top second-place club) receiving byes, Quarter-Finals, Semis, and Finals.
2023
Summary: The WFBL playoffs expanded to 12 teams, with the three pennant winners and the top second-place club receiving byes through the Opening Round. In a year of upsets, two of four lower seeds in the Opening Round and all four lower seeds in the Quarter-Finals advanced, eliminating all three Pennant winners early. 8th overall seeded Las Vegas and 12th overall seeded Brantford advanced to the Finals, with Vegas capturing their first-ever title.
OPENING ROUND
Brantford (4E) - 8 at Alabama (2SC) - 4
Detroit (4SC) - 0 at Saint Louis (3SC) - 12
New York (3E) - 9 at Portland (2W) - 2
Omaha (4W) - 6 at Las Vegas (3W) - 6 <TB 1 to LV>
QUARTER-FINALS
Brantford (4E) - 6 at Montreal (1E) - 5
New York (3E) - 9 at Cleveland (1SC) - 3
Las Vegas (3W) - 7 at Eugene (1W) - 4
Saint Louis (3SC) - 6 at Boston (2E) - 6 <TB 1 to ST>
SEMI-FINALS
Brantford (4E) - 6 at Saint Louis (3SC) - 5
New York (3E) - 5 at Las Vegas (3W) - 7
CHAMPIONSHIP
Brantford - 4 at Las Vegas - 8 @ World Series of Poker Stadium
2022
Summary: The WFBL playoffs expanded to eight teams. The top two teams in each division joined by two Wildcard teams. The New York Knights fought their way through all three Pennant winners to win the first championship in franchise history.
QUARTER-FINALS
Rayne (2SC) - 3 at Philadelphia (1E) - 9
Las Vegas (2W) - 5 at Cleveland (1SC) - 7
New York (WC2) - 7 at Spokane (1W) - 5
Brantford (WC1) - 10 at Boston (2E) - 1
SEMI-FINALS
New York (WC2) - 9, Philadelphia (1E) - 3
Cleveland (1SC) - 7, Brantford - (WC1) - 4
CHAMPIONSHIP
New York (WC2) - 7 at Cleveland (1SC) - 5 @ Lakefront Park
2021
Summary: The WFBL returned to a semblance of normalcy following the 2020 COVID-shortened campaign. Though the pandemic still affected baseball, a full season was able to be played. The Philly A's fought through injuries that seemed more prevalent than ever in the league to capture their 12th Owens/East title, reach Whitey Week for the third time in four years, and become the fourth team in league history to capture four WFBL championships.
WILDCARD GAME
Boston (3E) - 7 at Montreal (2E) - 4
SEMI-FINALS
Philadelphia (1E) - 9, Boston - 3
Cleveland (1SC) - 9, Eugene (1W) - 3
CHAMPIONSHIP
Philadelphia - 7, Cleveland - 5 @ Liberty Bell Park
2020
Summary: Following a regular season shortened to a five-game Divisional Round Robin due to the COVID19 pandemic, eight teams advanced to the largest postseason pool in league history. Detroit and Philly fought through it all to a Whitey Week showdown for the second time in three years, with the Drillers capturing their first-ever title.
QUARTER-FINALS
Philadelphia (2E) - 11, Saint Louis (2SC) - 0
Montreal (1E) - 7, Horsham (3E) - 4
Detroit (1SC) - 12, Portland (3W) - 0
Eugene (1W) - 9, Las Vegas (2W) - 2
SEMI-FINALS
Detroit - 9, Eugene - 2
Philadelphia - 10, Montreal - 2
CHAMPIONSHIP
Detroit - 9, Philadelphia - 2 @ General Motors Place
2019
Summary: The Saint Louis Cardinals slipped into the playoffs for the first time in eight years, then fought through four of the league's top teams, two via tie-breaker, to win the first championship in franchise history.
OPENING ROUND
Omaha (2W) - 5 at Joplin (2SC) - 6
Saint Louis (3SC) - 6 at Boston (2E) - 6 <TB 1 to ST.>
WILDCARD GAME
Saint Louis - 7 at Joplin - 5
SEMI-FINALS
Detroit (1SC) - 12, Eugene (1W) - 0
Saint Louis - 6, Philadelphia - 6 (1E) <TB 1 to ST>
CHAMPIONSHIP
Saint Louis Cardinals - 10, Detroit Drillers - 2 @ General Motors Place
2018
Summary: Expanded playoffs allowed seven teams to make the postseason for the first time. Boston advanced out of the first-ever Wildcard round and battled to a semi-final tie with Philadelphia. But the A's advanced on the tie-breaker to meet upstarts Detroit, with the A's capturing the third WFBL Championship in franchise history.
OPENING ROUND
Joplin (3SC) - 4 at Boston (2E) - 8
Horsham (3E) - 8 at Rayne (2SC) - 4
WILDCARD GAME
Horsham - 2 at Boston - 10
SEMI-FINALS
Boston - 6, Philadelphia (1E) - 6 <TB 1 to PH>
Spokane (1W) - 0, Detroit (1SC) - 12
CHAMPIONSHIP
Philadelphia Athletics - 11, Detroit Drillers - 1 @ Liberty Bell Park
2017
Summary: The Rayne franchise won their fourth WFBL Championship, first since 2003, and first since moving to Louisiana in 2011. The Cajuns advanced out of the WC on a tie-break, then beat pennant winners Joplin and Spokane. They became the first WC team in six years to win the crown
WILDCARD GAME
Rayne (2SC) - 6 at Boston (2E) - 6 <TB 1 to RA>
SEMI-FINALS
Rayne - 7, Joplin (1SC) - 4
Spokane (1W) - 7, Philadelphia (1E) - 5
CHAMPIONSHIP
Rayne Rajin' Cajuns - 7, Spokane Indians - 5 @ Avista Stadium
2016
Summary: The Dawgs won the 3rd WFBL Championship in franchise history by overcoming a pair of Kalas/Central teams in the postseason, first the defending WFBL champion Joplin Tornadoes, and then the surprising upstart Pennant-winners from Alabama.
WILDCARD GAME
Brantford (2E) - 11, Joplin (2SC) - 1
SEMI-FINALS
Alabama (1SC) - 11, Vancouver (1W) - 0
Boston (1E) - 9, Brantford - 2
CHAMPIONSHIP
Boston Bulldogs - 8, Alabama - 3 @ iT-wan Stadium
2015
Summary: The Joplin Tornadoes and GM Kory Sprague won a record-tying 4th WFBL Championship by winning their final 12 consecutive regular season and playoff games. It was the Twisters 3rd title in the last 6 years.
WILDCARD GAME
Boston (3E) - 9, Montreal (2E) - 3
SEMI-FINALS
Joplin (1SC) - 8, Omaha (1W) - 4
Philadelphia (1E) - 7, Boston (3E) - 4
CHAMPIONSHIP
Joplin Tornadoes -10, Philadelphia - 2 @ Cunningham Park
2014
Summary: In the most evenly matched overall playoffs in league history, no winning team taking more than seven categories in any matchup, the Boston Bulldogs emerged from the scrum with their second title.
WILDCARD GAME
Rayne (2SC) - 7, Philadelphia (2E) - 5
SEMI-FINALS
Boston (1E) - 7, Houston (1W) - 5
Joplin (1SC) - 7, Rayne - 5
CHAMPIONSHIP
Boston Bulldogs - 7, Joplin - 4 @ Cunningham Park
2013
Summary: Montreal won their league-record 4th title by rolling over Georgia, who were appearing in their first-ever Finals. The Travs had advanced after winning a Wildcard tie-breaker, then beating defending champs Joplin.
WILDCARD GAME
Georgia (2C) - 6, Omaha (2W) - 6 <TB4 to GA>
SEMI-FINALS
Georgia - 8, Joplin (1C) - 4
Montreal (1E) - 9, Houston (1W) - 3
CHAMPIONSHIP
Montreal Expos - 10, Georgia - 1 @ Labatt Park
2012
Summary: In their first season after moving from Jackson Hole to Joplin, the newly minted Tornadoes franchise won their final 9 straight regular season games to capture the Kalas/Central Pennant, then stayed hot and won their 3rd WFBL Championship, their 2nd in 3 seasons, by dumping defending champ Montreal, the club that beat them a year ago and in '05.
WILDCARD GAME
Boston (3E) - 8, Philadelphia (2E) - 3
SEMI-FINALS
Montreal (1E) - 6, Boston - 6 <TB1 to MO>
Joplin (1C) - 10, Houston (1W) - 2
CHAMPIONSHIP
Joplin Tornadoes - 7, Montreal - 5 @ Labatt Park
2011
Summary: In the first season of a new divisional and playoff format, Montreal went all the way from a Wildcard slot to it's league record-tying third WFBL Championship by knocking off defending champion Jackson Hole in a rematch of the 2005 Whitey Week.
WILDCARD GAME
Montreal (2E) - 10, Portland (2W) - 2
SEMI-FINALS
Montreal - 7, Boston (1E) - 5
Jackson Hole (1W) - 7, Saint Louis (1C) - 5
CHAMPIONSHIP
Montreal Expos - 9, Jackson Hole - 3 @ Jenny Lake Park
2010
Summary: All of the lower seeds eliminated the top seeds in the opening round, and a 3rd divisional seed hosted a 4th seed in the Finals for the first time ever. Fish became lowest seeded team to ever win title, and first to win via shutout.
DIVISIONAL ROUND
Brantford (3E) - 8, Boston (2E) - 4
Philadelphia (4E) - 7, Montreal (1E) - 4
Eugene (3W) - 7, Portland (2W) - 5
Jackson Hole (4W) - 7, Spokane (1W) - 5
DIVISIONAL FINALS
Brantford - 9, Philadelphia - 3
Jackson Hole - 9, Eugene - 3
CHAMPIONSHIP
Jackson Hole Blowfish - 11, Brantford - 0 @ Mohawk Park
2009
Summary: Boston wins a tie-breaker to take the Owens/East pennant and then both of it's playoff games before winning a battle between pennant winners for the title. Eugene loses in the finals for the 2nd straight season.
DIVISIONAL ROUND
Boston (1E) - 6, Carolina (4E) - 6 <TB2>
Philadelphia (2E) - 7, Montreal (3E) - 5
Eugene (1W) - 7, Saint Louis (4W) - 5
Spokane (3W) - 7, Jackson Hole (2W) - 4
DIVISIONAL FINALS
Boston - 6, Philadelphia - 6 <TB2 to BO>
Eugene - 9, Spokane - 2
CHAMPIONSHIP
Boston Bulldogs - 8, Eugene - 4 @ The Yaz at Yawkey Yard
2008
Summary: Philly wins the franchise' second title in the closest Championship in WFBL history on a pair of final day gems by Tim Lincecum and the retiring Mike Mussina.
DIVISIONAL ROUND
Montreal (1E) - 8, Carolina (4E) - 4
Philadelphia (2E) - 9, Boston (3E) - 2
Saint Louis (1W) - 6, Spokane (4W) - 5
Eugene (2W) - 11, Alabama (3W) - 1
DIVISIONAL FINALS
Philadelphia - 8, Montreal - 4
Eugene - 7, Saint Louis - 5
CHAMPIONSHIP
Philadelphia Athletics - 6, Eugene - 5 @ Liberty Bell Park
2007
Summary: Rags to riches story completed as the 'Ballers take their first-ever title, ending Alexandria's upset run to the finals out of the east.
DIVISIONAL ROUND
Philadelphia (1E) - 7, Boston (4E) - 5
Alexandria (3E) - 6, Montreal (2E) - 6 <TB1 to AX>
Louisiana (1W) - 9, Eugene (4W) - 2
Jackson Hole (3W) - 10, Spokane (2W) - 2
DIVISIONAL FINALS
Alexandria - 8, Philadelphia - 4
Louisiana - 10, Jackson Hole - 2
CHAMPIONSHIP
Louisiana Longballers - 10, Alexandria - 2 @ The Louisiana Superdome
2006
Summary: Montreal becomes the only franchise in league history to record back-to-back titles, with the champs moving through the playoffs in dominant fashion.
DIVISIONAL ROUND
Philadelphia (1E) - 9, Alexandria (4E) - 3
Montreal (2E) - 10, Atlantic City (3E) - 2
Saint Louis (4W) - 10, Louisiana (1W) - 1
Spokane (2W) - 7, Eugene (3W) - 5
DIVISIONAL FINALS
Montreal - 7, Philadelphia - 4
Spokane - 8, Saint Louis - 4
CHAMPIONSHIP
Montreal Expos - 10, Spokane - 1 @ Avista Stadium
2005
Summary: Montreal wins it's first-ever title by ending the storybook playoff run of Jackson Hole in the Championship round. The Fish went from 4th place to the finals with 2 tight playoff wins.
DIVISIONAL ROUND
New York (4E) - 8, Philadelphia (1E) - 3
Montreal (2E) - 7, Atlantic City (3E) - 4
Jackson Hole (4W) - 7, California (1W) - 5
Saint Louis (3W) - 10, Portland (2W) - 1
DIVISIONAL FINALS
Montreal - 6, New York - 5
Jackson Hole - 7, Saint Louis - 5
CHAMPIONSHIP
Montreal Expos - 9, Jackson Hole - 3 @ Labatt Park
2004
Summary: Portland wins it's first-ever title after it's best-ever regular season in a matchup of pennant winners, ending Atlantic City's dream season run to the Championship.
DIVISIONAL ROUND
Atlantic City (1E) - 7, New York (4E) - 4
Maine (3E) - 8, Philadelphia (2E) - 4
Portland (1W) - 8, California (4W) - 4
Eugene (3W) - 8, Las Vegas (2W) - 4
DIVISIONAL FINALS
Atlantic City - 10, Maine - 2
Portland - 6, Eugene - 5
CHAMPIONSHIP
Portland Wolfpack - 8, Atlantic City - 4 @ The Wolf Den
2003
Summary: The Village wins the franchise' record third title behind new GM Perry Sanchez by steam-rolling through the playoffs after finishing in 4th place, the lowest regular season finisher to ever win a WFBL crown
DIVISIONAL ROUND
Middle Village (4E) - 7, Philadelphia (1E) - 4
New York (2E) - 10, West Virginia (3E) - 2
Portland (1W) - 7, Louisiana (4W) - 4
California (2W) - 9, Idaho (3W) - 3
DIVISIONAL FINALS
Middle Village - 8, New York - 3
Portland - 9, California - 2
CHAMPIONSHIP
Middle Village Corn Cobs - 9, Portland - 3 @ The Wolf Den
2002
Summary: The final season before a major expansion and realignment ends with Philly taking it's first-ever title in it's second straight finals appearance.
OPENING ROUND
Maine (3E) - 10, Middle Village (2E) - 2
Las Vegas (3W) - 7, California (2W) - 5
SEMI-FINALS
Philadelphia (1E) -10, Las Vegas - 2
Maine - 11, Vancouver (1W) - 1
CHAMPIONSHIP
Philadelphia Athletics - 8, Maine - 4 @ Libery Bell Park
2001
Summary: In playoffs forever marred by the 9/11 terrorist attacks, the New York-based Cobs overcome and make a statement in their bitter-sweet title run to their second league crown while GM Ray Connors aids in the rescue and recovery operations.
OPENING ROUND
Middle Village (2E) - 9, Alexandria (3E) - 3
Eugene (3W) - 8, Vancouver (2W) - 4
SEMI-FINALS
Philadelphia (1E) - 8, Eugene - 4
Middle Village - 9, California (1W) - 3
CHAMPIONSHIP
Middle Village Corn Cobs - 9, Philadelphia - 3 @ Liberty Bell Park
2000
Summary: The Fish make an unlikely run to the franchise first title in their second straight finals showdown with Alexandria after both pennant winners are knocked out in the semis.
OPENING ROUND
Alexandria (2E) - 8, West Virginia (3E) - 4
Las Vegas (3W) - 9, Altoona (2W) - 3
SEMI-FINALS
Las Vegas - 6, Middle Village (1E) - 5
Alexandria - 6, California (1W) - 6 <TB1 - AX>
CHAMPIONSHIP
Las Vegas Blowfish - 10, Alexandria - 2 @ The Old Original Colony
1999
Summary: The Colony blitzed through the playoffs to win the Championship following the first-ever full season in league history
OPENING ROUND
Las Vegas (2W) - 8, Middle Village (2E) - 4
Alexandria (3E) - 10, West Virginia (4E) - 2
SEMI-FINALS
Las Vegas - 7, Philadelphia (1E) - 5
Alexandria - 11, Louisiana (1W) - 0
CHAMPIONSHIP
Alexandria Colonials - 9, Las Vegas - 3 @ The Old Original Colony
1998 INAUGURAL SEASON
Nine-game short-season format with just two playoff rounds
Summary: After dominating the inaugural short 9-game WFBL regular season, the Cobs follow up by winning the league's 1st-ever Championship
SEMI-FINALS
Middle Village (1E) - 9, Philadelphia (3E) - 3
Vancouver (1W) - 6, Alexandria (2E) - 5
CHAMPIONSHIP
Middle Village Corn Cobs - 9, Vancouver - 2 @ Juniper Valley Park