FanPost

Hurricane Joaquin and the MLB playoffs

Handout/Getty Images

The hurricane currently about to turn north toward the US East Coast could have some interest implications for the start of MLB playoffs. Here's the current National Hurricane Center forecast map:

Remember that this cone represents the spread of possible locations for the storm's center, NOT the zone of impact. The storm's effects will likely be much broader, as it may reach Category 4 before weakening near the coast. Here's the current QPF (quantitative precipitation forecast) five-day map, through next Tuesday:

This storm has a tinge of Sandy to it, another late-season hurricane about to move rapidly up the East Coast, with forecast models widely on its exact track (will it turn inland or out to sea?).

What does this mean for MLB playoffs?

Well, Tuesday Oct 8, when the center nears landfall, just happens to be the AL Wild Card game, potentially hosted by the Yankees. They could move the game to Wednesday, doubling up with the NL game, depending on the storm's motion and rainfall patterns. But then the winner of the ALWC has no off day before starting the ALDS.

The regular season is affected, too: the Yankees finish their season in Baltimore, even closer to the storm's core area of impact. What happens if one or more games here are rained out, affecting the final seeding of the WC game (NY is currently 2.5 games up on Houston)? In the NL, the Mets finish at home against the Nationals, in a tight race for NLDS home-field with the Dodgers. In both cases, even switching series or games to the other team's stadium might not help, as they're all in the impacted region. Under the current National Weather Service forecast, both Baltimore and New York will be seeing heavy rain and possibly tropical storm conditions this weekend, even before the core of the storm reaches the area by Monday-Tuesday. The only other series happening in the region is Marlins at Phillies, where rainouts would simply be mercy.

Something interesting to watch this weekend, and to remember when East Coast types fret about tornadoes and such. All the Midwestern games will be just fine.

This FanPost was written by a member of the Royals Review community. It does not necessarily reflect the views of the editors and writers of this site.