I don't think they count statistically for the regular season, but that's what they are. A glorified game 163. It's all a marketing ploy.
A win is a win if it punches us a ticket into the real postseason.
But winning the one game wild card is not going to rub off the stink of the narrative that the Nationals are first round chokers.
You know this, I know this, we all know this.
No, it doesn't erase past postseason failures, but the Wild Card games are postseason games. Period. That's per MLB.
