. ▁ ▁To ▁accommod ate ▁the ▁ 2 0 1 3 ▁World ▁Baseball ▁Classic , ▁the ▁league ▁took ▁a ▁six - week ▁break ▁after ▁the ▁February ▁ 3 rd ▁All - Star ▁Game . ▁The ▁Series ▁Nacional ▁played ▁a ▁short ened ▁ 4 5 ▁game ▁season , ▁with ▁all ▁ 1 6 ▁teams ▁compet ing ▁in ▁a ▁single ▁table ▁format ▁( do ing ▁away ▁with ▁the ▁regular ▁two ▁division ▁format ). ▁The ▁bottom ▁ 8 ▁seed ed ▁team ▁then ▁played ▁amongst ▁themselves ▁in ▁the ▁cons olation ▁round , ▁while ▁the ▁top ▁ 8 ▁seed ed ▁teams ▁did ▁the ▁same ▁for ▁the ▁championship . ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 4 , ▁the ▁cons olation ▁round ▁format ▁for ▁the ▁mid season ▁was ▁officially ▁adopted , ▁effectively ▁making ▁it ▁a ▁de ▁fact o ▁wild ▁card ▁game ▁with ▁the ▁w inners ▁having ▁a ▁chance ▁to ▁make ▁it ▁to ▁the ▁post season . ▁ ▁The ▁designated ▁h itter ▁is ▁used ▁in ▁all ▁games , ▁in ▁addition , ▁the ▁C NS ▁All ▁Star ▁Game ▁is ▁held ▁year ly ▁in ▁the ▁middle ▁of ▁the ▁regular ▁season ▁in ▁between ▁the ▁phr ases . ▁ ▁West ▁Teams ▁ ▁East ▁Teams ▁ ▁National ▁Series ▁champions ▁ ▁See ▁also ▁ ▁List ▁of ▁Cub an ▁National ▁Series ▁M VP s ▁Baseball ▁awards # C uba ▁List ▁of ▁organized ▁baseball ▁le agues ▁ ▁External ▁links ▁Cub an ▁baseball ▁Con nor , ▁Joe , ▁Welcome ▁to ▁Cuba . ▁ESP N ▁( ML B ), ▁January ▁ 1 7 , ▁ 2 0 0 6 . ▁Retrieved ▁