When is Riotous Celebration Appropriate?

As the baseball season comes thundering to its suspense-filled conclusion, Boston Police are wisely thinking about rioting, hoping to avoid the destruction and death that accompanied last year's playoff victory over the Yankees. Bostonist is glad to know that far more officers will be deployed around Fenway, with what appears to be a much better plan (and fewer "non-lethal" weapons). But with the pennant and wild card races so up in the air, we got to wondering about rioting/celebrating: First we wondered, can the police, based on the outcomes of tonight's games (Red Sox - Yankees and Cleveland - Chicago), know with certainty that rioting will not occur tomorrow night? For that matter, would there be any reason to riot tonight, no matter the outcome? As it stands, the Sox need to win two against the Yanks to force a one-game playoff, and three to win the division. Additionally, if the Sox win two and Cleveland drops two, Boston clinches the wild card. So when would the occasion arise for unruly street revelry? What if the Sox split the first two games against New York while the Indians drop their first two. At that point, the Sox have clinched a one-game playoff for the wild card, while their shot at winning the division (via a one-game playoff against the Yankees) is still unknown. Would this be cause for celebration? What if, at the conclusion of three games, Boston is in sole possession of the wild card spot but has finished second in the division? Is that a good reason to go out and start tearing down traffic lights and turning over cars? Bostonist, being versed in neither the fine points of statistics nor the joys of petty destruction of property, must confess ignorance and put the question to our dear readers.