Concrete ideas to improve the playoff system?

[ArthurVandalay]

So, we're all sitting here bemoaning our fate, and talking about how the playoffs are a "crapshoot." I agree they are, but the NLDS could be a nine-game series and we still probably would have gotten swept.

 

Does anyone have any concrete ideas to improve the current playoff system? I've thought about reconfiguring the divison setup, making the playoffs longer, the season shorter, but I don't know for sure if any of it would help.

 

Ignoring what happened to the Cubs AGAIN this season, what can be done about the current system? Does it need a major overhaul or just some minor tweakings? Leave it how it is? What do you guys think?

[splintersag]

I'm in favor of simply making the DS a seven game series, and then leaving it how it is.

 

Yeah, I'm only saying this because the Cubs lost this year, but it can really use improving. The Cubs and now the Angels seasons are about to be ended in a matter of 3 games.

Edited October 5, 2008 by splintersag

[UMFan83]

Either making the DS a 7 game series, or keeping it best of 5 but going back to the 2-3 format. 2 road games followed by 3 home games.

 

I disagree that we would have gotten swept in any length of series. A 5 game series makes it extremely difficult on the team that falls behind. If you are down 1-0 in a 7 game series, its much easier to bounch back mentally.

[Cynosure]

Make the NLDS/ALDS 7 games, all you need to do.

[Mephistopheles]

Drop the wild card. Drop the divisions. Best team in each league makes WS.

[bhogg]

Go to 154 games and make the LDS 7 games.

[bhogg]

Drop the wild card. Drop the divisions. Best team in each league makes WS.

 

 

 

I like your thinking, but it'll never happen. Hank Steinbrenner had an article in the Sporting News that suggested putting the top 4 records from each league in the post season -- no more of this winning 83 games and getting in mess. I very much agree with him there.

[shnsajax]

Drop the All-Star game winner getting home field advantage in the WS first and foremost.

[laryan]

Drop the All-Star game winner getting home field advantage in the WS first and foremost.

 

interleague record makes the most sense

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Drop the All-Star game winner getting home field advantage in the WS first and foremost.

 

Is it that much worse than rotating?

[shnsajax]

Drop the All-Star game winner getting home field advantage in the WS first and foremost.

 

Is it that much worse than rotating?

 

Don't want rotating either. Whoever has the best record or like mentioned best interleague record heading into the WS gets homefield.

[ArthurVandalay]

Drop the wild card. Drop the divisions. Best team in each league makes WS.

 

This is how I tend to think, but unfortunately it will never happen because of $$$.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

Drop the wild card. Drop the divisions. Best team in each league makes WS.

 

This is how I tend to think, but unfortunately it will never happen because of $$$.

 

Why not just go all the way and eliminate the WS too?

 

The fairest way to decide the champion would be to have all 30 teams play a massive round-robin, best record is champion.

 

Anything short of that is just adding a random element, and I see no reason why 2 playoff teams are better than 8.

[Little Slide Rooter]

How about just keep on adding games until the Cubs get a lead. Seriously, the playof system is the way it is, and thats not going to change. The Cubs just didnt show up to play.

[SouthSideRyan]

Drop the wild card. Drop the divisions. Best team in each league makes WS.

 

 

 

I like your thinking, but it'll never happen. Hank Steinbrenner had an article in the Sporting News that suggested putting the top 4 records from each league in the post season -- no more of this winning 83 games and getting in mess. I very much agree with him there.

 

That's a great way to eliminate the excitement of pennant races down the stretch. Feel the drama as lesser teams fight it out for 4th place.

[ArthurVandalay]

That would be the trade-off. Trading drama and MLB revenue in exchange for the best OVERALL TEAMS getting into the World Series.

 

Even if it were worth it, it's never going to happen that way. But there has to be a better way to do it than the current system.

[Hairyducked Idiot]

That would be the trade-off. Trading drama and MLB revenue in exchange for the best OVERALL TEAMS getting into the World Series.

 

Even if it were worth it, it's never going to happen that way. But there has to be a better way to do it than the current system.

 

There's always got to be a tradeoff between excitement and rewarding the best. Honestly, even a 7-game series isn't enough to give the best teams a decisive advantage. A 13-game series probably wouldn't be enough.

 

Anything short of a 30-team league playing 150+ games and awarding the title to the team with the best record at the end is a bastardization.

[Backtobanks]

The team that has gone the longest with winning the WS is the automatic champion. :grin:

[rocket]

would any of us really care about improving the playoff system if the cubs didn't suck the past 2 playoff appearances?

 

no, the best team doesn't always do well in the playoffs, but i can't think of a structure that would change that. unless you make the post season about 40 games long or something.

[anabiono]

would any of us really care about improving the playoff system if the cubs didn't suck the past 2 playoff appearances?

 

no, the best team doesn't always do well in the playoffs, but i can't think of a structure that would change that. unless you make the post season about 40 games long or something.

 

no, i have always thought the 5 game series was stupid

[SoonerCubFan]

Count me in with simply making the LDS 7 games, although there's something to be said for the champion having to run the gauntlet of a short series and a couple of long series - not much, but something. And I agree with abandoning the All Star Game as deciding WS home field advantage. One other thing to "clean up" baseball IMO - move the Astros to the AL to get the leagues evened up like they should be. Then you could go back to 18 intra-divisional games with each division team (72 games), 6 games (3 home and away) with every other League team (60 games), and 6 games (3 home and away) against every member of one division in the other League (30 games) on a rotational 3 year basis. That way there would be a lot more to base the Interleague record decision on, beyond the simple fairness of it all. It still would not be 100% fair in determining the WC winner, but it's not any worse in that regard than what we've got right now.

[Master Shake]

One do or die game for the first two levels of playoffs. Team with best record gets home field.

[Flames24Rulz]

I really don't mind the LDS as a 5 game series. Don't forget, we really benefitted from that in 2003.

[Guest]

Drop the wild card. Drop the divisions. Best team in each league makes WS.

 

This is how I tend to think, but unfortunately it will never happen because of $$$.

 

Why not just go all the way and eliminate the WS too?

 

The fairest way to decide the champion would be to have all 30 teams play a massive round-robin, best record is champion.

 

Anything short of that is just adding a random element, and I see no reason why 2 playoff teams are better than 8.

 

It would be like soccer leagues in Europe, just on a much bigger scale.

[Guest]

I really don't mind the LDS as a 5 game series. Don't forget, we really benefitted from that in 2003.

 

Yep. I don't really mind how it's set up.