MLB To Announce Expanded Playoffs?

[bcl412]

A double header in the playoffs could be fun.

[Fast Freddie Bynum]

I don't like that wild card 1 has to play wild card 2 in a 1 game playoff if they already beat them in the standings. At least make it a series. That rewards the division winners to by making the wild cards work harder, heck you can even start round 2 on day 3.

 

IMO, a 1 game playoff is stupid unless teams are tied. I understand that wild card 2 may be a better team and but played in a harder division so the y may deserve a shot, but at least make that shot a series not one flukey game.

 

In my opinion it is not stupid at all. It will be fun.

 

A 3 game series can still be quite flukey.

 

It can be. I'm sure it would be fun either way. The ratings would probably be better for 1 game too and I'm sure they want to make sure everybody sees both the AL and NL game, which would be a little complicated with my idea.

[Sammys Boombox]

5 teams is such a bad idea. I like 4 the most, but 6 makes a lot of sense too.

 

2 divisions. 4 wild cards.

 

Wild card playoffs are a 3-game series. #3 vs. #6. #4 vs. #5.

 

All 3 games are played in the the higher seeded teams park. I like the doubleheader idea. In future years you schedule the season to end on a Friday. Yeah, I know, it will be goofy. Have the doubleheaders on Saturday and any necessary game 3s on Sunday. Or, you could have the season end on Thursday. Have all the Game 1s on Friday night (no one can get eliminated so who cares if they overlap). Have all game 2s on Saturday on two different networks. Stagger the games so their start times are about 2.5 hours apart (12:00, 2:30, 5:00, 7:30 CT). Play any necessary game 3s on Sunday.

 

The two teams that win advance to a 5-game division series with the recent format of 2-2-1.

7-game league championship series. 2-3-2.

7-game world series. 2-3-2.

 

This format fosters more chances for meaningful regular season races. Winning the division is important because you get a bye. Winning the first two wild cards is important because you get all three games in your home park. Obviously, there will also be a race between the last team in and the first team out.

 

Also, you could potentially get 5th in your division and still make the playoffs. So, no more AL East scenarios. Ever.

[Irrelevant Dude]

5 teams is such a bad idea. I like 4 the most, but 6 makes a lot of sense too.

6 teams might make sense logistically, and I fear we are headed there eventually, but that is far too easy for teams to make the playoffs. If you are going to play a long 162 game season, it needs to mean something. The only change I would have made to the playoffs was increasing the divisional round to 7 games. In a game that relies so heavily on statistics, any system that involves 1, 2, or 3 game playoff series just has way too much randomness involved in the outcome.

[Sammys Boombox]

5 teams is such a bad idea. I like 4 the most, but 6 makes a lot of sense too.

6 teams might make sense logistically, and I fear we are headed there eventually, but that is far too easy for teams to make the playoffs. If you are going to play a long 162 game season, it needs to mean something. The only change I would have made to the playoffs was increasing the divisional round to 7 games. In a game that relies so heavily on statistics, any system that involves 1, 2, or 3 game playoff series just has way too much randomness involved in the outcome.

 

I am completely with you. If I were MLB dictator I would keep it at 4 (maybe with 2 divisions and 2 wild cards to avoid AL East scenario, but probably just leave it the way it was) and extend the LDS to 7 games.

[Schwarber Fan]

Has anyone mentioned this BS yet?

Reverting to the old 2-3 format that was used from 1995-97 will allow the one-game Wild Card playoff winners to remain home and host the first two games of their Division Series, which will begin on Sunday, Oct. 7. The other two Division Series that pits division winners will begin on Saturday, Oct. 6.

[Sammys Boombox]

Has anyone mentioned this BS yet?

Reverting to the old 2-3 format that was used from 1995-97 will allow the one-game Wild Card playoff winners to remain home and host the first two games of their Division Series, which will begin on Sunday, Oct. 7. The other two Division Series that pits division winners will begin on Saturday, Oct. 6.

 

That's what makes me the most angry. I think this shows that Bud (and I'm assuming most owners) are willing to make their playoffs a joke for money. Just come out and say it's about the money and apologize for hypothetically giving the 5th seed the chance to play more home games in the LDS than the team that finished with the best record in the league. I understand the reason they're doing it, but I think they should wait until next year if it means the 4 seed gets an unfair advantage. I'd rather have the 2 seed this year than the 1 seed. At least you know what city you're going too after your last game. Actually, the 3 seed may be the best seed to have this year...

 

Hypothetical, if you're the 1 seed would you rather play the first three games at home and know what city you're going to be in for game 1 (yours)? Or, would you rather have the last 3 games at home? You can't assume you know how many games the series will go.

[Guest]

That's only for this year, right?

 

Either way, I have a hard time getting worked up about it, since the only difference is in a potential game 3 where the Wild Card team has won consecutive games with their 2-3 starters against your 1-2. And even then, the 1 seed has the luxury of every potential elimination game being on their home field.

[Guest]

That's only for this year, right?

 

Either way, I have a hard time getting worked up about it, since the only difference is in a potential game 3 where the Wild Card team has won consecutive games with their 2-3 starters against your 1-2. And even then, the 1 seed has the luxury of every potential elimination game being on their home field.

 

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's only for this year. In 2013, they're revert back to the 2-2-1 format.

[SouthSideRyan]

That's only for this year, right?

 

Either way, I have a hard time getting worked up about it, since the only difference is in a potential game 3 where the Wild Card team has won consecutive games with their 2-3 starters against your 1-2. And even then, the 1 seed has the luxury of every potential elimination game being on their home field.

 

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's only for this year. In 2013, they're revert back to the 2-2-1 format.

 

I don't understand why it's necessary this year, but not going forward.

[mul21]

That's only for this year, right?

 

Either way, I have a hard time getting worked up about it, since the only difference is in a potential game 3 where the Wild Card team has won consecutive games with their 2-3 starters against your 1-2. And even then, the 1 seed has the luxury of every potential elimination game being on their home field.

 

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's only for this year. In 2013, they're revert back to the 2-2-1 format.

 

I don't understand why it's necessary this year, but not going forward.

 

I think it was a scheduling thing, which is why they weren't sure they were going to add the extra WC this year if I remember right.

[CubColtPacer]

That's only for this year, right?

 

Either way, I have a hard time getting worked up about it, since the only difference is in a potential game 3 where the Wild Card team has won consecutive games with their 2-3 starters against your 1-2. And even then, the 1 seed has the luxury of every potential elimination game being on their home field.

 

Yeah, I'm pretty sure it's only for this year. In 2013, they're revert back to the 2-2-1 format.

 

I don't understand why it's necessary this year, but not going forward.

 

I think it was a scheduling thing, which is why they weren't sure they were going to add the extra WC this year if I remember right.

 

It is a scheduling thing. When they made the schedule for this year, they locked in the dates for the ALCS/NLCS with the TV networks. They had to stick to those dates. So to jam the wildcard games in, they had to cut out one of the travel days from the divisional round. When the schedule for next year is made, they'll be able to just move those dates back to leave enough room for both the wildcard games and a 2/2/1 format during the divisional round.