Expand the League and Kill the Wildcard?

[jjgman21]

I see a couple people suggesting expanding into NY. a couple years ago on a different board (with many of the same people as are here now), when all the talk was of contracting two teams (in large part justified because of revenue disparity), I suggested the teams should be moved to NY.

 

not saying the same people are commenting here, but everyone poopoo'd the idea back then.

[Exile on Waveland]

I think MLB had the right idea with contraction -- expansion is the absolute last thing the league needs. It needs to be at least four teams contracted, and I'd probably recommend six or even eight.

[erik316wttn]

I like the Wild Cards, they keep interest going in many markets late into September every year. It would be pretty sad heading into the home stretch with all eight playoff teams already decided.

 

I agree.

 

And I never thought this "well, you have a 2nd place team win the World Series!! How lame is that?" argument held any water (not saying that anyone has made it in this thread, I've just heard it made). You have 2nd place teams in the NBA, NHL, and NFL in the playoffs with a shot at the championship, so why not baseball?

 

And I don't know about expansion. The pitching is already watered-down as it is.

 

The only markets I'd say "yes" for another team is New York, and Vegas (but then you'd have to take all the MLB games off the books, and I doubt that's gonna happen).

 

New York can handle 3 teams. It handled 3 teams when the city was half the size it is now. It can again. Screw Stienbrenner and the hissy fit he'd have.

Edited August 9, 2005 by erik316wttn

[sandberg23]

I'm a traditionalist and I'd love to see some teams contracted or added and just two leagues AL and NL and one division in each. They play each other the same amount of times and the top 4 teams go. This gaurantees the top teams will go to the playoffs.

 

Stl 70-41

Atlanta 64-48

Houston 60-51

Florida 57-52

Wash 58-53

Phil 58-53

Mets 57-54

SD 56-55

Mil 56-56

Cubs 54-57

Ariz 54-59

LA 50-61

Cin 49-62

SF 48-62

Pitt 47-65

Colorado 41-69

 

Florida @ Stl and Houston @ Atlanta

 

 

I'm with you, dude.

 

Contract some teams and get rid of the wild card.

 

There was nothing wrong with the system pre 94. Oh, boo hoo hoo, the Giants won 103 games and didnt make the play offs. Cry me a river.

 

In recent years, the only pennant race has been the race for the wild card.

 

Ditto. I was a fan of pre-94. I don't like the realignment and playoff system...nor do I like interleague play, the DH and the ASG deciding HFA for the WS. :pukel:

[erik316wttn]

I'm a traditionalist and I'd love to see some teams contracted or added and just two leagues AL and NL and one division in each. They play each other the same amount of times and the top 4 teams go. This gaurantees the top teams will go to the playoffs.

 

Stl 70-41

Atlanta 64-48

Houston 60-51

Florida 57-52

Wash 58-53

Phil 58-53

Mets 57-54

SD 56-55

Mil 56-56

Cubs 54-57

Ariz 54-59

LA 50-61

Cin 49-62

SF 48-62

Pitt 47-65

Colorado 41-69

 

Florida @ Stl and Houston @ Atlanta

 

 

I'm with you, dude.

 

Contract some teams and get rid of the wild card.

 

There was nothing wrong with the system pre 94. Oh, boo hoo hoo, the Giants won 103 games and didnt make the play offs. Cry me a river.

 

In recent years, the only pennant race has been the race for the wild card.

 

Ditto. I was a fan of pre-94. I don't like the realignment and playoff system...nor do I like interleague play, the DH and the ASG deciding HFA for the WS. :pukel:

 

I'll give you the last 2, but I happen to like interleague play.

[treebird]

I hate the Wild Card.

 

Here's an example why. Let's say that the A's and Angels both get hot and are on pace to win 100 games each in mid to late September. Let's also say (this is not realisitic, but go with me) that Curt Schilling moves back to the rotation and gets HOTHOTHOT for the Red Sox. The Yankees and all the other Wild Card contenders fall off.

 

Here's how things play out. White Sox have the best record in the league and will play the Wild Card team. Boston will play the winner of the west, regardless of the number of wins they have. Who would you rather play, the White Sox or the Red Sox? Suddenly, both the A's and Angels have pretty substantial incentive to lose as much as possible.

 

That's bad.

[J.R.]

I'll add that I love the expanded postseason. It's great to have two or three big games on the daily plate for a stretch of several days.

 

I follow the whole thing from start to finish ... it's like a baseball festival.

[sandberg23]

Ditto. I was a fan of pre-94. I don't like the realignment and playoff system...nor do I like interleague play, the DH and the ASG deciding HFA for the WS. :pukel:

 

I'll give you the last 2, but I happen to like interleague play.

 

I know a lot of people like interleague play. I just never got into it. I think if interleague play is going to happen, then every team in each league should play each other - 6 games against each team in the other league and then the rest against your own league...maybe more in your own division. I also really don't like that the AL has less teams and that one division can have only 4 teams while another division can have 6. Even it out and then play. Just my opinion. :D

[sandberg23]

I'll add that I love the expanded postseason. It's great to have two or three big games on the daily plate for a stretch of several days.

 

I follow the whole thing from start to finish ... it's like a baseball festival.

 

That would be great. I hate having a game end and not being able to watch another. :x

[erik316wttn]

I hate the Wild Card.

 

Here's an example why. Let's say that the A's and Angels both get hot and are on pace to win 100 games each in mid to late September. Let's also say (this is not realisitic, but go with me) that Curt Schilling moves back to the rotation and gets HOTHOTHOT for the Red Sox. The Yankees and all the other Wild Card contenders fall off.

 

Here's how things play out. White Sox have the best record in the league and will play the Wild Card team. Boston will play the winner of the west, regardless of the number of wins they have. Who would you rather play, the White Sox or the Red Sox? Suddenly, both the A's and Angels have pretty substantial incentive to lose as much as possible.

 

That's bad.

 

Then your problem is with the seeding of the playoffs, not necessarily the WC itself.

[treebird]

I hate the Wild Card.

 

Here's an example why. Let's say that the A's and Angels both get hot and are on pace to win 100 games each in mid to late September. Let's also say (this is not realisitic, but go with me) that Curt Schilling moves back to the rotation and gets HOTHOTHOT for the Red Sox. The Yankees and all the other Wild Card contenders fall off.

 

Here's how things play out. White Sox have the best record in the league and will play the Wild Card team. Boston will play the winner of the west, regardless of the number of wins they have. Who would you rather play, the White Sox or the Red Sox? Suddenly, both the A's and Angels have pretty substantial incentive to lose as much as possible.

 

That's bad.

 

Then your problem is with the seeding of the playoffs, not necessarily the WC itself.

 

explain how to seed the teams with a wild card so that won't happen.

 

this wouldn't happen if there were four divisions or no divisions or two divisions or whatever.

[erik316wttn]

Ditto. I was a fan of pre-94. I don't like the realignment and playoff system...nor do I like interleague play, the DH and the ASG deciding HFA for the WS. :pukel:

 

I'll give you the last 2, but I happen to like interleague play.

 

I know a lot of people like interleague play. I just never got into it. I think if interleague play is going to happen, then every team in each league should play each other - 6 games against each team in the other league and then the rest against your own league...maybe more in your own division. I also really don't like that the AL has less teams and that one division can have only 4 teams while another division can have 6. Even it out and then play. Just my opinion. :D

 

I'd be up for playing every team in a 3-game set. And bring back the balanced schedule.

[katway]

... Suddenly, both the A's and Angels have pretty substantial incentive to lose as much as possible.

 

That's bad.

 

I really don't think it's realistic to think a team would intentionally tank their record for a different playoff berth. Even if a team would rather face a different playoff opponent, losing is contagious and no manager or GM is going to try to tank their team for the sake of an easier first round.

I think if you have to expand the AL, just go 5-6-5 like the NL and leave the divisions and Wild Card alone. And you aren't gonna get a 3rd NY team to work because all of the allegiances have been established by now. Yankee fans, Met fans comprising former GIants/Dodgers fans. Where are these new fans coming from? Jersey is split between Yankees, Mets, and Phillies. Connecticut is split between Yankees and Red Sox. A third team wouldn't work. It'd never get off the ground.

[Transmogrified Tiger]

I hate the Wild Card.

 

Here's an example why. Let's say that the A's and Angels both get hot and are on pace to win 100 games each in mid to late September. Let's also say (this is not realisitic, but go with me) that Curt Schilling moves back to the rotation and gets HOTHOTHOT for the Red Sox. The Yankees and all the other Wild Card contenders fall off.

 

Here's how things play out. White Sox have the best record in the league and will play the Wild Card team. Boston will play the winner of the west, regardless of the number of wins they have. Who would you rather play, the White Sox or the Red Sox? Suddenly, both the A's and Angels have pretty substantial incentive to lose as much as possible.

 

That's bad.

 

Then your problem is with the seeding of the playoffs, not necessarily the WC itself.

 

explain how to seed the teams with a wild card so that won't happen.

 

this wouldn't happen if there were four divisions or no divisions or two divisions or whatever.

 

If you seed the teams based on win-loss record without regard to division, then it won't happen.

Realignment scheme:

 

Add Portland or Las Vegas to the AL West, add Charlotte or Norfolk to the AL East, and move Toronto to the Central. 5-6-5. Don't touch the NL, and keep the Wild Card.

[TruffleShuffle]

Realignment scheme:

 

Add Portland or Las Vegas to the AL West, add Charlotte or Norfolk to the AL East, and move Toronto to the Central. 5-6-5. Don't touch the NL, and keep the Wild Card.

 

Man I have to pay attention to the new members... seeing "The Troll" was pretty funny but this one is really bizarre!

[NorthsideAvenger]

Anybody who hates the Wild Card apparently doesn't like intense baseball. Wild Card---as Snoop Dogg would say---"Is off the hizzle."

 

I would go 6 five team divisions, with 2 WC winners (don't matter from which division). I would shorten the season from 162 to about 140 games. Drop 2 weeks off of ST, and start the season around the 22/23 of March. I would ALSO drop the Interleague Series, cause that is now boring; Detroit .v. Arizona, TB .v. Colorado...come on, gimme a break. I rather baseball reestablish rivalries like the Cubs/Mets, the Braves/Cards etc.

 

Wild Card rules....outside the fact the Cubs have no shot at it this yr.

[Mark_R]

Anybody who hates the Wild Card apparently doesn't like intense baseball. Wild Card---as Snoop Dogg would say---"Is off the hizzle."

 

I would go 6 five team divisions, with 2 WC winners (don't matter from which division). I would shorten the season from 162 to about 140 games. Drop 2 weeks off of ST, and start the season around the 22/23 of March. I would ALSO drop the Interleague Series, cause that is now boring; Detroit .v. Arizona, TB .v. Colorado...come on, gimme a break. I rather baseball reestablish rivalries like the Cubs/Mets, the Braves/Cards etc.

 

Wild Card rules....outside the fact the Cubs have no shot at it this yr.

 

Doesn't that mean that every day that a team is off? That's bad revenue for baseball to have teams not playing on a Friday, Saturday Sunday. Not to mention it makes scheduling an even bigger headache than it already is.

[Derwood]

Anybody who hates the Wild Card apparently doesn't like intense baseball. Wild Card---as Snoop Dogg would say---"Is off the hizzle."

 

I would go 6 five team divisions, with 2 WC winners (don't matter from which division). I would shorten the season from 162 to about 140 games. Drop 2 weeks off of ST, and start the season around the 22/23 of March. I would ALSO drop the Interleague Series, cause that is now boring; Detroit .v. Arizona, TB .v. Colorado...come on, gimme a break. I rather baseball reestablish rivalries like the Cubs/Mets, the Braves/Cards etc.

 

Wild Card rules....outside the fact the Cubs have no shot at it this yr.

 

Doesn't that mean that every day that a team is off? That's bad revenue for baseball to have teams not playing on a Friday, Saturday Sunday. Not to mention it makes scheduling an even bigger headache than it already is.

 

Yes, i thought I already explained this earlier. You can't have odd numbered teams in each league.

[sandberg23]

Anybody who hates the Wild Card apparently doesn't like intense baseball. Wild Card---as Snoop Dogg would say---"Is off the hizzle."

 

I would go 6 five team divisions, with 2 WC winners (don't matter from which division). I would shorten the season from 162 to about 140 games. Drop 2 weeks off of ST, and start the season around the 22/23 of March. I would ALSO drop the Interleague Series, cause that is now boring; Detroit .v. Arizona, TB .v. Colorado...come on, gimme a break. I rather baseball reestablish rivalries like the Cubs/Mets, the Braves/Cards etc.

 

Wild Card rules....outside the fact the Cubs have no shot at it this yr.

 

Doesn't that mean that every day that a team is off? That's bad revenue for baseball to have teams not playing on a Friday, Saturday Sunday. Not to mention it makes scheduling an even bigger headache than it already is.

 

Yes, i thought I already explained this earlier. You can't have odd numbered teams in each league.

 

If both leagues played each other consistently throughout the season, then it could work. I think all teams should play each other, drop the WC, drop the DH and drop the ASG deciding HFA for the WS.

Realignment scheme:

 

Add Portland or Las Vegas to the AL West, add Charlotte or Norfolk to the AL East, and move Toronto to the Central. 5-6-5. Don't touch the NL, and keep the Wild Card.

 

Man I have to pay attention to the new members... seeing "The Troll" was pretty funny but this one is really bizarre!

 

I didn't think adding a team in Norfolk was THAT strange

Anybody who hates the Wild Card apparently doesn't like intense baseball. Wild Card---as Snoop Dogg would say---"Is off the hizzle."

 

I would go 6 five team divisions, with 2 WC winners (don't matter from which division). I would shorten the season from 162 to about 140 games. Drop 2 weeks off of ST, and start the season around the 22/23 of March. I would ALSO drop the Interleague Series, cause that is now boring; Detroit .v. Arizona, TB .v. Colorado...come on, gimme a break. I rather baseball reestablish rivalries like the Cubs/Mets, the Braves/Cards etc.

 

Wild Card rules....outside the fact the Cubs have no shot at it this yr.

 

Doesn't that mean that every day that a team is off? That's bad revenue for baseball to have teams not playing on a Friday, Saturday Sunday. Not to mention it makes scheduling an even bigger headache than it already is.

 

Yes, i thought I already explained this earlier. You can't have odd numbered teams in each league.

 

If both leagues played each other consistently throughout the season, then it could work. I think all teams should play each other, drop the WC, drop the DH and drop the ASG deciding HFA for the WS.

 

Let's have a Western Conference and Eastern Conference! Agh. At least the ASG proposal makes sense.

[sandberg23]

Realignment scheme:

 

Add Portland or Las Vegas to the AL West, add Charlotte or Norfolk to the AL East, and move Toronto to the Central. 5-6-5. Don't touch the NL, and keep the Wild Card.

 

Man I have to pay attention to the new members... seeing "The Troll" was pretty funny but this one is really bizarre!

 

I didn't think adding a team in Norfolk was THAT strange

 

I may be wrong, but I think he's referring to your SN.

[EricG]

Realignment scheme:

 

Add Portland or Las Vegas to the AL West, add Charlotte or Norfolk to the AL East, and move Toronto to the Central. 5-6-5. Don't touch the NL, and keep the Wild Card.

 

Man I have to pay attention to the new members... seeing "The Troll" was pretty funny but this one is really bizarre!

Hmm ... maybe I should change my name to \

the next expansion must include the New York Knights