I've never been interested in the playoffs

[jerichoholicninja]

Not even last year when the Crew was in it. I just can't get into the playoffs. There is so much more intrigue in the regular season. There's milestone chases, trades, prospects, no names that come out of no where, players farewell season, obscure events (unassisted triple plays, cycle, etc.) and about 15 games a night.

 

I'm watching the Yankees/Angels game right now and it seems to be going about half the speed of a regular season game - constant pick off attempts and pitchers taking plenty of time between pitches. It's like watching a completely different game. Not to mention having to listen to Joe Buck and Tim McCarver.

 

Anyone else not really care about the playoffs?

[hawing]

I was pretty interested last year while the Brewers were involved, but between the uber-hype, the too-regular appearance of a subset of moneyed teams, FOX's dramatic playoff theme music*, and especially the playoff announcers of recent years (BA excluded), my interest often drops off quickly. Honestly, I think the Buck/McCarver style of broadcasting might truly be what turns me off most about the postseason.

 

For me, playoff games do serve a useful weaning-myself-off-baseball purpose, but that doesn't mean I hang on every pitch of every game.

 

*One exception: If the Brewers ever do get to the World Series and FOX plays that sweeping drama music for a game involving the Brewers, I will probably be a weeping puddle of emotion.

[Patrick425]

I love the playoffs. But I prefer to watch the games that happen outdoors in the north or east. Something about watching that real Fall baseball with all the fans bundled up in hats and gloves. I think it reminds me of the playoff games I watched as a kid.

 

Also, I'm not sure how anyone could have watched the Saturday night's Yankees/Angels game and still say that they are not into the playoffs.

[AJAY]

I am watching the playoffs this year, but not with the same level of interest. It's almost impossible to take this seriously knowing that these are mostly big-money / big-market teams that have outspent their competition. MLB just seems like a big joke right now.

[DougJones43]

The only interest I have is rooting against certain teams -- usually the Yankees or Cubs. I always pull for any small market teams as well, but that's already done for this year.

[bucks2281]

I'm not tuning out yet. I have a feeling that the upcoming Phillies/Yankees World Series could be the first great WS since 2001.

 

But, I agree. The games are interminable.

[logan82]

The best thing to happen in my pinion is for the playoffs to get over as quickly as possible so that the real off season can start.

[pingman]

the games are so long that they've become unwatchable (unless the Braves or Brewers are playing)

[tyguy20204]

I guess I don't see how if you're a fan of baseball you can dislike the playoffs. Unwatchable? Some of the games in the past week have been classic.

[Patrick425]

tyguy20204[/b]]I guess I don't see how if you're a fan of baseball you can dislike the playoffs. Unwatchable? Some of the games in the past week have been classic.

 

I really have to agree with this and to be honest I'm very surprised and a bit disappointed by some of the comments posted here. I thought this was a forum for baseball fans?!

[Invader3K]

I would say the games have been good. I personally have enjoyed the NLCS more...maybe it's because I hate the Yankees, or I'm more of a Dodgers fan. The ALCS games seem like they drag on forever. I also don't care for FOX's presentation (and the announcing, as has been discussed).

 

I would say my enthusiasm has been tempered by the fact that this year's playoffs have been dominated by the high payroll teams. Kind of shoots a hole Bud Selig's claims of "parity." Also, I don't understand how the umpiring can be so bad, but that is another issue.

 

I still intend to catch as much of the World Series as I can, and cheer against the Evil Empire.

[Thurston Fluff]

It's a forum for Brewers fans. Some are fans of the team more than the game. I usually like the playoffs but when it's years like this where the only team left are big money teams it seems more like playing the all madden team on the playstation. Sure everything is played at it's highest level but it's not really teams as much as all star lineups put together solely based on one teams interests. It's really hard to get into rooting for one super rich, well stocked team vs another. It's sort of like cheering for bankers to start getting their multi-million dollar bonuses back while being laid off.

[JimH5]

I love the baseball postseason.

 

I'll agree that the pace of the game is often dreadfully long, but each individual game is important, so the scrutiny of each play is magnified.

 

Just in the past few years we've had so many great moments. . .The Endy Chavez catch. The Schilling bloody sock. The Jim Leyland and Jack McKeon lead Marlins teams. The Rockies and Rays' improbable runs. Of course, the Brewers return to the postseason. . .All great stuff.

 

Incidentally, my wedding night was the night Kirk Gibson homered off Eckersley. . .there had to be at least a few people at my wedding torqued off that they missed that wonderful moment.

[bork]

I'm a homer. I follow the Brewers religiously, but I really don't give a rip about any other teams. Really, college basketball is the only sport were I'll follow the tourney/postseason, even if my team isn't in it.

[davego]

Typically I smatter with the playoff games, but become more engaged come World Series time. The DS and LCS are interesting, however life gets in the way for me to really commit to them.

[patrickgpe]

i agree with most of the sentiment of the board, the games are usually very exciting and therefore i do not care how long they are. I am a baseball fan and enjoy watching good baseball. Besides these last few week are the last meaningful baseball i'll get to see until April.

[joepepsi]

I agree the regular season is far more interesting. The pomp and hype attached since Fox got involved was predictable and is obnoxious. Most of the games this year have been very good. I've watched them as a casual fan and have tried to pay no attention to broadcasters. But if the Yankees beat the Angels then I'm done. It's time for baseball fans to boycott any World Series that involves the Yankees until a broadcast revenue sharing program is instituted.

 

Last week, home for lunch, I switched on MLB network and watched a couple innings of a 1995 Cleveland-Boston playoff game. I was stunned by how much the atmosphere has changed since then. Costas and Uecker did the play by play. The game moved along with little hype and played out like just another regular season game. I was kinda proud how good an analyst Uecker was, especially compared to today's dreck on espn, Fox, and TBS.

[BrewersSuperCollector]

The playoffs are hard for me watch until the World Series. I understand the Wild Card adds to the excitement in September for the chase of many teams viable for the last spot. The extra games in the playoffs from the Wild Card makes me not want to watch unless the Brewers are that Wild Card team.

[Patrick425]

JimH5[/b]]Incidentally, my wedding night was the night Kirk Gibson homered off Eckersley. . .there had to be at least a few people at my wedding torqued off that they missed that wonderful moment.

My bachelor party was on the same night that Joe Carter hit the HR to win the World Series. We were at a strip club on National Ave in West Allis when it happened (I can't believe I can't remember the name of the club - I don't think it exists anymore, or the name has changed)

 

edit: Heart Breakers! - I guess it's called Crazy Horse now.

[Ennder]

I love the playoffs but haven't watched that many games this year because I've just been busy.

 

I think it is funny that people don't want to watch because the same teams are in it every year(btw only 3 of the 8 teams in it this year made the playoffs last year). Guess they don't watch the NBA or NFL playoffs either since it is basically the same teams every year too.

[bklynbrewcrew]

I have no interest in watching the Yankees roll to a championship. Until baseball gets a salary cap I will find very little enjoyment in watching playoff baseball because the Brewers will rarely be a part of it.

[owbc]

I really enjoy the drama and storylines involved in the postseason, but the games are borderline unwatchable. This is generally due to greed and money interests over the good of the game.

 

-The games take way too long and nobody cares as long as the ratings are better than whatever would otherwise be on TBS at the time. There should be fines and rules against delaying the game. The games are going 45 minutes to an hour longer than they should.

-The announcers are absolutely horrible. It has to be scaring people people away and I'm sure they would have already dumped these guys if not for some contract requirement or that the people making the decisions are as brain dead as the announcers.

-I really, really hate the Yankees, but their moves are completely logical given the economic climate that persists in baseball. The Phillies are actually the easiest team to root for, because at least they got Cliff Lee because they had a solid farm system, not because they outspent everyone.

 

I agree that there have been some classic games, but some of the fun is taken out knowing how bad the economic situation has gotten. I would take a full season work stoppage if it means that the Yankees can't spend triple what the Brewers do and get away with it.

[Teatoe993]

The Marlins, Rays and Rockies can't make it every year. Sometimes the teams favored to win it all actually fulfill those predictions. The Yankees have been winning pennants since the beginning of time. If you average it out, it comes to about one every three years. Seeing as how they haven't been to the big dance since 2003, I'd say they are due. Personally, I am really enjoying watching Sabathia completely dominate. I'm licking my chops to watch him go against Cliff Lee in game 1.

[Polish Falcons]

I love watching the playoffs even when I don't especially like the teams in it, as is the case this year. There have been some great games; as someone pointed out the Angels over the Yankees in 11 Saturday night was awesome. Even though I don't like the teams I am really looking forward to a possible Yankees/Phillies world series. that could be very entertaining. Even if the Phillies have a high payroll I give them credit for developing the majority of the talent on their own. They run a respectable team. I hope they repeat.

 

To say the same big money dominant teams are the only ones who are in it and winning it every year shows either a short memory or not paying attention. Last year the Brewers made it and that was awesome, even though it ended with dissapointment and fast. But the Tampa Bay Rays made the WS and they are a very low budget team who have a spectacular farm system and continue to do so (e.g. Durham won the AAA series this year). In 07 the Diamondbacks and Rockies were in the NLCS. The 06 WS was Cards/Tigers and before that Astros/White Sox. The Marlins have won a WS more recently than the lowly Yankees for god's sake!!

 

I understand your point about missing the opportunity to pick between 15 games on mlb.tv. It also sucks not being able to follow fantasy baseball. And I can't believe purple suit NBA color guy Craig Sager is a baseball color guy on TBS. But to say you don't like the playoffs, as a baseball fan, that strikes me as a real downer, especially to say not even when the Brewers made it last year. That just crosses the line right there.

[owbc]

I worry that the big teams are winning more and will continue to do so because they are figuring out the tricks that the small market teams were using to beat them.

 

The Yankees (and every other MLB team) should win a pennant every 15 years and a World Series every 30 years. A playoff birth should come about every 3-4 years.

 

I just feel like the Brewers are missing out on their window of opportunity while these other teams suck up all the great free agents and will not readily give away their prospects anymore. We had a great farm system and the reward for that was getting CC Sabathia...but we couldn't resign him due to money. The Cardinals can resign Matt Holliday.

 

I agree that the playoff games have been really exciting, but everyone will always be an underdog to the few rich teams.