MLB Playoffs to expand in 2012 (Now official; see post 61)

[Invader3K]

Saw this on ESPN Insider this morning:

Bud Selig appears to be laying the groundwork for an expanded postseason.Selig has discussed the idea of a larger playoffs twice during the World Series and his latest comments came before Game 4 on Sunday night. "I like it enough, so we'll seriously consider it," Selig said. "Is eight out of 30 enough? Is that fair? And that's the basic question here, at least for me."Selig appears to be floating the idea to gauge public interested, similar to what he did with the implementation of the wild card in the 1990s.Last week, the players union went public with their feelings toward adding another wild card team in each league.Union head Michael Weiner says not only are his members open to raising he total number of playoff teams to 10 by 2012 but they are also open to extending the division series to seven games.If each league had two wild cards, they could meet in either a one-game or best-of-three playoff to advance to the division series. Some managers are against a one-game playoff. In addition, Selig is worried about the postseason extending toward Thanksgiving.---Personally I like the idea of expanding the playoffs quite a bit. MLB has had a Wild Card "shoot out" three of the past four seasons anyway, so adding an additional Wild Card spot in each league doesn't seem like a huge problem to me. It would also give further incentive to middle and small market teams to remain competitive throughout the season.

(fixed links --1992)

[Patrick425]

Definitely would not be for a one game playoff. Would have to be at least 3.

 

The thought I heard was that they could just drop a week from pre-season and start the season earlier (maybe with a roster of 28, then cut that down to 25 after a week or two). Possibly also eliminate an off day or two during the season. My understanding is that shortening the regular season is not something that is likely to happen.

 

Also, listening to Selig speak about this on XM, it sounds like this could actually happen as early as next year (2011).

[Hofbraunhaus]

I would definitely like to see this happen. It seems like a reasonable way to give more teams a chance to get into the playoffs without prolonging the year too much. I've always thought the NFL has the perfect number of teams make the playoffs because it allows a fair number of teams in but doesn't make it too easy like the NBA.

[JohnBriggs12]

I think the postseason is too long now. Frankly when my team isn't playing, I lose interest quickly. Late October and November isn't baseball season any more than June is hockey or basketball season and I have no interest in those sports at that time of year either. Who the heck cares about watching yet another level?

 

But they could easily squeeze in the games. Expand the rosters by 1 or 2, and schedule some doubleheaders, which for decades were a tradition. When I was a kid growing up, I loved going to Sunday doubleheaders. I felt shortchanged when we went to single games.

[Patrick425]

I miss the DH days as well. Remember the twinight DH games?

 

However, with the short attention span of today's sports fan, I'm not sure this would work any more. DH's used to draw bigger crowds because of the "2 for 1" idea, but I think most fans these days would not be interested in spending 6 or 7 hours at the ball park. I think day-night DH's would be a better idea. Have a noon game, clear out the stadium and parking lot then have a 7pm game. Two separate crowds. The only risk is that the first game becomes a marathon game.

[Invader3K]

You could go to a three game Wild Card series, and have each team play two double headers per season. This would basically eliminate the need to have the playoffs stretch even further into November. Though I suppose if you did expand the first round of the playoffs to best of seven, you would have to. Or just schedule a couple more double headers.

[joepepsi]

I could along with this if they'd eliminate the unecessary off-days during the playoffs. There should only be one day off between each round of the playoffs and no non-travel off days. I the previous two weeks there were a few days with no sports on TV that could have been filled with baseball. Instead, baseball rested. By the time you get to the World Series the casual fans have lost interest because it's never clear when they will play another game.

[Patrick425]

joepepsi[/b]]There should only be one day off between each round of the playoffs and no non-travel off days.

Have they had non-travel off days in the playoffs? I have not noticed any.

 

Also, I think it is designed to have only one day off between rounds (maybe two?), but it's based on each round going the maximum number of games. Also, I think they base the start of the each round, especially the WS, based on maximizing prime TV viewing nights. Much of the post season schedule is set up so that they try not to have games overlap and compete with each other and they have as many prime time games as possible.

[joepepsi]

The regular season ended on Sunday. 3 playoff series started on Wednesday, the Giants/Braves didn't begin until Thursday. Since there is always a possibility of a one game playoff on Monday, I guess I can see waiting until Wednesday to start the playoffs.

 

Philly and Cincy played a game on wed, then took Thursday off. They played on Friday, then took Saturday off. 2 games in 4 days. That's just dumb. The Phils won it on Sunday, but I presume they would have taken Monday off then played through Wednesday had it gone 5 games. The other three series were only scheduled through Tuesday Oct 12.

 

After Tuesday the 12th, the crickets chirped on baseball diamonds across America, but no games were played until 3 days later, on Friday the 15th; the start of the ALCS. The NLCS didn't start until Saturday. Both should have started on Thursday, a night when there isn't much for sports on TV.

 

The best of 7 Championship series' were scheduled to end on Saturday the 23rd(AL) and Sunday the 24th (NL). The World Series didn't start until Wednesday.

 

I'd just like to see the scheduled tightened up. Baseball should be done before Nov 1.

[GAME05]

i think the whole idea is terrible. Selig throws out the notion that the NBA and NFL would still have fewer playoff teams than an expanded baseball playoffs, which ignores all that baseball has been built on. and is baseball truly just like every other big-market sport that we should start emulating them? 162 games is an incredibly long season, based on which teams can endure the ups and downs and come out ahead. to expand the playoffs in any fashion is a big middle finger to the idea of building a team for the long haul.

 

lets have baseball until Thanksgiving! yeah, the season isn't already long enough!

 

A Wildcard single-game playoff? you're making teams play 162 games and then building a system that would have everything come down to a single game?? that's a joke. all the statheads on this site understand that over a long season, numbers play out, regardless of if a player has a good or a bad game one night. but a super-short playoff entry completely contradicts that, suddenly basing everything on luck.

 

we seriously need even more teams in the playoffs? count me in for no longer caring about the regular season if that happens. for people to care about the 56th game played in the season, the game has to have importance. the more teams that get to the playoffs, the less that individual regular-season games matter.

 

i hate this whole idea.

[Patrick425]

The regular season ended on Sunday. 3 playoff series started on Wednesday, the Giants/Braves didn't begin until Thursday. Since there is always a possibility of a one game playoff on Monday, I guess I can see waiting until Wednesday to start the playoffs.

 

Philly and Cincy played a game on wed, then took Thursday off. They played on Friday, then took Saturday off. 2 games in 4 days. That's just dumb. The Phils won it on Sunday, but I presume they would have taken Monday off then played through Wednesday had it gone 5 games. The other three series were only scheduled through Tuesday Oct 12.

 

After Tuesday the 12th, the crickets chirped on baseball diamonds across America, but no games were played until 3 days later, on Friday the 15th; the start of the ALCS. The NLCS didn't start until Saturday. Both should have started on Thursday, a night when there isn't much for sports on TV.

 

The best of 7 Championship series' were scheduled to end on Saturday the 23rd(AL) and Sunday the 24th (NL). The World Series didn't start until Wednesday.

 

I'd just like to see the scheduled tightened up. Baseball should be done before Nov 1.

Again, I think a lot of it is Revenue driven. I believe Saturday nights may have better viewing audiences than Friday nights (I'm guessing?) and that's why the WS starts on a Wednesday. Also, in the early rounds, when they have the non-travel days off I think they are trying to avoid having two games going at the same time as much as possible.

 

But I agree. They could really tighten things up much more.

 

 

[Schlitz001]

As a Brewer fan, I'm all for increasing their chances of making the playoffs, but as GAME stated you can't force 162 games to come down to a one game playoff, 5 game playoffs are already short enough.

 

I wish Selig would talk more about expanding instant replay instead.

[owbc]

This is a really terrible idea.

 

This seems like an attempt to cover up baseball's terrible economic system instead of addressing the real issue.

 

The payroll inequities are growing every season and as the big market teams learn to emulate the strategies of successful small market teams, the number of low payroll teams making the playoffs will continue to decrease. I believe that Selig is aware of this.

 

In order to make up for the inequities, MLB will introduce additional teams to the playoffs and then play them off against each other in a short series. By reducing the sample size, you increase the probability of the underdog winning the series. In addition, it would solve the AL East problem but allowing the lower teams a chance to compete against each other for the final Wild Card.

 

The "last team out" is already engaged in an exciting pennant race under the current format. The Padres certainly had an interesting September this year, but they would have instead enjoyed a less interesting September under the new format--and then would have been forced to battle with the Braves in a short series even though they already "beat" the Braves in the Wild Card race. How is that fair? In the AL, the Yankees would suddenly have been forced to play a short series against the Red Sox...or would they reject the Red Sox for being a 3rd place team and force the Yankees to play the #6 team in the league? It is just a complete disaster of stupidity either way. Judging by historical records, the new Wild Card will often be 4-5 games behind the current Wild Card.

 

I also fail to see how this would benefit a team like the Brewers. Even

with an additional Wild Card, the Brewers would have still missed the

playoffs every year from 1993-2007.

[Patrick425]

Yeah, I would also disagree with the argument that this will make August and September meaningful and exciting for more clubs. The wild card spot is usually decided by narrrow margin. It just means that one more team that was already fighting for a spot will make the playoffs.

[sbrylski]

I hate it. But I also hate interleague play and the wildcard.

[PKBadger]

I like it. Then again, I also think interleague play should be expanded (i.e. every NL team should play every AL team at least once per season) and that the leagues should use identical rules (all DH or no DH). http://forum.brewerfan.net/images/smilies/smile.gif

[igor67]

I'm intrigued by the notion I saw awhile ago of devaluing the Wild Card and expanding the playoffs by having a 1 game playoff for two wild card teams. It also serves to breed an incentive for teams to try and win their division over the wildcard. I'd also make the 3 team tie-breaker an automatic round robin tripleheader.

[BrewCrewForever]

Don't like this at all. I love when they brought in the wild card and I thought that made it perfect. But now if you add to it I think it will water it down and the playoffs already last to long.

[tomwopat]

Like many other posters, I'm in favor of a change that puts the Wild Card teams on a lesser footing without substantially expanding the overall length of the playoffs. A 3 game series with only one off day would be perfect. It'd the emphasis back on winning the division. Also, eliminate the stupid same division rule.

 

Unfortunately the big obstacle in this is going to be the Union, which is not going to concede to less off days or doubleheaders without some resistance.

[Oldcity]

The one game playoff is a terrible idea. The only part of this idea that I like is expanding the first round to best-of-seven. Seven game series are fluky enough; five are even worse.

[The Truth]

I think this is a horrible idea and I genuinely think Bud Selig is one of the worst commisioners in any sport ever (the All-Star game deciding home field advantage in the World Series, his handling of the steroid era, etc).

 

I hope Bud Selig retires soon and enjoys a wonderful retirement surrounded by friends & family. I wish him no personal ills, I just think he is terrible for MLB.

 

Part of what makes MLB special as compared to other major sports is that there are less playoff teams! The regular season means more!

[Beast Light]

I don't like it all.

 

I would be in favor of increasing the divisional series to 7 games but that is where I would draw the line. In my opinion, baseball has achieved the perfect balance between regular and postseason play with their current format. Adding another team and a 3 game series while other teams sits idle just doesn't seem like a good idea. Also, unlike in other sports (ahem! Basketball), making the playoffs in baseball is special and something to really be proud of.

 

All this being said, I can't imagine how boring things were when there were two divisions in each league and the playoffs contained only and ALCS and an NLCS.

[JohnBriggs12]

Any more than 8 teams and they should consider a format similar to the College World Series, with 2 survivors of pool play meeting in the traditional 7 game World Series.

[sbrylski]

Any more than 8 teams and they should consider a format similar to the College World Series, with 2 survivors of pool play meeting in the traditional 7 game World Series.

I like it, I've had pool play in my thoughts when it comes to MLB playoff changes.

 

Of course, I'd like to see a meaningful slate of games, something like 6 teams and 30 games (6 games against each of the other five teams, a home series and an away series.) But then you would need to shrink the regular season to fit it in. Or, what about bringing back Sunday doubleheaders?

 

If you can get the regular season to end mid-September (19th at the latest), you could fit in 30-game pool play and still have Game 7 of the World Series scheduled by November 3rd (2010 calender).

[Warning Track Power]

I actually like the idea of playoff expansion, assuming the following occur:

-Season moves back to 154 games and is completed by mid-September. Allows for playoffs to finish by mid-October

-1 additional Wild Card in each League bringing the total number of playoff teams to 10. 33% of MLB teams making the playoff does not cheapen the playoffs. The NFL, the most popular sport has 37.5% and the playoffs play out over 1 month. This is easily accomplished in MLB by eliminating days off between series.

-3 game series for the wild card series with ALL games at the home of the wild card with the best record. Means the best record for the wild card is rewarded and there are no off days in the wild card series.

-7 game series for the DS, CS and World Series with only 2 days off in each Series (between Game 2 and Game 3 and between Game 5 and Game 6)

By my count that gives the 3 day Wild Card round, plus 3 maximum 9-day rounds, plus 1 travel day between the 3 rounds gives the following schedule:

Day 1-3: Wild Card
Day 4: Travel
Day 5-13: Division Series
Day 14: Travel
Day 15-23: Championship Series
Day 24: Travel
Day 25-33: World Series

If the season were to end in mid-September through the elimination of 8 regular season games, the season would end around October 20th or so. I think this is a win.

Now having said all that, I may be in the minority but I would also propose a unpopular idea, but one I would like to see. That is the elimination of the three division format and folding it back to a 2 divison format, east and west. The current setup makes it far easier for teams in the AL West to win a division and far harder for teams in the NL Central to win one. And with interleague play not going to be an all season thing, I think change is needed. My proposal would be this:

AL EAST
New York
Boston
Toronto
Tampa Bay
Baltimore
Cleveland
Detroit

AL WEST
Los Angeles
Oakland
Seattle
Texas
Kansas City
Chicago
Minnesota

NL WEST
Los Angeles
San Francisco
San Diego
Arizona
Colorado
Houston
St. Louis
Chicago

NL EAST
Milwaukee
Cincinnati
Pittsburgh
Atlanta
Philadelphia
New York
Washington
Florida

I don't like being outside of a division from Chicago or St. Louis, but going to this format and allowing for the two division winners, plus the teams with the next 3 best records eliminates, for the most part, low 80 division winners. Also, this format could mean that 4 teams from the AL East can make the playoffs, thereby eliminating the Tampa, Boston, New York conundrum plaguing MLB...only a little tongue in cheek.