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

[monty57]

Any self-respecting Packer fan will always dislike Chicago teams more than others, even if we never played them :-)

 

How do you feel about the White Sox? They are all Bears fans too

 

I live in Illinois, and I've always found it funny that Cubs fans hate Sox fans and call them a bunch of criminals and thugs. Sox fans hate Cub fans, saying they're a bunch of drunk frat boys who don't even know there's a game going on. Then football season comes around and Bears fans say they're the best fans in the world.

 

To your question, I grew up with the Brewers in the American League, and the White Sox were my least favorite team. I loved it when Scrap Iron wanted to fight the obnoxious Sox announcers.

[topper09er]

This is a valid point, but I still think that the major factor in this decision is that one game playoffs will draw huge ratings. Huge ratings = $$$$$$$.

 

I think the major factor was a desire to level the playing field for the poor teams and the ratings are a bonus outcome. There are lots of things MLB could do to sell out for more ratings, like have the playoffs drag on and on like the NBA so they don't have to play day games, or make all the series 7 games, or add another round to the playoffs.

 

The Big Ten and college football in general is the golden standard of always selling out with the integrity of the sport a very minor point in any decision, such as making the dumbest possible divisions just so that they could get their precious OSU-MU championship games, which would be a rematch of the previous weeks game.

[RockCoCougars]

Here's my prediction for 2020. MLB expands to two markets (I'll guess Charlotte in the N.L. and Portland in the A.L.). With 16 teams per league, each league will have 4 four team divisions. The playoffs will be set up similar to the NFL - 4 division winners and two wild cards. The season will be shortened by a week for this. The top two teams will get a bye, and the 'Wild Card Series' will start on a Monday, be 3 games in 4 days, with the "Division Series' starting on Saturday. The bye teams will then have five days off, but the rust will be justified by the fact that their pitchers will be fresh.

 

Bottom line, playoffs equal ratings. If the networks are doling out billions on baseball contracts, they naturally would be in favor of expanding the playoffs. This scenario would allow the owners to feather their nests with both the TV contracts and the expansion fees. Going further, strategically placing expansion teams would allow for better geographical alignment. I see both the move of the Astros and the addition of a wildcard team as the first moves of a greater plan. When are the existing MLB network deals up?

[sbrylski]

Should have kept it simple (4 playoff teams) or blow up the whole playoff structure and start from scratch. I like pool play and would like to see it implemented.

 

Wildcard Ladder (Three teams, seeds 4, 5, 6)

Gm1: 6 @ 5, loser immediately eliminated

Gm2: 5/6 @ 4, loser immediately eliminated

 

Group Stage (Four teams, seeds 1, 2, 3, 4/5/6)

Each team plays two home games and two away games against every other opponent (12 games), bottom two teams eliminated

 

Playoff Stage

Best-of-seven League Championships, followed by a best-of-seven World Series

 

Max of 40 days including a travel day every time necessary, except for the three wildcards in the ladder stage.

[GhostofQuantrill]

Hey

 

Sorry if I'm doubling up a topic here... but I'm new.

 

What does the Brewer fan base think of the new Wild Card rule?

 

I'll say the consensus down here is its lame. The play in game is a last resort type of thing that is less than ideal, now we are implementing a permanent one every season.

 

2 cases where I don't like it.

 

1. If the true wild card winner is something like 5-6 games up on the next best team... then that team gets a play in game, thats not really fair. The 162 game grind is the test, not one game.

 

2. In the case of '11 with the Cards and Braves. It was just a 1 game difference. But... the beauty in it is the pressure and intensity down the stretch. On Sept 15th had the Braves known they would at least get a play in game if they finish in the top 2 of the wild card maybe they don't press all month and collapse.

 

I think baseball is so unique in the fact that one day doesn't mean anything its all about the collective. I just don't like the new rule. What do you guys think?

[RightFieldCoder]

#2 doesn't matter. The same points were made about division races when the WC was first introduced.

 

The one game playoff is crazy stupid. It does make winning the division much more important than simply getting a wild card.

[Bigblast]

I like the wildcard, I hate the 1 game playoff. I think after a few years they will realize this format sucks and somehow expand it to a 3 game playoff.