In favor of MLB playoff change?

[PhilSimms11]

I'm just curious. I am a fan of the better records being rewarded. Division winners are in along with the next 2 best records and then seed them 1-5. That's my 2 cents, but I'm not going to be crazy about it as I am in the NFL.

AL
(1)*CLE (102-60)
(2)*HOU (101-61)
(3)*BOS (93-69)
(4)NYY (91-71)
(5)MIN (85-77)

NL
(1)*LAD (104-58)
(2)*WAS (97-65)
(3)*CHC (92-70)
(4)ARZ (93-69)
(5)COL (87-75)
(*)won division

That crazy year in 2015 when the top-3 teams in MLB just happened to be in the same division. That's pretty frustrating as a fan of those teams, but I get it. Somewhat of an anomaly.

2015
(1)*STL (100-62)
(2)x-PIT (98-64)
(3)x-CHC (97-65)
(4)*KC (95-67)
(5)*TOR (93-69)
(6)*LAD (92-70)
(7)*NYM (90-72)
(8)*TEX (88-74)
(9)x-NYY (87-75)
(10)x-HOU (86-76)
* = division winner
x = wildcard

 

[Kenny]

I'm in favor of getting rid of the second wild card team.

 

[DirtDirtDirt]

Reduce season to 159 games

Make final weekend of baseball season a Best of 3 WC weekend

 

[bksballer89]

Totally fine with the 2nd WC team. Just would make it a best of 3. The team who loses and their fan base are usually so cheated. Let's say the Twin and Rocks lose, can those fans really say they made the playoffs as they would not even have the opportunity to see their team play a single game at home? Just BS IMO

 

[Kenny]

I actually like the rules they use in Korean Baseball Organization League. They have 2 WC teams playing for a spot. The WC2 team has to win 2 games against WC1 in order to advance. WC1 team has to win only 1 game. If WC2 wins the first game, they play the second game the same day like a double header to see who advances.

 

[PhilSimms11]

I actually like the rules they use in Korean Baseball Organization League. They have 2 WC teams playing for a spot. The WC2 team has to win 2 games against WC1 in order to advance. WC1 team has to win only 1 game. If WC2 wins the first game, they play the second game the same day like a double header to see who advances.

Interesting.

 

[Yo Tee]

I think the season should be shortened and get rid of that 2nd wild card team. IDK how much they should shorten the season by, but I'm thinking like 10 games maybe? Get rid of 2 weeks of the regular season? 4 AL teams, 4 NL teams. Easy peasy. No making the playoffs just to be bounced out in 1 game.

 

[ElTexan]

154 games.
LDS best of 7.

Keep the WC2. While I personally don't like it, it's good for the sport to keep more teams vying until the end.

 

[obxyankeefan]

Do away with interleague play. Either add 2 teams or constrict by 2 teams. Get rid of divisions and put the top 5 teams in the playoffs. The 4th and 5th teams play a 3 game series, with the first game at the fifth place team.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

I'd keep the format the same, but both wild card games would be played on Tuesday, and the DS's would start Thursday.

 

[Erie Warrior]

I think the WC should be a best of 3 series. It doesn't make any sense to me that it isn't. Baseball revolves around series. If they need to shorten the season to make this work, so be it.

 

[SlinkyRedfoot]

I think the WC should be a best of 3 series. It doesn't make any sense to me that it isn't. Baseball revolves around series. If they need to shorten the season to make this work, so be it.

Two problems. The layoff for the divisional winners. Typically, that's not a good thing in baseball. Second is if it's a three game series, most likely the winner would be able to have their optimal pitching rotation set for the DS. As it stands now, teams will 9 times out of 10 use their ace for the WC game, setting them at a disadvantage for the DS.

Teams that actually win their division shouldn't be penalized for the accomplishment.

I think people would do well to shift their thinking about the wild card teams. Think of it like this; they didn't win their divisions, so they're not playoff teams. They have the opportunity, by winning one play-in game, to become a playoff team.

As far as baseball revolving around series, you're right. Those wild card teams had approximately 54 series during the regular season to prove that they were better than than the other teams in their division and they couldn't do it.

 

[Erie Warrior]

Yeah, I wasn't thinking about the layoff for the Divsional winners. That would suck.

Oh, I agree the WC teams. I view the current game as the "Play in" game. You need to win that to make the postseason. You lose, well, you suck and didn't make the playoffs.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Since we're not going to shorten the regular season, we pretty much have to leave it as is. I don't care for games in early november but I do like having the element of a possible wild card team going on an insane run and knocking off 100-game winners

 

[tducey]

I like the 2nd wild card but would like to see them make it a best of three series.

 

[calsnowskier]

Keep it as is, except give the #1 seed a 4-1 HFA against the WC winner in the LDS.