If the top team can't beat them, why should they be champion? Again, why play the playoffs if the goal is just to recognize the best team in the 162? And the idea that teams won't spend is nonsense. The playoffs are bigger than they have ever been, has that stopped the Dodgers from spending like crazy? If anything is adds extra pressure to teams who aren't on the top level to NOT tank. The smaller the playoffs are, the better reason you have to tank seasons to try to build up enough to get there.