Some of your guys arguments are enticing. 

@Jack Parkman I checked the link and also searched some other material, namely: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1701.05976.pdf

It seems that even though the MLB season is the longest, the actual gameplay of it leads to a lot of luck (flukes). I might be wrong about my approach before, but still would like to dig more into it later on.

I'm still 100%  NOT okay with 16 teams making the playoffs. As we took last year as an example, a team under .500 (Texas) would have made the playoffs. Every year in the NBA you have garbage teams making the playoffs. The NBA is so star heavy that those teams stand no chance, so they get taking care of. With the MLB (apparently) being such a luck sport, a 16 team playoff would give them all a chance. I don't like that at all after going through a grueling 162 game season. A team that worked their ass off to win their top spot would be put in a tough position (unlike the NBA where a star can single handedly own the 8th seed). 

With 16 teams making the playoffs, you'd put very small importance on the regular season. As Parkman said, what use would the 162 games be? Winning a division would be a shrug, ok thats cool type of thing.

Since this conversation is not what this topic is about, I'll sign off for now and read from a far! 

Cheerio 

3 minutes ago, iWiN4PreP said:

Some of your guys arguments are enticing. 

@Jack Parkman I checked the link and also searched some other material, namely: https://arxiv.org/pdf/1701.05976.pdf

It seems that even though the MLB season is the longest, the actual gameplay of it leads to a lot of luck (flukes). I might be wrong about my approach before, but still would like to dig more into it later on.

I'm still 100%  NOT okay with 16 teams making the playoffs. As we took last year as an example, a team under .500 (Texas) would have made the playoffs. Every year in the NBA you have garbage teams making the playoffs. The NBA is so star heavy that those teams stand no chance, so they get taking care of. With the MLB (apparently) being such a luck sport, a 16 team playoff would give them all a chance. I don't like that at all after going through a grueling 162 game season. A team that worked their ass off to win their top spot would be put in a tough position (unlike the NBA where a star can single handedly own the 8th seed). 

With 16 teams making the playoffs, you'd put very small importance on the regular season. As Parkman said, what use would the 162 games be? Winning a division would be a shrug, ok thats cool type of thing.

Since this conversation is not what this topic is about, I'll sign off for now and read from a far! 

Cheerio 

Give a bye to the top 2 teams, then the lowest division winner gets to play the scrub .500 team everyone is complaining about.. Should be easy-pezzy and make divisions matter

6 minutes ago, Jack Parkman said:

In 2017 4 teams would have qualified under .500 out of the 16 total.  The lowest win total would have been a 77 win Marlins team. the other three won 80 games. 

Let's also not forget teams tank because of the limited number of playoff odds. If they were expanded to 6 or 7 teams, more middling teams would actually try to win. Teams go into tank mode in July if they are not a top tier team. Thus, the teams we are speaking about probably would have won more games if they tried. Hell, the Sox could have won more games last year if they wanted to. 

10 minutes ago, SonofaRoache said:

Let's also not forget teams tank because of the limited number of playoff odds. If they were expanded to 6 or 7 teams, more middling teams would actually try to win. Teams go into tank mode in July if they are not a top tier team. Thus, the teams we are speaking about probably would have won more games if they tried. Hell, the Sox could have won more games last year if they wanted to. 

You're probably right on here. Those teams would have reason to buy. It would also create a more active TDL as more teams are looking to improve and it would also create a massive seller's market. That could end with the teams at the bottom getting better, faster. 

if teams toward the middle decide to buy instead of sell at the TDL, or make baseball moves, that would help. 

One thing I can't stand over the last decade plus is the death of the baseball move, where veterans get traded for each other. In most sports trades are all about futures now. 

Edited June 17, 20205 yr by Jack Parkman

Also remember, expanding the playoffs will reward the better teams. The reason baseball is more of a crapshoot is because each team that makes it is usually very good. Add in some middling teams and the top dogs could avoid that first round upset. 

21 minutes ago, 35thstreetswarm said:

This stands to get the White Sox valuable playoff experience in a developmental season where they otherwise might not have gotten it.  That's really all I care about. 

2 seasons even.

7 minutes ago, SonofaRoache said:

Also remember, expanding the playoffs will reward the better teams. The reason baseball is more of a crapshoot is because each team that makes it is usually very good. Add in some middling teams and the top dogs could avoid that first round upset. 

The playoffs are a crapshoot because baseball is naturally high variance, and a 7 game sample can’t be used to prove anything. 

1 minute ago, mqr said:

The playoffs are a crapshoot because baseball is naturally high variance, and a 7 game sample can’t be used to prove anything. 

ding ding ding, we have a winner. That's why the long season and limited playoffs. 

I'd honestly rather them go back to four than expand to 16. I can live with 8 to 12. 16 is way too many. 

If this ends up with teams with 85 wins or fewer winning a lot of championships, that will suck. 

 

Edited June 17, 20205 yr by Jack Parkman

7 minutes ago, southsider2k5 said:

2 seasons even.

I think we'd make the playoffs in 2021 under any format.  But I'm a wild-eyed optimist

6 minutes ago, Jack Parkman said:

ding ding ding, we have a winner. That's why the long season and limited playoffs. 

I'd honestly rather them go back to four than expand to 16. I can live with 8 to 12. 16 is way too many. 

If this ends up with teams with 85 wins or fewer winning a lot of championships, that will suck. 

 

I think quite the opposite.. Remember when the wildcard Steelers won a championship?  It was insane..

56 minutes ago, soxfan49 said:

NHL and the NBA playoffs are exciting as shit and they have, what, 16 teams each?

NBA regular season is absolutely horrible and so are most of the playoffs. I wouldnt consider that a good example.

7 minutes ago, Buehrle>Wood said:

NBA regular season is absolutely horrible and so are most of the playoffs. I wouldnt consider that a good example.

Big time. I don't even watch the NBA until the conference finals, and I used to be a die hard. That's a good way to alienate even your most loyal fans. 

Edited June 17, 20205 yr by Jack Parkman

NBA playoffs are boring, because you know 99% of the time which team is going to advance. Baseball is the ultimate crapshoot so it's more exciting in that way.

But I'd prefer it if they only expanded the playoffs for this season.

2 hours ago, Sarava said:

Expanded playoffs could win us a World Series. It might be hard to beat out the Twins for the division just yet. But if the Sox can squeak in the playoffs, then guys like Kopech and Cease start to show their potential....ok I'm dreaming now lol.

Honestly, I’m against expanding the playoffs long-term (at least to 16 teams), but in a short season with a young team and a strong Twins club in front of us why the fuck not?  It’s very possible with enough development and/or luck we could actually sneak into the post-season.

27 minutes ago, Buehrle>Wood said:

NBA regular season is absolutely horrible and so are most of the playoffs. I wouldnt consider that a good example.

I can't stand the NBA, so I agree, but most of their fans love the playoffs.

I love the NHL and their playoffs are awesome.

1 hour ago, flavum said:

And once again, I don’t care what other sports do. It shouldn’t have to be explained why allowing under .500 teams in baseball in the playoffs is terrible.

Then the better team will destroy them and off you go. So what? You're going to watch regardless

All we wanted all year was baseball and now we're getting it but hey let's whine because you may have to watch the 2019 Cubs and Red Sox in October. Oh the horror!!

1 hour ago, Jack Parkman said:

I know.....what's the point of the long season then? the point was always to eliminate the variance as much as possible...the cream rises to the top. 

I agree that it's stupid if 3 of the 8 teams have 79 or fewer wins. 

 

Just as recently as 2017 there would have been 3 teams that made the playoffs in the AL under .500 (all with 80 wins), and that same year in the NL a 77 win Marlins team would have qualified. 

The point of the long season is so I can enjoy as much baseball as possible. That's the only thing that matters.

34 minutes ago, ptatc said:

The point of the long season is so I can enjoy as much baseball as possible. That's the only thing that matters.

Ptatc,

You have been absolutely on fire lately.  

Signed,

me.

2 hours ago, mqr said:

The playoffs are a crapshoot because baseball is naturally high variance, and a 7 game sample can’t be used to prove anything. 

If seed 1 plays seed 6 or 7, that team is most likely a good deal worse than the 4 seed. 

 

Last year would have been 

Dodgers vs Mets/Dbacks

Astros vs Indians/Red Sox

Edited June 17, 20205 yr by SonofaRoache

26 minutes ago, turnin' two said:

Ptatc,

You have been absolutely on fire lately.  

Signed,

me.

Thanks, me! Going on vacation so I will out for a few. Getting it in while I can.

2 hours ago, Chicago White Sox said:

Honestly, I’m against expanding the playoffs long-term (at least to 16 teams), but in a short season with a young team and a strong Twins club in front of us why the fuck not?  It’s very possible with enough development and/or luck we could actually sneak into the post-season.

I'd go as far to say that in the exact circumstances of a ~60 game season, 16 playoff teams, and all games being played against a team's own division + the corresponding division of the other league, the White Sox have a >50% chance at making the playoffs.

 

FWIW I had them as an 83-86 win team this year in a normal season (with plenty of potential for variance)

1 minute ago, Jose Abreu said:

I'd go as far to say that in the exact circumstances of a ~60 game season, 16 playoff teams, and all games being played against a team's own division + the corresponding division of the other league, the White Sox have a >50% chance at making the playoffs.

 

FWIW I had them as an 83-86 win team this year in a normal season (with plenty of potential for variance)

Yeah, if 16 teams are making the playoffs, I expect the White Sox to make it this year unless their SP completely implodes (which is quite possible). 

16 playoff teams long-term may seem like a stretch (I prefer 12 or 14) but in a way, it could actually incentivize mediocre teams (hello 2015-2016 White Sox) to compete rather than rebuild. In doing so, perhaps parity increases along with quality of regular season games since fewer teams are actively trying to lose. This would be different from the NBA since being a 7-8 seed in the NBA playoffs is usually a guaranteed first round exit, whereas in baseball, there's much more room for flukes. 

I wonder how trading players will work, if there will be some sort of mid season deadline or just everything goes because it's so unique of a situation

13 minutes ago, Kyyle23 said:

I wonder how trading players will work, if there will be some sort of mid season deadline or just everything goes because it's so unique of a situation

Good question. It will be interesting.