13 minutes ago, ptatc said:

This is the best part about baseball and why it's so difficult to win on a consistent basis. It has more randomness than any others. Of course a 7 game series is going to be more selective than a 3 game. It does create more suspense and interest in the games. As someone else pointed out, the NCAA tournament is one of the most watched "sports" because of the one and done. however, most of the time the best teams still make it thorough. 

That is my point. The randomness of it, and being slightly above average, if that, gets you to the dance, the incentive owners have for financial risk gets very small. Especially  once a 7 or 8 seed gets to the World Series. It happens in hockey occassionally. Blackhawk fans couldn’t care less if the Hawks win their division. It’s making the playoffs. Hockey is fairly close to randomness as baseball. A cheap goal here, a shot off a post there, and it’s an entirely different result . But many say the NHL playoffs are the best of all, maybe because more teams have a legit shot than any other sport.

Edited September 16, 20205 yr by Dick Allen

3 hours ago, Rowand44 said:

I actually really liked the format for the 10 teams.  I can deal with 12 but to me 16 is wayyyyyyyyyyyyyy too much with as many games as there are in baseball(even if they shorten the season a bit).  Also, they couldn't have done this when the Sox were mediocre?!? 

More hoops to jump through in our window, Covid , playing in TX. and Ca.for the playoffs where we don't play during the season. Unfamiliarity  becomes a disadvantage to a young team ,  new CBA/ possible strike, more teams in the playoffs.

1 hour ago, turnin' two said:

I hate it.  I think this is stupid.  I also think this was inevitable once they expanded for this year.  

 

We should also keep in mind, it isn't Rob Manfred's job to do what is best for baseball.  It is his job to do what is best for the owners.  

Not quite— "in the best interests of baseball”: https://www.mlb.com/news/richard-justice-best-interests-of-baseball-a-wide-ranging-power-of-commissioner/c-55523182

Edited September 16, 20205 yr by asindc

23 hours ago, Dominikk85 said:

Saw this tweet. Apparently a large majority of owners have asked Manfred to keep the 16 game playoffs.

I would not like that, for 60 games the expanded playoffs are great but 162 games are going to be awfully long. Also it makes winning the division worthless, maybe at least you can give the top seeds a bye week like in football. Or you do away with divisions and do it  like in nba.

 

 

I completely agree with you. It would make winning the division worthless. Simply put, this better NOT happen. It will make actually the entire regular season worthless. Baseball isn't hockey or basketball or any other sport. It takes 162 to determine the better team. ANYONE can beat ANYONE 2 out of 3. So playoff seedings won't mean anything either. There are no positives to this. It is degrading to the game in every way. 

So Rosenthal's article made it seem like this was not manfreds intention (16 game explicitly), I don't have the WAPO to read the actual article.

Felt a little better after his, basically yes it's likely playoffs expand, but didn't mean this specific iteration would.

On 9/16/2020 at 2:09 PM, bmags said:

I don't mind expanding but the 8 team set-up per league sucks, it needs to be just like football. These best of 3 series are too dumb and there is too little advantage to being good.

Here's what the MLB needs to do and they know it:

- Add 2 new teams, 1 per league

- Create a new division per league, 4 teams each

4 division winners + 2 wild cards

Top 2 teams get a bye

1st round - Best of 5

(3) division team + (6) wildcard, (4) division team + (5) wildcard

DS  - Best of 5

(1) Division team + (winner of 4/5)

CS - Best of 7

WS - Best of 7

Use the new 7 inning double headers to start in late september or cut schedule to 154 games.

 

Came in to post something similar to this.  I hate the idea of expanding the playoffs without expansion of the league.  And it is time for the league to expand.  This, or going back to two divisions of 8 teams in each leagu, is the perfect format

On 9/16/2020 at 5:51 PM, ptatc said:

I think it will help. There will be increased fans interest with a chance to go to the playoffs to win the World Series. Think about any pennant race. It drives interest.

It will kill regular season tv ratings.  

Not necessarily a fan of len kasper but he had a great idea for the playoffs next year. To give the division winners an advantage and make winning the division important, make the first round of the playoffs a 4 game series with the division winner only needed to win 2 games but the lower seed needing to win 3.

Edited September 18, 20205 yr by ptatc

6 minutes ago, ptatc said:

Not necessarily a fan of len kasper but he had a great idea for the playoffs next year. To give the division winners an advantage and make winning the division important, make the first round of the playoffs a 4 game series with the division winner only needed to win 2 games but the lower seed needing to win 3.

It’s at least something to make it really hard for a non division winner to advance, but I just hate the thought of a below .500 team having any shot at all after six months.