I don't know if someone mentioned this, but a 4 game series between the Cubs and Sox would be fine with me. The first 2 can be at US Cellular and the last at Wrigley, or vice versa. One series, 4 games. I don't want two 2 game series'.

How did that work out last year?

 

How is that going this year?

 

How does the new system with the potential 2nd best team having to win an extra game help the Yankees or Red Sox?

 

The new playoff system hurts the Red Sox more than anyone. And the new CBA draft rules knocked them down even more. It's time fans start realizing the Red Sox aren't as good as they were, even if they still get the attention from ESPN. The Red Sox can pay to compete every year, but them making the playoffs as much as they did, is over.

I don't care how its working out this year or last. I'm just saying MLB would never approve something that would stop the Yankees and Red Sox from meeting in the playoffs ever again.

 

The new system might make it harder, but it's still possible.

Edited July 11, 201213 yr by kev211

Less games mean the the fans are the big losers.

Less games mean the the fans are the big losers.

Meh. I'm not sure the crosstown series has as much allure as it used to. Maybe it's in part due to the fact that the Cubs are terrible. I don't think dropping the number of games from 6 to 4 makes the fans losers. True baseball fans are going to look at the leagues and realize that it makes a ton of sense to have them equal. The next step, IMO is to either get rid of the DH or add the DH to the NL.

Less games mean the the fans are the big losers.

 

That's two less games that the fans have to pay inflated "dynamic" prices for.

Meh. I'm not sure the crosstown series has as much allure as it used to. Maybe it's in part due to the fact that the Cubs are terrible. I don't think dropping the number of games from 6 to 4 makes the fans losers. True baseball fans are going to look at the leagues and realize that it makes a ton of sense to have them equal. The next step, IMO is to either get rid of the DH or add the DH to the NL.

I dont think that will ever happen. That is the one major difference between the two leagues and it makes interleague play more interesting to go by the "home" teams rules. Same as the World Series.

I dont think that will ever happen. That is the one major difference between the two leagues and it makes interleague play more interesting to go by the "home" teams rules. Same as the World Series.

I'm not sure it'll ever happen either, but if interleague is going to less of an "event" the leagues should be the same.

 

I'm torn though on which way I'd like to see it go. I like the idea of DH because it gives guys like Dunn, Thome, Thomas, etc. to have longer careers. In addition, it takes away the "automatic out" of a pitcher hitting. On the flip side, when teams have a pitcher hit, it adds strategy. Overall, I suppose making the DH MLB-wide would be the way to go.

I'm not sure it'll ever happen either, but if interleague is going to less of an "event" the leagues should be the same.

 

I'm torn though on which way I'd like to see it go. I like the idea of DH because it gives guys like Dunn, Thome, Thomas, etc. to have longer careers. In addition, it takes away the "automatic out" of a pitcher hitting. On the flip side, when teams have a pitcher hit, it adds strategy. Overall, I suppose making the DH MLB-wide would be the way to go.

I know this is a somewhat contentious topic (probably less so on an AL team's message board), but the "adding strategy" thing doesn't fly with me. Pitchers are so specialized that the smart ones (see: not Carlos Zambrano) spend almost no time working on their hitting. Making pitchers bat "adds strategy" for managers the same way casting Vin Diesel in a movie "adds strategy" for a director. "How can I mitigate this disaster" doesn't seem all that interesting to me.

With 30 teams it just makes it difficult to split things up evenly since that 30 is split 16/14. Given Houston’s move next year to the AL will help remedy that.

 

I would like to see them maintain 6 divisions with 5 teams. Take the 3 Divisional winners and 3 Wild Cards from each league. The top 2 overall teams get a 1st round bye.

 

Wild Card Round – Home field advantage to higher seed team.

AL1 – Bye

AL2 – Bye

AL3 vs. AL6 – 3 game series

AL4 vs. AL5 – 3 game series

The debate here in my opinion is how do you handle the 3 game sequence. 1st two games @ higher seed and a Game 3 at the lower seed? 1st game @ lower seed and last 2 at home for the higher seed?

 

Divisional Round

AL1 vs. AL 4/5

AL2 vs. AL 3/6

5 game series – 2, 2, 1

 

League Championship

Divisional Series winners in a 7 game series as usual and then onto the World Series as usual with 7 game series.

 

This only pushes the postseason 1 week out. Last year’s WS was played October 19-28th. If played out as mentioned above, I had the WS projected from October 28 - November 4th.

 

I know this is a somewhat contentious topic (probably less so on an AL team's message board), but the "adding strategy" thing doesn't fly with me. Pitchers are so specialized that the smart ones (see: not Carlos Zambrano) spend almost no time working on their hitting. Making pitchers bat "adds strategy" for managers the same way casting Vin Diesel in a movie "adds strategy" for a director. "How can I mitigate this disaster" doesn't seem all that interesting to me.

I know what you're saying. I guess I was getting at the fact that more often than not, the pitcher is going to bunting if there's someone on base, and that's where the manager has to use more strategy.

With 30 teams it just makes it difficult to split things up evenly since that 30 is split 16/14. Given Houston's move next year to the AL will help remedy that.

 

I would like to see them maintain 6 divisions with 5 teams. Take the 3 Divisional winners and 3 Wild Cards from each league. The top 2 overall teams get a 1st round bye.

 

Wild Card Round – Home field advantage to higher seed team.

AL1 – Bye

AL2 – Bye

AL3 vs. AL6 – 3 game series

AL4 vs. AL5 – 3 game series

The debate here in my opinion is how do you handle the 3 game sequence. 1st two games @ higher seed and a Game 3 at the lower seed? 1st game @ lower seed and last 2 at home for the higher seed?

 

Divisional Round

AL1 vs. AL 4/5

AL2 vs. AL 3/6

5 game series – 2, 2, 1

 

League Championship

Divisional Series winners in a 7 game series as usual and then onto the World Series as usual with 7 game series.

 

This only pushes the postseason 1 week out. Last year's WS was played October 19-28th. If played out as mentioned above, I had the WS projected from October 28 - November 4th.

 

If they ever expand it to 6 teams per league making the playoffs, I think they need to ditch divisions altogether. Stack the leagues, play a balanced schedule (or real close to balanced), and seed them 1-6. If they shortened the season by 4 games, they can fit in a best-of-3 with the 3 vs 6 and 4 vs 5. What they could do, is just have the top seeds host the entire series. The 5th and 6th seeds would have to go into their ballpark and win the best-of-3.

 

The problem is teams hate sitting for 4-6 days without playing. So if a 1- or 2-seed got knocked off in the first round, they're automatically going to blame the days off whether it had a role in their losing or not.

 

And as far as November baseball, MLB doesn't want it...but Fox forces them. Game 7 of the World Series should always be scheduled for the last Thursday in October, and have the rest of the schedule built backwards from there.

If they ever expand it to 6 teams per league making the playoffs, I think they need to ditch divisions altogether. Stack the leagues, play a balanced schedule (or real close to balanced), and seed them 1-6. If they shortened the season by 4 games, they can fit in a best-of-3 with the 3 vs 6 and 4 vs 5. What they could do, is just have the top seeds host the entire series. The 5th and 6th seeds would have to go into their ballpark and win the best-of-3.

 

The problem is teams hate sitting for 4-6 days without playing. So if a 1- or 2-seed got knocked off in the first round, they're automatically going to blame the days off whether it had a role in their losing or not.

 

And as far as November baseball, MLB doesn't want it...but Fox forces them. Game 7 of the World Series should always be scheduled for the last Thursday in October, and have the rest of the schedule built backwards from there.

 

They won't go to fewer divisions. The whole idea is for more teams to be able to use "champions" on their t-shirts and marketing.

They won't go to fewer divisions. The whole idea is for more teams to be able to use "champions" on their t-shirts and marketing.

 

Yeah, I know that has a lot to do with it. Maybe dorks need to stop buying Division t-shirts and hats and just wait until they win the ALCS or NLCS.

 

I noticed the hats last year just said "MLB Playoffs", instead of what division was won. Wonder how those sold?

Edited July 12, 201213 yr by flavum

They won't go to fewer divisions. The whole idea is for more teams to be able to use "champions" on their t-shirts and marketing.

I never thought about that angle. Maybe the Sox should print some stuff up saying 2012 MLB Illinois Champs. Hell, they could print them for 2013, 2014, and probably 2015.

Yeah, I know that has a lot to do with it. Maybe dorks need to stop buying Division t-shirts and hats and just wait until they win the ALCS or NLCS.

 

I noticed the hats last year just said "AL Playoffs", instead of what division was won. Wonder how those sold?

 

[Hides 2008 AL Central champs hat]

I never thought about that angle. Maybe the Sox should print some stuff up saying 2012 MLB Illinois Champs. Hell, they could print them for 2013, 2014, and probably 2015.

 

Did you miss the BP Cup parade and festival? Great times.

Did you miss the BP Cup parade and festival? Great times.

I know, I know...but marketing, baby!