New Players Union Chief: Players Want 7-Game Division Series
by Al Yellon on Dec 2, 2009 3:47 PM CST
in Chicago Cubs News
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PrintMichael Weiner, just installed as the head of the MLBPA, held his first news conference in his new role and among the things mentioned was expanding the division series:
Players would like to see the first round of playoffs expand to best-of-seven when their next labor contract starts in 2012, Michael Weiner said Wednesday in his first news conference since replacing Donald Fehr as the union head.
"There is a lot of sentiment for a seven-game division series," Weiner said. "I think a properly constructed postseason schedule could accommodate three seven-game series but still have it extend over a shorter period of time than what happened this year."
There's no doubt that a seven-game series is, in some ways, more "fair" than a five-game series -- you go down 2-0 in a five-gamer and you're pretty much toast (as we found out in 2007 and 2008), but down 2-0 in a seven-game series is not insurmountable. The issue, as Weiner said, is "a properly constructed postseason schedule".
Discuss.
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Will trade a 7 game DS for a 154-game regular season
and fewer days off in the post-season, to get the World Series back to mid-October at the latest. A “properly constructed” post-season would be a big help. It’s ridiculous to have baseball in cold-weather cities on Halloween.
That'll never happen.
Owners won’t give up the four extra home dates.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Sadly, You're 100% Correct
It’s all about the almighty dollar. I’d like to see a rollback to 154 games myself, but the chances of that happening are exactly zero.
"The big possums walk late." - Harry Caray
I'd like to see double headers, then
A few split ones woudn’t be that onerus and the $ would be the same.
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Dec 2, 2009 8:18 PM CST up reply actions
seems like a fair trade off.
Just a thought but what you could do, if by split meaning game 1 in city A and game 2 in city B, is make the split series division games. I.E two of the cubs/brew games in chi then 2 more in milwaukee?
But just having what, 4 double headers a year would be ok
I meant day-night DH's
Players don’t like them, but 1/month would bring them to 162 games in the equivalent of a 156 game schedule.
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Dec 2, 2009 9:10 PM CST up reply actions
A resounding Yes!
I’m all for a 7-game Division Series but it must be accompanied with less off days. There’s no reason that teams should have more off days than game days in the postseason. I know this would mean that games will be on at the same time but I’m okay with that. Also, I think we should enhance the home field advantage aspect of the Division Series. 5 home games for the higher seed in a 2-2-3 format. Then we go back to 2-3-2 for the LCS and WS.
You see, you spend a good piece of your life gripping a baseball, and in the end it turns out that it was the other way around all the time. ~Jim Bouton, Ball Four, 1970
interesting idea on the home field advantage but why only the LDS?
If you want to reward teams by giving them more of a home field advantage, wouldn’t you want to be consistent throughout all the playoffs?
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
I disagree
I could see the argument as a way to handicap the wild card.
But, what if two teams have identical records and face off in the LDS. Currently (assuming that one isn’t a wild card team) the home field advantage is determined by a tie-breaker. Having a tie-breaker lead to a two-game homefield advantage doesn’t seem right.
Eamus Ursuli!
Complicating Matters
The wild card doesn’t necessarily play the top seed in the playoffs because division rivals can’t face each other in the division series. I could see having the 2-2-3 format in one division series per league if the wild card had to play the top-seeded team in the first round.
"The big possums walk late." - Harry Caray
I would prefer we remove that clause that stops division rivals from facing one another
Either schedule the best record against the worst record or let the best record choose its opponent. The division winner that finishes with the second best record shouldn’t be rewarded with an easier opponent.
Exactly.
The NFL figured that out years ago. Until 1989, divisional rivals couldn’t meet in the playoffs until the conference championship round.
Starting that year, they realized that was unfair to the team with the best record, because that team would have a tougher test than the second-best team in the conference.
It makes perfect sense. Which is why it won’t happen until Selig is out of office in 2012.
"I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart."
-Anne Frank-
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Dec 3, 2009 11:26 AM CST up reply actions
Actually,
The NFL figured that out in 1989, and started it in 1990, where divisional rivals would play each other if they were seeded correctly.
And, to clarify my last point:
It makes perfect sense. Which is why it won’t happen in baseball until Selig is out of office in 2012.
"I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart."
-Anne Frank-
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Dec 3, 2009 11:29 AM CST up reply actions
Common sense prevails?
IT’S HAPPENING?!?!
"The riches of the game are in the thrills, not the money." --Ernie Banks
Yay!
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
Thank God
I was actually thinking about this yesterday, ironically. This makes absolute perfect sense; when a team is down 1-0 in a five game series it is near impossible to come back and win. That means that a team like the 2008 Cubs who won 98 games in the regular season virtually lost in the playoffs because of one game that set the series. You never really hear of a nailbiter DS series, most usually ending in sweeps or 4 games.
I’m all for it
Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010
Going down 1-0 isn't the death knell.
If you win game two, then it’s a three-game series. It’s going down 2-0 that really kills you.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Yeah, but going down 1-0 at home could be a death knell
It sucks the momentum out of your team and puts so much pressure on the players to win game two.
Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010
Game 2
I know that the good teams rise to the occasion, but in both 2007 and 2008 the Cubs played incredibly tight baseball and beat themselves in Game 2, the same could probably be said of the Cards in 2009.
A game one loss is HUGE in a 5 game set.
Eamus Ursuli!
Since '95 DS
The NL team that wins the 1st game in the best of five DS has won 27 of 30 series, including 15 sweeps. The last NL team to lose the first game of a DS and come back and win the series was the dreaded 2003 Marlins against SF.
The AL is closer, with 16 teams who win the first game winning the series (including 10 sweeps) and 14 losing. However, of those 14 times, 10 have involved Yankee teams. Five times the Yankees lost the first game in the DS and won the series, and 5 times they have won the first game and lost the series.
Thus it seems that Game 1 is absolutely crucial to everyone in baseball except the Yankees (and whoever they are playing).
"I'd rather hit home runs you don't have to run as hard." -- Dave Kingman
by BucknerKongCardenal on Dec 2, 2009 9:44 PM CST up reply actions
i think they should expand the LCS and World Series to 9 games
because going down 3-0 is a death knell.
"There is no harder thing than to have Glenn Beck outlive your child."-The Onion
if you can't win 1 game out of the first 3, you should have to face an improbable chance of winning
Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010
Four Best of 9 World Series
They were in 1903, 1919, 1920, and 1921. Well, back when there was only one postseason series a year, I could see how the best of 9 series might have been a good idea. Evidently, there were others that thought otherwise because the World Series has been a best of 7 affair since 1922.
"The big possums walk late." - Harry Caray
eh, it's just two more games, so in the scheme of things it really doesn't make too much of a difference
Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010
Having seen a lot of April baseball and an outdoor hockey game,
early December baseball in cold weather stadiums wouldn’t be a bad thing. It would make for some fascinating, grueling games.
However, I could see a postponed game or two played in Milwaukee. Is Selig returning to the Brewer front office?
Come visit me inside Wrigley along the Addison side mezzanine fence straight up from 1st base.
by section229beer on Dec 2, 2009 4:27 PM CST up reply actions
The all new winter baseball for snowy diamonds
The early and late parts of the season have enough weather problems as it is, why lengthen it further?
Well, I never heard it before, but it sounds uncommon nonsense.
- The Mock Turtle, Alice in Wonderland by Lewis Carroll -
Night games
I used to love the once a year night games in little league when they would break out the orange ball!
Eamus Ursuli!
Where's Charlie Finley when we need him????
Oh, the humanity!
Now only 12,859 on the "Cubs Season Tickets Waiting List"...
Man, those are swollen then. Must hurt.
Now only 12,859 on the "Cubs Season Tickets Waiting List"...
Resounding yes only if, if and if
love the 7 game series because the better pitching staff should win. Emphasis on team. I only support this IF the playoffs can be structured with less off days and travel similar to the regular season. My contention is TV should support an afternoon game with travel at night and a night game in the next city the following day. Players are used to this and the chance at a couple of day games would help with October weather. If this doesn’t work, give one off day for travel and the other travel day with one afternoon game per series.
This is doable and 3 series should take 3+weeks not 5.
This is only the beginning....Lou Pinella end of '07 season and Chicago Transit Authority (the band when they were really good).
by mrcubsfan on Dec 2, 2009 4:21 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
This could actually happen
as well as some changes in the “replay debate” with Selig stepping down soon.
This will never work...
“Who’s going to figure out all the extra hotel rooms? Not me, I’ll tell that. I’m done with this crap…”
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
by ballhawk on Dec 2, 2009 5:04 PM CST reply actions 9 recs
Rec'd
Although I think I accidentally flagged it first….sorry, ballhawk
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Dec 2, 2009 8:22 PM CST up reply actions
If my application to buy the Rangers is rejected because that flag shows up on a credit report...
…I’m coming for you, Shanghai.
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
I'll co-sign!
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Dec 2, 2009 8:38 PM CST up reply actions
I just nearly flagged it, too, on accident.
"I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart."
-Anne Frank-
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Dec 3, 2009 1:52 AM CST up reply actions
HA HA!
"I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart."
-Anne Frank-
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Dec 3, 2009 1:49 AM CST up reply actions
That picture is the epitome of LWDYWMTD.
"I still believe, in spite of everything, that people are truly good at heart."
-Anne Frank-
by Vermont Cubs Fan on Dec 3, 2009 11:24 AM CST up reply actions
If it works, great
But I have major issues with the term, “unfair” regarding the 5-game LDS.
Every team in the league knows on March 1 the following:
- There are 30 teams broken into two leagues and further broken into 6 divisions
- Those 30 teams will each play 162 games
- The 6 teams with the best record in their divisions will enter the postseason.
- One other team from each league will be in the postseason.
Once there, you must win a best of 5, followed by two best of 7s. In short, you must win 11 of 19 games.
Everyone knows this. Everyone has the chance to structure their teams accordingly.
It wouldn’t be unfair if teams played a 200-game schedule and the postseason took 12 teams and they had a home run derby contest to decide the championship. It would be stupid. It would be ridiculous.
But it wouldn’t be unfair, because every team knew the rules.
Shut up and win.
There is no such thing as an ugly female breast
Unfair - Not the Right Word
Yes, you are absolutely right that the teams know the postseason format before the season starts. A best of 5 series is not unfair, but a best of 7 series offers a larger sample size than a best of 5 series. Does that mean that a team that loses a best of 5 series should whine about the format? No. In a best of 7 series, the first team to win 3 games is usually the first team to win 4 games. Of course, as Cubs fans, we know that’s not necessarily so, but a best of 7 series is a better test for teams.
"The big possums walk late." - Harry Caray
I should have added . . . I'm in favor of this
And, no, I don’t think it would have saved the Cubs in 07 or 08. But it would prevent the LDS crapshoot we have now.
I can see this being very popular from a fans perspective,
but what is the players’ motivation? To the owners it is more games / more money. But players wouldn’t get more money, and they would just be exposed to more risk. Seems odd coming from MLBPA.
"The Cubs are due in sixty-two." - #14
Getting Paid for 4 Games Instead of 3
I’m almost certain that players get paid for the first four games of a best of 7 series, and that they only get paid for the first three games of a best of 5 series. Yay! The players in the LDS could get paid for one more game.
"The big possums walk late." - Harry Caray
Are you sure they are paid by game?
That doesn’t sound right to me. I thought they got paid in the playoffs by whether they win or lose that series. Whether they play the minimum or maximum number of games is irrelevant to the pay the players receive.
Again, I don’t see why the players are for this.
"The Cubs are due in sixty-two." - #14
I believe memphiscub is correct.
I read this in an article recently but don’t recall where I saw it.
Hey, it's a new century!
by cowsarecool220 on Dec 3, 2009 8:42 AM CST up reply actions
I think the pool of money is larger when there are more games.
That seems obvious, as ticket receipts, etc. are larger with more games.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
This still does not seem right to me
All I have ever heard about is winner share/ loser share. I think this goes back to the gambling-phobia in MLB, if your up 3-0 in the series, there should be no incentive not to close it out right there, rather than doing something that could be interpreted as not trying to win so that the $ pool is increased. There already is enough conspiracy talk focused on TV interests affecting length of series, the last thing MLB would want is to open any opportunity for the players to brought into suspicion.
"The Cubs are due in sixty-two." - #14
From MLBPA...
Found this on the MLBPA site …
.
Q: How is the players’ playoff pool created and how is it distributed?
A: The Players’ pool is created from 60% of the total gate receipts from the first four World Series Games; 60% of the total gate receipts from the first four games of each League Championship Series; and 60% of the total gate receipts from the first three games of each Division Series. The Pool is distributed as follows: World Series Winning Team: 36%; World Series Loser: 24%; League Championship Series Losers (two teams): 12% each; Division Series Losers (four teams): 3% each; Non-wild Card Second Place Teams (four teams): 1% each. The division of a team’s Players’ pool shall be made by a vote of the Players, in a meeting chaired by the Player Representative.
"The Cubs are due in sixty-two." - #14
as long as
they’re not taking every other day off, fine.
Forget all that other stuff. I gotta believe.
Beats watching football!!!
Eamus Ursuli!
by WGNstatic on Dec 2, 2009 5:58 PM CST up reply actions 1 recs
Makes sense
playing a 162 game regular season then having 5 game series to start the postseason just doesn’t add up. Th NHL and NBA figured this out a bit ago and they only play 80+ games a year. They need to cut down on off days during the postseason or start scheduling double headers again though so the season doesn’t last til that time of year when you start hearing Xmas music.
Every player should be accorded the privilege of at least one season with the Chicago Cubs. That's baseball as it should be played - in God's own sunshine. And that's really living."
by DC Cubbie on Dec 2, 2009 5:47 PM CST reply actions 1 recs
Completely agree on DHers
Especially since teams have gone to the split DH there isn’t even the real revenue loss issue. I suppose ratings on TV would be a bit lower, but over the course of a season if each team hosted two scheduled DH it should appreciably change the TV revenue.
Eamus Ursuli!
7 games in 8 days
They do it all the time in the regular season. There is absolutely no reason that they shouldn’t do it in the playoffs.
1 off day after the season (in case of tie-breaker). 1 off day between games 2 and 3. 1, off-days between series if it goes the full 7 games, give 2 days after a shorter series (assuming no rainouts). This would have the WS ending a maximum of 4 weeks after the regular season, which seems reasonable.
Eamus Ursuli!
To shorten the season
There could be more doubleheaders. Anymore they are pretty much nonexistent unless making up games due to rainouts.
Andy R.
by WindisBlowingOut! on Dec 2, 2009 6:28 PM CST reply actions
Hi...
just visiting the site. I see you have Derrek Lee as the 73rd best Cub ever. This is nuts. Lee is 44th all time in plate appearances, 3rd all time in ops, and 11th all time in ops+… all while playing elite level defense.
By comparison, Rick Monday is 30th. Monday played fewer games and could neither hit nor defend as well as Lee. And he’s 30th?? You should toss this list and start over.
MB for LF in 2010!
Whoever (whomever, beats me) he is a fan of
He wants Bradley in LF next year so hopefully he has some pull with said team.
"This season has been everything most of us feared it would be[.]"
Mike Rutherford, Card Chronicle
http://www.cardchronicle.com/
He's a Cardinals fan.
He and vivaelpujols can have him. In fact, just take the contract. You don’t even have to give any players back.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
how we give them bradley AND miles?
itd be a reunion of sorts..
1 Aaron down, 1 to go
by jesus christos on Dec 2, 2009 8:18 PM CST up reply actions
How quickly.............
………..do we get to Ted Sizemore in the Cards “Top 30 of All Time”.
Go home, troll………
"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day." ~ Frank Sinatra
A little off the topic there, aren't you?
"Criticism may not be agreeable, but it is necessary. It fulfills the same function as pain in the human body. It calls attention to an unhealthy state of things." ~Winston Churchill
How bout
20 of 30 teams make it the post season and the World Series is played in warm weather site decided 5 years in advance.
Why not be like the NHL, NBA, NFL ? I love 3 month post seasons.
"I am not ashamed to say I love Greg Maddux" - Jim Hendry
Me either Jim
expand the league to 32 teams, and have a bracket sudden death game for the Championship
Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010
Better yet, run the schedule through the BCS computer
and have random teams play each other once at neutral sites based on their record against teams in the division and strength of schedule. Top two selected to play each and the winner is Champion. Rest don’t count. Sounds fair to me.
at daver's request, Let's frontload this B**ch!
OT - how 'bout the Illini?
Coming back from 23 AT Clemson. Go Big 10!
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
besides UNC and Duke, the ACC is outright awful at basketball
UVA is pitiful and Wake Forest lost to William and Mary!
Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010
Well, Clemson was 19 going in.
Speaking of Duke . . .
Go Badgers!
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Dec 2, 2009 8:38 PM CST up reply actions
Good work
Further showing that the ACC is dismal
Wrigley Bound in the Summer of 2010
by Chanman25 on Dec 2, 2009 10:03 PM CST via mobile up reply actions
I'll bank on the ACC...........
…………come March.
"I feel sorry for people who don't drink. When they wake up in the morning, that's as good as they're going to feel all day." ~ Frank Sinatra
I'm hoping for a March 2010 Spartan - Heels rematch myself.
We have some unfinished business to take care of…
(we kind of missed our opportunity Tuesday night :p )
Now only 12,859 on the "Cubs Season Tickets Waiting List"...
What is this "basketball" you speak of?
Go Hawkeyes!
Dum spiro spero…
Follow me on twitter or else: @andrewjstone.
Great games all around
Was especially proud to see the end of the Illini game after I saw they were losing by 20 when I was at dinner.
If for nothing else
A 7 game series would allow us to watch our Cubs play one more game in October even if that means a sweep.
The bad news of this is
Winning a WS just became harder for the Cubs. Eleven post season wins will no longer cut the mustard. They will have to win a WS soon because in 25 years or so it could take like 15 post season victories.
"I'd rather hit home runs you don't have to run as hard." -- Dave Kingman
by BucknerKongCardenal on Dec 2, 2009 9:50 PM CST reply actions
15?
How about 12. That’s how many it would take to win three best-of-seven series.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
slightly off topic
Personally I don’t think that the first round as best of five detracts much from the playoffs. What does bug me is the amount of off days. MLB should learn from NBA, when both teams are available the next series starts. Screw FOX and their desire to schedule the dates. Anyone ever hear of day games?
Just my rant. GCG.
So learning from the NBA...
We can skip the first 8 innings and just play the meaningful 9th inning when all games are decided? AKA- the last 2 minutes of almost every NBA game? Blech…
Now only 12,859 on the "Cubs Season Tickets Waiting List"...
Um, no.
That’s just something that people made up because they don’t like the NBA. If either team phoned it in for the first 46 minutes the last 2 would be garbage time. Even though a lot can happen at the end it’s all set up by what comes before.
I'd like to keep the 5-game series...
but give home field advantage in all 5 games to the best team in each league.
The wild card teams would get a cut of the take at the gate and concessions.
by Shawn Domagal-Goldman on Dec 3, 2009 12:08 AM CST reply actions
Just to be clear...
this would only happen in the two series with wild card teams in it. All division winners would get home field games. The best team in each league would get a decided advantage, though and I think that’s a good thing.
by Shawn Domagal-Goldman on Dec 3, 2009 12:16 AM CST up reply actions
so after Boston and NYY go toe-to-toe all season and both teams win 95+ games...
…while the other two division winners muddle along at just above .500; one of the 95+ game winners and owner of the 2nd best record in the league gets no home games in the LDS?
Lou Brown: "My kinda team, Charlie, my kinda team..."
Hrm, this is an interesting point.
My idea wouldn’t work. In your scenario, the Yankees would play one of worst of the other two division winners, and the Red Sox would play the 2nd-best division winner. In that case, it’s not clear who should get the extra home games.
Nevermind.
by Shawn Domagal-Goldman on Dec 3, 2009 1:00 AM CST up reply actions
OK, that was bad english.
The Yankees would play the division winner with the worst record. Both those teams should get a home playoff game. And the Red Sox would be playing a team with a worse record than the Yankees. How do you justify giving that team home field advantage in all 5 games instead of the Yankees?
by Shawn Domagal-Goldman on Dec 3, 2009 1:01 AM CST up reply actions
My main issue...
is that there is too much parity in the MLB playoff system. The worst playoff teams shouldn’t have a roughly 1-in-8 shot at the world series title.
by Shawn Domagal-Goldman on Dec 3, 2009 1:03 AM CST up reply actions
There was a proposal at one time...
… to give the team with the worse record in a division series one home game — the first — then let the other team have the rest of the games at home.
Not sure that would work either, but home field has less of an impact on winning than in, say, the NBA or NHL.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
You're right about home field giving less of an advantage...
and that’s why I think the split should be heavier then 3-2. Part of the reason the playoffs are a crapshoot is that the better team during the regular season has only a small advantage in the playoff series. So if you give them more of a small advantage, maybe that’ll help.
4-1 sounds better that 5-0, because then the worst team still gets one home game.
by Shawn Domagal-Goldman on Dec 3, 2009 11:43 AM CST up reply actions
Yup...
I was just talking number of games. If you’re including the order, the team with only 1 home game should get the first one.
by Shawn Domagal-Goldman on Dec 3, 2009 12:06 PM CST up reply actions
While this...
seems like a good idea, I’m curious as to why they players rep came out and said they’re in favor of it? It seems like an extra 2 playoff games (meaning revenue) would be something the owners would be in favor of. If the players are bargaining for things in the CBA why come out and admit that you want the same things.
Wouldn’t it have been smarter to wait until they’re negotiating the agreement and when the owners propose adding 2 games to the first round the players hem and haw and say, fine we’ll give you the 2 games if you give us X, Y, or Z?
Play 7 games and less days off...
This would be a fairer system. Under the current 5 games with many off days the team with a balanced pitching staff is penalized. A second rate team with two very good pitchers is favored over the team with 5 good pitchers since most playoff games can be played with only your 3 best pitchers. This year it appeared that Sabathia was on the mound almost every day.
Need to shorten the season
I favor either a 154-game season, or increasing day-night double-headers by one a month to get 162 games in earlier. I am not sure about a seven-game first round; not sure if that would have helped the Cubs in 07 and 08. If we end the season a week earlier, stick to to the five-game opening rounder, and get rid of some of the meaningless off-days, we can have the World Series in mid-October where it belongs.
What’s wrong with adding some day games in the League Championships and playing AL and NL contests in the same day? What, they think the day games won’t sell out?!?
You'll never get a reduction to 154 games.
The 162-game season is now almost 50 years old — if you reduce the season by 8 games, you’re going to have fewer 200-hit seasons, 40-homer seasons, etc. Players wouldn’t agree to that.
I could see the day/night DH once per month; that would reduce the season (presumably) by about a week, which would help.
"You can observe a lot just by watching." ~ Yogi Berra
Agreed....
…. I would like the 154 game season, but it won’t ever happen. The owners won’t allow it. Just like adding a double-header to the playoffs. I just won’t happen because it will take away $$$ from the owners/players.
by TheHawkRules on Dec 3, 2009 11:16 AM CST up reply actions
Yeah, but I think you could see...
a reduction in spring training time. Or perhaps the movement of the spring forward into February.
The problem with this? You’re also pushing the start of the season forward, and potentially creating some serious weather-related issues in Northern cities.
by Shawn Domagal-Goldman on Dec 3, 2009 11:44 AM CST up reply actions
Some games don't sell out
Look at the Braves during their playoff streak, or Tampa Bay before the WS (with tarps still on the upper deck seats).
I’m still in favor of shortening the length of the playoffs.
Double-Header? I wish...
I like the idea, yet… i kinda don’t. If there won’t be anymore LONG breaks in0between games… ok, maybe. But having the playoffs go on for a month just doesn’t seem right. I know they will never do this…. but add some doub;e-headers to the play off mix. Maybe in the division series.
?
I’m confused – who was suggesting that?
I don’t think double-headers in the postseason is a good idea.
I'm singing, "GO CUBS GO! GO CUBS GO!" -- DrCrawdad on Jun 12, 2009 7:23 AM CDT
Facts are meaningless. You could use facts to prove anything that's even remotely true! -- Homer J. Simpson
by Shanghai Badger on Dec 3, 2009 11:30 AM CST up reply actions
I suggested it
I don’t think adding another game to the division series is that big of a deal. I think the playoffs lasting nearly a month is… I just suggested the double-header idea as a way to shorten the length of the playoffs. I know it won’t happen… but I personally think the playoffs lasting so long is going to come back and bite MLB down the road. Maybe sooner than later…
There are enough off days that I would think cutting those down would make more sense
than adding doubleheaders.
Personally I think the playoffs are too long.
There are too many rounds and too many off days. In a perfect world, the Division Series would be eliminated and we would go back to the old East vs West in the LCS format; of course, that will never happen, because there are two many teams now.
Thing is, if there are going to be three rounds in the postseason, they all ought to be the same format. So a 7-game LDS sounds, to me, like a very good idea. Honestly, the extra two games aren’t that big a deal. And seriously, five-game series are so short. Every year four teams get a raw deal by being shocked out of the postseason almost before they’ve started.
Count me as not being being in favor of going back to 4 teams in the playoffs
In that scenario a large number of the past 10 World Series winners would never have made the postseason. For many teams, that would also mean their season is virtually over by midseason. There are plenty of other ways to end the baseball season sooner than cutting out the LDS.
As it should be.
Case in point – the 2006 St. Louis Cardinals, who would have been in third place in the old two-division setup. That alone should have been enough to get the “commissioner” to reconsider this whole three-division idea.
Yankees suck.
by Steaming Pile on Dec 8, 2009 9:52 AM CST up reply actions
Are they out of their minds?
If they go through with this, I hope the Cubs and the Twins meet in the next World Series. Or even better, I hope Cleveland or Detroit wins the AL Pennant. I hope games get called for lake effect snow. I hope they have to throw up their hands and play the World Series in Miami just to get it done before Thanksgiving. That’ll teach these people that November baseball sucks.
And while we’re at it, the three-division system sucks anyway. You’re putting at least one team with under 90 wins in the playoffs nearly every year. The ’06 Cardinals were one such team, and they managed to win the World Series. It makes me lose considerable interest in the game when it gets screwed with like that. And what if the Cubs win 84 games and the Central Division title, then go on to win the World Series in seven really ugly games against a team that won 85 games? Would the Powers That Be™ then reconsider this madness?
Yankees suck.
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