Prepare for playoff expansion

[bleacherbum54]

1 game playoff? That's stupid. MLB could and should capitalize on making the series at least 3 games if their gonna bother to change things up. You're going to sellout all these playoff games, why not triple the revenue? Just seems stupid to me. I get the whole drama factor of a 1 game playoff but all things considered I don't like the sound of it. I guess we'll see when the time comes.

No it's not stupid now the regular season matters more. Winning your division actually matters now. The Yanks tanked a few years ago to get the favorable matchup via the wildcard. I love this new playoff system well done baseball.

 

[Cloud 9]

No it's not stupid now the regular season matters more. Winning your division actually matters now. The Yanks tanked a few years ago to get the favorable matchup via the wildcard. I love this new playoff system well done baseball.

Yes it is. You can have a 3rd place team make the playoffs, I don't like that at all. And it is completely stupid to have a 1 game playoff series. That's not even within question IMO. I liked the system the MLB had before, it's going to take some getting used to.

 

[Cloud 9]

I don't think they have time this season to cram in a three-game series but they may tweak it for 2013 and beyond.

Oh no I wasn't saying for this upcoming season. For the future so they can get this right.

 

[Rice Cube]

The AL East usually has a third place team who is better than another division winner. I don't think it happened this past year because Detroit and Texas were pretty badass, but what should happen is that they eliminate divisions altogether and play a more balanced schedule, then let the top five teams in. Give the top three teams a bye while the bottom two duke it out in a best of three, then the top seed gets the winner of that contest.

 

[Rice Cube]

They could also stagger the divisional series such that the #2 and #3 seeds start playing just before game 2 of the wild card best-of-3. This gives the top seed extra time to recover and set their rotations, while the winner of both the 2v3 series and the wild card series are more tired and the top seed is more likely to sweep. I'm not sure if that's fair, but there should be some major bonus for finishing with the best record in the league.

 

[Cloud 9]

The AL East usually has a third place team who is better than another division winner. I don't think it happened this past year because Detroit and Texas were pretty badass, but what should happen is that they eliminate divisions altogether and play a more balanced schedule, then let the top five teams in. Give the top three teams a bye while the bottom two duke it out in a best of three, then the top seed gets the winner of that contest.

Yeah I was thinking along that line as well. What I'd like the most is splitting into just the National and American Leagues. 15 teams in each league, but with the Stros leaving the Central we have that anyways. Divisions work just fine with 4 teams from each league making the playoffs, but I don't like it with 5 getting in and a 1 game playoff.

 

[Rice Cube]

Yeah I was thinking along that line as well. What I'd like the most is splitting into just the National and American Leagues. 15 teams in each league, Top 5 teams from each League make the playoffs. I like rewarding the top team from each league with a bye, so now you really have something to play for all season. 2 seed plays 5 seed, and 3 plays 4 seed. Divisions work just fine with 4 teams from each league making the playoffs, but I don't like it with 5 getting in and a 1 game playoff.

The problem with giving the #1 seed a bye early on without giving another set of teams a bye is that with five teams total in each league, the #1 seed will basically have to sit out two full rounds. I thought about that too but realized it would be too much of a layoff so I proposed the staggered format in my last post. I'm sure they'll see how it works this postseason and then work out the kinks.

 

[Cloud 9]

The problem with giving the #1 seed a bye early on without giving another set of teams a bye is that with five teams total in each league, the #1 seed will basically have to sit out two full rounds. I thought about that too but realized it would be too much of a layoff so I proposed the staggered format in my last post. I'm sure they'll see how it works this postseason and then work out the kinks.

I realized that as soon as I posted it and read it myself. It wouldn't work, but it was a nice idea to flirt with.

 

[IvyPickin87]

I would like the three game series in the wild card only if they shrink the regular season by a handful of games. Can't get much later in the year for the WS.

 

[HeavyD]

Make it a 3 game series for sure. Give all the other teams a break for 4 days. Make them play back to back nights. Day off for travel. And the clincher if needed day 4. We already have had this "wild card" round once every few years. It's called a tiebreaker, and the giants and somebody else did it a few years ago I believe.

Nice idea, to bad the idea is only half baked right now.

 

[brett05]

I am in the camp with MLB. To have a one game playoff is awesome every year. This makes the value of the regular season and winning your division all that more important. You gotta go all out as the two wild card teams to have the right to play the best team in the league that many more times than not will be rested and have their set rotation ready to attack.

 

[#19]

Make it a 3 game series for sure. Give all the other teams a break for 4 days. Make them play back to back nights. Day off for travel. And the clincher if needed day 4. We already have had this "wild card" round once every few years. It's called a tiebreaker, and the giants and somebody else did it a few years ago I believe.

Nice idea, to bad the idea is only half baked right now.

Here's my plan-

2 leagues, 2 divisions per league (either a 15/15 split with continuous interleague play or a 16-14 split)
12 teams make the playoffs- this is still a smaller percentage than all other major sports.

In the first round, the 4 divisional winners get byes and the 8 Wild Cards play a best of 3 in the park of the better team. Season ends on Sunday and all the Wild Card series start on Tuesday ending on Thursday. Divisional playoffs start on Saturday so the 4 divisional winners have had only 5 days off. Divisionals are best of 5 and Championship Series and the WS are best of 7.

This format gives the division winners a major advantage over the WC winners making the playoff races more important. The division winners will be able to set up their starting rotations and the bullpen will be completely rested. WC teams will want to have home field advantage making many more games in September important. And just think how great the Wild Card week would be? 4 games on Tuesday and Wednesday with deciding games on Thursday. You want excitement- here it is!

 

[IvyPickin87]

Here's my plan-

2 leagues, 2 divisions per league (either a 15/15 split with continuous interleague play or a 16-14 split)
12 teams make the playoffs- this is still a smaller percentage than all other major sports.

In the first round, the 4 divisional winners get byes and the 8 Wild Cards play a best of 3 in the park of the better team. Season ends on Sunday and all the Wild Card series start on Tuesday ending on Thursday. Divisional playoffs start on Saturday so the 4 divisional winners have had only 5 days off. Divisionals are best of 5 and Championship Series and the WS are best of 7.

This format gives the division winners a major advantage over the WC winners making the playoff races more important. The division winners will be able to set up their starting rotations and the bullpen will be completely rested. WC teams will want to have home field advantage making many more games in September important. And just think how great the Wild Card week would be? 4 games on Tuesday and Wednesday with deciding games on Thursday. You want excitement- here it is!

I like the idea, but i dont think it gives that much advantage to the teams with a bye. Baseball is a game of streaks, and while some may welcome the break i bet most wont. Hitters get in grooves and if they take a couple days off from real live competition it may mess a player up if they were a hot hitter. Yes the arms get a break and they appreciate it but from a hitting angle i dont think they would.

 

[#19]

I like the idea, but i dont think it gives that much advantage to the teams with a bye. Baseball is a game of streaks, and while some may welcome the break i bet most wont. Hitters get in grooves and if they take a couple days off from real live competition it may mess a player up if they were a hot hitter. Yes the arms get a break and they appreciate it but from a hitting angle i dont think they would.

It's still an advantage for a team with a bye since it is less games to play and one less series to win. Plus, the team you'd be facing would not have their #1 pitcher to open the series (unless he goes on 3-days rest). So the team with the bye would probably face a #3 or #4 pitcher with their entire pitching staff rested. Every team would pick getting a bye over playing a first series.

In terms of days off for hitters, 5 days is not excessive. While I've heard your argument before, I'd like to see some statistics backing it up. I did a quick search and didn't find anything.

And if days off for the bye team was the biggest obstacle, then start the wild card round on Monday with the Divisional round starting on Friday. 4 days off or more between series is routine when one team wins in 4 or 5 games and their opponent plays a 7 game series.

 

[daddies3angels]

Expanded playoffs official: For this season only, lower seed gets first two home games in DS. #MLB

Lower seeds seem to get edge this year. If lower seed does its job by winning first 2 at home they just have to take 1 of 3 on road