Playoffs to be expanded THIS YEAR

[UnderPressure]

http://msn.foxsports.com/mlb/story/MLB-to-expand-playoffs-beginning-in-2012-postseason-022912

I don't know what to think of this. Byes are not made for baseball. It's actually a tremendous disadvantage for the team that has it. Just look at what happened to the Rockies in 2007, who basically had a vacation after owning the Cubs and the D-backs prior to the World Series.

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I don't understand, what is a "bye"?

I mean, every time I hear that word, I think of this.

[Herr28]

Hurt the Tigers in '06 when they had at least a week off after destroying the A's, while my Birds and the Mets went all 7. There was talk about the Detroit hitters being rusty after the wait.

[ipitch]

Byes are not made for baseball. It's actually a tremendous disadvantage for the team that has it. Just look at what happened to the Rockies in 2007, who basically had a vacation after owning the Cubs and the D-backs prior to the World Series.

I think that's your opinion. How do you know that they wouldn't have lost 4-0 without a "vacation?" What about the teams that won a series after a "vacation?"

[ipitch]

Hurt the Tigers in '06 when they had at least a week off after destroying the A's, while my Birds and the Mets went all 7. There was talk about the Detroit hitters being rusty after the wait.

It's likely a coincidence. There's a team in a hitting slump every week of the season, layoff or not. Does every team go into a hitting slump right after the all-star break? No. And, if any team feels that a bye will cause a hitting slump, well, then perhaps they should play simulated games so that they'll have no excuse.

[GiambiJuice]

I'm a big fan of Bud Selig, but I am strongly against adding playoff teams. I think it's going to ruin the regular season.

[Imgran]

I'm a big fan of Bud Selig, but I am strongly against adding playoff teams. I think it's going to ruin the regular season.

Not this way. This accentuates the division pennants while giving additional teams something to fight for. In terms of the regular season it's a bit of a godsend. If anything it undoes some of the damage the 8 team playoff structure did to the regular season. Especially in the American Leauge East. Now NYY and BOS have no choice but to go at it like cats and dogs -- which I will hate a couple month from now but is good for the league. But at the same time, the other three AL East teams have more hope than they have had in awhile, since it's been true a couple times that all 3 of the 3 current best AL East teams were better than at least 1 division winner

System adds flexibility while boosting the significance of division championships. I'm a big fan of both of those things.

[Rich the Giants fan]

I'm a big fan of Bud Selig, but I am strongly against adding playoff teams. I think it's going to ruin the regular season.

I'm a huge hater of Bug Selig, but on this we agree.

[ol' aches and pains]

Now fully 1/3 of MLB will be in the playoffs. This is not a good thing.

[UnderPressure]

Not this way. This accentuates the division pennants while giving additional teams something to fight for. In terms of the regular season it's a bit of a godsend. If anything it undoes some of the damage the 8 team playoff structure did to the regular season. Especially in the American Leauge East. Now NYY and BOS have no choice but to go at it like cats and dogs -- which I will hate a couple month from now but is good for the league. But at the same time, the other three AL East teams have more hope than they have had in awhile, since it's been true a couple times that all 3 of the 3 current best AL East teams were better than at least 1 division winner

System adds flexibility while boosting the significance of division championships. I'm a big fan of both of those things.

I agree with this. While playoff expansion takes away some of the significance of winning a division, it does add more suspense for teams who are out of the division race. If it means giving fans of 3rd or 4th place teams more reason to watch their team in August and September, it's good for the business. Ratings and attendance are dwindling in baseball and this is the way to get things back on track.

[scrabblehack]

I don't like it.

So what if there's a tie? They have to have a one-game playoff to see who goes to the one-game playoff? Yuck.
Also the one game could be dominated by a star pitcher. Rather than settle which team is better it would seem to invite
controversy.

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Now fully 1/3 of MLB will be in the playoffs. This is not a good thing.

Agreed. It dilutes the very concept of the playoffs. The whole point is that a team that makes the playoffs is a better team, it's accomplished something. Having half the bloody league be in the playoffs is like giving everyone in the class an A, regardless of how their performance went.

I see no logical reason to do this. If a team's in the playoffs, does it really matter if they're the division leader or the wildcard? Both have an equal chance of advancing. Remember 2002? Both teams in the WS were wildcards!

They're only doing this to make money from the TV broadcast of the play-in game. I'm firmly convinced of that.

[Imgran]

I don't like it.

So what if there's a tie? They have to have a one-game playoff to see who goes to the one-game playoff? Yuck.
Also the one game could be dominated by a star pitcher. Rather than settle which team is better it would seem to invite
controversy.

Well what would happen with a three way tie right now? Same thing pretty much.

This is not a compelling argument.

As for domination by a star pitcher, that's the point of having one.

[Imgran]

Agreed. It dilutes the very concept of the playoffs. The whole point is that a team that makes the playoffs is a better team, it's accomplished something. Having half the bloody league be in the playoffs is like giving everyone in the class an A, regardless of how their performance went.

I see no logical reason to do this. If a team's in the playoffs, does it really matter if they're the division leader or the wildcard? Both have an equal chance of advancing. Remember 2002? Both teams in the WS were wildcards!

They're only doing this to make money from the TV broadcast of the play-in game. I'm firmly convinced of that.

It should matter, for reasons you yourself point out. Division champions won something. Wild card teams are passengers on the bus and don't deserve the same consideration. They should not be as good as pennant winners.

[UnderPressure]

I see no logical reason to do this. If a team's in the playoffs, does it really matter if they're the division leader or the wildcard? Both have an equal chance of advancing. Remember 2002? Both teams in the WS were wildcards!

And guess what. That remains to be the only all-WC World Series out of what, 17 World Series?