Shorten the regular season OR shorten the playoffs!

[Rich the Giants fan]

Be careful in the "World Series Ratings Debacle" thread my friend...

Ratings, smatings. There are so many things to watch on TV nowadays, it's inevitable that ratings would drop from where they used to be. Doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the length of the season.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Well, it is 144 games now. So, maybe they did.

Well I did say the "old" Pacific Coast League.

[Honus Wagner Rules]

Ratings, smatings. There are so many things to watch on TV nowadays, it's inevitable that ratings would drop from where they used to be. Doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the length of the season.

The only thing that really concerns me is the possible bad weather in late October. I'm all for the World Series ending by October 15 at the latest. Teams could add some doubleheaders to the regular season schedule but I think the players hate doubleheaders. I miss the scheduled doubleheaders from my youth.

[Mr. Laser Beam]

Me too. Im sad today because no more baseball until March, and no meaningful games until April. Thats a long time from now.

This is why I collect baseball games on DVD (and buy them from iTunes). That'll last me through the winter.

Plus, as an added bonus, the 2012 WS is the first to be released on Blu-Ray!

[dadair6]

The only thing that really concerns me is the possible bad weather in late October. I'm all for the World Series ending by October 15 at the latest. Teams could add some doubleheaders to the regular season schedule but I think the players hate doubleheaders. I miss the scheduled doubleheaders from my youth.

It's a good thing the series ended yesterday. The weather today is low 40's with 25-30 mph winds out of the north

[PlanetZoltan]

This is why I collect baseball games on DVD (and buy them from iTunes). That'll last me through the winter.

Plus, as an added bonus, the 2012 WS is the first to be released on Blu-Ray!

I have started doing that too bud. Ill have to check out your thread on newly released DVDs and buy a few.

[dadair6]

This is why I collect baseball games on DVD (and buy them from iTunes). That'll last me through the winter.

Plus, as an added bonus, the 2012 WS is the first to be released on Blu-Ray!

I record most games on DVD that I attend and watch them throughout the winter. This year I didn't record as many as in past years, but I should have enough to get me through the end of the year. I'll fill January and February with games from last year.

[dominik]

Why not go back to 154? That would save one week

[Edgartohof]

I wound like to see the season kept the same but shorten the post-season to 3, 5, and 7 game series in that order...

Get the first few rounds of the playoffs over with sooner but still allow for a full 7 game World Series if needed.

[Mr. Laser Beam]

I have started doing that too bud. Ill have to check out your thread on newly released DVDs and buy a few.

Also MLB.TV is a big help. I can watch any game from this season - in HD - via my AppleTV. I highly recommend this service. (This lasts until the next season starts. Once that happens, it starts over; any older game, you have to watch it on the computer. Only the most recent season is watchable on the AppleTV.)

[Pere]

Expanding from 20 teams to 30 is literally a 50% increase...


As to the rest... meh. The current format (that is, 2013) is the best it's been in my lifetime, relative to my tastes. Sure, if I was in charge I'd tweak a few things (equalized schedules between division rivals, division-vs.-division interleague on a rotation, 7-game DS), but there are more important issues for me too (fair sharing of broadcast revenue, tighter and simpler transaction and affiliation rules, instant replay carefully expanded)...

But hell, overall baseball is great these days. Anyone who can't see that--thinks what we just saw is "worthless," or not compelling--well, I don't know what to tell you. This may not be your game.

[StanTheMan]

Ratings, smatings. There are so many things to watch on TV nowadays, it's inevitable that ratings would drop from where they used to be. Doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the length of the season.

Not what I was saying at all, but ok.

When you bump into posters adamant that the postseason system in place when each league had 8 teams and only white players was the absolute best way to choose a World Champion... That was my point.

[moldyoldie]

Shorten the regular season by scheduling regular day-night double-headers, perhaps weekly -- no loss of gate while keeping 162-game schedule. I've heard the arguments against it, all of which are lame when placed against ending the season by mid-October. I absolutely loathe watching baseball in winter-like conditions. I also tend to dislike anything that lessens the importance of winning in the regular season; i.e., more play-off teams. Four teams per league suffices for me. However, I'd have only two divisions per league to facilitate more games against more teams.

[DownUnderDodger]

I don't see any reason to shorten the season. If anything I'd make it longer. I don't understand anyone calling themselves a true baseball fan wanting less baseball. I want more, not less.

Can't argue with that!!!

[Rich the Giants fan]

Shorten the regular season by scheduling regular day-night double-headers, perhaps weekly -- no loss of gate while keeping 162-game schedule. I've heard the arguments against it, all of which are lame when placed against ending the season by mid-October. I absolutely loathe watching baseball in winter-like conditions. I also tend to dislike anything that lessens the importance of winning in the regular season; i.e., more play-off teams. Four teams per league suffices for me. However, I'd have only two divisions per league to facilitate more games against more teams.

I prefer the old two-for-one special when it comes to doubleheaders, but your idea is more viable and more likely to get get owners approval. Same amount of baseball in a shorter period to accommodate a longer post-season. Works for me.