Change the Post-season Format?
Bud Selig talked yesterday about the format of the post-season, kicking around a few possible changes that could be made for next season and beyond. I'd like to comment on a few of the proposals:
1.) Expand the First Round to Best-of-7 Series
I'm strongly in favor of this move. Right now, the Best-of-5 format in the first round makes things essentially a crap-shoot in the first round. I think the better team will win more often than the worse team, but momentum can carry a team through a five game series, while a seven game series makes it more likely that the "actual" better team will win. If the extra time is available (and for whatever reason, the article suggests that it will be), then I think adding 2 games to the First Round is the best way to budget that extra time.
2.) Penalize Wild Cards
The article suggests that Wild Card teams could be given fewer home games in playoff series as a penalty for not winning their division. I presume this would mean that, in a best-of-5 series, the Wild Card would play 4 road games and 1 home game, and in a best-of-7 series the Wild Card would play 5 road games and 2 home games. I can see the reasoning behind this, but it seems weird to me. I think Wild Card teams should be treated like every other team that makes the playoffs. Reducing the number of home games would make the Wild Card too gimmicky for my taste.
3.) Reducing the Length of the Season
Well, this isn't exactly a change in the post-season format, although it would affect when the playoffs started and ended. Selig says he's in favor of returning to the 154 game regular season schedule (which was in force from 1908 until the early 1960's), but acknowledges that there isn't much interest among the owners. Well, gee, really? Right now they have 4 extra home games to sell tickets for. Of course they aren't going to be in favor or reducing the schedule. Frankly, I don't care whether it's 154 or 162; it's a long season either way. That said, 8 more games is 8 more games, and as a fan of baseball I'll take as much as I can get. Heck, why not just go all out and expand to 178 or 180 games? Ok, I'm not seriously in favor of that, but I also don't see the reason for reducing the schedule by 8 games.
1.) Expand the First Round to Best-of-7 Series
I'm strongly in favor of this move. Right now, the Best-of-5 format in the first round makes things essentially a crap-shoot in the first round. I think the better team will win more often than the worse team, but momentum can carry a team through a five game series, while a seven game series makes it more likely that the "actual" better team will win. If the extra time is available (and for whatever reason, the article suggests that it will be), then I think adding 2 games to the First Round is the best way to budget that extra time.
2.) Penalize Wild Cards
The article suggests that Wild Card teams could be given fewer home games in playoff series as a penalty for not winning their division. I presume this would mean that, in a best-of-5 series, the Wild Card would play 4 road games and 1 home game, and in a best-of-7 series the Wild Card would play 5 road games and 2 home games. I can see the reasoning behind this, but it seems weird to me. I think Wild Card teams should be treated like every other team that makes the playoffs. Reducing the number of home games would make the Wild Card too gimmicky for my taste.
3.) Reducing the Length of the Season
Well, this isn't exactly a change in the post-season format, although it would affect when the playoffs started and ended. Selig says he's in favor of returning to the 154 game regular season schedule (which was in force from 1908 until the early 1960's), but acknowledges that there isn't much interest among the owners. Well, gee, really? Right now they have 4 extra home games to sell tickets for. Of course they aren't going to be in favor or reducing the schedule. Frankly, I don't care whether it's 154 or 162; it's a long season either way. That said, 8 more games is 8 more games, and as a fan of baseball I'll take as much as I can get. Heck, why not just go all out and expand to 178 or 180 games? Ok, I'm not seriously in favor of that, but I also don't see the reason for reducing the schedule by 8 games.
posted by JST @ Saturday, October 14, 2006
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