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2/23/18

Q and A - Extra Playoff Games

Mike Friere asks -

The current MLB playoff format is undeniably unfair for the teams that make the "Wild Card" matchup.  Using a one game playoff to eliminate a team after a full season of 162 games to decide the participants seems a bit harsh. Not to mention the winning team has to move on without their top starting pitcher being available for several games into the next series.  Should MLB expand the playoff format to include extra teams and a legitimate first round series of at least three or even five games?

Mack says –

I don’t like when one errant throw, from a first baseman to a catcher, can end an entire season’s effort to get to the World Series.

And two more games for four teams to play isn’t going to lengthen the season to the point that fans start running in the other direction. Trust me… the fans of the teams that didn’t make the playoffs already started that exodus.

As Ernie Banks said on the firs take… ‘let’s play three’.

(I'm starting to sound like Tom...)


Reese Kaplan says –

To do so would likely stretch the post-season into November which is something they would probably seek to avoid.  The alternative would be to reduce the number of in-season games to create room in the calendar to do so.  That approach would unnecessarily penalize the non-qualifying teams from gate receipts for the 3-5 games they would miss.
The very concept of a Wild Card means some teams whose seasons were destined to be over are being given a new, temporary lease on life.  The one-game format is indeed stressful but it's this very challenge that should be met in order to advance to the next level with the Division winners.  Should they operate under something of a pitching handicap?  To me, that's the price you pay for getting in via the non-champion route. 

I say leave it as it is.



Tom Brennan says –

             My thoughts on a good question:

Lengthening the playoffs so that the Wild Card round could even be 3 games would make the playoffs too long, in my opinion, and the other teams would have to sit around and wait.  The only way I would make it a best of 3 is to have the Wild Card teams play a doubleheader on Tuesday and a final game (if needed) on Wednesday.  Wears out their pitching with 3 games in 2 days?  Sorry, you are a Wild Card team.  Deal with it.

Alternative?  Shorten the season by a few games to 160, and make every playoff team (wild card and non-wild card) play an added 3 game round.  Wild Card with worst record plays the team with the best record in Round 1, etc.  Similar to NBA.  Most times, the lousier team falls out of that first round.


Mike Friere says –

           The biggest issue with this question is whether to expand the playoff field, or not.  With the current edition of the MLB Playoffs, you have three division winners per league and an additional pair of "wild card" teams.  Due to the odd number, one team has to sit out in some way, which is awkward and leads to the problems listed in the question.
The easiest way to fix the issue is to return to an even number of playoff teams.  That could be accomplished by adding another team or subtracting another team in each league.  Since subtracting a team would not be popular, I won't dwell on the possibility.  Instead, you could add a third "wild card" team and event things out for each league.   So, your top two division winners would get a "bye" and the remaining four teams would comprise your first round, with the best remaining team playing the worst and so forth.

Once the first two series were decided, the winners would move on to face the best two teams in Divisional Series and the rest of the playoff format would be the same.


To make things more "fair", I would make the first round series at least a "best out of three" which reduces the "fluke" factor a bit compared to the current one game playoff for the wild card teams.  The extra days to decide the first round would also give teams a chance to reset their pitching staffs and put them on a more level playing field with the teams that they would face in the NLDS/ALDS.   This proposed setup also adds another team to the mix which is exciting on many levels and it would not "water down" the importance of making the playoffs like it would if you have more teams in the field every year (like Basketball or Hockey).

9 comments:

  1. Having read all of the responses, I think the best approach would be to have the wild card teams play a best of 3 series in 2 days, and still be able to start the regular playoffs on Thursday and Friday, as in the past.

    Perhaps allow the wild card teams to carry 2 extra pitchers in the short, condensed wild card series in case, for instance, one of the doubleheader games is a blow out - the 25 man roster arms could get a blow while the 2 added guys are available to mop up - or if one of those 3 games turns into an 18 inning game. That way, the winning wild card teams' staffs are not completely toasted before they enter the next round.

    An even more radical idea would be to leave the wild card teams' rosters at 25 man, but make the doubleheader into 2 seven inning games rather than 9 innings.

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  2. It would add to the length of the season, but only for a few teams.

    Another angle would be to shorten the Spring Training schedule, which is a grind before the additional grind of the regular season. Make it 20or so games and start the regular season a week early. It would create space at the end of the year for a WC series and still finish up on time (without losing regular season games and revenue).

    I just dislike a one game playoff

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  3. Reese The only reason I disagree with you about the length of the post season is the days offs... there is so much time off... they should play 3 games in a row...they do that in the season... I mean these closers can go every day when thy cant in the regular season... let the best team /Managers win

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  4. Mike the problem with that one is that the weather is so bad in the northern states... remember the blizzard when the Mets were heading to Minnesota?

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  5. Agree with Reese. The WC is the last regular season game constructed to match two for whom victory means proceeding to the playoffs. Praise, not sympathy for the victor.

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  6. "Watched" the 1st inning on Gameday,
    1 1st pitch hit for each side;
    3 1st pitch ground outs[
    3, 3-pitch K's.

    No balls.
    Speeds up the game.

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  7. Several issues pop up regarding some of the suggestions:

    1. Shortening the season means decreasing opportunities to set new records. That goes against what this game is about. Every MLB player deserves the right to compete evenly.

    2. Let’s say a wildcard is the best of three. Do we travel between the home parks? Having all three at one field is not fair, but now we are adding days. Should we have three wildcards play at three division winners parks for the right to continue, what happens when the next round is just three teams?

    I feel we should just leave everything until they do their expansion in a few years. Unfortunately, while more playoffs are more fun, should it be like the NBA or NHL when half the teams make the playoffs? Seems to be more fun anyways...

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  8. I actually agree with Reese again. 😨It's happening too much lately. The universe is totally out of sync. 😤

    The division winners shouldn't be sitting too long, waiting for a 3-game series to end. The idea of a 3-game series in 2 days would mean all of them in 1 city, meaning no home game for one of the teams.

    Leave it be.

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