As MLB gears up for a lockout, plenty of options will be on the table this winter. One of the more intriguing ones is expanding the postseason, and a rule that sounds like it came out of your drunk Fantasy Football Commissioner. Pick your playoff team.
Clearing the air here before diving in. Having a team pick their playoff team has to be one of the most unserious proposals ever made in a professional sports league. It's something you mention to your buddies after one too many shots at a Bachelor Party, not something that should actually be considered a real proposal.
I truly hope that gets nowhere near approved. But moving on. One of the proposals I'd like to see done is expanding the playoff length.
Currently, MLB's playoff format is uneven. The WCS is three games, the LDS is five, and the LCS and World Series are seven.
The two other major sports in America, the NBA and NHL, adopted a best-of-seven series for all rounds nearly 30 years ago. MLB remains awkwardly behind. The best solution to this would be a bit unbalanced but certainly more fair and entertaining.
Turn the WCS into a best-of-five, the LDS into a best of seven. A team shouldn't win its division, or win 95+ games as a Wild Card, to have their season come down to a best-of-three series. Even the worst team can top the best team in baseball under that format. Happens all the time in the regular season.
Have both teams play games in their home park. Mirror the LDS rules of today, except for the sake of time, eliminate that awkward off day between games one and two. There's no travel since both those games are on the same site, so just have them play back-to-back.
The LDS should be best of seven. Once you get through or earn the bye into this round, a seven-game series is the best measuring stick for success. Anything can happen in a five-game series, but a best-of-seven? Usually, the best team will come out on top due to the length and team depth needed to survive a longer series.
MLB owners should be foaming at the mouth with this proposal. More playoff games means more viewers and certainly more fans in the seats. The issue? How long would the MLB playoffs last? MLB has always shied away from extending the season into November. But why?
The weather in early November is usually better than watching snow-filled, sub-freezing temperatures during games in late March. MLB should not be afraid to play games in November, so long as the postseason product is entertaining, fans will watch, and at least in playoff team markets, would tune out the NFL on Sundays.
MLB is about to make a lot of changes to the league, for what feels like the millionth time this decade. Let's hope they get it right this time.
6 comments:
Good article. It was not that long ago when the Mets experienced a one and out wild card. That was utterly absurd and I screamed about that afterwards. Thankfully, they changed it to a Best of three. I think if they’re willing to go to 154 game schedule again, then playoffs can be further expanded. I don’t like the idea of early November baseball. This year in New York, it would’ve worked out fine if the Mets were in the World Series on November 8. But some years it’s downright cold and nasty. I prefer baseball to be played in baseball weather. The alternative would be to play the World Series in a neutral southern site.
Hate three game series
You can't play 162 games and it all comes down to this
I like the idea of a split season with qualifiers for post season from both halves. Been mentioned here before as well.
Opens up so many new possibilities & let’s the sport keep “the grind” of a long season but also permits recovery from injuries, calling up fresh talent throughout the year & keeps things interesting when most teams are out by mid June.
A bit off topic, but Major League Baseball's annual General Managers Meetings are taking place from November 10 to November 12, 2026, at the Aria Resort and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada.
Usually not much happens here
With the looming strike, maybe things accelerate, starting now thru end of Nov?
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