milagros317
Wielder of 500 Feathers
- Joined
- Jan 12, 2002
- Messages
- 638,265
- Points
- 113
The current playoff system in MLB is grotesque and absurd.
All three teams in the NL with over 100 wins are done, home for the winter.
The NL will be represented in the World Series by either the third place team from the NL East, 87-75, or by a team that finished 22 games out of first place in the NL West, 89-73. That is absolutely disgusting.
I have a modest proposal to restore integrity to the MLB postseason. It would both reduce the number of regular season games, from 162 to 154, and reduce the number of rounds of postseason play, from four to two. Thus, it would reduce revenue to MLB, both TV revenue and attendance. So, its probability of being adopted is exactly zero.
Nevertheless, I want to illustrate that it is possible to restore integrity without shrinking back to 16 teams, as there were in my childhood.
There should be four leagues of eight teams each. (The two new teams are marked with an asterisk.)
A regular season of 154 games would be played in each league. Every team would play the other seven teams 22 times each, 11 at home and 11 on the road. Perfect symmetry in the regular season with no schedule advantage for anybody.
The four pennant winners would then play two rounds, the semi-finals and the World Series.
One novelty that I like: The team with the best record out of the 154 games gets to pick its opponent in the semi-finals; the other two pennant winners play each other.
The leagues are roughly geographical:
MLB West
LA Dodgers
LA Angels
Arizona Diamondbacks
Oakland A's
SF hated jints
SD Padres
Seattle Mariners
*Calgary, Alberta
_______________________
MLB Southeast/Texas
Tampa Bay Rays
Atlanta Braves
Miami Marlins
Houston cheating bastros
Texas Rangers
Washington Nationals
Baltimore Orioles
*San Juan, Puerto Rico
__________________________
MLB Northeast/Penn/Ohio
NY Yankees
NY Mets
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates
Boston Red Sox
Toronto Blue Jays
Cincinnati Reds
Cleveland Guardians
_______________________
MLB Central
Chicago White Sox
Chicago Cubs
Colorado Rockies
Minnesota Twins
Kansas City Royals
Detroit Tigers
Milwaukee Brewers
St. Louis Cardinals
The key fact: To reach post season, you must win the pennant in your league. Second place is worthless.
All three teams in the NL with over 100 wins are done, home for the winter.
The NL will be represented in the World Series by either the third place team from the NL East, 87-75, or by a team that finished 22 games out of first place in the NL West, 89-73. That is absolutely disgusting.
I have a modest proposal to restore integrity to the MLB postseason. It would both reduce the number of regular season games, from 162 to 154, and reduce the number of rounds of postseason play, from four to two. Thus, it would reduce revenue to MLB, both TV revenue and attendance. So, its probability of being adopted is exactly zero.
Nevertheless, I want to illustrate that it is possible to restore integrity without shrinking back to 16 teams, as there were in my childhood.
There should be four leagues of eight teams each. (The two new teams are marked with an asterisk.)
A regular season of 154 games would be played in each league. Every team would play the other seven teams 22 times each, 11 at home and 11 on the road. Perfect symmetry in the regular season with no schedule advantage for anybody.
The four pennant winners would then play two rounds, the semi-finals and the World Series.
One novelty that I like: The team with the best record out of the 154 games gets to pick its opponent in the semi-finals; the other two pennant winners play each other.
The leagues are roughly geographical:
MLB West
LA Dodgers
LA Angels
Arizona Diamondbacks
Oakland A's
SF hated jints
SD Padres
Seattle Mariners
*Calgary, Alberta
_______________________
MLB Southeast/Texas
Tampa Bay Rays
Atlanta Braves
Miami Marlins
Houston cheating bastros
Texas Rangers
Washington Nationals
Baltimore Orioles
*San Juan, Puerto Rico
__________________________
MLB Northeast/Penn/Ohio
NY Yankees
NY Mets
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates
Boston Red Sox
Toronto Blue Jays
Cincinnati Reds
Cleveland Guardians
_______________________
MLB Central
Chicago White Sox
Chicago Cubs
Colorado Rockies
Minnesota Twins
Kansas City Royals
Detroit Tigers
Milwaukee Brewers
St. Louis Cardinals
The key fact: To reach post season, you must win the pennant in your league. Second place is worthless.
