MLB to change playoff format beginning in 2012

"Yellow Snowman wrote:

I don't have a link as Buster Olney of ESPN is just breaking the story. Buster is announcing that MLB is prepared to announce a new playoff format beginning in 2012. The new 10 team playoff will add a wildcard round with division winners receiving a bye.

I personally hate the idea. In baseball rest = rust. A bye in baseball means your team is sitting at home getting rusty for 1.5-2 weeks as you watch other teams play. Terrible idea IMO. Thoughts?

The wildcard teams will be playing a one game series, no? So a day or two of rest is a non issue.

"Mainge wrote:

The wildcard teams will be playing a one game series, no? So a day or two of rest is a non issue.

I believe that is the old idea. If Buster is correct this is something new. This isn't a 1-game playoff which is dumb, this is something completely new and different. Literally a whole wildcard round with division winners getting a bye.

I don't understand why if they want change they don't cut 40 games out of the season and add a playoff round the right way. Adding games to a ridiculously long season is dumb. I know its all about dollars and the more games = more money but it is making a bad product.

"Yellow Snowman wrote:

I believe that is the old idea. If Buster is correct this is something new. This isn't a 1-game playoff which is dumb, this is something completely new and different. Literally a whole wildcard round with division winners getting a bye.

I don't understand why if they want change they don't cut 40 games out of the season and add a playoff round the right way. Adding games to a ridiculously long season is dumb. I know its all about dollars and the more games = more money but it is making a bad product.

Link? I haven't heard anything about an expanded playoff series.

"Mainge wrote:

Link? I haven't heard anything about an expanded playoff series.

Link added at the top. You havent heard because it is breaking news as we speak. Selig thinks Wildcard teams have it too easy to get to the WS so he wants to add another round. not just 1 game, a whole new round.

What he doesnt realize is he is really hurting division winners in the process. Terrible idea, plus scheduling will be a mess.

It says nothing about adding a full round.

"Mainge wrote:

It says nothing about adding a full round.

Well that is not how Buster is making it sound or reporting it.

If I had to choose its the 1 game playoff but either plan is a horrible idea and hope it is never implemented.

"Yellow Snowman wrote:

The 1 game playoff was to enter the playoff field. And the article says division winners will be awarded a 1st round bye. Watching 1 game doesnt sound the same as being awarded a 1st round bye. And the way ESPn is reporting it is not the same as a 1 game playoff.

If I had to choose its the 1 game playoff but either plan is a horrible idea and hope it is never implemented.

Guess we'll see but I don't buy it. Maybe 3 games max.

1 game playoffs sounds so foolish to me. Its baseball saying:

- 9 innings now mean more than 1458 previous innings
- 1 game > 162 games

They should just eliminate like 40 regular season games. I know stats guys will hate it but oh well, lets adapt to the times. Then add a wildcard the right way, with no bye weeks. the loss in 40 games opens up time needed in the schedule for the playoffs.

"Mainge wrote:

Guess we'll see but I don't buy it. Maybe 3 games max.

I think they're still going with the one game playoff idea because it wouldn't screw up their October schedule and it would give the wild card teams a distinct disadvantage.

"Yellow Snowman wrote:

They should just eliminate like 40 regular season games. I know stats guys will hate it but oh well, lets adapt to the times. Then add a wildcard the right way, with no bye weeks. the loss in 40 games opens up time needed in the schedule for the playoffs.

That will never ever happen. Do you know how much money teams would lose by cutting out those 40 games? Between the gate of the home games, losing the advertising money for the games on radio and it would put a big dent in all of the teams financially. There's no way the owners would sign off on that.

I'm in favor.

Tougher road for the WC winner to the WS?

The Marlins say challenge accepted.

Dont know how Buster was spinning it or what words he used....but this is not new; its the same one that was pushed by Selig....a 1 game Wildest WC playoff just to get it to be where it is right now,....so 5 teams and one game gets it to the 4 team playoff we know it to be since WC was originally added.

It still as silly as it was originally proposed, and its not guaranteed to be passed for 2012 season.....personally, I dont think any change to playoffs should occur (if at all) until HOU comes to AL to balance the two leagues to 15 teams each (which is long overdue).

Then focus on balanced schedule and frankly 15 teams if not increased to 16 or cut to 14 will force an INTERLEAGUE game to be played every day. Not a huge fan of that idea...but thats a whole other topic.

"BigDogsHunt wrote:

Dont know how Buster was spinning it or what words he used....but this is not new; its the same one that was pushed by Selig....a 1 game Wildest WC playoff just to get it to be where it is right now,....so 5 teams and one game gets it to the 4 team playoff we know it to be since WC was originally added.

It still as silly as it was originally proposed, and its not guaranteed to be passed for 2012 season.....personally, I dont think any change to playoffs should occur (if at all) until HOU comes to AL to balance the two leagues to 15 teams each (which is long overdue).

Then focus on balanced schedule and frankly 15 teams if not increased to 16 or cut to 14 will force an INTERLEAGUE game to be played every day. Not a huge fan of that idea...but thats a whole other topic.

THIS. And while we're at it, let's eliminate having pitchers bat too. Have DHs in both leagues, surely the union would be in favor of this and fans wouldn't be "treated" in having to watch automatic outs have to bat.

Or have the pitchers bat in both leagues.

Watching pitchers bat isn't nearly as bad as you make it out to be.

"BlameItOnTheHenne wrote:

Or have the pitchers bat in both leagues.

Watching pitchers bat isn't nearly as bad as you make it out to be.

Yes it is.

The NL is the only league in the world that still makes the pitcher bat. It's time to modernize the game.

"BlameItOnTheHenne wrote:

Or have the pitchers bat in both leagues.

Watching pitchers bat isn't nearly as bad as you make it out to be.

It's beyond awful having to watch a pitcher bat, it's almost always an automatic out. Plus the risk of injury as it is for a pitcher is great, putting a bat in his hands and making him run the bases just expands that risk.

Case in point, AJ Burnett broke a bone in his face a few days ago working on a bunting drill. Dustin Moseley tore his shoulder swinging a bat last year. A few years ago Chien Ming Wang broke his foot running the bases and hasn't been the same since. Why risk the injury?

The DH is never going away, the union wouldn't allow it as players would lose their jobs over it. If anything you'll see the NL incorporate the DH.

"Mainge wrote:

Yes it is.

The NL is the only league in the world that still makes the pitcher bat. It's time to modernize the game.

It makes zero sense why the NL still doesn't have a DH. You're asking pitchers to face MLB pitching when most of them probably haven't picked up a bat since high school. Just strange. You're right it's time to modernize the NL.

Plus it would help close the talent gaps between the AL & NL a little bit more too.

"Ray Finkle wrote:

It's beyond awful having to watch a pitcher bat, it's almost always an automatic out. Plus the risk of injury as it is for a pitcher is great, putting a bat in his hands and making him run the bases just expands that risk.

Case in point, AJ Burnett broke a bone in his face a few days ago working on a bunting drill. Dustin Moseley tore his shoulder swinging a bat last year. A few years ago Chien Ming Wang broke his foot running the bases and hasn't been the same since. Why risk the injury?

The DH is never going away, the union wouldn't allow it as players would lose their jobs over it. If anything you'll see the NL incorporate the DH.

To be fair, the injuries aren't very common. There aren't many more examples besides the ones you've listed. In fact, that might be the end of the list.

Also not sure how there would be jobs lost. it's still a 25-man roster. They'd just be replaced by an extra bullpen arm or bench bat.

I appreciate he different game in both leagues and actually like it. Creates some unique situations and moves when the different leagues play each other. I prefer the DH game much more but can still appreciate the NL game.

"Mainge wrote:

To be fair, the injuries aren't very common. There aren't very more examples besides the ones you've listed. In fact, that might be the end of the list.

Also not sure how there would be jobs lost. it's still a 25-man roster. They'd just be replaced by an extra bullpen arm or bench bat.

Right, but while the injuries aren't very common there is an increased chance of injury by asking pitchers (who aren't professional hitters) to bat in a MLB game. Much like there's an increased chance of injury by asking a position player to pitch in a MLB game.

And the injuries I listed are towards the end of the list as I wanted to use recent examples that people are more farmiliar with.

My wording was poor but you'd see older guys start to be pushed aside even more so if there were no DHs. Someone like David Ortiz probably would have been out of a job a few years ago. Guys like Raul Ibanez probably wouldn't have been able to find a job this season (or Johnny Damon last season) if it wasn't for the DH spot.

Also a point I didn't bring up is the salary for a DH which is a big deal for the union to help fight to keep the DH. The average DH makes a lot more money than an extra bullpen arm or bench player. A player like Victor Martinez probably wouldn't have gotten the contract he did from the Tigers last offseason if there wasn't a DH spot for him to go to and I wonder how much Pujols or Fielder would have been offered if there wasn't the DH spot as a back up option for them.

Sure the risk is there but I don't believe it's so significant that it's worth mentioning. No more perilous than carrying veal down a set of stairs or Guitar Hero.

"Mainge wrote:

Sure the risk is there but I don't believe it's so significant that it's worth mentioning. No more perilous than carrying veal down a set of stairs or Guitar Hero.

Oh I absolutely think it's worth mentioning. Falling down the stairs or playing Guitar Hero are off the job freak accidents, you can chalk that up to bad luck or being stupid. Hurting yourself swinging a bat or running the bases are hazards of playing baseball, one pitchers shouldn't have to deal with, especially since the NL is the only league where pitchers have to bat.

This puts more emphasis on winning the Division, as the way it should be...

"Ray Finkle wrote:

Oh I absolutely think it's worth mentioning. Falling down the stairs or playing Guitar Hero are off the job freak accidents, you can chalk that up to bad luck or being stupid. Hurting yourself swinging a bat or running the bases are hazards of playing baseball, one pitchers shouldn't have to deal with, especially since the NL is the only league where pitchers have to bat.

I just disagree. It's not a significant risk. It's just not. These guys are professional athletes. Calling a couple hundred "swings" and jogging the bases dangerous is ridiculous. I mentioned the other things to show that **** happens. Yes, it's possible to get hurt doing those baseball activity, just like it's possible to get hurt playing Guitar Hero. Doesn't mean relievers should stop playing Guitar Hero.

Dammit Ray, why are you making me defend pitchers batting? There's plenty of other legitimate reasons to point at for getting a universal DH that don't involve protecting a professional athlete from literally jogging some bases.