Evan Longoria, Ben Zobrist and the Tampa Bay Rays missed the playoffs last, they wouldn't if MLB adopted these changes. (Credits: J. Meric/Getty Images North America) |
It's the "dog day"s of August. You're probably enjoying a vacation at some unreal beachtown/island or you're getting to the boiling point with your summer internship/job, either way you're probably doing a lot of thinking. Well, we at BDD&C have been doing some thinking (and we only do that "thinking" about sports) and we think there's something wrong with the four major professional sports leagues. The Playoffs. I don't mean that they're not interesting, riveting or gut-wrenching, they totally are. I'm saying even the most exciting time of our sports years can be improved. So we went out and decided to perfect each playoff system, some by addition, some by alteration. Enjoy these completely hypothetical, most likely unrealistic improvements to the playoffs.
MLB:
Add another team to the Wild Card scenario, creating a six-team playoffs in each league. The first round is the 3rd best team in terms of record vs. the 6th best team (last) terms of record and the 4th best record vs. 5th best record. These teams will play a three-game series over three days (much like a normal series during the season) and then will have one days rest before the normal division series. The top two teams in each league will receive a bye into the division series. 1st seed will play winner of 4-vs-5 and 2nd seed will play winner of 3-vs-6. A division winner will be guaranteed a playoff berth, but then will be seeded based on record.
I loved that Major League Baseball implemented the extra wild card spot last year and I think it made the game that much more interesting, but why not just add two short best-of-three Wild Card series in general. It'll take place immediately after the conclusion of the season and will run three days in a row to simulate just another regular season series, except that it's the playoffs so it's not your regular old series.
The only problem people have come up with this new Wild Card game is that it doesn't guarantee that your number one starter will pitch in that game. With a quick best-of-three series, there's a better chance you'll see your ace pitch without making the postseason absurdly long. The teams that are "waiting" in their bye slots will at most miss four days, and at least one pitcher will be still be in his regular five-day rotation.
Baseball enjoys the fact that its playoffs are the most exclusive, but that exclusivity can, at times, hurt owners more than helps them. With six teams or more in the running you have more markets involved and therefore more money in all the owners pockets. The more fans that have hope their teams will make it to October and the game's popularity will only skyrocket. At the most teams could play 22 playoffs games, which is only two more games then the maximum now. I don't see the problem. Let's play some more October baseball why don't we?
2012 Playoffs based on these alterations
AL:
1st seed-bye: New York Yankees
2nd seed-bye: Oakland Athletics
3. Texas vs. 6. Detroit
4. Baltimore vs. 5. Tampa Bay
NL:
1st seed-bye: Washington
2nd seed-bye: Cincinnati
3. San Francisco vs. 6. L.A. Dodgers
4. Atlanta vs. 5. St. Louis
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