MLB Playoffs (my hair-brained idea)

[TNGTony]

I was thinking of ways to keep baseball more interesting through the middle of the season and have a lot of teams make the play-offs without diluting the actual talent in the play-offs.

What would you think of this:
The team with the best W-L Record for the first 81 games and the last 81 games are in the play-offs
Essentially there are two seasons. Pre and post all star break. If the same team wins both halves of the season, they get a first round bye.

At the end of the 162 game season the first half winner plays the second half winner for the division championship.

You would then have three teams. The fourth team would be the team with the next best 162 game overall W/L record as the wild card. This would prevent things line what happened to the Ciincinnati Reds during the strike season where the two "mini" season format was used and the Reds had a better W/L full season record than any of the other team in the MLB but was still left out of the playoffs. The wild card also has a first round bye.

The division winner with the worst overall W/L season record plays the wild card. The other two division winners play each other. Winners play each other for the LCS. First round best of 3, second best of 5. LCS and WS best of 7.
(Top of bracket gets home field advantage)
Round 1

81 Season Champ_with better record_______
-------------------------------------------------------| Division Champ
81 game season champ with worse record__|


Round 2 Round 3 Round 4

Best or next best W/L 162 Game Season_
--------------------------------------------------|___LCS Semi___
Div Champ with worst 162 game record_|---------------------|
------------------------------------------------------------------------|___League Champ > To WS
Div Champ with best 162 game record_____ -----------------|
-------------------------------------------------------|_LCS Semi__|
Div Champ w/ 2nd best 162 game record __|

In cases of a tie (equal records) there could be a one game playoff, but I would prefer a tie-break via runs per inning scored against mutual opponents. If that is still a tie, then total runs scored. If it's still a tie, Hits and or Ks.

For total disclosure, I am really for going back to two division leagues, a play-off between the division champs and a world series. But if the goal is to keep as many fans interested as long as possible in the long season, then this would be a way to make sure fans care all season long. I know many people really lose interest in June and July. But if a division race come to the wire just before the all star break, that would keep everyone on their toes. At the same time there are no free passes. You have to win your division somehow. If you win both halves of the season, you get a bye and are rewarded by allowing your team to rest a few days. You win the most games in a season in the league, but not a league champ for either half, you go to the second round.

So how stupid is this?

 

[Claude Greiner]

I like the format we have right now.

The only thing I hate is the fact you play teams in your division more often.

As far as Detroit, I hate Kansas City, don't care for Chicago, Minnesota is boring. The only team I care to watch in our division is Cleveland.

Can't tell you how many times I have gone to cleveland to see Detroit play there.

We need more diversity. I'm tired of seeing the same teams from the same division over and over.

What keeps people interested is when the Yankees, Red Sox and the Cubs come to town.

This year the Yankees come to detroit in April. It's going to suck as its in the cold.

Another thing the MLB has got to consider is weather.

In April, the northern teams should play in the south, or indoors if they have an indoor facility like Toranto and Milwaukee. When it's warm schedule a few more series in the north.

It sucks, I don't start going to games till mid May

 

[Ramy]

It sounds like a nice change. I like the overall 162 wild card. I remember that 81 season where the Reds go screwed.

 

[Kraven]

Expos got screwed as well by Rick Monday

 

[TNGTony]

In April, the northern teams should play in the south, or indoors if they have an indoor facility like Toranto and Milwaukee. When it's warm schedule a few more series in the north.
It sucks, I don't start going to games till mid May

The coldest I ever was at a baseball game was at Wrigley Field in mid June watching a Reds game. I was in the upper deck and the wind coming off the lake must have been in the low 50s. I was dressed in shorts and a T-Shirt since the expected high was supposed to be 80 or so. I bought the most expensive sweater on the planet at the proshop so I wouldn't DIE of exposure. 35 years later, I still have that sweater and every time I wear it, I remember the coldest June game I ever attended.

 

[Ramy]

I went to a Reds game 2 years ago where the high was 40. It was cold.

 

[TNGTony]

I went to a Reds game 2 years ago where the high was 40. It was cold.

I've been to cold baseball games, but usually I am prepared and dress appropriately. This game at Wrigley it was 80 10 miles away from the lake, and 70 on the field at Wrigley, and 50 in the upper deck! I was dressed for 80 and sitting in a 50 degree refrigerator.

 

[Bronxiniowa]

I like the playoff revamp, but I'd even go further and dispense with the divisions -- have two leagues of 15 teams each. Top 7 in each league make the playoffs, adding two more teams to the postseason. First-place teams in each league get first-round byes; others are seeded like the NCAA basketball tournament: 2-7, 3-6, 4-5 in a best-of-three format. Surviving seeds advance, with the league champ playing the lowest surviving seed. Survivors play each other. Rounds 2 and 3 are best-of-seven. League playoff winners meet in the World Series.

 

[hallrk]

You are right this is a hair brained idea. Just go back to to two divisions in each league and winners playoff in a best of seven to go to the World Series.

 

[Bronxiniowa]

Unfortunately, you can't sell a team that has no chance of going to the postseason. We all know that strange things can happen in a short series, and fans seem snookered -- er, appreciative -- of this. As much as I hate the idea of expanding playoffs, it seems inevitable. So you might as well still give the team that has the best regular-season record some advantage.