How about this playoff idea?

[Magdal]

The addition of the 2nd wild card has devalued the 1st. One game is a travesty. But the post season is stretching to November. My idea would clean up both problems:

Start the 3 game WC immediately with a day/nite dbl header, going to the other town the next day if needed for a game 3.

Start the LDCS the next day. That will be tough on the WC winner, but so what? Finally, NO OFF Days in the 5 game series. One off day, then the NLCS. No off days in that either! A day off after that and World Series as usual.

Casual baseball fans won't lose as much interest and TV ratings would go up. I would also propose ditching the pre-scheduling of series'.....If both NLCS teams sweep, we have been waiting for up to 4 days for the WS! Insanity!

I don't understand the thinking of MLB stretching out what most people feel is already a slow game. Not to mention, it gets COLD in November.

Now tell me: does this make sense?

[RadfordVA]

Stretch it all the way to December for all I care. I am in no hurry to something else.

The casual baseball fans are pretty non existent now. Mostly the people watching are either fans of baseball or of the two cities. No matter what they do they are not getting the casual sports fan that watches football for fantasy or gambling reasons. Different game, more regional and about the game not the side bets.

[Magdal]

Maybe so Rad, but baseball fans, and we are millions, want it speeded up!

[757690]

I love the doubleheader idea. It really would put a wild card team at an even bigger disadvantage, since they would have to waste their two best pitchers, but be a little fairer about who gets to advance.

Madgal for commissioner!

[redhat]

I think the 3-game WC series is a pretty good idea. Less likely that one bad call determines who advances (Like a 275 foot "infield fly").

Not liking the "no off days" during the division series and league championship series, and not liking at all the "no pre-scheduling" thought. The first would require teams to carry five starting pitchers which would affect the composition of playoff rosters, and the second would be a nightmare for teams trying to sell playoff tickets.

[bigfunguy]

see, yours is a great idea if youre looking for a good way to keep more teams in it in the regulars season, but still make it likely that the best teams in the regular season advance and ultimatley win championships.....alas, that's not the goal of MLB. The one game playoff gets good TV ratings. Highly unlikely that anybody other than fans of hte 2 teams are going to watch a double header...AND the additional off days (that I agree are totally unfair in terms of competition) are set up specifically for TV purposes...

[REDREAD]

Yea, you pretty much have to preschedule games for the TV stations and the ticket buyers.

A think the 3 game WC playoff over 2 days would put the WC team at too big of a disadvantage. The one game sudden death isn't exactly fair, but at least the winning team isn't totally drained and has a shot in the LDS.

[Magdal]

I love the doubleheader idea. It really would put a wild card team at an even bigger disadvantage, since they would have to waste their two best pitchers, but be a little fairer about who gets to advance.

Madgal for commissioner!

LOL....I couldn't stand the heat.

[RadfordVA]

Maybe so Rad, but baseball fans, and we are millions, want it speeded up!

I am sure lots feel that way but why? If you want it over with quickly why watch it? You are essentially saying that you want the baseball season to end sooner. I always like the option of baseball on, if I am done with it or bored by it I watch something else.

[Magdal]

Yea, you pretty much have to preschedule games for the TV stations and the ticket buyers.
.

Oh, I don't know about that. Remember when people would get in line and camp out all night? That added a lot of excitement to the whole WS experience! Fat Cats can still buy tickets early, and take their chances.

TV? They could pull it off IMO, if they would just give it some thought. No Einsteins required.

[Magdal]

I am sure lots feel that way but why? If you want it over with quickly why watch it? You are essentially saying that you want the baseball season to end sooner. I always like the option of baseball on, if I am done with it or bored by it I watch something else.

Ending sooner would not cut down on viewing time. Just the damn gaps between games. Like I said before, it's the multi off days in the post season that make the casual fans lose interest.

I'm a casual NBA fan, more interested at playoff time. But I tend to miss a couple of games because I can't keep track of the scheduling . If they played EVERY night, there would be nothing to remember or adjust to. Just tune in every night!

[Brutus]

I do want fewer days off during the LDS and LCS, but I like the one-game playoff. It makes it so much more important to actually win your division so that you're not subjected to a 50/50 game.

[Magdal]

I do want fewer days off during the LDS and LCS, but I like the one-game playoff. It makes it so much more important to actually win your division so that you're not subjected to a 50/50 game.

It's important now, and would be MORE important not to have to play that 3 game series while the Div. winners watch on TV with their feet up. Doncha think?

[Brutus]

It's important now, and would be MORE important not to have to play that 3 game series while the Div. winners watch on TV with their feet up. Doncha think?

Not really, no. Three days off isn't necessarily a good thing for hitters. And I would much rather be in a situation where I can afford to lose a game and still win a series than literally be in a winner-take-all format of a one-game playoff.

[Billy Hamilton's Legs]

No off days is cool because it really does test the team (particularly the pitching) in it's entirety rather than the top 3-4 SP of each team and the back of the bullpen. Why should depth be important in the regular season but forgotten in the post season?