No link to this story but it might be in his latest Insider column. His reasoning is that it will help the small/mid market teams it seems.
I disagree. I don't want baseball turning into the NBA where half the teams make the playoffs, and some of those teams sneak in with sub .500 records. I like the current format and I hope they stick with it for the foreseeable future.
I disagree too. The MLB season is too long to devalue it any further. No more playoff slots.
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"I think we’re starting to get to the point where people are starting to get tired of this stretch of ball,” Votto said. “I think something needs to start changing and start going in a different direction. I’m going to do my part to help make that change.”
We could just give every one trophies just for participating.
"Why are those Dodger pitchers in the Reds bullpen?"-GAC August 28, 2009
How would a five team playoff work?
Gammons, lord of the knee jerk.
"No matter how good you are, you're going to lose one-third of your games. No matter how bad you are you're going to win one-third of your games. It's the other third that makes the difference." ~Tommy Lasorda
One thing Gammons mentioned is that this also helps out teams who win the division because the 'Wild card series' winner will have already used their #1 and #2 pitchers and will come into the match up with the 'best team' with a less than favorable pitching match up. Just some more food for thought on that one.
Actually, I wouldn't mind seeing them limit interleague play to two series a year, shorten the season by a week, down to 154 games, and add a second wild card.
That would actually generate more money for the league, as that extra wild card series would bring in more TV money than the they would lose in attendance by losing games 155-162. And the last week would then generate more interest with more teams in the hunt, and therefore, more attendance, and more money.
Doubt they are smart enough to figure that out.
"Imagination is more important than knowledge." -- Albert Einstein
I'd be all for it. 10 out of 30 teams is not half the league. It would increase attendence for teams battling for the 2nd wild card late in the year and it allows small market teams like the Reds a better chance of sneaking in from time to time.
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It didn't. Then again, as long as the Yankees and Red Sox are able to buy starting pitching depth, the wild card disadvantage will affect them less.
I think Gammons recognizes the problem facing small and mid-market teams and has made a sincere attempt to address it with a proposal that has a chance to be adopted. Generally, any proposal that adds more revenue by adding more games gets some consideration. The point I was trying to make in a somewhat facetious manner was that ML baseball needs to throw the small market teams a bigger bone. As a case in point, consider the free agency of the the Cuban pitcher, Chapman. The report mentioned the Yankees as the leading contender. Then stated that the Red Sox, Dodgers, and Angels are also expected to be interested. I submit that every ML team is interested, but only a few can pay the price of admission. Fans have come to expect small market teams trailing in the standings in mid-July to effectively sell the players they can no longer afford to the big boys.
I have never criticized the Reds for their failure to spend. There is some beauty in persevering as an underdog that must succeed by managing smartly. Still, I can't help but recoil slightly when offered what amounts to a play-in series as appeasement.
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