Playoffs and Homefield "Advantage"

[top6]

I don't agree with the assumption that St. Louis is the presumptive wild card team though.

I'm just figuring that will happen because I dislike them so much, and the teams I dislike usually do well.

[Brutus]

I liked it at first for that reason, but now (for reasons I can't quite articulate) I just don't like the idea that whole season comes down to 1 game by design. Also, it means a team that did even worse in the regular season can now get hot for a few weeks and win the World Series.

I would rather go back to a more balanced schedule; and give the #1 seed some large advantage over the wild card team in the playoffs, such as an automatic 1 game lead, or a 5-game series all at home. That would make playing for #1 seed and your division a big deal.

Coming down to one game by design is the reason it puts so much more emphasis on winning your division. If you win one of the wild card spots, you only have a 50% chance of even getting a shot to get hot in the playoffs.

For the record, I do like the idea of playing all five games at home of the higher seed (and I prefer to play them on five consecutive days forcing teams to use their entire rotation). But I also like the 1-game playoff for the last two wild card spots.

[11larkin11]

Yeah I wouldn't assume STL wins the WC game. I think it'll be ATL vs. STL in ATL, and I personally think ATL might be the better team.

[mth123]

I liked it at first for that reason, but now (for reasons I can't quite articulate) I just don't like the idea that whole season comes down to 1 game by design. Also, it means a team that did even worse in the regular season can now get hot for a few weeks and win the World Series.

I would rather go back to a more balanced schedule; and give the #1 seed some large advantage over the wild card team in the playoffs, such as an automatic 1 game lead, or a 5-game series all at home. That would make playing for #1 seed and your division a big deal.

I like the idea that if you can't win your Division over 162 games, you need to be at a big disadvantage. A 1 game play-off where the loser goes home and the winner burns its best pitcher sounds good to me. If we have to have 2nd place teams, I like putting them in a hole.

[vaticanplum]

It's baloney. What bothers me about it is not so much the "away" part, but the fact that the top seed can't know where it's traveling until after the WC card game is played. The WC winner could be the Dodgers or the Giants, with the Reds having to travel to the West Coast the day before the first two games.

I also don't buy the WC "burning its best pitcher" thing, which I keep hearing. I don't think this is at all assured. Chances are at least one WC team, maybe both, will be fighting tooth and nail right through season's end and won't have the luxury of handpicking its pitchers that way. They well may need their ace on regular rotation during the last series of the season and not have him rested enough for the WC game...but throw him out there for the first DS game, perhaps even on regular rest.

[top6]

I like the idea that if you can't win your Division over 162 games, you need to be at a big disadvantage. A 1 game play-off where the loser goes home and the winner burns its best pitcher sounds good to me. If we have to have 2nd place teams, I like putting them in a hole.

Yes, I like the idea as well, and at first I liked the solution, but now that it is happening I just don't like it. I guess in the end I really don't like the idea of more than 4 playoff teams. I don't like that the 5th best team in a 162-game season could win the World Series (and will, in fact, get to start the post-season with 2 home games).

I know they will never go back to 4 playoff teams, but as I said I would prefer a more balanced schedule coupled with a significant reward for the #1 seed in each league that comes in the form of a significant penalty to the wild card team. (Only two solutions I've though of are 5-game series all at home for the #1 seed, and a "5"-game series, but the #1 seed starts up 1-0.) That would seem to create a really exciting regular season.

[OldRightHander]

Home field advantage isn't a big deal in baseball. If the number one seed can't take one of the first two games in a series against a wild card team, it's their own fault, no matter where they are played.

I've always thought home field advantage mattered less in baseball than just about any other sport, but I'd still rather have the other format.

[mth123]

It's baloney. What bothers me about it is not so much the "away" part, but the fact that the top seed can't know where it's traveling until after the WC card game is played. The WC winner could be the Dodgers or the Giants, with the Reds having to travel to the West Coast the day before the first two games.

I also don't buy the WC "burning its best pitcher" thing, which I keep hearing. I don't think this is at all assured. Chances are at least one WC team, maybe both, will be fighting tooth and nail right through season's end and won't have the luxury of handpicking its pitchers that way. They well may need their ace on regular rotation during the last series of the season and not have him rested enough for the WC game...but throw him out there for the first DS game, perhaps even on regular rest.

Might be true of the 2nd WC. I'm guessing the 1st WC will be able to line it up most of the time.

I really hate the Wild Card. I get the purpose, but over a long 162 game season, I don't see a reason for the second place team to have a chance at a championship. I suppose its necessary to keep fans for most of the teams interested, but I'd just as soon punish them the best way possible. Here are some ideas. Make them play with a 20 man roster. Only one pitching change per game. Only give them 2 outs per inning when they are batting. Only 3 Infielders are allowed. The catcher can't wear a mask. The first baseman needs to play barehanded. Throws more than 60 feet require a relay. No leading off of the base. The CF has to wear a ball and chain. I'm sure there are others.

Lacking those, adding a second team and making them use their staff in a win or else atmospehere, ace or not, while the Division Winners get a rest seems a decent disadvantage.