Can someone explain why the lesser teams get to start at home?

[jhiller21]

The Cards, wild card winners, will start their series with Washington at home. The Reds on the other hand, tied with Wash for the best record in the NL, both start on the road.

I still haven't actually figured out how or why Selig changed this. It's like picking the 2nd best kid in the group first to play on your team. Doesn't make any sense.

They play 162 games for a reason. The all star home field advantage in the WS was bad enough.

[DocRed]

Bud Selig

[jhiller21]

I suppose Selig was thinking it would increase revenue somehow... I just can't figure out how.

Fans are going to watch/attend no matter what, so why give the advantage to teams that don't deserve it?

[arkimadee]

The whole idea of this format was because they decided on the second wild card at the last minute this season, they had to eliminate a travel day in the post season and making the wildcard round a 2-3 format instead of a 2-2-1 format was the only way to do. This is so stupid. I can understand not wanting to extend the season any longer because of tv contracts. I get that. I don't understand why everyone needs a travel day. All season teams from a city on one night and play in another the next night. It's called a road trip. If both teams have to travel after a previous game then neither team has any kind of advantage. I'm sure players would take the extra travel over not being in the playoffs at all. just sayin

[webbbj]

im pretty sure it had to with trying to decrease how long the playoffs last. with the normal 2-2-1 format you have 2 road trips instead of one. I think with the late start and finish to the season they wanted to decrease travel to not have the season go into november.

[foxfire123]

I heard part of their excuse was so the teams "could clinch (or lose) in front of the home crowds"

[webbbj]

arkimadee is right and its a dumb reason. big deal the season will end on Nov 3 instead of Nov 1. Big deal Bud Selig have a playoff that has logic to it. Everything else I like tho. But division winners opening on the road is dumb.

[jhiller21]

I guess if we lose the first two at SF, we have a little better chance of winning the next three at home, but it would be rare. It still makes zero sense to me.

And I'm already hating the second wild card. Quit trying to squeeze every last dollar out of the game Selig, and let's just play ball.

[Ironman92]

Bud Selig just flat out sucks.

[jhiller21]

Originally Posted by foxfire123

I heard part of their excuse was so the teams "could clinch (or lose) in front of the home crowds"

All the more reason to play a 3-2 series at home for the teams with the better records

[HometownHero]

I hate everything about the added WC, this Rangers and O's game should be a game 163 so by adding they all it did was make money and cost Atlanta. If they wanted to make it hard on the WC winner in the old format they should award the team with the best recoded 5 home games vs the WC winner.

The whole make them spend their good pitcher is bogus this year since if the O's hold on both of the WC winners will have their rotations lined up exactly how they want with a chance to take down the #1 seeds and both get that at home for game 1 and 2.

[jhiller21]

Ultimately this is turning the MLB into the whole "everyone's a winner" mentality.

You play 162 games, and even if you're not that great, you have a chance to squeak by a better team by playing one game. Oh, by the way, you get to start the LDS at home, too...

[HalMorrisRules]

Originally Posted by webbbj

arkimadee is right and its a dumb reason. big deal the season will end on Nov 3 instead of Nov 1. Big deal Bud Selig have a playoff that has logic to it. Everything else I like tho. But division winners opening on the road is dumb.

TV network prime time schedules are set and they arent going to move them for baseball. Dont you know? TV rules everything!

[osuredleg24]

going back to the 2-2-1 next year FWIW

[texasdave]

Originally Posted by webbbj

arkimadee is right and its a dumb reason. big deal the season will end on Nov 3 instead of Nov 1. Big deal Bud Selig have a playoff that has logic to it. Everything else I like tho. But division winners opening on the road is dumb.

This is absolutely correct. The season already had the possibility of ending in November. Seriously, what is another day or two? Bud Selig is a fool. They should have waited another year then instead of having this ignorant crap of the better team starting on the road for the first two games. I have a feeling that this is gonna be a Selig of a postseason.