2020 MLB Season Thread

[Reds Freak]

When a league expands it's playoffs, it rarely if ever goes back to what it was before they expanded. This has been coming since the mid 90s when they adder the one wild card. I thought if they liked one so much, they would love two. I'm just surprised it took them this long to expand it to 5.

Very true, unfortunately.

It seems baseball's answer to growing the game recently is to manufacture drama, but drama is best when it's organic. More playoffs, one-game wild cards, runner starts on second in extras, etc. How about better marketing your biggest stars? Making it easier to watch games? Campaigns to increase youth participation at all skill and income levels?

[UKFlounder]

Expanded playoffs really don’t matter. Teams are just playing for a piece of metal. LOL

[Edd Roush]

I get it if everyone can only play 60 games. So unless they're cutting the regular season to 60 games this is really stupid.

As a Reds fan, this is probably a good thing, though. The teams that benefit the most from a smaller playoff field are the ones who have the absolute best teams. Ever since free agency, the Reds have struggled to have one of the absolute best teams in the National League. Even in the better years, the Reds find themselves near the wildcard bubble. There will be many more years where the Reds can make the playoffs and then get a shot in a best of three series.

[Chip R]

One thing this will do - if the players approve it - is remove incentive to spend big for a good team. Why shell out big bucks for players when you can sneak into the playoffs with a sub .500 record?

[Reds Freak]

One thing this will do - if the players approve it - is remove incentive to spend big for a good team. Why shell out big bucks for players when you can sneak into the playoffs with a sub .500 record?

And maybe the only chance to stop this nonsense if the union is thinking along the same lines. I also saw some Twitter rumors that they're floating 16 teams with the ultimate goal to land at 12. Still not great IMO but I'm also of the opinion that it should be 8 max.

[757690]

As a Reds fan, this is probably a good thing, though. The teams that benefit the most from a smaller playoff field are the ones who have the absolute best teams. Ever since free agency, the Reds have struggled to have one of the absolute best teams in the National League. Even in the better years, the Reds find themselves near the wildcard bubble. There will be many more years where the Reds can make the playoffs and then get a shot in a best of three series.

It’s a trade off though.

More playoff appearances that mean less. If half the league makes the playoffs, it’s not a big deal to make them. Ask NBA or NHL fans. No one cares too much if they make the postseason, all that matters is what their team does in the playoffs.

That’s the new normal for MLB fans.

[WrongVerb]

What I'd do...

Expand to 32 teams. Have 4 team divisions, with 4 teams in each league. Realign leagues/divisions into geographic regions.

Play 154 games:
22 games vs. every team in your division (66 games)
6 games vs. every other team in your league (72 games)
4 games vs. every team in one division in the opposite league (16 games) -or- 4 games vs. every team in the opposite league that finished in the same place in division standings (NFL sorta does something similar)

Playoffs would be 8 division winners (4 each league) and 4 wildcard teams (2 each league).
Wildcard teams play best of 3 game series against the two division winners with worst record. (all at division winner stadium)
Then the division series matches them up vs. the two top division records in best of 5
Then the championship series best of 7
Then the World Series best of 7

Slightly fewer regular season games, with a few scheduled double headers (7-inning variety; make-up double headers still 9 innings) sprinkled in, and you can start the playoffs on the Monday before the final weekend in September every year.

[Boston Red]

Which two cities are you adding teams in?

[westofyou]

The 2020 regular season has produced the fewest H/9 (8.11) since 1968 & the second-lowest rate since 1920.

Baseball's current .246 batting average is the lowest since 1972.

[WrongVerb]

Which two cities are you adding teams in?

I'll leave that decision to people with a higher pay grade.

[Mitri]

Maybe it says more of the Reds specifically than the league in general, but after watching the talent added by expanding rosters this season I'm not so sure a 2-team expansion would be good for the league. I think it's hard enough finding 780 players worthy of the big leagues, expansion would push that to 832.

[UKFlounder]

It might evolve into “playoffs or tank,” with no middle class. Maybe it’s almost thst now, but I think it might get worse. Either be at the top of the league or the top of the draft order.

It’s a trade off though.

More playoff appearances that mean less. If half the league makes the playoffs, it’s not a big deal to make them. Ask NBA or NHL fans. No one cares too much if they make the postseason, all that matters is what their team does in the playoffs.

That’s the new normal for MLB fans.

[Ironman92]

Jose Iglesias hitting .381 but still about 15 PA from qualifying because Orioles kept playing Velasquez at SS even though his OPS is .510, Chris Valaika several starts too

[Reds Freak]

Jose Iglesias hitting .381 but still about 15 PA from qualifying because Orioles kept playing Velasquez at SS even though his OPS is .510, Chris Valaika several starts too

Iglesias was on the IL for a few weeks, no?

[kaldaniels]

Iglesias was on the IL for a few weeks, no?

Sometimes it just feels good to blame "the man," you know.