Fager I had to go to NY yesterday and was listening to talk sports radio the whole trip. This series has been a disaster for MLB in every way shape and form. Not just the weather and the ratings, but the hosts and callers seemed unanimous in their belief that I share, that the playoff system now means that the best team is not gonna win most often.
Its gonna be hard to get fans interested in baseball until playoff time next year. They've taken 162 games and basically made them count for very little.
Anyone whos ever played baseball at any level, even little league, knows that the best team in the league can lose to the worst team in the league on any given day much more easily than they can in the other sports.
Its truly a game of inches.
The old format pitted the two best teams in each league in a 4 outta 7 wheer the pitching rotations and matchups mirrored the regular season, 1 vs 1, 2 vs 2, 3 vs 3, etc.
The three outta 5 is a joke and really puts the pressure on the HOME TEAM, because its such a short series that if the home team doesnt sweep the first two they get real tight.
If they are gonna have that disgrace of a round, at least make it 4 outta 7. Then the wildcard thing just has to be changed. Why does a division winner like the Cards get to go when the Phillies won 5 more games? If a whole division stinks, they don't deserve to go.
The other thing that makes no sense is that teams in the same division can't meet in the first round. WOuld someone please explain the reason for this to me because I just don't get it. WHy penalize the team with the best record and make them play the 3rd best team in the leaugue just because the 4th best came from their own division?
None of this ever made sense to me, but it will never change because its all based on money. And adding that additional round meant more TV money and more teams in the playoff race come September and higher attendance.