MLB 2012 Division Playoffs

[fredtgreco]

Have I completely missed the change to a new playoff format? It appears that this year the format is "2 and 3" namely, the first two games hosted by the lower seed, and the last three by the higher seed. Is that really the case? Doesn't that make a huge difference from the past?

 

[Bill The Baptist]

The whole format is ridiculous now beginning with the one-game farce of a playoff between the two wild-card teams. If you are going to expand the playoffs, then do it right.

 

[Frosty]

Agreed, Bill. I HATE that new one-game wild-card elimination. So you fight and scratch and claw through a 162 game season, somehow find a way to make the playoffs, then play one game to see if you move on or not?! One bad start for a pitcher could end your season. So could one bad call from an umpire. Gross!

P.S. I am not a bitter Atlanta Braves fan. I am a bitter Pittsburgh Pirates fan.

 

[Backwoods Presbyterian]

Ditto to Randy.

 

[fredtgreco]

What they should do is shorten the season to 154 games (like the old days), and have a best of three for the wild card.

 

[Dordts5]

Agreed, Bill. I HATE that new one-game wild-card elimination. So you fight and scratch and claw through a 162 game season, somehow find a way to make the playoffs, then play one game to see if you move on or not?! One bad start for a pitcher could end your season. So could one bad call from an umpire. Gross!

P.S. I am not a bitter Atlanta Braves fan. I am a bitter Pittsburgh Pirates fan.

It isn't that I disagree with what you are saying here, but I think the thought is that any two teams vying for a shot at playoffs after their wildcard berth have been vetted by their stroke of good, or bad, play over the past two weeks prior to the wildcard game. I kinda prefer it this way because it ups the ante, making pitching defense and hits meet when they absolutely have to turn on. Such is life for the baseball fan. Maybe the one-game wildcard is an oxymoron, but so are saying baseball and statistics in the same sentence (to use a phrase from comedian Steven Wright). LOL

 

[Bill The Baptist]

I kinda prefer it this way because it ups the ante, making pitching defense and hits meet when they absolutely have to turn on

The problem is that baseball is a game of inches. You cannot measure superiority in one game. Too many things can happen in one game, that is why the season is 162 games and why a playoff series should be seven games.

 

[Jack K]

Oh, I think one game to decide who moves on is okay for the wild card teams. The top teams that have proven themselves to be the best through the 162 game season don't have to play that one game. It's for the also-rans who barely made it into the playoffs in the first place. They can't really cry that it isn't fair if they get eliminated in a single game. They should be glad to have had that chance at all. And if a single game format pumps some excitement into an otherwise too-long playoff season, that's good for the fans.

As for the 2-games, 3-games format for the 5-game series, I've always thought that made more sense. Less travel and and fewer days off. Moves things along. Let's get to the World Series already.

 

[SolaSaint]

Oh, I think one game to decide who moves on is okay for the wild card teams. The top teams that have proven themselves to be the best through the 162 game season don't have to play that one game. It's for the also-rans who barely made it into the playoffs in the first place. They can't really cry that it isn't fair if they get eliminated in a single game. They should be glad to have had that chance at all. And if a single game format pumps some excitement into an otherwise too-long playoff season, that's good for the fans.

As for the 2-games, 3-games format for the 5-game series, I've always thought that made more sense. Less travel and and fewer days off. Moves things along. Let's get to the World Series already.

I agree with Jack, wild card teams need to be greatful they are even still playing. I'm a Cardinals fan so I'm extremely greatful for the new format. It is a tough sell for the #1 wild card team though, last year they would have been in a 5 game series, not this year only one, poor Atlanta. I don't agree with the 2 - 3 format thought, this means the the team at home for the first two games can never win the series at home. I like to see a team win the series at home or at least have a chance.

 

[Zach]

It's hard though because one game is not enough after 162 games. I do believe that the teams playing in the Wild Card play in game should be glad they are still playing at all. It's hard to say that this years NL Wildcard played out in a way that accurately represented the Braves and the Cardinals.

 

[Bill The Baptist]

The top teams that have proven themselves to be the best through the 162 game season don't have to play that one game. It's for the also-rans who barely made it into the playoffs in the first place. They can't really cry that it isn't fair if they get eliminated in a single game. They should be glad to have had that chance at all.

That is not really true because Atlanta was as good or better than most of the division winners. Atlanta finished with a record of 94-68, which was six games better than AL Central champion Detroit ,identical to AL west champion Oakland and NL West champion San Francisco, and only one game worse than AL East champion New York.

 

[Contra_Mundum]

I agree with the opinion that the Wild Card play-in is garbage.

The playoffs are a four team set. Each league has three divisions, which leaves one slot. Why that fourth team is just playing for a coin-flip's chance is ridiculous. They were playing (like the leaders) for 162 games to STAY AHEAD. And they played better than some division winners, often. Come to find out, that's just to get one chance to prove yourself? No way. This thing should die after this season's trial.

I don't mind shorter playoff series. I'm annoyed by November World Series. Hello? anybody remember Mr. October? Just another baseball tradition down the toilet.

(Just to be fair, I'm also annoyed with February Super Bowl--or is it March now?)

 

[Marrow Man]

Not to mention the absurdity of having a college football championship game in mid-January, a week after most of the meaningful bowls have been played, and a month-and-a-half after both teams have played their previous game.

Braves fan here -- the Braves are, in part, the reason for the new format. After an epic collapse last year (and one on the AL side as well), the idea was to provide a way for an extra team to have a shot at making the playoffs. The Braves, of course, performed much better than last year. Unfortunately, they played in a division with a team that played even better (and who would have figured that team would be Washington?). A bad call by the ump wasn't the only reason for the loss -- 3 errors will do you in on such a big stage. It is what it is. Having a best two-out-of-three would be nice, but we don't need more games. Make the playoff round 3 games, the division round 5, and the championship round 7 maybe. Or shorten the season. But the reason the latter won't happen is because of money. More games played means more money.

If I recall correctly, the 2-3 format was like that when the wildcard playoffs first started. When the Braves won it all in 1995, it seems like the divisional round started with them playing the Rockies twice in Colorado and then the series moving back to Atlanta (they won in 4 games I believe). The reason it was changed was that it put the home team at a disadvantage (in theory) by having to start on the road.

 

[joejohnston3]

Ditto to Randy.

Another Ditto for Randy!

 

[Frosty]

It's for the also-rans who barely made it into the playoffs in the first place.

True, but a lot of times it's the wild card teams that go on to win the World Series. Baseball and hockey are very different games than football or even basketball. There is more parity in terms of a low-performing team being able to beat a top team on any given night (or even 2 or 3 in a row!). If the Astros beat the Reds one game nobody notices and it isn't top sports news. If the Cleveland Browns beat the Patriots, now that is surprising.

The Braves and Cardinals did not have records that differed all that greatly from each other, but I am waiting for the year when a team that was a close 2nd in their division loses the "play-in" game to a team that was barely over .500. I just don't like the idea that hypothetically a 96-66 team could lose a 1 game "series" to an 82-80 team.

 

[Claudiu]

I still have mixed feelings about this wild card business and the whole postseason change up. However, right now I don't have too much invested in it as my Mariners still haven't made the postseason (and it will probably take some more time till they become contenders again).