Major League Baseball expands playoff format to 10 team

[dbackjon]

Major League Baseball expanded its playoff format to 10 teams Friday, adding a second wild-card in each league.

The decision establishes a new one-game, wild-card round in each league between the teams with the best records who are not division winners, meaning a third-place team could win the World Series.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=A ... edplayoffs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

[andy7171]

Major League Baseball expanded its playoff format to 10 teams Friday, adding a second wild-card in each league.

The decision establishes a new one-game, wild-card round in each league between the teams with the best records who are not division winners, meaning a third-place team could win the World Series.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylt=A ... edplayoffs" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

A fleeting glimmer of hope!

[MSUDuo]

If it had been in place last year, you wouldn't have had the most exciting day in MLB history in day 162.

I don't like it but I guess one extra game isn't the end of the world

[Seahawks08]

finally, being #1 in the league will actually mean something in baseball. Good move.

[MSUDuo]

finally, being #1 in the league will actually mean something in baseball. Good move.

How does it mean something? Because the team they'll face had to play one more game?

[Ivytalk]

First the DH rule, now this.

KC Royals v. Pittsburgh Pirates for the play-in?

[EPJr]

It took an extra day, but as anticipated, Major League Baseball and the MLB Players Association today agreed to a 10-team format that includes two additional Wild Card Clubs and an elimination game in each League prior to the Division Series for the 2012 season, as opposed to waiting till next year. The format will see a second Wild Card would be awarded in both the American League and the National League; and that a single Postseason game would be played between each League’s two Wild Card Clubs, with each winner advancing to compete among the three division champions from each League in the Division Series. If the format had been in place last year, the Rays would have played the Red Sox in the American League while the Cardinals would have played the Braves.

The change, which was endorsed by the Commissioner’s 14-member Special Committee for On-Field Matters, marks the first amendment to the Postseason since MLB adopted the six-division, eight-team Postseason structure in January of 1994. The first Postseason to be played under that format occurred in 1995.

Implementing the format change did not come easy, and will have a wrinkle in it for 2012 that will change going forward, beginning in 2013.

http://www.bizofbaseball.com/index.php? ... &Itemid=42

[clenz]

finally, being #1 in the league will actually mean something in baseball. Good move.

How does it mean something? Because the team they'll face had to play one more game?

Because the WC teams will now throw their ace, or number 2, in that game. That sets up pitching match ups very well for the #1 seed...

I like it. Yes, you might not have days like day 162 last year nearly as often...but you won't have nearly as many series at the end of the year that don't mean shit. Teams will continue to play...fans wills keep interest longer....You won't fuck a 88-92 win team that finishes third in the division while some team that didn't get to .500/just over.500 gets in because they won their division

[MSUDuo]

How does it mean something? Because the team they'll face had to play one more game?

Because the WC teams will now throw their ace, or number 2, in that game. That sets up pitching match ups very well for the #1 seed...

I like it. Yes, you might not have days like day 162 last year nearly as often...but you won't have nearly as many series at the end of the year that don't mean ****. Teams will continue to play...fans wills keep interest longer....You won't **** a 88-92 win team that finishes third in the division while some team that didn't get to .500/just over.500 gets in because they won their division

The WC rarely gets to throw their Ace anyways. The WC usually comes down to the end of the season.

Carpenter had to pitch game 162 against the Astros and clearly wasn't ready for Game 1 against the Phillies. Still didn't help them much...

I do agree with your second statement about hopefully keeping more games meaningful later in the season...

[Gil Dobie]

Game 163 between the Twins and Tigers was one of the best regular season games in history. Largest crowd in Metrodome history, crowd was on it's feet from the 6th inning on. That 1 game extra will be great

[CAA Flagship]

I'm in favor of this move. Last year was great but it was an aberration. Now, we are guaranteed two 1-and-done games every year to kick things off.

But any further expansion would not be good IMO.

[93henfan]

This was a bad move.

The playoffs should be the Phillies, Yankees, and Red Sox (aka the teams that matter) and one wildcard. The wildcard will be the team from either league with the next best record and would act as the opponent for the Phillies in the NLCS.

Is it really that hard to figure out?

[CitadelGrad]

First the DH rule, now this.

KC Royals v. Pittsburgh Pirates for the play-in?

No. They are in different leagues.

[SDHornet]

And 162 games isn't enough to figure this out.

If anything they should just change it to the 4 best teams in each league regardless and make tweaks to the schedule so every team in each league plays other league teams more often to make the 4 playoff teams more clear cut.

[Seahawks08]

Carpenter had to pitch game 162 against the Astros and clearly wasn't ready for Game 1 against the Phillies. Still didn't help them much...

I imagine that doesn't happen every time though. Theoretically, the ace should now only throw one game in the series. And I'm still torn on the 5 game NLDS series b/c i feel it should be 7. But I think it would help the WC team if it went to 7 now. I just don't like the fact you can get away with having 2 SP that can carry you through to the NLCS.

[89Hen]

Just revisiting this thread from spring as I've been thinking about the new WC format... IT SUCKS. Believe me, I hate the Braves almost as much as the Yankees, but there's a good chance the Braves could finish 6+ games up on the second wild card team (4 up on Pittsburgh now) and have the second best record in the NL (2 behind Cincy). Why in the hell should a team that finishes 6+ games back get the chance for a one and done?

Furthermore, lets say both WC's come from the same division (AL is Tampa/Baltimore right now). Why do we need one more game if a team is already 2 or more games up on the third place team?

[BlueHen86]

First the DH rule, now this.

KC Royals v. Pittsburgh Pirates for the play-in?

No. They are in different leagues.

MLB and AA?