2017 MLB Thread

[89Hen]

The advantage is home field and playing a non-division winner (that could be debated too). Imagine if the #8 seed in the NHL playoffs had to sit their starting goalie to give the best team in the conference an advantage.

All playoff teams this year will have winning records on the road. Home field is an advantage, but small.
Look at 2014. Both WC winners advanced to the WS and the LDS and LCS were not even close.
And WC winners have a 23-19 record in the LDS.

Boo for the division winners then. Doesn't really change anything I said.

[GannonFan]

All playoff teams this year will have winning records on the road. Home field is an advantage, but small.
Look at 2014. Both WC winners advanced to the WS and the LDS and LCS were not even close.
And WC winners have a 23-19 record in the LDS.

Boo for the division winners then. Doesn't really change anything I said.

I'm sure it's no surprise to you that the Nats are a combined 3-6 in two different playoff series in the NLDS when they are the favored team (home field advantage, the pitching advantage, etc) playing against the Wild Card survivor.

[89Hen]

Boo for the division winners then. Doesn't really change anything I said.

I'm sure it's no surprise to you that the Nats are a combined 3-6 in two different playoff series in the NLDS when they are the favored team (home field advantage, the pitching advantage, etc) playing against the Wild Card survivor.

It's not a surprise, just a disappointment. But again, that doesn't change the fact that I think a 1 game playoff is a strange concept for a sport with 162 games.

[CAA Flagship]

I'm sure it's no surprise to you that the Nats are a combined 3-6 in two different playoff series in the NLDS when they are the favored team (home field advantage, the pitching advantage, etc) playing against the Wild Card survivor.

It's not a surprise, just a disappointment. But again, that doesn't change the fact that I think a 1 game playoff is a strange concept for a sport with 162 games.

Yes. One game playoff is strange, but what can you do? Can't have the division winners wait any longer. It affects hitters and starting pitchers are accustomed to certain days of rest (too much rest or too little rest will affect these creatures of habit that come from a 162 game/6 month long schedule).

[89Hen]

It's not a surprise, just a disappointment. But again, that doesn't change the fact that I think a 1 game playoff is a strange concept for a sport with 162 games.

Yes. One game playoff is strange, but what can you do? Can't have the division winners wait any longer. It affects hitters and starting pitchers are accustomed to certain days of rest (too much rest or too little rest will affect these creatures of habit that come from a 162 game/6 month long schedule).

What can you do? Only have one WC team. Thought I was pretty clear on that.

[CAA Flagship]

Yes. One game playoff is strange, but what can you do? Can't have the division winners wait any longer. It affects hitters and starting pitchers are accustomed to certain days of rest (too much rest or too little rest will affect these creatures of habit that come from a 162 game/6 month long schedule).

What can you do? Only have one WC team. Thought I was pretty clear on that.

I like the idea that 2 teams have to battle to get "in" and possibly using their No. 1 starter in the process, and then have to travel for LDS. And the fact that the winner can play the No. 1 seed from their own division is also a necessary part to this equation. It theoretically provides a well earned advantage to the team that earned it during the season.

[Gil Dobie]

Weather has messed up teams pitching rotations too.

[CAA Flagship]

Weather has messed up teams pitching rotations too.

Can't plan on weather, and they shouldn't. Look what happened at this year's US Open at Erin Hills. Course was set up for wind that didn't show. Turned out to be an easy course. Typical US Open, it wasn't.

[89Hen]

Weather has messed up teams pitching rotations too.

Uncontrollable. This isn't.

[dbackjon]

As exciting as the WC race is, I think the fact that the Dbacks will have to waste their ace playing a winner take all game against a team from the same division who they hold an 11-8 head to head record and a six game lead, is just dumb. Given that baseball is about a season long run and they've faced the same schedule.

Yup - it is maddening. And I would feel the same way if the roles were reversed.

One game WC is a stupid idea that really does make a mockery of the Regular season.

[Ivytalk]

As exciting as the WC race is, I think the fact that the Dbacks will have to waste their ace playing a winner take all game against a team from the same division who they hold an 11-8 head to head record and a six game lead, is just dumb. Given that baseball is about a season long run and they've faced the same schedule.

Yup - it is maddening. And I would feel the same way if the roles were reversed.

One game WC is a stupid idea that really does make a mockery of the Regular season.

Agreed. Of course, I'm a baseball purist, so I never cared for the "can I have a trophy, too?" second WC mentality in the first place.

Or the first WC.

Or the designated hitter.

[Gil Dobie]

Minnesota Twins clinch final wild card in the American League.

[CAA Flagship]

Yup - it is maddening. And I would feel the same way if the roles were reversed.

One game WC is a stupid idea that really does make a mockery of the Regular season.

Agreed. Of course, I'm a baseball purist, so I never cared for the "can I have a trophy, too?" second WC mentality in the first place.

Or the first WC.

Or the designated hitter.

First WC required the second WC, IMO.
Three divisions required the first WC. Can't have a bye in baseball. Baseball needs to be played often. Breaks only work if everyone was off at same time (like All Star break).

[Gil Dobie]

Agreed. Of course, I'm a baseball purist, so I never cared for the "can I have a trophy, too?" second WC mentality in the first place.

Or the first WC.

Or the designated hitter.

First WC required the second WC, IMO.
Three divisions required the first WC. Can't have a bye in baseball. Baseball needs to be played often. Breaks only work if everyone was off at same time (like All Star break).

Best regular season game I have ever been to was the 2009, game 163, American League tie-breaker. Twins hosting the Tigers in the last game at the Metrodome. Fans stood from 6th inning on. Twins win in the bottom of the 12th.

IMO, this is what baseball wanted to create with the 2nd wild card.

[CAA Flagship]

First WC required the second WC, IMO.
Three divisions required the first WC. Can't have a bye in baseball. Baseball needs to be played often. Breaks only work if everyone was off at same time (like All Star break).

Best regular season game I have ever been to was the 2009, game 163, American League tie-breaker. Twins hosting the Tigers in the last game at the Metrodome. Fans stood from 6th inning on. Twins win in the bottom of the 12th.

IMO, this is what baseball wanted to create with the 2nd wild card.

Yes, and no. They aren't concerned with the one game playoff as much as they are concerned with the last month of the season. But like I said, they also wanted to give the league leader a bit of an advantage in the LDS. Home field is not enough of an advantage. If a top pitcher is used by the WC winner in the one game playoff, mission accomplished.


On another note, generally, baseball purists would like to see two of the top teams battle in the WS (LA, WSH, HOU, or CLE). But there are big TV draws at the next level in BOS, NYY, and CHI, also. Should be a good chance for a compelling WS matchup.

[89Hen]

Agreed. Of course, I'm a baseball purist, so I never cared for the "can I have a trophy, too?" second WC mentality in the first place.

Or the first WC.

Or the designated hitter.

First WC required the second WC, IMO.

How so? I think the WC, besides making a fourth team so it's even numbers, is to make sure a REALLY good second place team in a very strong division doesn't miss out when they have a better record than other division winners. I don't think you have to protect two teams.

[89Hen]

First WC required the second WC, IMO.
Three divisions required the first WC. Can't have a bye in baseball. Baseball needs to be played often. Breaks only work if everyone was off at same time (like All Star break).

Best regular season game I have ever been to was the 2009, game 163, American League tie-breaker. Twins hosting the Tigers in the last game at the Metrodome. Fans stood from 6th inning on. Twins win in the bottom of the 12th.

IMO, this is what baseball wanted to create with the 2nd wild card.

Ends don't justify the means IMO. If you wanted every game to really matter, you could just seed all the teams and do a one game series the whole way through. Those would ALL be very exciting games.

[CAA Flagship]

First WC required the second WC, IMO.

How so? I think the WC, besides making a fourth team so it's even numbers, is to make sure a REALLY good second place team in a very strong division doesn't miss out when they have a better record than other division winners. I don't think you have to protect two teams.

Either I haven't been clear, or you refuse to understand.

The second WC team means the two WC teams have to (in many, but not all cases) burn their ace in the one game playoff. This gives the league leader a much deserved advantage (I'm saying that a one game home field advantage isn't enough unless it is the entire series). MIN and COL are currently 16 games behind the league leader. Playing a "short" 5 game series where there is a 1 game home field advantage is not enough of an advantage for the more dominant team during the regular season.

[89Hen]

How so? I think the WC, besides making a fourth team so it's even numbers, is to make sure a REALLY good second place team in a very strong division doesn't miss out when they have a better record than other division winners. I don't think you have to protect two teams.

Either I haven't been clear, or you refuse to understand.

The second WC team means the two WC teams have to (in many, but not all cases) burn their ace in the one game playoff. This gives the league leader a much deserved advantage (I'm saying that a one game home field advantage isn't enough unless it is the entire series). MIN and COL are currently 16 games behind the league leader. Playing a "short" 5 game series where there is a 1 game home field advantage is not enough of an advantage for the more dominant team during the regular season.

I think that's just plain old dumb. My analogy of the NHL 8th place team having to sit their starting goalie for Game 1 of the playoffs is spot on. After all, an 8th place team has not only recently won the opening series, they've won the Cup.

The fact that you site the distance for the second WC team really weakens your stance.

[CAA Flagship]

Either I haven't been clear, or you refuse to understand.

The second WC team means the two WC teams have to (in many, but not all cases) burn their ace in the one game playoff. This gives the league leader a much deserved advantage (I'm saying that a one game home field advantage isn't enough unless it is the entire series). MIN and COL are currently 16 games behind the league leader. Playing a "short" 5 game series where there is a 1 game home field advantage is not enough of an advantage for the more dominant team during the regular season.

I think that's just plain old dumb. My analogy of the NHL 8th place team having to sit their starting goalie for Game 1 of the playoffs is spot on. After all, an 8th place team has not only recently won the opening series, they've won the Cup.

The fact that you site the distance for the second WC team really weakens your stance.

Why is an 8th placed team winning the cup a good thing?

[89Hen]

I think that's just plain old dumb. My analogy of the NHL 8th place team having to sit their starting goalie for Game 1 of the playoffs is spot on. After all, an 8th place team has not only recently won the opening series, they've won the Cup.

The fact that you site the distance for the second WC team really weakens your stance.

Why is an 8th placed team winning the cup a good thing?

They are an NHL team. Why is it a bad thing?

[Gil Dobie]

Best regular season game I have ever been to was the 2009, game 163, American League tie-breaker. Twins hosting the Tigers in the last game at the Metrodome. Fans stood from 6th inning on. Twins win in the bottom of the 12th.

IMO, this is what baseball wanted to create with the 2nd wild card.

Ends don't justify the means IMO. If you wanted every game to really matter, you could just seed all the teams and do a one game series the whole way through. Those would ALL be very exciting games.

Just expressing my opinion on why I think they created the play-in game.

[89Hen]

Ends don't justify the means IMO. If you wanted every game to really matter, you could just seed all the teams and do a one game series the whole way through. Those would ALL be very exciting games.

Just expressing my opinion on why I think they created the play-in game.

I think you went a little further Gil. Sounded like you were expressing why you liked it.

[Gil Dobie]

I think that's just plain old dumb. My analogy of the NHL 8th place team having to sit their starting goalie for Game 1 of the playoffs is spot on. After all, an 8th place team has not only recently won the opening series, they've won the Cup.

The fact that you site the distance for the second WC team really weakens your stance.

Why is an 8th placed team winning the cup a good thing?

In 2012, the team with the 13th most points won the Stanley Cup. Many years the cup comes down to a hot goalie. Even with the play-in game, baseball only has 10 teams in the playoffs.

[Gil Dobie]

Just expressing my opinion on why I think they created the play-in game.

I think you went a little further Gil. Sounded like you were expressing why you liked it.

I don't mind it.