I remember being in a bar a few years back and getting into an argument about which postseason sport had the best. He was a true #PleaseLikeMySport hockey fan and I felt that the MLB playoffs were more enjoyable than the NHL playoffs. Perhaps I was still influenced from the Cubs playing in them from time-to-time and will feel different now. Perhaps I was just trying to piss off an obtuse hockey fan I have had a dislike for for a while. Column A has little to do with Column B...
Advertisement
The wild-card coin flip game of wild cards is absurd and should only be played two out of three. It does make winning the division worthwhile, something that only the NFL has at this time. Yes, divisions can be silly, but that's another topic. They should be compared as long as they exist and the teams in them have the same schedule. Although it isn't perfect, it is closer than most people think.
This will likely be the end of the current format, as I said last night. Because the networks are willing to pay more for playoff games, owners were keen for expanded playoffs last year. They'll want more. Players took a stand this year because they knew that more playoff spots meant less incentive to create a great team and less money for free agents. This means that there was less money coming down for each player. How can they resist the CBA negotiations getting ugly? They will have to exchange it for something. Except if they were getting a full year lockout or more. This would likely cause the MLBPA buckle anyway.
Baseball should reduce the regular season and increase the number of playoff teams. Play every day for the best of nine or eleven teams. With respect to how teams can deploy their rosters, playoff baseball should look more like regular-season. But I won't wait for the hot stove to heat up.
You'll have plenty of time to talk about it over the winter stove. If the lockout feels so inevitable, it may even extend into the spring.
G/O Media could get a 20% commission on Circadian Optics Lamp Therapy Lamps that last approximately 50,000 hours!
This therapy light has a brightness of 10,000 lumens. Amazon: Buy this therapy light for $50
This is your last chance to see this kind of drama. The first ever Dodgers-Giants playoff series will be in the cards unless the Cardinals Devil Magic defeats the games T-rex that are the Dodgers. This might be the last time Cardinals Devil Magic is widely recognized around baseball.
A Rays-Yankees Dance has another chance. It is full of narratives about the rich and poor, which doesn't really make sense but makes for great copy. Astros-White Sox a 2005 World Series rematch (when Houston played in NL kids) has been confirmed for many weeks now. Most of us have lost sight of the fact that it is almost too good a series to be the Division Series, and not the Championship Series. Even without Ronald Acuna Jr., the Brewers' pitching match against the Braves lineup is very intriguing.
Advertisement
The MLB playoffs offer the best bang for your buck, regardless of how it goes down. Yes, the games can be too long but there isn't much else. You don't notice how long they are when you get involved. Postseason baseball is the best way to build tension. You wait for the next pitch, which could make your stomach turn into mush. It happens every night until the World Series. It's not as easy to predict the outcome of the NBA's early rounds. The NHL doesn't always have the same look as games. These moments are more memorable. Last year's Betts catch and baserunning. The Rays' crazy walk-off win. All those Astros homers. Daniel Hudson flies his glove in the distance at the final out. Howie Kendrick's tradition of homers that win series is a hallmark. We can see them rolling up on the reel.
The fear can wait. Let's be happy with what we have in the next month.
