MLB considers radical changes to playoff format, including top teams picking their opponents: report

NY Daily News ^ | 11 February 2010 | Bradford William Davis

[oh8eleven]

MLB’s plan would add two new wild card teams to the American and National League, boosting the total amount of playoff teams from 10 to 14, per ESPN. Mirroring the NFL, the AL and NL top seed would get a first-round bye, while remaining division winners and wild cards face each other in a best-of-three.

More radical is a proposed system that would allow for division winners to pick their opponents, a selection that would be televised live on the final night of regular-season games.

[OttawaFreeper]

“It’s as bad as the NHL and NBA.”

See my post #30. I recall reading an interview with Frank Mahovlich in which he said that when he played for the Montreal Canadiens team that he played on that beat the Chicago Black Hawks for the 1971, he figured that the playoffs went that too far into May for his liking (beat the ‘Hawks in game seven on May 18, 1971).

[oh8eleven]

What a bullsh*t diversion from the HUGE technological cheating scandal
Great point!

[Billthedrill]

Dumb. MLB had the perfect solution in Ten Cent Beer Night. Add handing out free souvenir bats at the gates and you'd pack 'em in.

[OttawaFreeper]

Pardon me, meant to say “when he played for the Montreal Canadiens team that beat the Chicago Black Hawks for the 1971 Stanley Cup”. Just had my lunch, lol.

[OttawaFreeper]

And there was also Disco Demolition Night in Chicago, but now people say that that was a racist thing to do.

[oh8eleven]

Frank Mahovlich ... beat the Chicago Black Hawks for the 1971, he figured that the playoffs went that too far into May for his liking

I vaguely remember a May playoff game (early 70s) between Rangers and Canadians that was cancelled because of fog in the arena.

[OttawaFreeper]

May 1975 fog game between Buffalo and Philadelphia.

[oh8eleven]

MLB had the perfect solution in Ten Cent Beer Night.

Close second was Disco Demolition Night ...
https://youtu.be/fAJfOcnYYEQ

[oh8eleven]

Saw the video and it was amazing that players - and the announcers - could still see.

[dznutz]

Its all about the money. Too many teams now, the rivalries are gone, and so are the diehard fans.

The owners should at least bring back doubleheaders. It would throw the fans a bone, seeing two games for the price of one, and it would shorten the number of days of a too long season.

[oldbill]

“The owners should at least bring back doubleheaders. “

Amen.

With the 154 game schedule, and the season going only from early April to mid October, those double headers were great.

Almost every Sunday and the holidays were double headers.

And the double headers would take only about 5 hours. Now, a single game sometimes takes 4 hours, and usually well over 3 hours.

[1Old Pro]

used to be a huge fan. Me too. But I left when Curt Flood won his lawsuit.

I left when from year to year the team had 50-75% new players. I remember the days of the old Cincy Reds, the team had 9 notable players.

[oh8eleven]

The owners should at least bring back doubleheaders.
IIRC, that's controlled by the players.
I think they do schedule day/night dbl headers as a result of rain outs, but that's all.

[bobby.223]

I do believe he lost, not won, his lawsuit. It went all the way to the Supreme Court. His case against MLB did open the way to eventual full free agency for players a few years later. That is the way I remember it anyway. I could be wrong though, the old dome’s memory does not work like it used to!)

[CharlesWayneCT]

In another move sure to prop up the sagging ratings, each televised game will now feature one out where the mascots will pitch and hit in place of the pitcher and a designated batter.

[dznutz]

“The owners should at least bring back doubleheaders. “ Amen. With the 154 game schedule, and the season going only from early April to mid October, those double headers were great. Almost every Sunday and the holidays were double headers. And the double headers would take only about 5 hours. Now, a single game sometimes takes 4 hours, and usually well over 3 hours.

Yes, but that would be giving away too much profit so we probably will never see those again. When I was a kid, it seemed just about every weekend the White Sox played a doubleheader. I looked up their 72 season here:

Baseball reference

The season started April 15th and ended Oct 4th, played 154 games, with 17 doubleheaders. This year the Sox open March 26th and final game is September 27th, no doubleheaders.

I recall going to a game in the mid 70's, game was finished in just under two hours.

[.44 Special]

My favourite ball player was Nellie Fox. What does that tell you? Lost all respect for baseball during the ‘58 players strike. It’s never been the same since. Bring back slippery elm and chewing tobacco.

[dznutz]

IIRC, that's controlled by the players. I think they do schedule day/night dbl headers as a result of rain outs, but that's all.

I didn't know that. You would think the players would be in favor of doubleheaders as it would give them more days off between games, and or shorten the lenght of their season.

[bobby.223]

Fox was a real hustling player! He didn’t get his full due imho. (I don’t remember a players strike in ‘58 though.)

[dznutz]

Fox was before my time, but he was one of my mom's favorite Sox players, along with Minnie Minoso. She was a huge Sox fan, she lived near Sox Park since she was born back in the 30's, until the 60's.

I never heard of a strike in 58 thought, I thought that started after the Curt Flood thing.