Gems built and managed for the long season often fail in short series. Managing a team in a short series successfully in a short series takes a different approach. It was the reason the Braves won all those division titles in the 90’s and 2000’s but filed in the playoffs. Bobby Cox could not or would not change his approach.
One of the reasons I like The Premier League in soccer, the Champion is the team with the best record over the course of the season. But there are other competitions, like The FA Cup, that keeps other clubs interested, even if they’re out of the running for the domestic championship. Plus there is the race to make the top four to get a spot in next year’s Champions League.