MLB Scheduling

monkeystyxx · 02-23-2015, 08:10 PM

Maybe someone can offer insight on this... I know it's a hella complicated issue, and am not seeking to become a scheduler myself or anything, but I've been crunching some numbers and it seems odd that it's so uneven.

At least for my team (the Pirates), there seems to be a few things that don't really make sense that don't NEED to not make sense.

Code:

	Series		Games	
___   			H	A
			
WSox	2		2	2
Indians	1		3	
Tigers	2		3	3
Royals	1			3
Twins	2		2	2
		
Braves	2		3	3
Marlins	2		3	4
NYMets	2		3	3
Phills	2		3	4
Nats	2		4	3

Cubs 	6		10	9
Reds	6		9	10
Brewers	6		10	9
Cards	6		10	9

D-Backs	2		3	3
Rockies	2		3	4
Dodgers	2		3	3
Padres	2		3	4
Giants	2		4	3
Totals	52		81	81

(Edit: This looks better in the editor than in the post)

I get the basics: you play three series against each team in your division, 3x home, 3x away, either four or three games per series. Two series against every other team in your league; one home, one away. Two series against each team from a rotating division in the opposite league (one series for two teams because there aren't enough games otherwise).

Talking in terms of series, it makes perfect sense.

In terms of games though, it seems a bit weird.

Other than the inter-league games, there aren't that many occasions where we (Pirates) play teams the same number of times at home as we do away.

For instance, 3/4 teams in our division we play at home 10 times, but only 9 times away (the other team - the Reds, is the opposite). I'm not sure if this is a universal thing or if it's essentially random, but it seems strange.

Why don't they just trim off one of the 'extra' games, and use those 'spare' games to level out the other games?

For example:

If we take off the three extra games at home and the one away in our division, meaning we now play each team the same number of times H/A (9 each), that gives us four 'spare' games. That's enough for a 3-game series against the Indians in Cleveland, with one left over so we can beat the Phillies the same amount in Pittsburgh as we do in Philly.

Likewise we if we shave off the three extra games against the teams in the NL West, we can equalise the other games in the NL East (saving a home game against the Giants and away games against the Padres and Rockies, and instead playing the Marlins an extra time in Florida and the Nats an extra time at home). This leaves one game. If we shorten the Royals series to 2 games, we can play them twice home and away just like we do the Sox and Twins.

We could even take this a stage further; reduce the Tigers to 2x 2 game series too so all the inter-league series are the same length, and play the Phillies (rivals) an extra time H+A. This would give us: 9 games H+A against teams in our division, 4 games H+A against our rival team, 3 games H+A against each team outside our division in our league, and 2 games H+A against the selected division in the opposing league.

Instead of currently, where it's a mess.

There's probably a very good reason this doesn't happen and everything is instead wonky, I was just wondering what it was? I'm from Britain, where every league sport involves playing teams the exact same amount home and away. But then, we don't have separate conferences either because the country is tiny, which obviously complicates matters for American sports.

Le Grande Orange · 02-24-2015, 03:36 AM

If you think the MLB schedule looks odd, you should take a look at some of the minor league schedules. They make MLB's schedule look like a picture of rationality by comparison.

02-23-2015, 08:10 PM	#1
monkeystyxx Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Oct 2014 Posts: 293	MLB Scheduling Maybe someone can offer insight on this... I know it's a hella complicated issue, and am not seeking to become a scheduler myself or anything, but I've been crunching some numbers and it seems odd that it's so uneven. At least for my team (the Pirates), there seems to be a few things that don't really make sense that don't NEED to not make sense. Code: Series Games ___ H A WSox 2 2 2 Indians 1 3 Tigers 2 3 3 Royals 1 3 Twins 2 2 2 Braves 2 3 3 Marlins 2 3 4 NYMets 2 3 3 Phills 2 3 4 Nats 2 4 3 Cubs 6 10 9 Reds 6 9 10 Brewers 6 10 9 Cards 6 10 9 D-Backs 2 3 3 Rockies 2 3 4 Dodgers 2 3 3 Padres 2 3 4 Giants 2 4 3 Totals 52 81 81 (Edit: This looks better in the editor than in the post) I get the basics: you play three series against each team in your division, 3x home, 3x away, either four or three games per series. Two series against every other team in your league; one home, one away. Two series against each team from a rotating division in the opposite league (one series for two teams because there aren't enough games otherwise). Talking in terms of series, it makes perfect sense. In terms of games though, it seems a bit weird. Other than the inter-league games, there aren't that many occasions where we (Pirates) play teams the same number of times at home as we do away. For instance, 3/4 teams in our division we play at home 10 times, but only 9 times away (the other team - the Reds, is the opposite). I'm not sure if this is a universal thing or if it's essentially random, but it seems strange. Why don't they just trim off one of the 'extra' games, and use those 'spare' games to level out the other games? For example: If we take off the three extra games at home and the one away in our division, meaning we now play each team the same number of times H/A (9 each), that gives us four 'spare' games. That's enough for a 3-game series against the Indians in Cleveland, with one left over so we can beat the Phillies the same amount in Pittsburgh as we do in Philly. Likewise we if we shave off the three extra games against the teams in the NL West, we can equalise the other games in the NL East (saving a home game against the Giants and away games against the Padres and Rockies, and instead playing the Marlins an extra time in Florida and the Nats an extra time at home). This leaves one game. If we shorten the Royals series to 2 games, we can play them twice home and away just like we do the Sox and Twins. We could even take this a stage further; reduce the Tigers to 2x 2 game series too so all the inter-league series are the same length, and play the Phillies (rivals) an extra time H+A. This would give us: 9 games H+A against teams in our division, 4 games H+A against our rival team, 3 games H+A against each team outside our division in our league, and 2 games H+A against the selected division in the opposing league. Instead of currently, where it's a mess. There's probably a very good reason this doesn't happen and everything is instead wonky, I was just wondering what it was? I'm from Britain, where every league sport involves playing teams the exact same amount home and away. But then, we don't have separate conferences either because the country is tiny, which obviously complicates matters for American sports. Last edited by monkeystyxx; 02-23-2015 at 08:19 PM.

02-24-2015, 03:36 AM	#2
Le Grande Orange Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Up There Posts: 15,644	If you think the MLB schedule looks odd, you should take a look at some of the minor league schedules. They make MLB's schedule look like a picture of rationality by comparison.