Divisional Standings are ruining what could have been a great post season

[jaxmagicman]

Man, it sucks that the NL West winner is going to make the playoffs. It will be terrible that a team like Philadelphia won't make the playoffs because of stupid divisions.

[BaseballMan]

Im not so sure. Could it also be because the the teams in the NL West are
more closely matched. That they are beating up on each other or does the west play pretty poorly against the east. You could also argue that only the team with the best record should represent the NL. Bottom line is that Philly
should win the division or the wildcard if it wants in the playoffs. You cant blame not making the playoffs on a the record of a poor division winner. They did what they needed to do to get to the playoffs. Win the division. I wouldnt mind just 2 divisions again but then do we still complain when a team like the 87 Twins make it. I mean i dont know but its not gonna change because of the money issue and im not sure it really matters.

[Tony M]

Make the season 174 games long... each team plays each other home and away in 2 series of 3 games.

Any game played in an AL ground is DH, any in an NL ground is non-DH (AL teams would play 78 games with DH and 96 without, and NL teams would play 90 games without DH and 84 with DH), so it might be worthwhile moving the Brewers back to the AL.

And then the top 4 teams from the AL and the top 4 teams from the NL play in a non-split playoff tournament.

[mikev]

Making the season longer is not the answer.

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by Tony M

Make the season 174 games long... each team plays each other home and away in 2 series of 3 games.

No team in the AL is going to want to give up games against the Yankees or Red Sox in exchange for additional games against the Pirates or Nationals. It's a losing monetary proposition.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

No team in the AL is going to want to give up games against the Yankees or Red Sox in exchange for additional games against the Pirates or Nationals. It's a losing monetary proposition.

More effective revenue sharing will help level the playing field. If the massive disparity in finances is narrowed then teams like the Pirates will be able to keep more of their better players and will eventually be a better draw.

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by bababui

More effective revenue sharing will help level the playing field. If the massive disparity in finances is narrowed then teams like the Pirates will be able to keep more of their better players and will eventually be a better draw.

Of course, what would that revenue sharing system be? The players walk a line in regards to revenue sharing. On the one hand, they don't want a system which penalizes top teams too much or else it impacts salary growth since it is the top revenue teams which typically drive the market. On the other hand, too many low revenue teams limits the growth of the sport and negatively impacts salary growth.

There is also the point that some teams are a natural draw regardless of whether that club is doing well in the season or not. The Yankees are one such team. Look at the reasons why the Cardinals and Cubs wound up in the NL East in 1969 rather than the Reds and Braves; it had to do with how certain traditional rivals drew in attendance.

[ctorg]

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

No team in the AL is going to want to give up games against the Yankees or Red Sox in exchange for additional games against the Pirates or Nationals. It's a losing monetary proposition.

Well, the teams in the relatively low-budget AL Central had to give up games against the Yankees, Red Sox, and Angels when they unbalanced the schedule. All for more games against each other's small-to-mid markets.

But I also don't like lengthening the season. I think they need to stick at 162 unless there's a really compelling reason to change it.

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by ctorg

Well, the teams in the relatively low-budget AL Central had to give up games against the Yankees, Red Sox, and Angels when they unbalanced the schedule. All for more games against each other's small-to-mid markets.

A fair point. But in exchange the additional games were against divisional rivals and thus matter in regards to the divisional race.

Putting all the teams into one giant structure just ensures more also-rans every year, and historically, that has not been good for the bottom line.

[Dagrims]

Originally Posted by jaxmagicman

Man, it sucks that the NL West winner is going to make the playoffs. It will be terrible that a team like Philadelphia won't make the playoffs because of stupid divisions.

I see what you did there, and I like it.

[Lawley]

Yeah I hate that NL West, sucks how last year the stupid Rockies got in...ugh then went to the world series? ugh ugh ugh horrible

get the nl west outta here geesh

[jaxmagicman]

You are right. It will suck that the National League will get to play in the World Series when teams like Minnesota and New York will be sitting at home.

[Lawley]

Ill take the Dodgers and Arizona over those two anytime.

[His Own Bad Self]

Originally Posted by Lawley

Ill take the Dodgers and Arizona over those two anytime.

That sounds great. First one to 82 wins the division.

[molarmite]

Originally Posted by jaxmagicman

You are right. It will suck that the National League will get to play in the World Series when teams like the White Sox and New York will be sitting at home.

Fixed.

Or even Toronto who's on a 10 game win streak and is now ahead of the Yankees. The Yankees, who are in 4th place, have a better record then the first place Dodgers. There's something wrong with that.

[jaxmagicman]

Originally Posted by molarmite

Fixed.

Or even Toronto who's on a 10 game win streak and is now ahead of the Yankees. The Yankees, who are in 4th place, have a better record then the first place Dodgers. There's something wrong with that.

Chicago is a team like Minnesota. Just for the record. You got my point though, that Arizona or LA couldn't hold a candle to Minnesota, New York, Chicago, Toronto, Anhiem, Boston, Tampa Bay. All but one of which will not get to play in the World Series.

[Le Grande Orange]

Originally Posted by molarmite

Or even Toronto who's on a 10 game win streak and is now ahead of the Yankees. The Yankees, who are in 4th place, have a better record then the first place Dodgers. There's something wrong with that.

That's due to the three division structure. Reduce it to two divisions per league and that sort of thing is far less likely.

[darkenigma510]

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

That's due to the three division structure. Reduce it to two divisions per league and that sort of thing is far less likely.

It would still hold true under the old AL East assuming Tampa was in that division as well.

[yankeesrule]

does the NL West pitchers have better #'s because the hitters are worse, or are the hitters #'s worse because the pitchers are much better? Also, regarding the west record vs east, nl west is 77-87 vs nl east

[molarmite]

Would two leagues and top 4 from each league make it, work? Or pehaps raise the playoff teams to 6?