Mid-week start and finish for MLB 2011 schedule

Le Grande Orange · 09-19-2010, 01:31 AM

The Biz of Baseball has a report up on the provisional 2011 MLB schedule.

The notable changes are, for the first time in quite some time, the season will open on a Thursday rather than the customary Sunday/Monday. Also, for the first time in a very long while, the season will close on a Wednesday rather than the traditional Sunday. (The actual dates for the opening and closing: March 31 and Sept. 28, respectively.)

The reason for the mid-week close is, I expect, an attempt to remove the extra off days that were added to the post-season in 2007, off days which no one has particularly liked. The only way to remove the extra off days and keep a Wednesday start to the World Series is to end the regular season during the week rather than on Sunday. And since the MLB schedule can be no longer than 183 days, with a mid-week end that means it must likewise start mid-week.

mgom27 · 09-21-2010, 04:53 PM

The NFL does it.
On Baseball Tonight last night they were talking about Playoff Expansion and I would give the team with best Record in each league a bye in the first round and have the other 2 divisional winners play the 2 Wild Card teams also would allow people aquired in September if put on active Rosters not expanded one be available for postseason.

kenyan_cheena · 09-21-2010, 06:17 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgom27

The NFL does it.
On Baseball Tonight last night they were talking about Playoff Expansion and I would give the team with best Record in each league a bye in the first round and have the other 2 divisional winners play the 2 Wild Card teams also would allow people aquired in September if put on active Rosters not expanded one be available for postseason.

Then you'd have THREE teams left in each league, dingus!

mgom27 · 09-21-2010, 06:51 PM

They would just be five team in the postseason in each league.

kenyan_cheena · 09-21-2010, 10:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgom27

They would just be five team in the postseason in each league.

Yeah, but after the first round of the playoffs there'd be three teams left in each league. You gonna give the best division champ ANOTHER bye?

mgom27 · 09-22-2010, 10:00 AM

Okay 6 teams from each League in it or 8 like NHL/NBA have.

bababui · 09-22-2010, 10:11 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by kenyan_cheena

Yeah, but after the first round of the playoffs there'd be three teams left in each league. You gonna give the best division champ ANOTHER bye?

Bring the loser beck in round 2 as the fourth team!!

dudeosu · 09-22-2010, 10:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by bababui

Bring the loser beck in round 2 as the fourth team!!

And if no clear winner emerges from all of this, a two-man sack race will be held on consecutive Sundays until a champion can be crowned.

Cooleyvol · 09-22-2010, 12:57 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by mgom27

Okay 6 teams from each League in it or 8 like NHL/NBA have.

4 per league is too many...............now they're thinking about adding more!

Go back to two divisions and I'll be happy.

Le Grande Orange · 09-22-2010, 03:07 PM

Playoff qualification percentages:

NLL: 8 teams out of 11 (72.7%)
NBA: 16 teams out of 30 (53.3%)
NHL: 16 teams out of 30 (53.3%)
MLS: 8 teams out of 16 (50.0%)
NFL: 12 teams out of 32 (37.5%)
MLB: 8 teams out of 30 (26.7%)

Affiliated minor league baseball playoff qualification percentages:

International League: 4 teams out of 14 (28.6%)
Pacific Coast League: 4 teams out of 16 (25.0%)
Eastern League: 4 teams out of 12 (33.3%)
Southern League: 4 teams out of 10 (40.0%)
Texas League: 4 teams out of 8 (50.0%)
California League: 6 teams out of 10 (60.0%)
Carolina League: 4 teams out of 8 (50.0%)
Florida State League: 4 teams out of 12 (33.3%)
Midwest League: 8 teams out of 16 (50.0%)
South Atlantic League: 4 teams out of 14 (28.6%)
New York-Penn League: 4 teams out of 14 (28.6%)
Northwest League: 4 teams out of 8 (50.0%)
Appalachian League: 4 teams out of 10 (40.0%)
Pioneer League: 4 teams out of 8 (50.0%)
Arizona League: 4 teams out of 12 (33.3%)
Gulf Coast League: 4 teams out of 15 (26.7%)

Cooleyvol · 09-22-2010, 04:16 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Le Grande Orange

Playoff qualification percentages:

NLL: 8 teams out of 11 (72.7%)
NBA: 16 teams out of 30 (53.3%)
NHL: 16 teams out of 30 (53.3%)
MLS: 8 teams out of 16 (50.0%)
NFL: 12 teams out of 32 (37.5%)
MLB: 8 teams out of 30 (26.7%)

Affiliated minor league baseball playoff qualification percentages:

International League: 4 teams out of 14 (28.6%)
Pacific Coast League: 4 teams out of 16 (25.0%)
Eastern League: 4 teams out of 12 (33.3%)
Southern League: 4 teams out of 10 (40.0%)
Texas League: 4 teams out of 8 (50.0%)
California League: 6 teams out of 10 (60.0%)
Carolina League: 4 teams out of 8 (50.0%)
Florida State League: 4 teams out of 12 (33.3%)
Midwest League: 8 teams out of 16 (50.0%)
South Atlantic League: 4 teams out of 14 (28.6%)
New York-Penn League: 4 teams out of 14 (28.6%)
Northwest League: 4 teams out of 8 (50.0%)
Appalachian League: 4 teams out of 10 (40.0%)
Pioneer League: 4 teams out of 8 (50.0%)
Arizona League: 4 teams out of 12 (33.3%)
Gulf Coast League: 4 teams out of 15 (26.7%)

Your point being? Just b/c its in line with most of those in your list, doesn't change my mind that too many teams make the playoffs already.

Le Grande Orange · 09-22-2010, 05:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Cooleyvol

Your point being? Just b/c its in line with most of those in your list, doesn't change my mind that too many teams make the playoffs already.

It is always useful to have a frame of reference, hence the list of where MLB stacks up against other leagues.

MLB has the lowest playoff qualifying percentage.

Even if it added one additional wild card per league for a wild card elimination game/series, it would still have the lowest playoff qualifying percentage.

In any case, the point of this thread was about the midweek start and end to the regular season.

kenyan_cheena · 09-22-2010, 08:43 PM

Yeah, but the other leagues don't play a 162-game regular season. IMO there's four too many teams in the NHL and NBA playoffs while the NFL has it just about right.

mgom27 · 09-25-2010, 07:22 PM

Selig open to exploring expansion of postseason - ESPN 8 in each League would be good.

mrskippy · 09-25-2010, 10:54 PM

OK

AL East
AL Central
AL West
Wild Card
Wild Card
Wild Card

NL East
NL Central
NL East
Wild Card
Wild Card
Wild Card

1st Round -- LDS
#3 vs #6
#4 vs #5

2nd Round -- NLCS
#1 vs Lowest Remaining Seed
#2 vs Second-Lowest Remaining Seed

You stick with a 5-Game LDS, Played out over 5-6 days (I would say NO travel day in the LDS).

----

If you have 8 Teams, it's easy:

#1 vs #8
#2 vs #7
#3 vs #6
#4 vs #5

LCS
You can either reseed or just stick with a tournament bracket according to the original seeds.

You could go best of 7 in the LDS here, but I would still stick with best of 5.

---

Either way ... not a huge deal. I think 6 teams (12 teams total) would be just fine).

You either go with the Top 2 in Each Division OR just stick with Division winners and next three best records. In the case of 8 teams, you could say Top Two automatically qualify, followed by the next two best records.

MLB also could just as well expand, go to 32 teams, with 8 divisions of 4 teams in each league. Not a good option, as the other options work just fine.

Another option ... go best of 3 in the LDS, instead of best of 5. This would be especially prudent in the case of 6 teams and the use of first round byes.

Le Grande Orange · 09-27-2010, 08:03 PM

Well, any change has to be done in cooperation with the MLBPA, so you're not going to see any expansion to the playoff format until 2012 at the earliest.

mgom27 · 09-27-2010, 08:09 PM

AL East
Yankees,Mets,Red Sox,Blue Jays
AL Alantic Phills,Nats,Baltimore,Pirates
Al Southeast Florida,Tampa Bay and Braves

NL Midwest Cardinals,Royals,Rockies,Astros,Rangers
NL Central White Sox,Cubs,Reds,Tigers,Twins,,Indians,Brewers
NL California Dodgers,Angels,Giants,A's and Padres
NL West Seattle and Diamondbacks

Le Grande Orange · 10-01-2010, 02:58 AM

I was looking over the provisional schedules for the playoffs this year, and there's been a small change. The off day which had previously been inserted into the LCS schedules between game #4 and game #5 has been eliminated. The off day has been moved to before the start of each respective LCS, meaning the gap between the end of the Division Series and the starts of the LCS is now one day longer than it was last year.

Le Grande Orange · 10-01-2010, 05:17 AM

I should have included this link earlier. It's to the MLB web site article on the schedule changes for the 2011 regular season, and includes some interesting information. There might be an early overseas opening series in Taiwan between the Giants and Diamondbacks, and in interleague play, there'll be some firsts, including the Cubs visiting the Red Sox for the first time.

2011 MLB slate packed with exciting matchups

09-22-2010, 03:07 PM	#10
Le Grande Orange Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Up There Posts: 15,644	Playoff qualification percentages: NLL: 8 teams out of 11 (72.7%) NBA: 16 teams out of 30 (53.3%) NHL: 16 teams out of 30 (53.3%) MLS: 8 teams out of 16 (50.0%) NFL: 12 teams out of 32 (37.5%) MLB: 8 teams out of 30 (26.7%) Affiliated minor league baseball playoff qualification percentages: International League: 4 teams out of 14 (28.6%) Pacific Coast League: 4 teams out of 16 (25.0%) Eastern League: 4 teams out of 12 (33.3%) Southern League: 4 teams out of 10 (40.0%) Texas League: 4 teams out of 8 (50.0%) California League: 6 teams out of 10 (60.0%) Carolina League: 4 teams out of 8 (50.0%) Florida State League: 4 teams out of 12 (33.3%) Midwest League: 8 teams out of 16 (50.0%) South Atlantic League: 4 teams out of 14 (28.6%) New York-Penn League: 4 teams out of 14 (28.6%) Northwest League: 4 teams out of 8 (50.0%) Appalachian League: 4 teams out of 10 (40.0%) Pioneer League: 4 teams out of 8 (50.0%) Arizona League: 4 teams out of 12 (33.3%) Gulf Coast League: 4 teams out of 15 (26.7%) Last edited by Le Grande Orange; 09-22-2010 at 03:19 PM.

09-25-2010, 07:22 PM	#14
mgom27 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 3,532	Selig open to exploring expansion of postseason - ESPN 8 in each League would be good. __________________ Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!

09-27-2010, 08:09 PM	#17
mgom27 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 3,532	AL East Yankees,Mets,Red Sox,Blue Jays AL Alantic Phills,Nats,Baltimore,Pirates Al Southeast Florida,Tampa Bay and Braves NL Midwest Cardinals,Royals,Rockies,Astros,Rangers NL Central White Sox,Cubs,Reds,Tigers,Twins,,Indians,Brewers NL California Dodgers,Angels,Giants,A's and Padres NL West Seattle and Diamondbacks __________________ Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!

09-19-2010, 01:31 AM	#1
Le Grande Orange Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Up There Posts: 15,644	Mid-week start and finish for MLB 2011 schedule The Biz of Baseball has a report up on the provisional 2011 MLB schedule. The notable changes are, for the first time in quite some time, the season will open on a Thursday rather than the customary Sunday/Monday. Also, for the first time in a very long while, the season will close on a Wednesday rather than the traditional Sunday. (The actual dates for the opening and closing: March 31 and Sept. 28, respectively.) The reason for the mid-week close is, I expect, an attempt to remove the extra off days that were added to the post-season in 2007, off days which no one has particularly liked. The only way to remove the extra off days and keep a Wednesday start to the World Series is to end the regular season during the week rather than on Sunday. And since the MLB schedule can be no longer than 183 days, with a mid-week end that means it must likewise start mid-week.

09-21-2010, 04:53 PM	#2
mgom27 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 3,532	The NFL does it. On Baseball Tonight last night they were talking about Playoff Expansion and I would give the team with best Record in each league a bye in the first round and have the other 2 divisional winners play the 2 Wild Card teams also would allow people aquired in September if put on active Rosters not expanded one be available for postseason. __________________ Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!

09-21-2010, 06:51 PM	#4
mgom27 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 3,532	They would just be five team in the postseason in each league. __________________ Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!

09-22-2010, 10:00 AM	#6
mgom27 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 3,532	Okay 6 teams from each League in it or 8 like NHL/NBA have. __________________ Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!

09-22-2010, 08:43 PM	#13
kenyan_cheena Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2004 Location: Sydney, NSW, Australia Posts: 9,037	Yeah, but the other leagues don't play a 162-game regular season. IMO there's four too many teams in the NHL and NBA playoffs while the NFL has it just about right.

09-25-2010, 10:54 PM	#15
mrskippy All Star Starter Join Date: Dec 2001 Location: Northern California Posts: 1,011	OK AL East AL Central AL West Wild Card Wild Card Wild Card NL East NL Central NL East Wild Card Wild Card Wild Card 1st Round -- LDS #3 vs #6 #4 vs #5 2nd Round -- NLCS #1 vs Lowest Remaining Seed #2 vs Second-Lowest Remaining Seed You stick with a 5-Game LDS, Played out over 5-6 days (I would say NO travel day in the LDS). ---- If you have 8 Teams, it's easy: #1 vs #8 #2 vs #7 #3 vs #6 #4 vs #5 LCS You can either reseed or just stick with a tournament bracket according to the original seeds. You could go best of 7 in the LDS here, but I would still stick with best of 5. --- Either way ... not a huge deal. I think 6 teams (12 teams total) would be just fine). You either go with the Top 2 in Each Division OR just stick with Division winners and next three best records. In the case of 8 teams, you could say Top Two automatically qualify, followed by the next two best records. MLB also could just as well expand, go to 32 teams, with 8 divisions of 4 teams in each league. Not a good option, as the other options work just fine. Another option ... go best of 3 in the LDS, instead of best of 5. This would be especially prudent in the case of 6 teams and the use of first round byes.

09-27-2010, 08:03 PM	#16
Le Grande Orange Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Up There Posts: 15,644	Well, any change has to be done in cooperation with the MLBPA, so you're not going to see any expansion to the playoff format until 2012 at the earliest.

10-01-2010, 02:58 AM	#18
Le Grande Orange Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Up There Posts: 15,644	I was looking over the provisional schedules for the playoffs this year, and there's been a small change. The off day which had previously been inserted into the LCS schedules between game #4 and game #5 has been eliminated. The off day has been moved to before the start of each respective LCS, meaning the gap between the end of the Division Series and the starts of the LCS is now one day longer than it was last year.

10-01-2010, 05:17 AM	#19
Le Grande Orange Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Up There Posts: 15,644	I should have included this link earlier. It's to the MLB web site article on the schedule changes for the 2011 regular season, and includes some interesting information. There might be an early overseas opening series in Taiwan between the Giants and Diamondbacks, and in interleague play, there'll be some firsts, including the Cubs visiting the Red Sox for the first time. 2011 MLB slate packed with exciting matchups