RIP Major League Baseball (new stupid rules for next year)

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I vote for the same format basketball and hockey use and take it out of the large number of regular season games you only pay attention to AFTER the all star break if your team is even relevant by then. 162 Games is just too many. If they cut it shorter and have 8 teams from each league in 3 rounds of best of 7… that would be interesting and it would end sooner. So 30-40 days of playoff baseball.

You might as well write-off the entire regular season record book! Every regular season record subsequent to your scheme would be appended with an asterisk.

Why would you need to do that? There’s nothing sacred about being 81-81 or 100-62. Or 43-119 for that matter.

Should tackles in football only count for half because they wear helmets and pads?

I was thinking more along the lines of individual records -- Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan, Cy Young, Ty Cobb, Pete Rose, etc. -- but yes, even team records are "sacred" to those of us who cherish the long tradition of the Great American Pastime. Even when the regular season went from 156 to 162 games, I'm sure there was a tinge of rueful regret among like-minded fans.

I would practice dividing things up into eras… it would help you cope.

[moldyoldie]

I vote for the same format basketball and hockey use and take it out of the large number of regular season games you only pay attention to AFTER the all star break if your team is even relevant by then. 162 Games is just too many. If they cut it shorter and have 8 teams from each league in 3 rounds of best of 7… that would be interesting and it would end sooner. So 30-40 days of playoff baseball.

You might as well write-off the entire regular season record book! Every regular season record subsequent to your scheme would be appended with an asterisk.

Why would you need to do that? There’s nothing sacred about being 81-81 or 100-62. Or 43-119 for that matter.

Should tackles in football only count for half because they wear helmets and pads?

I was thinking more along the lines of individual records -- Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan, Cy Young, Ty Cobb, Pete Rose, etc. -- but yes, even team records are "sacred" to those of us who cherish the long tradition of the Great American Pastime. Even when the regular season went from 156 to 162 games, I'm sure there was a tinge of rueful regret among like-minded fans.

I would practice dividing things up into eras… it would help you cope.

I've already accepted that the "complete game" is an archaic anachronism, a figment of a bygone era, something young fans can never garner an appreciation for with the rarest of exceptions.

What your scheme denotes is that fans no longer have the patience and appreciation for the fact that the regular season is a marathon, not a sprint -- that navigating the season's ups and downs to get to the ultimate prize taxes the fans' need for immediate gratification.

[Rate This]

I vote for the same format basketball and hockey use and take it out of the large number of regular season games you only pay attention to AFTER the all star break if your team is even relevant by then. 162 Games is just too many. If they cut it shorter and have 8 teams from each league in 3 rounds of best of 7… that would be interesting and it would end sooner. So 30-40 days of playoff baseball.

You might as well write-off the entire regular season record book! Every regular season record subsequent to your scheme would be appended with an asterisk.

Why would you need to do that? There’s nothing sacred about being 81-81 or 100-62. Or 43-119 for that matter.

Should tackles in football only count for half because they wear helmets and pads?

I was thinking more along the lines of individual records -- Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan, Cy Young, Ty Cobb, Pete Rose, etc. -- but yes, even team records are "sacred" to those of us who cherish the long tradition of the Great American Pastime. Even when the regular season went from 156 to 162 games, I'm sure there was a tinge of rueful regret among like-minded fans.

I would practice dividing things up into eras… it would help you cope.

I've already accepted that the "complete game" is an archaic anachronism, a figment of a bygone era, something young fans can never garner an appreciation for with the rarest of exceptions.

What your scheme denotes is that fans no longer have the patience and appreciation for the fact that the regular season is a marathon, not a sprint -- that navigating the season's ups and downs to get to the ultimate prize taxes the fans' need for immediate gratification.

Actually I was attempting to end the season on time while aligning it with the other major sports. One of you guys was lamenting baseball in November after all…

[moldyoldie]

I vote for the same format basketball and hockey use and take it out of the large number of regular season games you only pay attention to AFTER the all star break if your team is even relevant by then. 162 Games is just too many. If they cut it shorter and have 8 teams from each league in 3 rounds of best of 7… that would be interesting and it would end sooner. So 30-40 days of playoff baseball.

You might as well write-off the entire regular season record book! Every regular season record subsequent to your scheme would be appended with an asterisk.

Why would you need to do that? There’s nothing sacred about being 81-81 or 100-62. Or 43-119 for that matter.

Should tackles in football only count for half because they wear helmets and pads?

I was thinking more along the lines of individual records -- Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan, Cy Young, Ty Cobb, Pete Rose, etc. -- but yes, even team records are "sacred" to those of us who cherish the long tradition of the Great American Pastime. Even when the regular season went from 156 to 162 games, I'm sure there was a tinge of rueful regret among like-minded fans.

I would practice dividing things up into eras… it would help you cope.

I've already accepted that the "complete game" is an archaic anachronism, a figment of a bygone era, something young fans can never garner an appreciation for with the rarest of exceptions.

What your scheme denotes is that fans no longer have the patience and appreciation for the fact that the regular season is a marathon, not a sprint -- that navigating the season's ups and downs to get to the ultimate prize taxes the fans' need for immediate gratification.

Actually I was attempting to end the season on time while aligning it with the other major sports. One of you guys was lamenting baseball in November after all…

Yes, but you propose doing so by expanding the playoffs and slashing the regular season, while I espouse the opposite. I want to accentuate the importance of navigating the marathon of a long season, the reward being the opportunity of vying for the ultimate prize. Too many second-tier teams vying for that prize cheapens that importance. I would argue that is what's wrong with the other major team sports. One of those second-tier teams suddenly gets hot in October and it effectively eliminates the skill and cumulative efforts in navigating the long season. Three 100+ win teams are effectively forgotten this year. It's just wrong...in my humble opinion.

[Bobbert]

I vote for the same format basketball and hockey use and take it out of the large number of regular season games you only pay attention to AFTER the all star break if your team is even relevant by then. 162 Games is just too many. If they cut it shorter and have 8 teams from each league in 3 rounds of best of 7… that would be interesting and it would end sooner. So 30-40 days of playoff baseball.

You might as well write-off the entire regular season record book! Every regular season record subsequent to your scheme would be appended with an asterisk.

Why would you need to do that? There’s nothing sacred about being 81-81 or 100-62. Or 43-119 for that matter.

Should tackles in football only count for half because they wear helmets and pads?

I was thinking more along the lines of individual records -- Hank Aaron, Nolan Ryan, Cy Young, Ty Cobb, Pete Rose, etc. -- but yes, even team records are "sacred" to those of us who cherish the long tradition of the Great American Pastime. Even when the regular season went from 156 to 162 games, I'm sure there was a tinge of rueful regret among like-minded fans.

I would practice dividing things up into eras… it would help you cope.

I've already accepted that the "complete game" is an archaic anachronism, a figment of a bygone era, something young fans can never garner an appreciation for with the rarest of exceptions.

What your scheme denotes is that fans no longer have the patience and appreciation for the fact that the regular season is a marathon, not a sprint -- that navigating the season's ups and downs to get to the ultimate prize taxes the fans' need for immediate gratification.

Actually I was attempting to end the season on time while aligning it with the other major sports. One of you guys was lamenting baseball in November after all…

Yes, but you propose doing so by expanding the playoffs and slashing the regular season, while I espouse the opposite. I want to accentuate the importance of navigating the marathon of a long season, the reward being the opportunity of vying for the ultimate prize. Too many second-tier teams vying for that prize cheapens that importance. I would argue that is what's wrong with the other major team sports. One of those second-tier teams suddenly gets hot in October and it effectively eliminates the skill and cumulative efforts in navigating the long season. Three 100+ win teams are effectively forgotten this year. It's just wrong...in my humble opinion.

I agree completely with moldyoldie, but unfortunately TV money drives everything. Nothing is going to get cut, the regular season or the postseason. I can easily see the day when TV mandates that the World Series is completely played in the sweeps month of November, in a warm weather or domed location, just like what has happened with the Super Bowl.

I've tried to start just ignoring the postseason in sports, and enjoying the day-to-day pleasures of regular season games. I've been doing it with pro hockey and basketball for several years, and I'm trying to do it with baseball this year. The NFL's still tolerable, since the games are a week apart. The only really worthwhile postseason for me is college basketball, since it ends just as spring is beginning. The college football postseason has been ruined for me by the playoffs and the no-show players.

[moldyoldie]

I can easily see the day when TV mandates that the World Series is completely played in the sweeps month of November, in a warm weather or domed location, just like what has happened with the Super Bowl.

Wow, now isn't that a thought.

[MasterB]

I'm sure Fox wanted the Dodgers and in the NLCS Braves, they can't always get what they want. The Yankees are in ALCS and I'm sure Fox wants the Yankees in the World Series. MLB Playoffs are just a month to play not the 2 months like NBA & NHL.

[MotorCityRadioFreak]

I really think that the 5 team format from previous years was sufficient. Make it a 1 game playoff between seeds 4 and 5. Then the winner plays against the 1st seed in 5 games and seeds 2 and 3 play. Also, don’t ban a #1 Yankees team playing #4 Boston/Toronto.

As for the shift, you can and should be able to move players to as far as being even with 2nd base but no further with one foot touching the infield dirt at the least.

Reduce the season 4 games so northern teams can play comfortably from no later than October 1st to start the playoffs and end playoffs in October.

This will never happen but should.

[matt1]

Wait until next year Cleveland Guardians.

[Taco]

I hate the wild card. Pre wild card was a lot better. I think the regular season should be shaved down from 162 regular season games to 150. I've seen post season games run up to near the end of October. Baseball should go that long. The weather gets crappy for the games and by then other sports are coming on and no need for divided attentions.

[moldyoldie]

I hate the wild card. Pre wild card was a lot better.

At present there are two teams, the Padres and Phillies, which ended the regular season 22 and 14 games behind in their respective divisions vying to represent the National League in the World Series. Let that sink in.

It's why I said IF there are to be three divisions in each league, I'd be in favor of a single wild card team from each league. Both the Braves and Mets who tied for the lead in the National League East with 101-61 records would automatically participate in a league playoff. My playoff scheme as delineated earlier in the thread would have neither the Padres nor the Phillies participating.

In my scheme, the American League would have the Yankees (99-63), Indians (92-70), Astros (106-56), and Blue Jays (92-70) in the playoffs.
The National League would have the Braves (101-61), Mets (101-61), Cardinals (93-69), and Dodgers (111-51).

In the oddball season where a division winner would have a subpar record, at least a more deserving team in another division would participate as a wildcard.

[Honeyman]

If you want to talk injustice in MLB, you have to start with $$$$. Cleveland has a payroll of $67 million, and came within a Game 5 loss to the Yankees who spend $250.

[moldyoldie]

If you want to talk injustice in MLB, you have to start with $$$$. Cleveland has a payroll of $67 million, and came within a Game 5 loss to the Yankees who spend $250.

Would you be in favor of a salary cap? Personally, I don't like them. I figure there's a point of diminishing returns anyway as proven quite often, notably by Mr. I's Tigers. Besides, I hate seeing roster decisions made purely based on a player's salary.

[MotorCityRadioFreak]

I hate the wild card. Pre wild card was a lot better.

At present there are two teams, the Padres and Phillies, which ended the regular season 22 and 14 games behind in their respective divisions vying to represent the National League in the World Series. Let that sink in.

It's why I said IF there are to be three divisions in each league, I'd be in favor of a single wild card team from each league. Both the Braves and Mets who tied for the lead in the National League East with 101-61 records would automatically participate in a league playoff. My playoff scheme as delineated earlier in the thread would have neither the Padres nor the Phillies participating.

In my scheme, the American League would have the Yankees (99-63), Indians (92-70), Astros (106-56), and Blue Jays (92-70) in the playoffs.
The National League would have the Braves (101-61), Mets (101-61), Cardinals (93-69), and Dodgers (111-51).

In the oddball season where a division winner would have a subpar record, at least a more deserving team in another division would participate as a wildcard.

That’s who I would have. Guardians-Astros would have made for a great series.

[Bobbert]

I hate the wild card. Pre wild card was a lot better.

At present there are two teams, the Padres and Phillies, which ended the regular season 22 and 14 games behind in their respective divisions vying to represent the National League in the World Series. Let that sink in.

It's why I said IF there are to be three divisions in each league, I'd be in favor of a single wild card team from each league. Both the Braves and Mets who tied for the lead in the National League East with 101-61 records would automatically participate in a league playoff. My playoff scheme as delineated earlier in the thread would have neither the Padres nor the Phillies participating.

In my scheme, the American League would have the Yankees (99-63), Indians (92-70), Astros (106-56), and Blue Jays (92-70) in the playoffs.
The National League would have the Braves (101-61), Mets (101-61), Cardinals (93-69), and Dodgers (111-51).

In the oddball season where a division winner would have a subpar record, at least a more deserving team in another division would participate as a wildcard.

That would have been a reasonable arrangement. Toronto finished seven games out and gave the Yankees a good run for it. It's almost made me accept the single wild card.

With what's left, I'm rooting for the Astros to win. It would give Dusty Baker a World Series win, and help the Astros show that they can win without cheating. The cheating scandal unfortunately took the edge of what has turned out to be a great organization, which lost both its manager and general manager, and still kept winning.