Should MLB division series be best-of-7?

• Non

  

  I say yes.
  
  It's too quick for my taste.
  
  I don't care if they extend the playoffs a few more days. I'd rather every round be the same.
• karen lotz

  

  Yes. The format should also be play 2 games in a row, travel day (maybe), play 3 days in a row, travel day (maybe), play 2 days in a row. There is zero reason to have an off day between games 1 and 2 of a series. They play all year every day but all of a sudden there are off days? Another thing that's stupid is the number one seed gets to pick which series they play in. The Phillies were able to pick the NLDS schedule that allowed them to go with their 3 starters only. That's bullshit, each series needs to be same for all the teams.
• justincredible

  

  karen lotz;514131 wrote:Yes. The format should also be play 2 games in a row, travel day (maybe), play 3 days in a row, travel day (maybe), play 2 days in a row. There is zero reason to have an off day between games 1 and 2 of a series.

  
  My thoughts as well.
• Non

  

  I'd even be for adding another team, somehow.
  
  Baseball is the one sport where you can probably add to the playoff field because of the argument for a more level playing field and because the season is so long and you end up with only a few teams battling it out.
  
  Just not sure how to do it. You could have two wild card teams in each league and they each have to play first before getting into the final four. That might be unfair, though, to the team that finishes ahead, especially if they finished ahead by several games.
• ts1227

  

  karen lotz;514131 wrote:Yes. The format should also be play 2 games in a row, travel day (maybe), play 3 days in a row, travel day (maybe), play 2 days in a row. There is zero reason to have an off day between games 1 and 2 of a series. They play all year every day but all of a sudden there are off days? Another thing that's stupid is the number one seed gets to pick which series they play in. The Phillies were able to pick the NLDS schedule that allowed them to go with their 3 starters only. That's bullshit, each series needs to be same for all the teams.

  
  Unfortunately that's what happens with these media contracts... to get as many games on at night as possible while keeping them all on one network (TBS) is retarded. However, for the purposes of ratings they will not play any more day games than necessary, and they will NEVER play 2 at once even if they're on different networks. The Yankees play in the late slot every time while Tampa got 2 1PM games, it's only about ratings, not common scheduling sense.
• Non

  

  I agree with the scheduling changes. I think it might help ratings if they had that pattern.
  
  two games, travel day, three games, travel day, two games
• Tiger2003

  

  karen lotz;514131 wrote: The Phillies were able to pick the NLDS schedule that allowed them to go with their 3 starters only. That's bullshit, each series needs to be same for all the teams.

  
  Thats what you get for having the best record in the NL.
  
  In a way it has to be set up like it is because every game in the Division series is on TBS. So tey have to spread them out a little bit.
• karen lotz

  

  I understand they had the best record in the NL. I'd say it is bullshit if the Braves were in that position. I also realize it has to do with TV ratings too. All I'm saying is its stupid. Baseball is meant to be played every day to test the depth of your team, especially starting pitching. Allowing a team to pick their schedule so they only have to use 3 starting pitchers is bullshit. One of the reasons the Braves didn't have more success in the playoffs is that they were built for the duration of a series. Their 4th and 5th starters in the rotation were much better than other teams. In a drawn out postseason series, all you need is really 2 dominant starters.
• hoops23

  

  If you make it 6 teams from each league I'd say make it 7 games, however, with only 4 teams I think the best of 5 format is best.
  
  The first round is often the best imo, because EACH game is truly meaningful. Some good upsets happen in the divisional round.
• karen lotz

  

  I have seen something from Selig saying he will look at ways to add more teams to the playoffs. Not sure how it would work though. I don't think it will work too well playing baseball in places like New York or Philadelphia in mid November.
• Tiger2003

  

  karen lotz;514293 wrote:I have seen something from Selig saying he will look at ways to add more teams to the playoffs. Not sure how it would work though. I don't think it will work too well playing baseball in places like New York or Philadelphia in mid November.

  
  Better get some Orange baseballs.
• darbypitcher22

  

  Something tells me I'd like to see the divisional series move to seven games... but something also tells me that having a 5 game series puts a lot more strategy into it as far as setting up rotations, post season roster, etc
• Non

  

  Have the regular season end in September. I'm sure they could tighten up the schedule so that there is no spill over regular season the first few days of October.
  
  Then the first three days of October could be used for some type of wild card series or wild card playoff.
  
  The wild card winner then will only have like one day before starting the division series so the wild card team is at a true disadvantage with its pitching.
  
  Oct. 5 - division series starts and runs until roughly Oct. 13 (nine days for a seven game series with two travel days)
  Oct. 16 - championship series starts and runs until roughly Oct. 24
  then the World Series goes slightly into November
• karen lotz

  

  There had been some talk about maybe scheduling 5 or so double headers for each team and eliminating some off days. This would effectively cut 2 weeks off the season. I think it might have been Colin Cowherd at the beginning of the baseball season. It would make sense to do that but there isn't an owner out there that would sacrifice the money to be made at the gate. It about the almighty dollar.
• Non

  

  They let a lot of tickets go to waste, anyway.
  
  You wonder if they would be better off getting people into the ballpark to spend money on concessions, merchandise, etc.
  
  If you take just the Pirates, they end up averaging about 20,000 but a lot of the big crowds are on Saturday night (25,000 to 30,000) and during the week it's usually like 15,000.
  
  And that's similar for a lot of teams that are mediocre to below average. If you put the doubleheaders on weekends the stadium would probably be filled up and it would end up being a decent money maker.
• Non

  

  This might be too many teams but for the playoffs I was thinking six teams in each league.
  
  3 division winners
  3 wild card teams
  
  There would be no more divisional one-game playoffs. That would be decided based on head-to-head or divisional record tiebreakers.
  
  So after the 162-game regular season, three division winners will be established.
  
  Then take the top three teams in the wild card standings and those teams have a mini-tournament.
  
  The third and second place teams play one game, winner moves on and loser is done.
  
  Then the winner of that game plays the top team in the wild card standings. It could just be one more game winner goes to the division series or possibly a scenario where the top wild card team in the standings has to be defeated twice. That would force the second or third team to win three straight just to get into the division series, but still it's better than nothing. And it would give the first wild card team enough of a reward for the regular season performance.
• cview

  Yes yes yes yes yes.
  
  I hate the fact that teams play 6 days a week for months on end and then get bounced because they played like shit one weekend in October. Also not a big fan of the Wild Card. Sure, it adds excitement. But I don't like the idea of the Yankees or Braves(elimintated now) only needing to beat the Rays or Phillies four times before they drop four to advance. Clearly, the division winners were the better team over the course of a 7 month season. The Wild Card winners only need to be the better team over the course of 7 days.
• like_that

  

  I don't see how 6 teams in each league would work. You would have one team waiting out a whole series, which would be a disadvantage for them in my opinion. No point in punishing the team with the better record. If you are gonna expand the playoffs then it would have to be 8 teams, and at that point it would be ridiculous. I see no need for expanding the playoffs. I like the idea after 162 (sometimes 163) games we have our 4 playoff teams in each league.
  
  I like the idea of extending the ALDS/NLDS though. It kind of sucks for a team to battle all season, and have their season end so quickly. The divisional series is a crap shoot in my opinion. Any team can win 3 games in a series. There has been numerous times over the years where the far better team has lost because the inferior team was hot just long enough for 3 wins. In a best of 7 normally the better team comes out as the winner. I say knock back the regular seasons 10-15 games, and extend the divisional series.
• karen lotz

  

  like_that;517284 wrote:I say knock back the regular seasons 10-15 games, and extend the divisional series.

  
  While I agree somewhat with this, it will never happen. Too much money to be lost in those extra 10-15 games.
• Skyhook79

  

  No, getting swept 3-0 is bad enough.