Does the World Series have a credibility problem?

[Jonn]

they are series talking about who win first place at division should get 1 automatic win to start

no more advantages to win division

 

Dodgers would still choke in the first round.

[Marew]

The advantage of being a high seed is playing the low seed.

 

I think the proposal of extra wins was only floated by orioles fans, they are that stupid.

 

I know some of them are amongst us here too.

 

I’ve seen the posts

[jaysblue]

I didn't think an explanation was necessary. This is a pretty dumb question with an obvious answer (literally everyone has responded that there is no issue)

 

Mr. Condescending himself!

[philly30]

Here is an idea, the so called best teams playing like it

[Spanky99]

Mr. Condescending himself!

 

The only thing that was condescending in that exchange was your post, bruh.

[Spanky99]

Here is an idea, the so called best teams playing like it

 

lol... pretty much.

[Boxcar]

No.

 

As long as the Astros have their cheated WS, the answer is yes.

 

North Americans like our playoffs. If baseball was in Europe, team with the best record would just win the WS and that's no fun.

 

Also f*** the Orioles and Orioles hangout

[Spanky99]

As long as the Astros have their cheated WS, the answer is yes.

 

North Americans like our playoffs. If baseball was in Europe, team with the best record would just win the WS and that's no fun.

 

Also f*** the Orioles and Orioles hangout

 

*waves*

[Spanky99]

Yeah the only change I'd make is have the WC round back to a single elimination game again, and push the DS round to best of 7. This season's WC round was pretty boring, and having games on in the early afternoon on weekdays isn't the best idea anyway. Put all the WC games on prime time, winner take all, and then have the DS be a longer round.

 

Day games happen throughout the PS till the WS, though? The only way they can get a 7 game division series is by cutting into the regular season and that just ain't going to happen, the owners would NEVER do it, the format's fine.

Edited October 16, 2023 by Spanky99

[Stangstag]

Day games happen throughout the PS till the WS, though? The only way they can get a 7 game division series is by cutting into the regular season and that just ain't going to happen, the owners would NEVER do it, the format's fine.

 

Yeah shortening the season is the best scenario but like you said, extremely unlikely to happen. Probably all the cheapass owners with no intention of competing would be against it. I could see some owners being FOR the idea, more money after all if you get more playoff games. But thats an IF vs what they already have guaranteed with 162

[Terminator]

I don't know how much the 7 game series would help anyway.

[Boxcar]

From a probabilities lens, any time you expand the length of a series there has to be a better chance for talent to have more impact, and for slumps or hot steaks to normalize. It wont always occur, but over a longer series there are better odds of it no?

 

We would still have the Pat Borders, Pearce, Renteria, Freece, Soler and Eckstein effect from time to time.

 

The Freemans and Betts of the league who struggled this playoffs would have a bit more runway to get rolling.

 

You keep Steve Pearce's name out of your mouth

[mphenhef]

I think an important question we need to ask: does the layoff for the top seeded AL and NL teams play an effect? I know baseball is a game where consistency, routine and timing is important. Does that whole 5 day layoff from getting a bye in the WC round really hurt a team when they play in the DS? Also, factor in that those teams likely are even sitting their star players or pitchers the weekend prior if they've already clinched, so we're talking about likely even a longer layoff than the 5 days.

 

I think that is an issue with the current WC format. If there is anyway where a long layoff like that can be prevented, I think it could help somewhat.

 

if teams truly felt the layoff was impactful they could figure out a way around it. Play simulated games or a split squad game or against a AAA team to keep their timing fresh. I can't imagine this is a difficult problem to solve.

[glory]

Yeah shortening the season is the best scenario but like you said, extremely unlikely to happen. Probably all the cheapass owners with no intention of competing would be against it. I could see some owners being FOR the idea, more money after all if you get more playoff games. But thats an IF vs what they already have guaranteed with 162

 

I recall Manfred mentioning a 154 game season recently when talking about wanting more international games during the regular season, with one owner (Cardinals) being for it. I don't think shortening the regular season is that big of a stretch, although my guess is if it does happen that it will happen when there is expansion and the playoffs become 7 teams in each league like the owners originally wanted.

[Brownie19]

Yeah shortening the season is the best scenario but like you said, extremely unlikely to happen. Probably all the cheapass owners with no intention of competing would be against it. I could see some owners being FOR the idea, more money after all if you get more playoff games. But thats an IF vs what they already have guaranteed with 162

 

I suspect the players would be the ones against it. Fewer games means lower salaries. Would fewer games give you a small bump in the average attendance for Owners? I think 154 would be great - go back to the old days.

[Terminator]

OP is right to ask the question.

 

Baseball is a game filled with small subtleties and randomness unlike any other sport.

 

A 162 game season (or 154 if you prefer) is a great way to determine who the best teams are.

 

A tournament is a HORRIBLE way to determine that. Doesn't matter how many games the series are it will always be horrible.

 

That doesn't mean you can't enjoy the tournament. But once you realize what it is it DOES dampen the credibility of the playoffs.

[Laika]

OP is right to ask the question.

 

Baseball is a game filled with small subtleties and randomness unlike any other sport.

 

A 162 game season (or 154 if you prefer) is a great way to determine who the best teams are.

 

A tournament is a HORRIBLE way to determine that. Doesn't matter how many games the series are it will always be horrible.

 

That doesn't mean you can't enjoy the tournament. But once you realize what it is it DOES dampen the credibility of the playoffs.

 

100%

 

this is why I kind preferred the 1 game wild card thing; it opens up space for the division winners to just always do a 7 game series in all rounds...

 

although they can't do it now because the worst division winner has been bumped to the WC round. So it's just not fair in that sense.

 

Maybe the solution is the elimination of two divisions. So just NL west and east and AL west and east.

 

Then you can give the division winners a bye, have 4 wild card teams do a single elimination round, then go immediately into 7 game series for the rest of the playoffs.

 

We should also return to the short lived nine game World Series!!!! No f***ing off days.

Edited October 19, 2023 by Laika

[deanmike]

If the Jays were still in the playoffs right now, this thread would have been laughed at and instantly locked. Every participation trophy loving Atkins fangirl in here supporting the idea of this thread cannot deny this.

[Terminator]

100%

 

this is why I kind preferred the 1 game wild card thing; it opens up space for the division winners to just always do a 7 game series in all rounds...

 

although they can't do it now because the worst division winner has been bumped to the WC round. So it's just not fair in that sense.

 

Maybe the solution is the elimination of two divisions. So just NL west and east and AL west and east.

 

Then you can give the division winners a bye, have 4 wild card teams do a single elimination round, then go immediately into 7 game series for the rest of the playoffs.

 

We should also return to the short lived nine game World Series!!!! No f***ing off days.

 

Those are good ideas and I think that would strike the right balance between the good things playoff expansion has added (more teams trying, better trade deadlines, casual fan interest is up, etc.) while doing a better job to determine the champs.

 

I do think there is a chance things could change. If we get a few World Series in a row where mediocre teams with tepid national interest play each other (Twins vs. D-Bags or something like that) that is going to lead to some pretty horrible ratings. At that point I think MLB will do something.

[Terminator]

If the Jays were still in the playoffs right now, this thread would have been laughed at and instantly locked. Every participation trophy loving Atkins fangirl in here supporting the idea of this thread cannot deny this.

 

I don't think so Dean. I'm able to separate my fandom of the Jays from discussing the intricacies of the game. All high-level baseball sabremetricians think like this.

[connorp]

Weren’t you guys crying about Baltimore being lucky winning so many games. Would you grant the division to the team with the best xWPCT in that case. You nerds wouldn’t be happy with anything other than if mlb was a roto league

[Laika]

Weren’t you guys crying about Baltimore being lucky winning so many games. Would you grant the division to the team with the best xWPCT in that case. You nerds wouldn’t be happy with anything other than if mlb was a roto league

 

c'mon, meatloaf

 

football's playoff matchups = 1/16 of the season (6.25%)

nhl's playoff matchups = 7/82 of the season (8.54%)

basketball's playoff matchups = 7/82 of the season (8.54%) [ignoring their stupid play in tournament]

 

world series and alcs/nlcs = 7/162 (4.32%)

alds/nlds = 5/162 (3.09%)

 

Relative to regular season length, baseball's postseason matchups are the worst measurement of relative team strength in north american pro sports

[connorp]

c'mon, meatloaf

 

football's playoff matchups = 1/16 of the season (6.25%)

nhl's playoff matchups = 7/82 of the season (8.54%)

basketball's playoff matchups = 7/82 of the season (8.54%) [ignoring their stupid play in tournament]

 

world series and alcs/nlcs = 7/162 (4.32%)

alds/nlds = 5/162 (3.09%)

 

Relative to regular season length, baseball's postseason matchups are the worst measurement of relative team strength in north american pro sports

 

That doesn’t address the problem going by season wins. There’s still randomness that factors in to declaring a champion

[Laika]

The point is not to get rid of it

 

Everyone likes the playoffs, generally speaking. They are exciting.

 

It's just to make the contest a weeeee bit more of a proper test of strength

[Terminator]

That doesn’t address the problem going by season wins. There’s still randomness that factors in to declaring a champion

 

You're making a good point even though you're being purposely obtuse to try and discredit any changes to the current playoff format.

 

A long regular season isn't the perfect way to determine the best team. There's still plenty of randomness and chance involved. It's simply the best way.

[BTS]

Weren’t you guys crying about Baltimore being lucky winning so many games. Would you grant the division to the team with the best xWPCT in that case. You nerds wouldn’t be happy with anything other than if mlb was a roto league

 

connorp, I say this as one of like 3 people here who kind of like you: your incessant "I'm the only smart guy here" posts are completely insufferable.

[Laika]

The Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which people with limited competence in a particular domain overestimate their abilities.

[deanmike]

Weren’t you guys crying about Baltimore being lucky winning so many games. Would you grant the division to the team with the best xWPCT in that case. You nerds wouldn’t be happy with anything other than if mlb was a roto league

 

It's only lucky when it's not their beloved Atkins built Blue Jays teams doing the winning.

[connorp]

The Dunning–Kruger effect is a cognitive bias in which people with limited competence in a particular domain overestimate their abilities.

 

My friend, I’m considering putting all the time into researching all of my theories like the guy from Fantrax. I’m going to submit in under a pseudonym to Fantrax, and then one day be like “guess what bitches” in a big reveal

[connorp]

connorp, I say this as one of like 3 people here who kind of like you: your incessant "I'm the only smart guy here" posts are completely insufferable.

 

Unlike the other posters, when I say anything about nerds, there no animosity. It’s really just to emphasize a point. Board needs a little flair