http://www.foxnews.com/sports/2012/05/17/baseball-owners-approve-playoffs-changes/

Baseball owners approve playoffs changes

Published May 17, 2012

Sports Network

New York, NY – Owners on Thursday approved changes to Major League Baseball's playoff structure for this season, giving the go-ahead for wild card winners to host the first two games of the Division Series.

MLB Commissioner Bud Selig made the announcement.

One wild card berth was added for both leagues in March, creating a one-game playoff to determine the teams that will reach the divisional round -- the first change to MLB's postseason since the six-division, eight-team format was adopted for the 1995 season.

But because the 2012 schedule had already been announced, MLB needed to get rid of a travel day and decided to give the lower-seeded Wild Card winners home field for the first two games of the divisional series.

The 2-3 format will only apply to this season and will revert back to the 2-2-1 schedule in 2013, giving the higher-seeded teams the first two games at home.

The 10-team playoff format was included in the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement, which was announced in November.

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Terrible

They rushed this thing.

One rainout in the last few days and they are completely fucked

Make them travel and play the next night. Teams do it all the time during the regular season. Hell the Sox have to play a night game in St Louis, then fly out to play the Dodgers the following evening. That's baseball. I suppose the teams like the travel days, but whats 1 or 2 extra games with screwry travel arrangements?

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Why the fuck doesn't anyone protest outside of MLB Headquarters?

Occupy Bud

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Someone is going to get screwed in this format leading to stories of what could have been if the format was fair. Just wait to hear from Dusty Baker or Jim Leland if things don't go their way.

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You cannot make me care about the WNBA.

Totally ridiculous.

When this was first announced, I didn't think it was a big deal, but as I've considred it more, I've realized it's complete b.s.

Its not only that. They are counting on no rain at all the last weekend. That's insane.

The WS will go into November again

The only thing I like about the new format is that the division winner will have a decided advantage over the wild card survivor, since both wild card teams will presumably have to use (ie., waste) their best starter in the one-game playoff.

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Yup, and it doesn't have to be like that.

Regular season back to 154 games. Spring Training 18 games tops. Start the regular season last week of March, utilizing as many warm weather/dome stadiums as possible. Schedule as normal, but now there is extra time to do makeup games. Start the playoffs middle of the last week in September, and same thing; Schedule as normal but if there is a rain/snow out the WS can still be finished well before Halloween.

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Owners will never give up 8 games of a season.

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I would like to see scheduled doubleheaders again. Make it where each team is required to play DH every month.

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-- source

+1

I'm old enough to remember classic doubleheaders back in the day. I'm not so sure the owners are all that interested in reviving that though.

I doubt they will ever shorten the season. Too much fuss over records. Owners wont give up 4 gates.


They shouldnt have forced it this year.

They could sneak in another 3 game series with some creative scheduling (How bout some doubleheaders ya lazy fucks?)

Oh look...A hurricane is turning into massive thunderstorms throughout the country.


Im sure none of the 23 teams still in contention will have any rainouts that affect division and WC winners that have to be made up at the end of the season.

Im officially rooting for this to be a total clusterfuck. The World Series might be on Thanksgiving

At least we could watch one Joe Buck free sport.

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Or moved to Miller Park.

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2018
#ExtendLafleur
10 More Wins

Reds may still finish with the best record in baseball yet have to go to 'Frisco for the first two games of the NLDS starting Saturday. Brutal.

Beyond stupid. Not that I am rooting for the reds, but this is a fucking braindead decision.

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Still think this whole thing is horribly stupid...

Go Cards!

As I've allowed more time for this playoff format and some of the rationale behind it to sink in, my strong oposition to it has waned.

I'm sure winning both games in San Fransisco has helped a bit.

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Well, I still think the second wild card was stupid.

Interested to see how this Garcia stuff plays out.

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-- source