A's - Rangers

[Chef Jim]

 

 

I realize how the current playoff system makes things more exciting for the casual fan. I get it.

 

It's just that I'm a stats nerd, so it bothers me how the long marathon schedule (in which the Law of Large Numbers actually has a chance to work) does such a great job of parsing the good teams from the superior teams...and then the BEST team can be eliminated from losing 3 games in a 5 game series.

 

In the NFL, it's entirely possible that a 10-6 team is superior to a 12-4 team. Small sample size. In baseball, an 87-75 simply isn't the same as a 100-62 team. But they're given the chance now to win a single game and stand on equal ground.

 

I like your idea of 6 teams with byes. I wonder what all that rest would do to the team with the bye, though.

 

Good point on the rest. You know the last thing the A's want right now is a rest.

[CowgirlsFan]

Amazing job by the A's? Quick, name three of them, I thought not. Billy has to be Manager of the year.

 

Donaldson ( my maiden name..no relation that I know)

Parker

Balfour

[KD in CA]

I realize how the current playoff system makes things more exciting for the casual fan. I get it.

 

It's just that I'm a stats nerd, so it bothers me how the long marathon schedule (in which the Law of Large Numbers actually has a chance to work) does such a great job of parsing the good teams from the superior teams...and then the BEST team can be eliminated from losing 3 games in a 5 game series.

 

In the NFL, it's entirely possible that a 10-6 team is superior to a 12-4 team. Small sample size. In baseball, an 87-75 simply isn't the same as a 100-62 team. But they're given the chance now to win a single game and stand on equal ground.

 

I like your idea of 6 teams with byes. I wonder what all that rest would do to the team with the bye, though.

I think a bye would be terrible in baseball. And IMO, the 2d WC is a silly gimmick. The best baseball playoff structure was the one that worked fine for years -- two divisions per league with the division winners playing 7 games for the pennant.

[Chef Jim]

 

I think a bye would be terrible in baseball. And IMO, the 2d WC is a silly gimmick. The best baseball playoff structure was the one that worked fine for years -- two divisions per league with the division winners playing 7 games for the pennant.

 

I disagree. That would be the worst thing for baseball. With only four teams making the playoffs it reduces the chance for tight races down the road like we had. That would probably have rendered yesterday's game between the Rangers and A's meaningless More teams chasing a playoff spot the better. I agree that my bye idea was not the best. Go back to the three divisional winners and one wild card. Once again a one game playoff is just dumb unless it's for a tiebreaker.

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

The best news for the A's, Rangers, Angels and Mariners is that they get 18 games against the Astros next season.

[Chef Jim]

The best news for the A's, Rangers, Angels and Mariners is that they get 18 games against the Astros next season.

 

18?? WTF??

[apuszczalowski]

Speaking of baseball, congrats to Miggy Cabrera on his Triple Crown. How is this not a huge story?

This is all I have heard and seen while watching the last 3 jays games this year

They cut away and go split screen for each of his at bats this week..........

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

18?? WTF??

 

Yeah, teams play just under half their season within the division.

[apuszczalowski]

18?? WTF??

Astros are switching over to the AL and joinging the West, so they get 18 games against them

 

As for the Extra Wild Card, its the reason why so many teams were still in the race this late, and why it was so close this year. Personally, I like the one game showdown to determin the wildcard team, division winners are automatically in, the wildcard is decided by the one game playoff. Maybe if you moved it to a best of 3 series, played at the home field of the higher ranked team so its similar to playing an extra series might be better (having it played in one location would allow them to keep it shortened to a weekend and eliminate travel days that would be a headache if it was between Oakland and Boston for example)?

[bbb]

I loved the new structure. Being a Yankee fan it was really the first time since the Wild Card came into play that I was really dialed into every game in September. Most years it's all locked up by then.

 

I agree with KD - it seemed like the Triple Crown got little fanfare. I actually didn't even know he that it was in play until a few days ago! I would have thought if it ever happened in my lifetime, it would have been huge, like when Pete Rose had his hitting streak or McGuire going after Maris.

 

Is it that news so splintered these days? I don't find out that say a well known football player from the '70s died until weeks later sometimes when I read my outdated SI issue.

[SageAgainstTheMachine]

I loved the new structure. Being a Yankee fan it was really the first time since the Wild Card came into play that I was really dialed into every game in September. Most years it's all locked up by then.

 

I agree with KD - it seemed like the Triple Crown got little fanfare. I actually didn't even know he that it was in play until a few days ago! I would have thought if it ever happened in my lifetime, it would have been huge, like when Pete Rose had his hitting streak or McGuire going after Maris.

 

Is it that news so splintered these days? I don't find out that say a well known football player from the '70s died until weeks later sometimes when I read my outdated SI issue.

 

For being a pretty important sports town, it seems Detroit athletics are treated with relative ambivalence.

[CowgirlsFan]

The best news for the A's, Rangers, Angels and Mariners is that they get 18 games against the Astros next season.

 

Yep...open the season with the Astros

[Chef Jim]

Yeah, teams play just under half their season within the division.

 

I didn't know the Astros were going to the AL.

 

I loved the new structure. Being a Yankee fan it was really the first time since the Wild Card came into play that I was really dialed into every game in September. Most years it's all locked up by then.

 

I agree with KD - it seemed like the Triple Crown got little fanfare. I actually didn't even know he that it was in play until a few days ago! I would have thought if it ever happened in my lifetime, it would have been huge, like when Pete Rose had his hitting streak or McGuire going after Maris.

 

Is it that news so splintered these days? I don't find out that say a well known football player from the '70s died until weeks later sometimes when I read my outdated SI issue.

 

It's becaus he's hispanic.

[Ramius]

This has been a hell of a baseball season for me thusfar. My A's coming from out of nowhere to not only make the playoffs, but sweep the Rangers to outright win the division! Awesome. I was in shock and awe watching the final game yesterday. They simply never quit, and never have all season long. 5 back with 9 to go, and an incredible 4 back with 6 to go and they pull it off. I'm looking forward to the postseason. And to do all of this after trading away Gio, Cahill, and Bailey? And without one of their top pitchers in Brett Anderson? Awesome.

 

Then my boy Buster Posey absolutely blows up. Sure, he had this type fo season in him, but it was totally unexpected coming off such a horrific injury.

 

Then you got Miggy winning the triple crown. I wish more of this was discussed. Its an amazing feat, and something i wasn't sure i'd ever see in my lifetime, given the proliferation of .200 avg - 50 HR types in the bigs.