OnlyBucs

exactly.

I've taken the past few months off from baseball.  My reasons were Bob Nutting and then the unbelievable inability for MLB to accomplish anything once the season was postponed.  Once a 2020 season became likely, I started thinking about the game that I love and how it is destroying itself.  I have all kinds of ideas that will never happen (most of them have to do with Bob, but no sense going there....).  I truly believe there is no problem with the game.  It is not too slow, it is not too long, etc.  Attention spans are not the problem.  The double switch (or whatever) is not the problem.  Instead, most games simply have no meaning. Fans get bored with games that seem to have no purpose.  It doesn't matter if its the NFL or MLB.  Once a team is "out of it", the game and atmosphere takes on an entirely different meaning.



I know people who think they hate baseball.  But they actually love COLLEGE baseball.  They've discovered that when a game has meaning, the rhythm and pace of the game actually adds to the suspense, the nerves, the excitement.  Take somebody to MLB playoffs and its the same thing. 



So I'm breaking with tradition in a different way: not with the game itself, but change the season and playoff format. 



NHL (assume 32 teams with Seattle coming in) plays an 82 game schedule.  There are 16 (the upper 1/2) playoff teams; resulting in 4 rounds, each matchup being best of 7.  The NHL plays (counting Seattle) 1,312 regular season games, leading to a possible 105 playoff games involving a total of 16 teams.  I assume the NBA is about the same.



But MLB plays 2,430 regular season games leading to a possibility of 43 playoff games.  There are 10 teams involved, but two get bounced after one game. This is what needs to be changed.  If MLB wants to fix itself, start with a 105 game schedle (12 games against each team in the division, 6 games against each of other teams; no interleague games).  Top 16 teams make the play offs.  Best of seven for each series.  Start the season two weeks later, end the season on Friday of Labor day weekend.  Begin playoffs on Monday Labor Day with 2 games starting at noon, two at 3:00, 2 at 6:00 and 2 at 9:00 (western TZ).  Make Labor Day weekend all about baseball.



Fans would go crazy.  TV ratings would be through the roof and there would be no more talk about baseball dying. 



It's not impossible (only NEXT to impossible).  If they do expand playoffs this year I think the response will force MLB to reconsider the playoffs. 



I get traditional fans; that's me too.  I understand the implications to records; huge.  But this is about saving the game for the next 140 years or whatever.  MLB probably won't make any good decisions, but there is a good opportunity to reinvent the sport while leaving the game alone.  I think it would be a blast.

4A4D5B535D4A0D01785F55595154165B5755380 wrote: I've taken the past few months off from baseball.  My reasons were Bob Nutting and then the unbelievable inability for MLB to accomplish anything once the season was postponed.  Once a 2020 season became likely, I started thinking about the game that I love and how it is destroying itself.  I have all kinds of ideas that will never happen (most of them have to do with Bob, but no sense going there....).  I truly believe there is no problem with the game.  It is not too slow, it is not too long, etc.  Attention spans are not the problem.  The double switch (or whatever) is not the problem.  Instead, most games simply have no meaning. Fans get bored with games that seem to have no purpose.  It doesn't matter if its the NFL or MLB.  Once a team is "out of it", the game and atmosphere takes on an entirely different meaning.



I know people who think they hate baseball.  But they actually love COLLEGE baseball.  They've discovered that when a game has meaning, the rhythm and pace of the game actually adds to the suspense, the nerves, the excitement.  Take somebody to MLB playoffs and its the same thing. 



So I'm breaking with tradition in a different way: not with the game itself, but change the season and playoff format.  



NHL (assume 32 teams with Seattle coming in) plays an 82 game schedule.  There are 16 (the upper 1/2) playoff teams; resulting in 4 rounds, each matchup being best of 7.  The NHL plays (counting Seattle) 1,312 regular season games, leading to a possible 105 playoff games involving a total of 16 teams.  I assume the NBA is about the same.



But MLB plays 2,430 regular season games leading to a possibility of 43 playoff games.  There are 10 teams involved, but two get bounced after one game. This is what needs to be changed.  If MLB wants to fix itself, start with a 105 game schedle (12 games against each team in the division, 6 games against each of other teams; no interleague games).  Top 16 teams make the play offs.  Best of seven for each series.  Start the season two weeks later, end the season on Friday of Labor day weekend.  Begin playoffs on Monday Labor Day with 2 games starting at noon, two at 3:00, 2 at 6:00 and 2 at 9:00 (western TZ).  Make Labor Day weekend all about baseball.



Fans would go crazy.  TV ratings would be through the roof and there would be no more talk about baseball dying. 



It's not impossible (only NEXT to impossible).  If they do expand playoffs this year I think the response will force MLB to reconsider the playoffs. 



I get traditional fans; that's me too.  I understand the implications to records; huge.  But this is about saving the game for the next 140 years or whatever.  MLB probably won't make any good decisions, but there is a good opportunity to reinvent the sport while leaving the game alone.  I think it would be a blast.


I like this post. I used to think baseball did it right by limiting number of playoff contenders. But football, hockey and basketball systems keep more teams in the hunt. Now in those sports probably at least half the teams in the playoffs are pretenders and have no chance but still fans get excited for the first round.



I like this idea much better than tinkering with the game itself (other than the electronic strike zone).

597F7E697F6F1C0 wrote: I've taken the past few months off from baseball.  My reasons were Bob Nutting and then the unbelievable inability for MLB to accomplish anything once the season was postponed.  Once a 2020 season became likely, I started thinking about the game that I love and how it is destroying itself.  I have all kinds of ideas that will never happen (most of them have to do with Bob, but no sense going there....).  I truly believe there is no problem with the game.  It is not too slow, it is not too long, etc.  Attention spans are not the problem.  The double switch (or whatever) is not the problem.  Instead, most games simply have no meaning. Fans get bored with games that seem to have no purpose.  It doesn't matter if its the NFL or MLB.  Once a team is "out of it", the game and atmosphere takes on an entirely different meaning.



I know people who think they hate baseball.  But they actually love COLLEGE baseball.  They've discovered that when a game has meaning, the rhythm and pace of the game actually adds to the suspense, the nerves, the excitement.  Take somebody to MLB playoffs and its the same thing. 



So I'm breaking with tradition in a different way: not with the game itself, but change the season and playoff format.  



NHL (assume 32 teams with Seattle coming in) plays an 82 game schedule.  There are 16 (the upper 1/2) playoff teams; resulting in 4 rounds, each matchup being best of 7.  The NHL plays (counting Seattle) 1,312 regular season games, leading to a possible 105 playoff games involving a total of 16 teams.  I assume the NBA is about the same.



But MLB plays 2,430 regular season games leading to a possibility of 43 playoff games.  There are 10 teams involved, but two get bounced after one game. This is what needs to be changed.  If MLB wants to fix itself, start with a 105 game schedle (12 games against each team in the division, 6 games against each of other teams; no interleague games).  Top 16 teams make the play offs.  Best of seven for each series.  Start the season two weeks later, end the season on Friday of Labor day weekend.  Begin playoffs on Monday Labor Day with 2 games starting at noon, two at 3:00, 2 at 6:00 and 2 at 9:00 (western TZ).  Make Labor Day weekend all about baseball.



Fans would go crazy.  TV ratings would be through the roof and there would be no more talk about baseball dying. 



It's not impossible (only NEXT to impossible).  If they do expand playoffs this year I think the response will force MLB to reconsider the playoffs. 



I get traditional fans; that's me too.  I understand the implications to records; huge.  But this is about saving the game for the next 140 years or whatever.  MLB probably won't make any good decisions, but there is a good opportunity to reinvent the sport while leaving the game alone.  I think it would be a blast.


I like this post.  I used to think baseball did it right by limiting number of playoff contenders.  But football, hockey and basketball systems keep more teams in the hunt.  Now in those sports probably at least half the teams in the playoffs are pretenders and have no chance but still fans get excited for the first round.



I like this idea much better than tinkering with the game itself (other than the electronic strike zone).


Yep.  Bottom line, I'd rather rethink schedules than do something totally ridiculous like the DH or (ack!) place a runner on 2nd in extra innings. 



We'll get a chance to test this: I'm betting that despite all the complaints, there will be an excitement for all of these 60 games that otherwise only appears in a tight Sept race. If the playoffs are expanded, I think fans will be all over MLB.



I think it's going to be fun.



(Hey - I just noticed something that is probably a million to one chance - when EcBucs responded to my post it made our total posts exactly the same - 2751 posts for both of us.  This reply by me moved my total to 2752.  In the entire history of the internet I bet nothing like this has ever happened!

414650585641060A73545E525A5F1D505C5E330 wrote: I've taken the past few months off from baseball.  My reasons were Bob Nutting and then the unbelievable inability for MLB to accomplish anything once the season was postponed.  Once a 2020 season became likely, I started thinking about the game that I love and how it is destroying itself.  I have all kinds of ideas that will never happen (most of them have to do with Bob, but no sense going there....).  I truly believe there is no problem with the game.  It is not too slow, it is not too long, etc.  Attention spans are not the problem.  The double switch (or whatever) is not the problem.  Instead, most games simply have no meaning. Fans get bored with games that seem to have no purpose.  It doesn't matter if its the NFL or MLB.  Once a team is "out of it", the game and atmosphere takes on an entirely different meaning.



I know people who think they hate baseball.  But they actually love COLLEGE baseball.  They've discovered that when a game has meaning, the rhythm and pace of the game actually adds to the suspense, the nerves, the excitement.  Take somebody to MLB playoffs and its the same thing. 



So I'm breaking with tradition in a different way: not with the game itself, but change the season and playoff format.  



NHL (assume 32 teams with Seattle coming in) plays an 82 game schedule.  There are 16 (the upper 1/2) playoff teams; resulting in 4 rounds, each matchup being best of 7.  The NHL plays (counting Seattle) 1,312 regular season games, leading to a possible 105 playoff games involving a total of 16 teams.  I assume the NBA is about the same.



But MLB plays 2,430 regular season games leading to a possibility of 43 playoff games.  There are 10 teams involved, but two get bounced after one game. This is what needs to be changed.  If MLB wants to fix itself, start with a 105 game schedle (12 games against each team in the division, 6 games against each of other teams; no interleague games).  Top 16 teams make the play offs.  Best of seven for each series.  Start the season two weeks later, end the season on Friday of Labor day weekend.  Begin playoffs on Monday Labor Day with 2 games starting at noon, two at 3:00, 2 at 6:00 and 2 at 9:00 (western TZ).  Make Labor Day weekend all about baseball.



Fans would go crazy.  TV ratings would be through the roof and there would be no more talk about baseball dying. 



It's not impossible (only NEXT to impossible).  If they do expand playoffs this year I think the response will force MLB to reconsider the playoffs. 



I get traditional fans; that's me too.  I understand the implications to records; huge.  But this is about saving the game for the next 140 years or whatever.  MLB probably won't make any good decisions, but there is a good opportunity to reinvent the sport while leaving the game alone.  I think it would be a blast.


At first thought, your 105-game season idea (actually, it adds up to 106 games) wasn't one that I thought had merit because baseball's long season, for me, has always been wonderful.  There's something about taking from early spring, through the entire summer, and a month of the fall to determine a champion that is so fulfilling.  But, admittedly, when one's team is bad, it becomes somewhat frustrating watching as fans with contending teams are having all the fun.



After thinking about it, when one's favorite team is bad, a 106-game season would be no different than a 162-game season.  Either way, that team is out of consideration by September 1.  It's just now the day-to-day slogging through the final month of losing baseball is over. But in your scenario, for the fans of the teams now in the playoffs, the excitement of September baseball is greater than ever.



And while 106 games isn't the marathon that is 162 games, it's still enough to satisfy, especially knowing four, seven-game playoff rounds would await.  The first round between the league's best and worst teams, on the surface, might seem like a waste of time, but what we all know is that, in baseball, above all other sports, winning a series is the most difficult.  We see it all the time during the season when a bad team beats a good team two out of three in a series.  First round series' in baseball would be more unpredictable than any other sport.



Hockey's playoffs are the best of all the sports.  A team that wins four rounds has earned it like no other team in any sport.  Many would say the same about a baseball team that wins out over 162 games and then the World Series.  But in baseball, the winning team may not play the Wildcard game so they get a pass in what amounts to the first round.  Playing a shorter regular season, and then having to win four, seven-game series', I think, would be a greater, more satisfying feat.



I love how you constructed the schedule, eliminating Interleague games.  106 games, all within the league, puts far greater emphasis on winning those games, and sorts out better which teams have earned a higher seeding for the playoffs. 



Of course, the owners would never go for your idea.  Giving up the revenue that comes with the additional 56 games currently played would never fly with them.  But, if those revenues would be equaled by the extra money made by between 56 and 112 playoff games, upwards of another entire season of games, they'd be foolish not to consider it. 



I'm a solid traditionalist, but I think your idea is something to seriously think about.

282F39313F286F631A3D373B3336743935375A0 wrote: I've taken the past few months off from baseball.  My reasons were Bob Nutting and then the unbelievable inability for MLB to accomplish anything once the season was postponed.  Once a 2020 season became likely, I started thinking about the game that I love and how it is destroying itself.  I have all kinds of ideas that will never happen (most of them have to do with Bob, but no sense going there....).  I truly believe there is no problem with the game.  It is not too slow, it is not too long, etc.  Attention spans are not the problem.  The double switch (or whatever) is not the problem.  Instead, most games simply have no meaning. Fans get bored with games that seem to have no purpose.  It doesn't matter if its the NFL or MLB.  Once a team is "out of it", the game and atmosphere takes on an entirely different meaning.



I know people who think they hate baseball.  But they actually love COLLEGE baseball.  They've discovered that when a game has meaning, the rhythm and pace of the game actually adds to the suspense, the nerves, the excitement.  Take somebody to MLB playoffs and its the same thing. 



So I'm breaking with tradition in a different way: not with the game itself, but change the season and playoff format.  



NHL (assume 32 teams with Seattle coming in) plays an 82 game schedule.  There are 16 (the upper 1/2) playoff teams; resulting in 4 rounds, each matchup being best of 7.  The NHL plays (counting Seattle) 1,312 regular season games, leading to a possible 105 playoff games involving a total of 16 teams.  I assume the NBA is about the same.



But MLB plays 2,430 regular season games leading to a possibility of 43 playoff games.  There are 10 teams involved, but two get bounced after one game. This is what needs to be changed.  If MLB wants to fix itself, start with a 105 game schedle (12 games against each team in the division, 6 games against each of other teams; no interleague games).  Top 16 teams make the play offs.  Best of seven for each series.  Start the season two weeks later, end the season on Friday of Labor day weekend.  Begin playoffs on Monday Labor Day with 2 games starting at noon, two at 3:00, 2 at 6:00 and 2 at 9:00 (western TZ).  Make Labor Day weekend all about baseball.



Fans would go crazy.  TV ratings would be through the roof and there would be no more talk about baseball dying. 



It's not impossible (only NEXT to impossible).  If they do expand playoffs this year I think the response will force MLB to reconsider the playoffs. 



I get traditional fans; that's me too.  I understand the implications to records; huge.  But this is about saving the game for the next 140 years or whatever.  MLB probably won't make any good decisions, but there is a good opportunity to reinvent the sport while leaving the game alone.  I think it would be a blast.
VA, I don't want to nitpick, because I agree with the heart of your message: reduce the games in the regular season and expand the playoffs. But because there is an uneven number of teams in each league, avoiding interleague play is impossible. You would have two teams not playing on the prime weekend attendance days.

792F392D223828232E390B2C262A222765284B0 wrote: I've taken the past few months off from baseball.  My reasons were Bob Nutting and then the unbelievable inability for MLB to accomplish anything once the season was postponed.  Once a 2020 season became likely, I started thinking about the game that I love and how it is destroying itself.  I have all kinds of ideas that will never happen (most of them have to do with Bob, but no sense going there....).  I truly believe there is no problem with the game.  It is not too slow, it is not too long, etc.  Attention spans are not the problem.  The double switch (or whatever) is not the problem.  Instead, most games simply have no meaning. Fans get bored with games that seem to have no purpose.  It doesn't matter if its the NFL or MLB.  Once a team is "out of it", the game and atmosphere takes on an entirely different meaning.



I know people who think they hate baseball.  But they actually love COLLEGE baseball.  They've discovered that when a game has meaning, the rhythm and pace of the game actually adds to the suspense, the nerves, the excitement.  Take somebody to MLB playoffs and its the same thing. 



So I'm breaking with tradition in a different way: not with the game itself, but change the season and playoff format.  



NHL (assume 32 teams with Seattle coming in) plays an 82 game schedule.  There are 16 (the upper 1/2) playoff teams; resulting in 4 rounds, each matchup being best of 7.  The NHL plays (counting Seattle) 1,312 regular season games, leading to a possible 105 playoff games involving a total of 16 teams.  I assume the NBA is about the same.



But MLB plays 2,430 regular season games leading to a possibility of 43 playoff games.  There are 10 teams involved, but two get bounced after one game. This is what needs to be changed.  If MLB wants to fix itself, start with a 105 game schedle (12 games against each team in the division, 6 games against each of other teams; no interleague games).  Top 16 teams make the play offs.  Best of seven for each series.  Start the season two weeks later, end the season on Friday of Labor day weekend.  Begin playoffs on Monday Labor Day with 2 games starting at noon, two at 3:00, 2 at 6:00 and 2 at 9:00 (western TZ).  Make Labor Day weekend all about baseball.



Fans would go crazy.  TV ratings would be through the roof and there would be no more talk about baseball dying. 



It's not impossible (only NEXT to impossible).  If they do expand playoffs this year I think the response will force MLB to reconsider the playoffs. 



I get traditional fans; that's me too.  I understand the implications to records; huge.  But this is about saving the game for the next 140 years or whatever.  MLB probably won't make any good decisions, but there is a good opportunity to reinvent the sport while leaving the game alone.  I think it would be a blast.


At first thought, your 105-game season idea (actually, it adds up to 106 games) wasn't one that I thought had merit because baseball's long season, for me, has always been wonderful.  There's something about taking from early spring, through the entire summer, and a month of the fall to determine a champion that is so fulfilling.  But, admittedly, when one's team is bad, it becomes somewhat frustrating watching as fans with contending teams are having all the fun.



After thinking about it, when one's favorite team is bad, a 106-game season would be no different than a 162-game season.  Either way, that team is out of consideration by September 1.  It's just now the day-to-day slogging through the final month of losing baseball is over.  But in your scenario, for the fans of the teams now in the playoffs, the excitement of September baseball is greater than ever.



And while 106 games isn't the marathon that is 162 games, it's still enough to satisfy, especially knowing four, seven-game playoff rounds would await.  The first round between the league's best and worst teams, on the surface, might seem like a waste of time, but what we all know is that, in baseball, above all other sports, winning a series is the most difficult.  We see it all the time during the season when a bad team beats a good team two out of three in a series.  First round series' in baseball would be more unpredictable than any other sport.



Hockey's playoffs are the best of all the sports.  A team that wins four rounds has earned it like no other team in any sport.  Many would say the same about a baseball team that wins out over 162 games and then the World Series.  But in baseball, the winning team may not play the Wildcard game so they get a pass in what amounts to the first round.  Playing a shorter regular season, and then having to win four, seven-game series', I think, would be a greater, more satisfying feat.



I love how you constructed the schedule, eliminating Interleague games.  106 games, all within the league, puts far greater emphasis on winning those games, and sorts out better which teams have earned a higher seeding for the playoffs. 



Of course, the owners would never go for your idea.  Giving up the revenue that comes with the additional 56 games currently played would never fly with them.  But, if those revenues would be equaled by the extra money made by between 56 and 112 playoff games, upwards of another entire season of games, they'd be foolish not to consider it. 



I'm a solid traditionalist, but I think your idea is something to seriously think about.


The reality is, neither the owners or the union would go for this because of short term thinking. But there could be serious financial benefit. League-wide Average attendance would go up Significantly. TV rights, frankly, would become more valuable (due to many more playoff games). Player careers would be extended, especially pitchers. Most importantly, it would give baseball a fresh re-start.



My hope (and expectation) was expanded playoffs this year. If the owners and union witnessed the success I believe would result, MAYBE they could do a lot of “thinking outside the box” next year for the new CBA. I think there is still the possibility of expanded playoffs.

426863536472727E110 wrote: I've taken the past few months off from baseball.  My reasons were Bob Nutting and then the unbelievable inability for MLB to accomplish anything once the season was postponed.  Once a 2020 season became likely, I started thinking about the game that I love and how it is destroying itself.  I have all kinds of ideas that will never happen (most of them have to do with Bob, but no sense going there....).  I truly believe there is no problem with the game.  It is not too slow, it is not too long, etc.  Attention spans are not the problem.  The double switch (or whatever) is not the problem.  Instead, most games simply have no meaning. Fans get bored with games that seem to have no purpose.  It doesn't matter if its the NFL or MLB.  Once a team is "out of it", the game and atmosphere takes on an entirely different meaning.



I know people who think they hate baseball.  But they actually love COLLEGE baseball.  They've discovered that when a game has meaning, the rhythm and pace of the game actually adds to the suspense, the nerves, the excitement.  Take somebody to MLB playoffs and its the same thing. 



So I'm breaking with tradition in a different way: not with the game itself, but change the season and playoff format.  



NHL (assume 32 teams with Seattle coming in) plays an 82 game schedule.  There are 16 (the upper 1/2) playoff teams; resulting in 4 rounds, each matchup being best of 7.  The NHL plays (counting Seattle) 1,312 regular season games, leading to a possible 105 playoff games involving a total of 16 teams.  I assume the NBA is about the same.



But MLB plays 2,430 regular season games leading to a possibility of 43 playoff games.  There are 10 teams involved, but two get bounced after one game. This is what needs to be changed.  If MLB wants to fix itself, start with a 105 game schedle (12 games against each team in the division, 6 games against each of other teams; no interleague games).  Top 16 teams make the play offs.  Best of seven for each series.  Start the season two weeks later, end the season on Friday of Labor day weekend.  Begin playoffs on Monday Labor Day with 2 games starting at noon, two at 3:00, 2 at 6:00 and 2 at 9:00 (western TZ).  Make Labor Day weekend all about baseball.



Fans would go crazy.  TV ratings would be through the roof and there would be no more talk about baseball dying. 



It's not impossible (only NEXT to impossible).  If they do expand playoffs this year I think the response will force MLB to reconsider the playoffs. 



I get traditional fans; that's me too.  I understand the implications to records; huge.  But this is about saving the game for the next 140 years or whatever.  MLB probably won't make any good decisions, but there is a good opportunity to reinvent the sport while leaving the game alone.  I think it would be a blast.
VA, I don't want to nitpick, because I agree with the heart of your message: reduce the games in the regular season and expand the playoffs. But because there is an uneven number of teams in each league, avoiding interleague play is impossible. You would have two teams not playing on the prime weekend attendance days.


Good catch. You know, that may be the issue that could actually make this impossible idea possible: to solve the odd team problem expand each league by one team. MLB would be 32 like the other leagues. Scheduling would be even. More jobs for the union and more money than the owners can imagine.



Like Doc said above - I use to think NHL made a huge mistake in their 16 team, 4 rounds, best of seven. Not any more - NHL playoffs are probably the most exciting sport played. That could be baseball. Nothing slow about playoff baseball. The pace, when games matter, is perfect for drama.

4C4B5D555B4C0B077E59535F5752105D51533E0 wrote: I've taken the past few months off from baseball.  My reasons were Bob Nutting and then the unbelievable inability for MLB to accomplish anything once the season was postponed.  Once a 2020 season became likely, I started thinking about the game that I love and how it is destroying itself.  I have all kinds of ideas that will never happen (most of them have to do with Bob, but no sense going there....).  I truly believe there is no problem with the game.  It is not too slow, it is not too long, etc.  Attention spans are not the problem.  The double switch (or whatever) is not the problem.  Instead, most games simply have no meaning. Fans get bored with games that seem to have no purpose.  It doesn't matter if its the NFL or MLB.  Once a team is "out of it", the game and atmosphere takes on an entirely different meaning.



I know people who think they hate baseball.  But they actually love COLLEGE baseball.  They've discovered that when a game has meaning, the rhythm and pace of the game actually adds to the suspense, the nerves, the excitement.  Take somebody to MLB playoffs and its the same thing. 



So I'm breaking with tradition in a different way: not with the game itself, but change the season and playoff format.  



NHL (assume 32 teams with Seattle coming in) plays an 82 game schedule.  There are 16 (the upper 1/2) playoff teams; resulting in 4 rounds, each matchup being best of 7.  The NHL plays (counting Seattle) 1,312 regular season games, leading to a possible 105 playoff games involving a total of 16 teams.  I assume the NBA is about the same.



But MLB plays 2,430 regular season games leading to a possibility of 43 playoff games.  There are 10 teams involved, but two get bounced after one game. This is what needs to be changed.  If MLB wants to fix itself, start with a 105 game schedle (12 games against each team in the division, 6 games against each of other teams; no interleague games).  Top 16 teams make the play offs.  Best of seven for each series.  Start the season two weeks later, end the season on Friday of Labor day weekend.  Begin playoffs on Monday Labor Day with 2 games starting at noon, two at 3:00, 2 at 6:00 and 2 at 9:00 (western TZ).  Make Labor Day weekend all about baseball.



Fans would go crazy.  TV ratings would be through the roof and there would be no more talk about baseball dying. 



It's not impossible (only NEXT to impossible).  If they do expand playoffs this year I think the response will force MLB to reconsider the playoffs. 



I get traditional fans; that's me too.  I understand the implications to records; huge.  But this is about saving the game for the next 140 years or whatever.  MLB probably won't make any good decisions, but there is a good opportunity to reinvent the sport while leaving the game alone.  I think it would be a blast.


At first thought, your 105-game season idea (actually, it adds up to 106 games) wasn't one that I thought had merit because baseball's long season, for me, has always been wonderful.  There's something about taking from early spring, through the entire summer, and a month of the fall to determine a champion that is so fulfilling.  But, admittedly, when one's team is bad, it becomes somewhat frustrating watching as fans with contending teams are having all the fun.



After thinking about it, when one's favorite team is bad, a 106-game season would be no different than a 162-game season.  Either way, that team is out of consideration by September 1.  It's just now the day-to-day slogging through the final month of losing baseball is over.  But in your scenario, for the fans of the teams now in the playoffs, the excitement of September baseball is greater than ever.



And while 106 games isn't the marathon that is 162 games, it's still enough to satisfy, especially knowing four, seven-game playoff rounds would await.  The first round between the league's best and worst teams, on the surface, might seem like a waste of time, but what we all know is that, in baseball, above all other sports, winning a series is the most difficult.  We see it all the time during the season when a bad team beats a good team two out of three in a series.  First round series' in baseball would be more unpredictable than any other sport.



Hockey's playoffs are the best of all the sports.  A team that wins four rounds has earned it like no other team in any sport.  Many would say the same about a baseball team that wins out over 162 games and then the World Series.  But in baseball, the winning team may not play the Wildcard game so they get a pass in what amounts to the first round.  Playing a shorter regular season, and then having to win four, seven-game series', I think, would be a greater, more satisfying feat.



I love how you constructed the schedule, eliminating Interleague games.  106 games, all within the league, puts far greater emphasis on winning those games, and sorts out better which teams have earned a higher seeding for the playoffs. 



Of course, the owners would never go for your idea.  Giving up the revenue that comes with the additional 56 games currently played would never fly with them.  But, if those revenues would be equaled by the extra money made by between 56 and 112 playoff games, upwards of another entire season of games, they'd be foolish not to consider it. 



I'm a solid traditionalist, but I think your idea is something to seriously think about.


The reality is, neither the owners or the union would go for this because of short term thinking.  But there could be serious financial benefit.  League-wide Average attendance would go up Significantly.  TV rights, frankly, would become more valuable (due to many more playoff games).  Player careers would be extended, especially pitchers.  Most importantly, it would give baseball a fresh re-start. 



My hope (and expectation) was expanded playoffs this year.  If the owners and union witnessed the success I believe would result, MAYBE they could do a lot of “thinking outside the box” next year for the new CBA. I think there is still the possibility of expanded playoffs. 


Agreed. I don't see the owners or the union wanting to make big or daring changes to a current arrangement that is making both sides more money than ever before. Why rock that boat?

154355414E54444F425567404A464E4B0944270 wrote: I've taken the past few months off from baseball.  My reasons were Bob Nutting and then the unbelievable inability for MLB to accomplish anything once the season was postponed.  Once a 2020 season became likely, I started thinking about the game that I love and how it is destroying itself.  I have all kinds of ideas that will never happen (most of them have to do with Bob, but no sense going there....).  I truly believe there is no problem with the game.  It is not too slow, it is not too long, etc.  Attention spans are not the problem.  The double switch (or whatever) is not the problem.  Instead, most games simply have no meaning. Fans get bored with games that seem to have no purpose.  It doesn't matter if its the NFL or MLB.  Once a team is "out of it", the game and atmosphere takes on an entirely different meaning.



I know people who think they hate baseball.  But they actually love COLLEGE baseball.  They've discovered that when a game has meaning, the rhythm and pace of the game actually adds to the suspense, the nerves, the excitement.  Take somebody to MLB playoffs and its the same thing. 



So I'm breaking with tradition in a different way: not with the game itself, but change the season and playoff format.  



NHL (assume 32 teams with Seattle coming in) plays an 82 game schedule.  There are 16 (the upper 1/2) playoff teams; resulting in 4 rounds, each matchup being best of 7.  The NHL plays (counting Seattle) 1,312 regular season games, leading to a possible 105 playoff games involving a total of 16 teams.  I assume the NBA is about the same.



But MLB plays 2,430 regular season games leading to a possibility of 43 playoff games.  There are 10 teams involved, but two get bounced after one game. This is what needs to be changed.  If MLB wants to fix itself, start with a 105 game schedle (12 games against each team in the division, 6 games against each of other teams; no interleague games).  Top 16 teams make the play offs.  Best of seven for each series.  Start the season two weeks later, end the season on Friday of Labor day weekend.  Begin playoffs on Monday Labor Day with 2 games starting at noon, two at 3:00, 2 at 6:00 and 2 at 9:00 (western TZ).  Make Labor Day weekend all about baseball.



Fans would go crazy.  TV ratings would be through the roof and there would be no more talk about baseball dying. 



It's not impossible (only NEXT to impossible).  If they do expand playoffs this year I think the response will force MLB to reconsider the playoffs. 



I get traditional fans; that's me too.  I understand the implications to records; huge.  But this is about saving the game for the next 140 years or whatever.  MLB probably won't make any good decisions, but there is a good opportunity to reinvent the sport while leaving the game alone.  I think it would be a blast.


At first thought, your 105-game season idea (actually, it adds up to 106 games) wasn't one that I thought had merit because baseball's long season, for me, has always been wonderful.  There's something about taking from early spring, through the entire summer, and a month of the fall to determine a champion that is so fulfilling.  But, admittedly, when one's team is bad, it becomes somewhat frustrating watching as fans with contending teams are having all the fun.



After thinking about it, when one's favorite team is bad, a 106-game season would be no different than a 162-game season.  Either way, that team is out of consideration by September 1.  It's just now the day-to-day slogging through the final month of losing baseball is over.  But in your scenario, for the fans of the teams now in the playoffs, the excitement of September baseball is greater than ever.



And while 106 games isn't the marathon that is 162 games, it's still enough to satisfy, especially knowing four, seven-game playoff rounds would await.  The first round between the league's best and worst teams, on the surface, might seem like a waste of time, but what we all know is that, in baseball, above all other sports, winning a series is the most difficult.  We see it all the time during the season when a bad team beats a good team two out of three in a series.  First round series' in baseball would be more unpredictable than any other sport.



Hockey's playoffs are the best of all the sports.  A team that wins four rounds has earned it like no other team in any sport.  Many would say the same about a baseball team that wins out over 162 games and then the World Series.  But in baseball, the winning team may not play the Wildcard game so they get a pass in what amounts to the first round.  Playing a shorter regular season, and then having to win four, seven-game series', I think, would be a greater, more satisfying feat.



I love how you constructed the schedule, eliminating Interleague games.  106 games, all within the league, puts far greater emphasis on winning those games, and sorts out better which teams have earned a higher seeding for the playoffs. 



Of course, the owners would never go for your idea.  Giving up the revenue that comes with the additional 56 games currently played would never fly with them.  But, if those revenues would be equaled by the extra money made by between 56 and 112 playoff games, upwards of another entire season of games, they'd be foolish not to consider it. 



I'm a solid traditionalist, but I think your idea is something to seriously think about.
Great article in todays PG about Jeff Bannister- think you guys will like it- all except Wennie of course