Should MLB restructure its playoff format?

[CrimsonTribe]

Then whats the point of playing the most amount of games in all sports and having the least amount of teams in the playoffs? So that means we shouldn't reward the Padres winning there division with a sub .500 record then? And .500 record can show how tough some divisions can be, especially the NLW from last year and one point about a 1/3 season all 5 or 4 teams were over .500.

More games are played b/c baseball is less demanding than other sports. I'm sure that if it was feasible the other sports would too. The beauty of playing more games is that it allows the cream to rise to the top with more certainty. More games played = bigger sample size to show who the best is. Then, if we're more certain who the best teams are, only let them in. Plus, like I said earlier, baseball is more open to variance (another reason to play more games), so worse teams have a much better shot of winning a series unlike other sports. Therefore, we should only let the most deserving teams in.

[GiantsFanatic]

Then what about a 6 team format like the NFL? Rewarding the top 2 teams a bye. After all MLB has already stole the "Wild Card" term from the NFL, so why not the same format.

[HollywoodLeo]

There has been teams in the NBA who have made it in the playoff with a sub .500 record, there is no problem with there format, nfl teams have made it to the playoffs with a 8-8 record, should those sports restructure there playoff format?

"but they do it too" is not a good argument.

Give me some good reasons why we should have a 16 team playoff, I don't care what the NFL and the NBA does.

If you want to convince me that this is a good idea you have to tell me what it will provide, and it'll have to be so good as to overcome the atrocity of 2-5 crappy teams having a viable shot at the World Series.

[Halladay_is_God]

in the NFL the other division winner still gets in the playoffs, it still will allow sub 500 teams in the playoffs (for baseball) that don't belong.

[GiantsFanatic]

Because its pretty ****ed up after playing 162 games only 4 teams make it to the playoffs, you work your ass off for this? Even a 6 team playoff would help, because its just stupid to see teams miss the playoffs after having a good year winning 90+ games. Thats why a 6 or 8 team playoffs would help, 6 would just be better because your rewarding the top 2 teams to rest up, and set there pitching rotation.

[HollywoodLeo]

12 team (6 per league) might be fine

16 would be taking it way too far.

I'll crunch the numbers for a 12 team format.

[love_that_reefer]

Two words. Hell no!!!!! MLB has THE best playoff structure in all of the major sports. The NFL and NBA playoffs are way too long with way too many teams. It really bores the hell out of me. Every sport needs to adopt the MLB playoffs. Having the Super Bowl in February now is just dumb as hell. Get the shit over with already!

[HollywoodLeo]

The 1997 Tigers (79-83) are the only sub-.500 team that would have made the playoffs under a 12 team playoff format since 1995.

I'd rather keep it as is, but I wouldn't argue it too much.

16 teams is way too much.

[HollywoodLeo]

The 1997 Tigers (79-83) are the only sub-.500 team that would have made the playoffs under a 12 team playoff format since 1995.

I'd rather keep it as is, but I wouldn't argue it too much.

16 teams is way too much.

quoting myself to add, however, that you'd have to shorten the season to do this.

You're adding an extra week of playoffs here.

There's also the risk of those bye teams getting cold waiting for the first round to finish.

[GiantsFanatic]

I dont know you guys, I just dont like the 4 teams making it the playoff thing, but I dont the NBA is too long, hell I rather see more playoff games then less playoff games. And NFL isn't that long either, but yea I do have a problem with the SB being played in Febuary though definetly should be in January.

[GiantsFanatic]

quoting myself to add, however, that you'd have to shorten the season to do this.

You're adding an extra week of playoffs here.

There's also the risk of those bye teams getting cold waiting for the first round to finish.

Isn't the baseball too long as it is to begin with? Shorten it to like 154 games or something, plus the 1st round in a 6 team format would be best out of 5.

[love_that_reefer]

More playoff games? I was sick and tired of it after the first round. Too many games is too many games. I don't want to see NFL teams that are 8-8 playing in the playoffs and I really don't want teams under .500 from the Eastern Conference playing for the NBA finals.

[HollywoodLeo]

I think the NFL playoffs are fine.

I agree that there are too many teams in the NBA playoffs.

[Halladay_is_God]

8 teams out of 30 is great as it is, that's still a little over 25% of the teams making the playoffs, that's more than enough.

[Fishercat]

It's even worse to have a 100 win season ended in two games because your 79-83 opponent happened to get two great starts.