MLB Master Thread

[Redbull3]

Maybe I am in the minority, but I for one like the idea. I've seen it bandied about by hockey, and it's already been implemented in a European Hockey League.

Why I like it:
- The Playoff Draft Show + The Intrigue of who they pick - does the top seed always pick the worst seed, or do they go for the better matchup? Is the better matchup the one team you're more likely to beat, or the one that screws over your biggest rival?
- It makes more buyers at the trade deadline

Why I don't think it will work:
- It will add a week to the season, which means that either the MLBPA or the owners will have to make schedule concessions.

I am lukewarm on it tbh, it's getting way more hate than it should. I do like picking your opponent, actually.
I don't love 14 playoff teams, I think playoffs are crapshoot enough, that more teams in playoffs is a penalty on those elite 100+ win teams that make it even less likely they win it all. The bye and the picking your opponent stuff helps, but if you're like the 2nd or 3rd best team in the league, this change hurts your chances a lot and I don't love that.

[mercaz1]

do you think they add 2 new teams so now there will be 32 teams so having 14 in the playoffs is not that bad?

[Dan]

Absurd for the 2nd seed team to have a 162 season come down to a best of 3.

[Redbull3]

Absurd for the 2nd seed team to have a 162 season come down to a best of 3.

Right, this is my biggest gripe essentially.

[Mootkim]

Absurd for the 2nd seed team to have a 162 season come down to a best of 3.

Why is that more absurd than the one game wild card game?

[Ergel]

Why is that more absurd than the one game wild card game?

Because that is for 4th/5th best team (though that's not really true...can be wild card and second best record).
I don't think this is that bad - you get 3 home games. You get to choose your opponent. I like how it makes the 1 seed so valuable. I LOVE picking your opponent

[Mootkim]

(though that's not really true...can be wild card and second best record).

Exactly my point. The wild card team can be the team with the second best record in the entire league and still be subjected to a one game playoff after a 162 game season.

[Dan]

Exactly my point. The wild card team can be the team with the second best record in the entire league and still be subjected to a one game playoff after a 162 game season.

They're still a wild card team. Technically they shouldn't be making the playoffs, so I don't have a problem with a one game playoff.
Subjecting the number 2 seed to a best of 3 is silly.

[Yonah]

They're still a wild card team. Technically they shouldn't be making the playoffs, so I don't have a problem with a one game playoff.
Subjecting the number 2 seed to a best of 3 is silly.

The definition of the Wild Card is that they make the playoffs. That's the way it works.  I would also beg to differ that the first or second wild card can theoretically have better records than the other two division winners, so technically, they should make the playoffs.

[Yehuda57]

Rule changes for the 2020 season were announced today by @MLB. pic.twitter.com/cXZrFzHv3F

— MLB Communications (@MLB_PR) February 12, 2020

[Yonah]

how will it add a week to the season
the 3 game series will be right after the season ends and then one day off and the next series will start
the same amount of time that the tie breaker and wild card game are now

Initially I thought that the 3-game series would be Home-Away-Home for the upper seed, which would be 5 days - Home, travel, Away, travel, Home; Staggering the series would add, say 1 more day. As proposed - a 3-game home series for the higher seed - it would likely only add 2-3 days.

[Dan]

Here's video of the Houston Astros Apology, in case you missed it earlier: pic.twitter.com/v5eqJRenbg

— OrdioMongo (@OrdioMongo) February 13, 2020

[Yehuda57]

My goodness, we're at the stage when Trevor Bauer, off all people, is making the most sense.

Heartbreaking: The Worst Person You Know Just Made A Great Point https://t.co/PgJ9dvyE10 pic.twitter.com/t1zV2E9iWC

— ClickHole (@ClickHole) February 5, 2018

Instead of marketing the amazing talent they have, they're doing all these stupid rule changes because they think the game is too long or something.

Eliminating warmup pitches for relievers who have already warmed in the bullpen will do a better job shortening the game than any of the recent rule changes.

[Yonah]

https://www.si.com/mlb/dodgers/news/oddsmakers-predict-what-might-happen-on-the-unwritten-rules-side-of-baseball-this-season-the-below-prop-bets-come-courtesy-of-sportsbetting-ag

[Yonah]

Not sure if this is the correct forum....

Hey there, Mike. I love our MLB TV offer too. I'm happy to say that it'll be available to redeem through T-Mobile Tuesday on 3/24. ^DanKing

— T-Mobile Help (@TMobileHelp) February 25, 2020