League Proposes 16-Team Playoff Bracket

[TommyPickles]

https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/06/mlb-rumors-16-teams-playoff-postseason-expansion.html

 

I'm sure some of you saw this yesterday, but one of the components of the League's latest proposal was having a 16-team playoff bracket:

 

"The league asked for 2020 postseason fields to expand even beyond the previously discussed 14 teams, adding another team per league and bringing the total to 16 playoff clubs.

The idea behind the league’s latest expansion would see a traditional bracket format play out, with the No. 1 seed playing the No. 8 seed, No. 2 vs. No. 7, etc. until each league has played down to one winner to square off in the World Series. The first round of play, Sherman adds, would be just a three-game set.

That’s a particularly strong deviation from the norm, where the top teams in each league have long been assured at least a five-game series against the weakest playoff entrant. The prospect of a sub-.500 No. 8 seed upsetting a dominant N0. 1 seed would create some excitement, to be sure, but the watered down playoff field and short early-round formats would undoubtedly be a turnoff for a very vocal set of MLB fans as well."

 

What are your thoughts on this?  

If this was instituted long term, how would it change organizational strategies?  Seems like it'd be much harder to justify a "full rebuild" if all you had to do was get a 78-84 record to make the playoffs, keep your fanbase happy, and roll the dice...

[eddie83]

I am 100% against this in a normal season but considering how few games will be played it’s harder for me to get worked up about it. I still would prefer even in this season limiting it to 7 teams. At least give the top seed some advantage. 

[24fps]

If there ever was a season to experiment, this one would be it.  Tinker away Rob.

[BohKnowsBmore]

1 hour ago, eddie83 said:

I am 100% against this in a normal season but considering how few games will be played it’s harder for me to get worked up about it. I still would prefer even in this season limiting it to 7 teams. At least give the top seed some advantage. 

Agreed. Dislike it for a normal season, but with less games to sort out who truly deserves which seeds, I think it's fine.

[Moose Milligan]

I agree, I'm against it for normal seasons but this is the season to do some @DrungoHazewood$#*% where you can push the pitchers mound back so they pitch from second base, make it so the ball falls apart after it gets hit really hard like they did in the 1870s, have a left field fence that's 230 feet away but 475 down the line to right field, 15 seconds between pitches unless a pitcher farts and then its 10 seconds, expand the rosters to 57 players and the visiting team gets to pick the fattest guy in the stands to be the DH for the home team, in bases loaded situations a batter can choose between a regular bat or a tennis racket or one of those fat red wiffleball bats, a third baseman can tackle a runner one time per game if they round third and head for home, switch hitters can change sides of the plate during an at bat, if you're playing after 13 innings you have to run the bases in reverse order, penalty kicks if it goes past 16 innings and other shenanigans.  

Sure, 16 teams in the playoffs.  But one of the things that makes the NBA and NHL ridiculous is that half the league makes the playoffs.  Which, if you're a Wizards fan can keep you engaged as you can watch your hapless team try to vie for a playoff berth only to get trounced by the 1 or 2 seed.  I don't want to see a 78 win team make the playoffs in a real baseball season...it kinda cheapens the whole thing, IMO.  

[DrungoHazewood]

8 minutes ago, Moose Milligan said:

I agree, I'm against it for normal seasons but this is the season to do some @DrungoHazewood$#*% where you can push the pitchers mound back so they pitch from second base, make it so the ball falls apart after it gets hit really hard like they did in the 1870s, have a left field fence that's 230 feet away but 475 down the line to right field, 15 seconds between pitches unless a pitcher farts and then its 10 seconds, expand the rosters to 57 players and the visiting team gets to pick the fattest guy in the stands to be the DH for the home team, in bases loaded situations a batter can choose between a regular bat or a tennis racket or one of those fat red wiffleball bats, a third baseman can tackle a runner one time per game if they round third and head for home, switch hitters can change sides of the plate during an at bat, if you're playing after 13 innings you have to run the bases in reverse order, penalty kicks if it goes past 16 innings and other shenanigans.  

Sure, 16 teams in the playoffs.  But one of the things that makes the NBA and NHL ridiculous is that half the league makes the playoffs.  Which, if you're a Wizards fan can keep you engaged as you can watch your hapless team try to vie for a playoff berth only to get trounced by the 1 or 2 seed.  I don't want to see a 78 win team make the playoffs in a real baseball season...it kinda cheapens the whole thing, IMO.  

My preference is for the best team in each league goes to the World Series, so the real drama and excitement is the pennant race.  But only if each team has a reasonable shot at competing on a regular basis, which means taking down the Yanks and Sox and Dodgers a few pegs. Which they can't.  So whatever.

[makoman]

FWIW, obviously trade deadlines and September decisions would be different with more things on the line, but in the 00's we would have additionally made the playoffs only in 2013 (one game playoff, tied for 8th). I think this really shows the team's ineptitude during this century.

[murph]

2 hours ago, Moose Milligan said:

I agree, I'm against it for normal seasons but this is the season to do some @DrungoHazewood$#*% where you can push the pitchers mound back so they pitch from second base, make it so the ball falls apart after it gets hit really hard like they did in the 1870s, have a left field fence that's 230 feet away but 475 down the line to right field, 15 seconds between pitches unless a pitcher farts and then its 10 seconds, expand the rosters to 57 players and the visiting team gets to pick the fattest guy in the stands to be the DH for the home team, in bases loaded situations a batter can choose between a regular bat or a tennis racket or one of those fat red wiffleball bats, a third baseman can tackle a runner one time per game if they round third and head for home, switch hitters can change sides of the plate during an at bat, if you're playing after 13 innings you have to run the bases in reverse order, penalty kicks if it goes past 16 innings and other shenanigans.  

Sure, 16 teams in the playoffs.  But one of the things that makes the NBA and NHL ridiculous is that half the league makes the playoffs.  Which, if you're a Wizards fan can keep you engaged as you can watch your hapless team try to vie for a playoff berth only to get trounced by the 1 or 2 seed.  I don't want to see a 78 win team make the playoffs in a real baseball season...it kinda cheapens the whole thing, IMO.  

I know you are just having fun, but that one is allowed, isn't it?  Always forget the rules with switch hitter, but I swear I remember a video of a Milb switch pitcher and switch hitter changing back and forth over and over, neither one giving in.  But, maybe that was only before the first pitch was thrown?

[Moose Milligan]

Just now, murph said:

I know you are just having fun, but that one is allowed, isn't it?  Always forget the rules with switch hitter, but I swear I remember a video of a Milb switch pitcher and switch hitter changing back and forth over and over, neither one giving in.  But, maybe that was only before the first pitch was thrown?

It might be allowed.  I'm not sure.  But I'd like to see it.  

[DrungoHazewood]

Rule 5.07(f)

A pitcher must indicate visually to the umpire-in-chief, the batter and any runners the hand with which he intends to pitch, which may be done by wearing his glove on the other hand while touching the pitcher's plate. The pitcher is not permitted to pitch with the other hand until the batter is retired, the batter becomes a runner, the inning ends, the batter is substituted for by a pinch-hitter or the pitcher incurs an injury. In the event a pitcher switches pitching hands during an at-bat because he has suffered an injury, the pitcher may not, for the remainder of the game, pitch with the hand from which he has switched. The pitcher shall not be given the opportunity to throw any preparatory pitches after switching pitching hands. Any change of pitching hands must be indicated clearly to the umpire-in-chief.

[AnythingO's]

How about all games end after 3 hours, team in the lead wins. Maybe let them finish the current inning for fairness. If tied it doesn't count in standings so no points for ties. Teams would likely take more chances close and late to break the tie, maybe be more interesting to fans. Stats for the game would count for the player individual statistics and team totals.

[WillyM]

With an abbreviated schedule, MLB could have a major headache trying to get rained out games made up before the end of the season.

Add ties into the mix and there would be even more makeup games to worry about.

[Frobby]

4 hours ago, AnythingO's said:

How about all games end after 3 hours, team in the lead wins. Maybe let them finish the current inning for fairness. If tied it doesn't count in standings so no points for ties. Teams would likely take more chances close and late to break the tie, maybe be more interesting to fans. Stats for the game would count for the player individual statistics and team totals.

This only works if you have rules precluding stalling.    Otherwise, the team in the lead slow plays it.   

[rudyrooster]

I guess 16 team playoff would be okay for this season (if there is a season).  I don't like a 16 team playoff for the long haul, but am willing to entertain the idea of a 12 team playoff.  It should keep more fans engaged.

[AnythingO's]

10 hours ago, Frobby said:

This only works if you have rules precluding stalling.    Otherwise, the team in the lead slow plays it.   

I guess but how? Wouldn't that be harder with pitch clocks and 3 batter minimum to reduce pitching changes? I was thinking it would benefit a lesser team like the O's if they had a lead after 4-5 innings and their expanded roster had lots of 1 inning guys. They make it a bullpen game and it's a lot easier to build a deep bullpen. I was thinking Buck would love it.