MLB Lockout Thread

[Can_of_corn]

9 hours ago, Bahama O's Fan said:

I think if they can't come to an agreement tomorrow and games get canceled, they will both back off for a while, stop meeting and try to win the publicity battle.

Both sides have come out and said they will keep negotiating if they pass the deadline.  Which lines up with my March 2-4 prediction.

[Sports Guy]

I never understood why people get upset over more playoff teams.

[Can_of_corn]

Just now, Sports Guy said:

I never understood why people get upset over more playoff teams.

Because baseball, to some of us, is about the 162 game season.  That season should mean something.  We think a team should have to actually be one of the best teams to make the playoffs.

Also baseball in the snow sucks.  Who wants to watch playoff games in November?

[Frobby]

11 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

 

So it’s productive, but what did it actually produce?   Anger and agitation?

[Frobby]

6 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

I never understood why people get upset over more playoff teams.

I don’t care much.   I don’t watch the playoffs unless the Orioles are in them.   But, on a hypothetical level, I don’t like having teams that barely surpassed .500 having a chance to get hot and beat teams that proved their superiority over 162 games.

[Sports Guy]

5 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Because baseball, to some of us, is about the 162 game season.  That season should mean something.  We think a team should have to actually be one of the best teams to make the playoffs.

Also baseball in the snow sucks.  Who wants to watch playoff games in November?

The 162 games do mean something.  If you expand it, you give teams byes, more home games, etc…

What they accomplish in the regular season gives them a far better chance to make the WS vs the teams that just get in.

 

[eddie83]

18 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

Even if the Orioles are the 83 win team? 

Here is your competitive balance and your anit-tanking as a two for one.  If enough teams make the playoffs and any team can win a short series then everyone can have a shot at the WS every year.  Isn't this what fans are clamoring for?

 

Not me. The regular season will be meaningless. How many teams will push hard in September? It will be all about lining up your pitching for October. They can add playoff teams with layering benefits. Still give 2 teams a bye. Have a 6/7 game. Make the end of season mean something. If they go this route 2 and 7 are playing in a best of 3. Home field to the 2 seed. Big deal. 
 

I know there is no perfect system but you can add playoff teams and still reward the regular season.  

[Sports Guy]

7 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I don’t care much.   I don’t watch the playoffs unless the Orioles are in them.   But, on a hypothetical level, I don’t like having teams that barely surpassed .500 having a chance to get hot and beat teams that proved their superiority over 162 games.

But where do you draw the line?

Cardinals won the WS in 2006 with 83 wins that won the division.  Sometimes you have years where teams miss the playoffs with 87-90ish wins.  
 

Should the Dodgers, who routinely win well over 100 games, be put in position to lose to a 90 win team?

[Can_of_corn]

7 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

The 162 games do mean something.  If you expand it, you give teams byes, more home games, etc…

What they accomplish in the regular season gives them a far better chance to make the WS vs the teams that just get in.

 

I don't agree with that statement.  Slightly better chance at best. 

This isn't the NBA in which the "better team" almost always wins in the playoffs.  It's closer to the NHL in which a hot goalie can render the regular season meaningless. 

[eddie83]

5 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

The 162 games do mean something.  If you expand it, you give teams byes, more home games, etc…

What they accomplish in the regular season gives them a far better chance to make the WS vs the teams that just get in.

 

If you go the NFL route what does that accomplish? That’s only one team getting a bye. Now it’s 3 teams. 
 

My plan has a big downside. It makes top 2 seeds wait longer to play but I would still do it. 
 

7 teams make it. Top 2 gets byes. Top WC team can overtake weakest division winner for 3 seed. 
6/7 one game WC. 3 plays the 6/7 winner in best of 3. In theory 3 seed benefits from that winner burning pitching. 4/5 matchup like now except obviously now a 3 game series. 
 

You accomplish adding 4 more teams total. Keep WC games and now add 2 best of 3 WC rounds in each league. Byes fall from 3 teams per league to 2. Incentive regular season. Teams would want to avoid 6/7 knockout game. The 3 seed would want to chase down 2 seed to get a bye. 

[Sports Guy]

4 minutes ago, Can_of_corn said:

I don't agree with that statement.  Slightly better chance at best. 

This isn't the NBA in which the "better team" almost always wins in the playoffs.  It's closer to the NHL in which a hot goalie can render the regular season meaningless. 

Ok

[eddie83]

3 minutes ago, Sports Guy said:

But where do you draw the line?

Cardinals won the WS in 2006 with 83 wins that won the division.  Sometimes you have years where teams miss the playoffs with 87-90ish wins.  
 

Should the Dodgers, who routinely win well over 100 games, be put in position to lose to a 90 win team?

Since they went to divisions in 69 there has never been a perfect system. The 87 Blue Jays when I was a kid were viewed as chokers because they fell apart last week of season. Still won 96 games, 2nd most in sport. Then the 85 win Twins win the whole thing. 
 

If you are going to add teams i can live it as long as you protect the regular season. I’m not a fan of what NFL did either. 

[Sports Guy]

Btw and while I don’t think this happens, they should go to more playoff teams but go to 154 games or something like that.  Shorten the regular season some to lengthen the postseason.

Im all for that.

I would also get rid of divisions and inter league play as well.

[osfan83]

The 162 game season is too long. I can live with it if teams played in tournaments throughout the season to keep fan interest. When the O's are out of the running by Memorial Day each year I lose interest in baseball. But if I knew they had some tournaments where they played against some low payroll teams and AAA teams it would hold my interest.

[osfan83]

I'd probably be OK with the league shutting down for a couple of seasons if we got some radical changes with the game. 

- Average game length under 3 hours

-Teams with similar talent levels competing against each other

-In season tournaments to hold fan interest