2015 MLB Season Thread with Postseason Discussion

[CubsFanBudMan]

Honestly, if you don't want your season to end in a one-game playoff, the answer is simple: Win your division.

No fixing necessary. The point was to make it harder on the wild card teams and keep more teams in contention longer. I think this has done that perfectly.

It also should give MLB a potential very popular single-elimination "event" program. Not sure if it has worked out that way yet.

[BBTV]

Off topic: I've been reading these things on ESPN.com about "fixing the playoffs" so the WC teams aren't just one-game and done.

What if, for purposes of playoffs, the regular season ended 1 week earlier. So the weekend prior to the last real weekend is when divisions are wrapped up, even though there's still games left on the schedule. Those games are more/less just exhibitions, or opportunities for the division winners to stay in a rhythm.

Then, for the WC teams, the schedule gets re-shuffled so that they can play a full best of 5 series during that final week, and then the full playoffs starts and ends at the normal time.

It would impact whatever teams were scheduled to play the WC teams during that final week, but that's relatively easy to work around.

Also, I'd count that WC series as part of the regular season, so players' stats are still for a full 162 games.

But then they would only be able to sell 8 teams worth of postseason gear instead of 10.

Do they make a lot of sales for the teams that are only in the play-in games? I would think most people wait until their team wins before investing in post-season stuff.

[(probably)notabandwagonfan]

Honestly, if you don't want your season to end in a one-game playoff, the answer is simple: Win your division.

This type of answer drives me crazy. I'm not against the wild card format but I feel like playoff teams should be seeded instead. There are instances (like this year) where three of the best teams in a league are from the same division and then those 95+ win teams have to face of in a lightning round while that 90 win (team from a horrible division) gets the bye.

[CubsFanBudMan]

Honestly, if you don't want your season to end in a one-game playoff, the answer is simple: Win your division.

This type of answer drives me crazy. I'm not against the wild card format but I feel like playoff teams should be seeded instead. There are instances (like this year) where three of the best teams in a league are from the same division and then those 95+ win teams have to face of in a lightning round while that 90 win (team from a horrible division) gets the bye.

I know. I'm a fan of one. But the schedule is unbalanced, so I don't think it's as apples to apples as you make it seem.

EDIT: Amazingly, I just looked at the expanded standings and all NL playoff teams beat up on their own division equally... except the Pirates.

The Cubs, Cardinals and Dodgers were all 46-30, and the Mets were a game better at 47-29. The Pirates were 34-42 against the Central.

[AnPheitseog]

easier solution: add two teams/contract 2 and make four divisons.

or go back to two divisons i suppose.

[tp49]

Utley suspended for NLDS games 3 and 4 as a result of his illegal slide in game 2.

[Sport]

Honestly, if you don't want your season to end in a one-game playoff, the answer is simple: Win your division.

This type of answer drives me crazy. I'm not against the wild card format but I feel like playoff teams should be seeded instead. There are instances (like this year) where three of the best teams in a league are from the same division and then those 95+ win teams have to face of in a lightning round while that 90 win (team from a horrible division) gets the bye.

I know. I'm a fan of one. But the schedule is unbalanced, so I don't think it's as apples to apples as you make it seem.

EDIT: Amazingly, I just looked at the expanded standings and all NL playoff teams beat up on their own division equally... except the Pirates.

The Cubs, Cardinals and Dodgers were all 46-30, and the Mets were a game better at 47-29. The Pirates were 34-42 against the Central.

The 98 win Pirates actually managed to have a losing record against the 64 win Reds.

[kevsim1]

The Jays broadcast sans-Buck and Pat is getting harder to endure. Game two had a 2 minutes spiel on the mounties, now Canadians struggle catching foul balls because they don't grow up playing baseball. Did I hear that part right?

[2001mark]

Harold Reynolds is trending in Canada. Casual viewers learning the epic failness...

"This guy, I can't remember his name right now, has been crucial for the Rangers bullpen." — Harold Reynolds.

"Not a lot of people grew up playing baseball in Canada you're not used to catching a lot of balls in the stands." Harold Reynolds

[infrared41]

Harold Reynolds is trending in Canada. Casual viewers learning the epic failness...

"This guy, I can't remember his name right now, has been crucial for the Rangers bullpen." — Harold Reynolds.

"Not a lot of people grew up playing baseball in Canada you're not used to catching a lot of balls in the stands." Harold Reynolds

Reynolds has me wondering if there are "going to be conversations" about the Utley play. Gee, Harold, I'm not sure what you're getting at, how about coming up with a 19th way to say "there's plenty to talk about" with regard to a rule change.

[cmm]

Utley suspended for NLDS games 3 and 4 as a result of his illegal slide in game 2.

They should suspend the umpires, too.

Utley's appealing because of course he is. I wonder how happy the Dodgers will be to have him as a teammate if the Mets take some liberties with their slides and top prospect Cory Seager suffers a career-threatening injury.

[jrodsep]

Honestly, if you don't want your season to end in a one-game playoff, the answer is simple: Win your division.

This type of answer drives me crazy. I'm not against the wild card format but I feel like playoff teams should be seeded instead. There are instances (like this year) where three of the best teams in a league are from the same division and then those 95+ win teams have to face of in a lightning round while that 90 win (team from a horrible division) gets the bye.

If and that's a big if, MLB wanted to change the format again. The only realistic options are either re-seeding (top 3 teams are in and lower 2 battle in a play-in game) or eliminate the second wild card and make both series 7 games.

[BigBubba]

From now on I'm just gonna put the TV on mute and listen to the Jays' radio network.

[cmm]

Honestly, if you don't want your season to end in a one-game playoff, the answer is simple: Win your division.

This type of answer drives me crazy. I'm not against the wild card format but I feel like playoff teams should be seeded instead. There are instances (like this year) where three of the best teams in a league are from the same division and then those 95+ win teams have to face of in a lightning round while that 90 win (team from a horrible division) gets the bye.

If and that's a big if, MLB wanted to change the format again. The only realistic options are either re-seeding (top 3 teams are in and lower 2 battle in a play-in game) or eliminate the second wild card and make both series 7 games.

I think Manfred said he was considering re-seeding but after the Wild Card game. So the Pirates and Cubs still would've played in that but the winner would have faced the Dodgers instead of the Cardinals.

[ConcreteCharlie]

I have some thoughts on Utleys slide. I really liked it. Its a shame that Tejada was hurt so badly, but thats a great baseball play to me. Whether or not it was legal is up for debate, but if it is in fact illegal, why are people clamoring for rule change? If what happened to Tejada was due to something illegal, why would you want to change what is already legal? There are zero problems with slides within the current rules, one guy gets hurt on an illegal slide and everybody wants change to the rules. it doesnt make sense to me. I hate kneejerk reactions to single injuries that change the rules of an entire sport forever.

[cmm]

It was an illegal slide/tackle and there is a rule against it but it wasn't enforced:

5.09 Making an Out

(a)Retiring the Batter

A batter is out when:

(13)A preceding runner shall, in the umpire’s judgment, intentionally interfere with a fielder who is attempting to catch a thrown ball or to throw a ball in an attempt to complete any play;

Rule 5.09(a)(13)(Comment): The objective of this rule is to penalize the offensive team for deliberate, unwarranted, unsportsmanlike action by the runner in leaving the baseline for the obvious purpose of crashing the pivot man on a double play, rather than trying to reach the base. Obviously this is an umpire’s judgment play.

Utley clearly intentionally interfered with Tejada and it was deliberate, unwarrented, and unsportsmanlike. He was obviously and admitted to crashing the pivot man on the DP attempt and wasn't trying to reach base (as he still hasn't touched it). They should have called both Utley and the batter out, inning over. By suspending Utley, MLB has basically admitted this rule has been violated and it should be 2-1 Mets, top 8. But because it is a judgement call, the Mets couldn't protest and so here we are.

[Almighty]

I have some thoughts on Utleys slide. I really liked it. Its a shame that Tejada was hurt so badly, but thats a great baseball play to me. Whether or not it was legal is up for debate, but if it is in fact illegal, why are people clamoring for rule change? If what happened to Tejada was due to something illegal, why would you want to change what is already legal? There are zero problems with slides within the current rules, one guy gets hurt on an illegal slide and everybody wants change to the rules. it doesnt make sense to me. I hate kneejerk reactions to single injuries that change the rules of an entire sport forever.

Maybe if it was your leg that had broken and you now had terrible pain in it, then you probably would think differently

[ConcreteCharlie]

I have some thoughts on Utleys slide. I really liked it. Its a shame that Tejada was hurt so badly, but thats a great baseball play to me. Whether or not it was legal is up for debate, but if it is in fact illegal, why are people clamoring for rule change? If what happened to Tejada was due to something illegal, why would you want to change what is already legal? There are zero problems with slides within the current rules, one guy gets hurt on an illegal slide and everybody wants change to the rules. it doesnt make sense to me. I hate kneejerk reactions to single injuries that change the rules of an entire sport forever.

Maybe if it was your leg that had broken and you now had terrible pain in it, then you probably would think differently

No I would not think differently. I really feel this way about the rules. People get hurt playing sports sometimes

[TheGrimReaper]

Off topic: I've been reading these things on ESPN.com about "fixing the playoffs" so the WC teams aren't just one-game and done.

What if, for purposes of playoffs, the regular season ended 1 week earlier. So the weekend prior to the last real weekend is when divisions are wrapped up, even though there's still games left on the schedule. Those games are more/less just exhibitions, or opportunities for the division winners to stay in a rhythm.

Then, for the WC teams, the schedule gets re-shuffled so that they can play a full best of 5 series during that final week, and then the full playoffs starts and ends at the normal time.

It would impact whatever teams were scheduled to play the WC teams during that final week, but that's relatively easy to work around.

Also, I'd count that WC series as part of the regular season, so players' stats are still for a full 162 games.

But then they would only be able to sell 8 teams worth of postseason gear instead of 10.

Do they make a lot of sales for the teams that are only in the play-in games? I would think most people wait until their team wins before investing in post-season stuff.

There's enough to warrant keeping things status quo. MLB will go to a 3 game Wild Card series, if anything.

[BBTV]

I have some thoughts on Utleys slide. I really liked it. Its a shame that Tejada was hurt so badly, but thats a great baseball play to me. Whether or not it was legal is up for debate, but if it is in fact illegal, why are people clamoring for rule change? If what happened to Tejada was due to something illegal, why would you want to change what is already legal? There are zero problems with slides within the current rules, one guy gets hurt on an illegal slide and everybody wants change to the rules. it doesnt make sense to me. I hate kneejerk reactions to single injuries that change the rules of an entire sport forever.

Maybe if it was your leg that had broken and you now had terrible pain in it, then you probably would think differently

No I would not think differently. I really feel this way about the rules. People get hurt playing sports sometimes

I read that Craig Biggio had his knee or leg blown up like that and also said the rule shouldn't be changed.

As for why he was called safe even without touching the base, once he was originally called out he didn't have to touch the base (because why would you if you were out?) so once the out is reversed he's safe automatically.

Now should have been called out for interference? Yeah most likely. Is it illegal? I don't know the official rule, but the eyeball test says it's illegal. Is it malicious and was there intent to injure and is utley the worst person since That guy who jacked up the AIDS pill price? No.