Okay, first don't shoot the messenger. I'm going to say something that most people wouldn't say very often, at least not in public. Listen up folks.........I agree with Hank Steinbrenner...........NOT! I will however state that with the current format MLB has in place, the teams with the better record may not get into the play-offs, but a better record doesn't always mean a better team. With only 4 games separating the Dodgers and the Yankees, that's a small margin in a 162 game schedule. Teams don't always win because they played good or lose because they played bad. Baseball is a game of inches. Now, I don't feel bad for the Steinbrenner's or their Yankees, they have other problems that I'll get into later.
While its true that the Dodgers (who clinched the NL West yesterday), will have won less games the the Yankees, you cannot compare the 2 leagues. For me personally I'm glad to see "my" (no I don't own them), Dodgers in the play-offs and I don't much care how they got there, but I digress.
While there are a few things that can be done to make things equal, most will never be instituted:
1) Both leagues must have the same number of teams. Currently the A.L. has 2 less teams. Just to clarify a few facts, all teams in both leagues play their division foes 16-18 times (NL), 18-19 times (AL). However with the AL League West that amounts to 57 games while the AL East 72 games. If you move to the NL Central it jumps to 81.
2) This brings me to the Lousy unbalance schedule. It definitely is having an affect on teams chances for the play-offs. The reason for the unbalance schedule is to beat the division foes first. This makes no sense, because if you get to the play-offs, you most likely will not be playing anyone in you division. They don't even allow the number 1 seed to play the wild-card team if its in their division. How much difference would it be if every team played each other 11-12 times vs 18-19 in their division.
3)The next change should be in the area of money. When only a handful of teams can afford to pay exorbitant salaries to prima donna players, tht's dispartiy at its worst. I'm not saying you can buy a championship team, because the Yanks proved that's not true, but when there is a team with a 233M payroll and one with 35M, there's something wrong.
When is it time to ensure all teams and their fans hae the same chance to win and not have to watch the teams exceed the salary cap, pay the fine and then just move on. The luxury tax doesn't work if you have deep enough pockets.
Oh yeah, get rid of Bud Selig and the DH.
DeLeah Caro
Alison Preston
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A fully balanced scheduled (where every team plays every other team in the entire league) an equal number of times has benefits of 'fairness' in final rankings like you say. But there are also several drawbacks:
1) Extreme increases in amount of travel required ($$$, time, distances for certain teams MUCH further than others on average)
2) Unless you get rid of divisions entirely, the same thing will happen as happens now (there will be instances where some divisions have 3 top teams in the W-L column and some have 1)
The salary disparity is completely ridiculous. They need a minimum and a hard-maximum. Plain and simple. The Yanks can't buy a championship but they've shown the ability to buy themselves a playoff spot every year - until this year (but without injuries, it would have happened again).
TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU ABOUT THE DH! 100%. Catchers can bat, throw, play defense - and they play EVERY game. Are you telling me a starting pitcher can't take some batting practice?
YODA
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I agree to an extent about the amount of travel, but that can be worked into the schedule. For instance LAD goes to the East and plays two 3 game series with Atlanta and Florida, then hits Houston on the way back. Next road trip to the Northeast for NYM, Pitts, Wash, Phils. It may be a longer road trip, but you also get a longer homestand. You won't have to keep going back and forth.
Foxy's Back
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Yeah, that would take care of part of the travel issues. The other thing (which I know they would never consider) that would really help is to shorten the season down to 120 games. I know it's too radical for them to consider but there are many reasons why it would make sense beyond just the travel.
YODA
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I think that they could definitely reduce the number of divisional matchups. Why not let teams play non-division opponents 9 times a year instead of 6? I'm not gonna hammer out the math, but they could make the entire MLB better if they would let teams play more against non-division opponents.
On the other hand, divisions are set up to make rivalries, and they do an excellent job of it. Really what I think that they should do is add 2 teams to the AL, giving both Leagues 16. Then they need to restructure the divisions so that each League has 4 divisions, just like the NFL did a few years back. With 4 teams in each division, it would make everyone's unbalanced schedule equal in the sense that no team has more divisional games than another.
wtnelson = Big Chief
Fort Collins , CO
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You can shorten the amount of days playing without cutting out the number of games by having more double headers. I know it would be tough for owners to see the fans buy one ticket, and see two games, but it would be good for the sport all around. With the ticket prices and price of gas, out of town fans would be more inclined to travel to watch a double header than just one game. A lot of the modern ballparks are more than just ballparks, too, and it takes more than one game to see and do everything.
Miguel#94
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^^^^^ I agree. They just don't schedule double headers anymore. The only time you see one is for rain-outs. That certainly would bring more people to the ballparl and families could make a full day of it.
Foxy's Back
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Even if there's a make-up game, they'll clear the stadium for a few hours and you'd need a new ticket to make the nightcap game. That's what they do in Detoit, anyway. It's horrible. Like the owner can't afford it or something. They're still making money on food and suveniers(sp?).
Miguel#94
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I like that double-header idea a lot Miguel. Makes good sense.
YODA
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