Fixing MLB

[Rich Ives]

Originally Posted by greymule

Pete Booth:

Is the Newburgh Diner still in operation?

(This is relevant, because my team ate there after playing a game nearby.)

And are Sr and Jr really feuding or is it for show?

[DG]

That Monday night football between Titans and Jags in late October on ESPN got higher ratings than a baseball playoff game on Turner is not surprising at all.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by DG

That Monday night football between Titans and Jags in late October on ESPN got higher ratings than a baseball playoff game on Turner is not surprising at all.

and now the NBA is starting. Good luck MLB.

[Steven Tyler]

Originally Posted by grunewar

and now the NBA is starting. Good luck MLB.

The season might be getting longer. Saw today where the executive director of the MLBPA Micheal Weiner, said the union would be open to discussion about adding more teams to the playoffs and extending the division series to seven games.

[grunewar]

Originally Posted by Steven Tyler

The season might be getting longer. Saw today where the executive director of the MLBPA Micheal Weiner, said the union would be open to discussion about adding more teams to the playoffs and extending the division series to seven games.

This article suggests, if you're going to expand the playoffs......shorten the regular season. And so it goes.

APNewsBreak: Union would consider bigger playoffs - MLB - Yahoo! Sports

[JJ]

Hey, if you're going to shorten the season and extend the playoffs, why not have a "regular season", and then instead of Divisional Playoffs, have the two winners (NL & AL) just play a "best of 50" World Series? Then have all the teams share the revenue...

JJ

[yawetag]

Originally Posted by JJ

Hey, if you're going to shorten the season and extend the playoffs, why not have a "regular season", and then instead of Divisional Playoffs, have the two winners (NL & AL) just play a "best of 50" World Series? Then have all the teams share the revenue...

JJ

And let's hope they're tied at 25 each... then we can have the wonderful advertisement: "THIS SATURDAY... 8 PM EASTERN... THE GAME THAT REALLY COUNTS!!!"

Let's not forget that they'll get a week off before the deciding game, too.

[Steven Tyler]

Originally Posted by grunewar

This article suggests, if you're going to expand the playoffs......shorten the regular season. And so it goes.

And it is what is, just a suggestion. I really don't think owners in a playoff race, whether they make it or not, would want a shorter season. It would make for less revenue and a decreased chance of making the playoffs.

Besides it's been a 162 game season since 1961 with expansion from the 16 teams that had been the norm for decades.

[greymule]

"Besides it's been a 162 game season since 1961 with expansion from the 16 teams that had been the norm for decades."

In the beginning (1903), God created the American League and the National League. And God said, "Let there be eight teams in each." Those original 16 remained until the fall from grace, when the Boston Braves moved to Milwaukee in 1953. (Quick: Who was the only man who played for the Braves in Boston, Milwaukee, and Atlanta?)

I remember when you could go virtually anywhere and strike up a conversation about MLB. I also remember when "everybody" could name most of the starters on every team. Come to think of it, I could even today name all but a few subs on the two teams that played in the World Series of 50 years ago, and tell you the pitchers and the scores of all 7 games, including who hit home runs. But I couldn't name a single Pirate today, and I'd run out of Yankees fast.

It's hard to explain, but though I love baseball in the abstract—and maintained season tickets for the Phillies until the 1994 strike—I have lost interest entirely in MLB. I'd rather watch old highlight films than the live World Series game.

Season's too long. Too many teams. Too many lousy teams. Meaningless division races. Too many home runs. Talent too diluted. Too few teams have a distinctive identity. Too few fans have a deep attachment to their team.

So maybe it's not the pace of the game. Maybe if you don't care what happens, the games just seem too slow.