Article: Maybe Someday I'll Learn

[Squirrel]

The really scary thing is the strong possibility the Wild Card game will be held in either NY or Toronto. Still, just getting there at all will be quite remarkable.

I actually think we stand a better chance at beating either team in a 1-game series than a 5-game series.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I actually think we stand a better chance at beating either team in a 1-game series than a 5-game series.

There's not even a little bit of doubt about that.

 

It's far easier to sneak a single win against a superior team than it is to beat them three out of five times.

 

That's why I kinda hate the current WC format.

[theBOMisthebomb]

The one game WC format makes it feel like a slow pitch softball beer league tournament. It cheapens the game and needs to be done away with. But yes, it works to the Twins advantage this year.

[Mike Sixel]

 

The one game WC format makes it feel like a slow pitch softball beer league tournament. It cheapens the game and needs to be done away with. But yes, it works to the Twins advantage this year.

 

Ya, I don't agree with this opinion at all. It makes winning the division WAAAAAAY more valuable than making the WC.

 

That said, if they went to a 3 game series, I'd be good with that.

[Brock Beauchamp]

Ya, I don't agree with this opinion at all. It makes winning the division WAAAAAAY more valuable than making the WC.

 

That said, if they went to a 3 game series, I'd be good with that.

I agree making the division more important relative to the WC is a good goal but I disagree with the solution.

[Minniman]

 

This is why we play the games. Dream scenario is to sneak into that second WC spot, travel to New York and stun the Yankees in a one game playoff.

 

The umps will widen the strike zone for the Yankees' pitchers and narrow it for the Twins'.

 

[Minniman]

 

 

The one game WC format makes it feel like a slow pitch softball beer league tournament. It cheapens the game and needs to be done away with. But yes, it works to the Twins advantage this year.

 

I do not like that is messes up the playoff pitching rotation for the Wild Card teams. It gives an unfair advantage to the divisional winners. So much for the playoffs throwing out the records and starting anew.

 

[SheboyganBrats]

I don't like the WC format either.  It's why I was okay with Terry Ryan pretty much standing pat at the trade deadline.  Why commit significant resources to acquire talent for a one game crapshoot?  Sure, you could end up being the 2014 Royals or Giants, but you could be the 2014 Oakland Athletics who actually did try to upgrade.  (Of course, they were in the race to be division champ as well.)  The point is that I think teams would be much more willing to go for it if it was more than a one game playoff.

 

On the main topic, I'm thrilled that the Twins are competitive and that we're getting to see some of the young talent.  In spring training, I saw a Terry Ryan interview where he claimed the Twins were trying to be relevant this year.  At the time I thought he was trying to be funny.  I thought he was trying to become Jon Stewart's successor on the Daily Show after he got fired as the Twins GM.

[Brock Beauchamp]

 

I do not like that is messes up the playoff pitching rotation for the Wild Card teams. It gives an unfair advantage to the divisional winners.

I think that's the best part of the WC format. A WC winner shouldn't be on equal footing to a division champion. If they wanted an advantage, they should have won the division.

 

Baseball is a far more level playing field than any other sport. Home field advantage in the playoffs isn't as significant as it is in other sports, as the best teams in baseball only win 60% of their games, maybe 70% of their home games. Giving those better teams a leg up for winning the division helps the best teams advance in the postseason. I think that's a good thing.

[Longdistancetwins]

I was at the third game at Yankee Stadium (definitely the least painful of the three).  Maybe I brought some good luck?  I couldn't believe what happened in Baltimore.  

 

We were way up in the grandstand, but a fellow three rows in front of me caught a Miguel Sano foul ball on the fly.  He damaged a fingernail but thought it was worth it.  I assured him that Sano is likely to have a good career.  

[USAFChief]

Baseball, and Bud Selig, got some things right.  Adding teams to the postseason was necessary for financial reasons, so it was unavoidable.  The only question was how.

 

Going to two, and then three divisions in each league was smart.  Adding one WC created some problems (cheapended the value of winning the division worst among them), but ensured the team with the second best record in either league couldn't be shut out of the postseason.  Adding a second WC solves many of the problems of having only one WC, and in most seasons will keep many team relevant late into the season, helping create interest and sell the sport.

 

 

[Brock Beauchamp]

Baseball, and Bud Selig, got some things right. Adding teams to the postseason was necessary for financial reasons, so it was unavoidable. The only question was how.

 

Going to two, and then three divisions in each league was smart. Adding one WC created some problems (cheapended the value of winning the division worst among them), but ensured the team with the second best record in either league couldn't be shut out of the postseason. Adding a second WC solves many of the problems of having only one WC, and in most seasons will keep many team relevant late into the season, helping create interest and sell the sport.

I think adding a third division and the WC were the best things to happen to the sport since the DH.

[jimmer]

They should cut back to 152 regular season games and make the wild card game a 3 game series.

 

I've heard rumblings that they are talking about taking away the divisions altogether and just having the teams with the best 5 records from each league make the playoffs. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

They should cut back to 152 regular season games and make the wild card game a 3 game series.

 

I've heard rumblings that they are talking about taking away the divisions altogether and just having the teams with the best 5 records from each league make the playoffs.

I don't see baseball cutting back the regular season. Ten games is a lot of butts not in seats, a lot of television ad space not being bought.

 

The same goes for removing divisions. Too many regional rivalries live on through those division matchups.

 

If it costs owners money and provides no tangible benefit for the players and their union, it's not going to happen.

[jimmer]

http://www.sportingnews.com/mlb/story/2015-05-07/154-game-schedule-season-rob-manfred-162-expand-playoffs-wild-card-national-league-dh

[Brock Beauchamp]

I'm not saying it's not a good idea, I'm saying it won't happen because it means everybody involved takes a pay cut.

 

A handful of extra playoff games don't counteract the loss of 120 (!) regular season games.

[USAFChief]

 

 

 

I've heard rumblings that they are talking about taking away the divisions altogether and just having the teams with the best 5 records from each league make the playoffs. 

That would be a really crappy idea, IMO.

 

That means in many years, there's a race for exactly one postseason spot.  In some years, maybe none.

 

And why five teams in that scenario?  

[blairpaul715]

 

Seth, while I enjoy everything you write, and being of a like and similar mind I agree with most of what you write, this one of my most favorite offerings you have presented.

Being a "Twins-holic" for more than 40 years, it's easy to fall in to traps of disappointment. No offense to anyone here, but when you read articles/posts of shared consternation here on TD at times, it's not hard to slip in to the doldrums of disappointment at times.

And while I absolutely do not wish to toot my own horn...which would be silly as I don't have the retrospect of Joshua's success much less the finish to this current season...but I have posted on several occasions as to how much fun I've been having this season as a Twins fan, minus the first 8 games, and even talked a few weeks ago in my "don't worry be happy" post about such.

The Twins were, for the first 8 games of the season, just about the worst baseball team I have ever seen. Then they started to play well and win. Then they slipped. Then they got on a nice streak before the all-star game. Then, for whatever reason, they pretty much stunk again. They lost all 3 games against the evil empire in NY, but they SHOULD have two, if not all three. I know there is, in reality, not much to be said for moral victories. There is something evil and maddening in "almost" in sports. But there is also something redeeming in that "almost" that gives you belief.

Our Twins may not be as good as they appear at times, but they are also not as bad as they have appeared at times. What and who are they? A rebuilding team in transition who has guts, and talent, and budding talent as well as budding possibility, who are GAMERS in the best sense of the word.

How will this season end up? I don't know. But I credit Molitor and his coaching staff...pretty much all former ML players...for a team that keeps on competing and won't give up.

As for me....I'm having a blast!!

Love this, perfectly said from a 45 plus yr Twins-o-holic.

[blairpaul715]

 

They should cut back to 152 regular season games and make the wild card game a 3 game series.

 

I've heard rumblings that they are talking about taking away the divisions altogether and just having the teams with the best 5 records from each league make the playoffs. 

I think keep it at 162 games, have 6 home and 6 away DHeaders a yr and have a 27 man roster........I want records to still have a chance to be broken.

[Minniman]

 

I think that's the best part of the WC format. A WC winner shouldn't be on equal footing to a division champion. If they wanted an advantage, they should have won the division.

 

 

I disagree.

 

The WC winner should not lose its best pitcher to start off the first playoff series because he was used to secure the Wild Card win.

 

In my opinion, it is a cheat and cheapens the playoffs.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I disagree.

 

The WC winner should not lose its best pitcher to start off the first playoff series because he was used to secure the Wild Card win.

 

In my opinion, it is a cheat and cheapens the playoffs.

How is it so different from the NFL, where wild card winners play an extra week while the two top division winners get to rest after a grueling season?

[SheboyganBrats]

What does everyone think about the situation in the NL Central where the Pirates could finish the season with the second best record in baseball?  What about "breaking the brackets"?  The Pirates play the division winner with the third best record, and the division winner with the fourth best record drops down to the wild card game.  It would definitely diminish the value of winning the division, but would increase the value of winning games.  You'd probably have to go to a balanced schedule as well to make it fair.  A wacky idea to be sure, but thought I'd throw it into the discussion.  Feel free to call me an idiot.

[jimmer]

 

What does everyone think about the situation in the NL Central where the Pirates could finish the season with the second best record in baseball?  What about "breaking the brackets"?  The Pirates play the division winner with the third best record, and the division winner with the fourth best record drops down to the wild card game.  It would definitely diminish the value of winning the division, but would increase the value of winning games.  You'd probably have to go to a balanced schedule as well to make it fair.  A wacky idea to be sure, but thought I'd throw it into the discussion.  Feel free to call me an idiot.

Think that's bad? What about the team in 3rd place in that division?  A better record than 4 of the 6 division leaders and will likely have to play a one game playoff game on the road.

[Mike Sixel]

First, there is no real "fair" way to do the schedule. Teams change throughout the year, players get hurt, etc........so this concept that there is some "fair" way to judge who is the best team is really hard to pull off.

 

What does best even mean? Isn't the team with the best record after 162 games really the best team, the playoffs really don't reflect that.

 

While a balanced schedule and no divisions probably make things more fair, I'm not sure it increases entertainment, since it reduces rivalries and other things......

[jimmer]

 

What does best even mean? Isn't the team with the best record after 162 games really the best team, the playoffs really don't reflect that.

 

 

I think of the playoffs as just a post season tournament for qualifying teams.  The WS winner is very often not actually the best team, just a team that got hot at the right time.

[Mike Sixel]

 

I think of the playoffs as just a post season tournament for qualifying teams.  The WS winner is very often not actually the best team, just a team that got hot at the right time.

 

Right. I used to run pinewood derby races....there are all kinds of links on the internet about what "best" really means, and how to judge it.......