This is not an attack on the Phillies, Diamondbacks, Astros or Rangers.
Those teams have absolutely earned the right to play in the LCS.
They won fair and square.
I just think the route they all took to get here is broken.
That tells me that something is wrong.
The regular season is so long and I think deserves more credit in the playoffs.
With each additional round the owners plug in, October becomes more and more of a crapshoot.
No matter who you feel about the current system, it’s likely temporary.
MLB will be expanding to 32 teams very soon.
With expansion, you’re going to see realignment and almost certainly a new playoff structure.
Here are three ideas that I think would be a better format than we currently have.
The Old Way
Wild Card round is just a one game playoff
I liked the old system better.
But the system of having the WC teams play a one game playoff was at least exciting as fuck.
My Mets got fucked with this in 2016.
But it was more exciting than the half measure of the best of 3 bullshit.
Also it’s less days off for the teams that earned the bye.
The Doubleheader
Wild Card round is best of 3 but over the course of 2 days.
Game 1 is on day 1 and Games 2/3 are both the following day.
The LDS would start the very next day.
I believe this is Theo Epstein’s idea.
I love this because it does punish the wild card teams appropriately.
These teams are getting way too much time with all the days off to set up their pitching staffs.
Plus those doubleheader games would be exciting as fuck.
I think this would make for a thrilling couple days of baseball.
The Old, Old Way
No Wild Card.
Two divisions and just an NLCS, ALCS and World Series
I almost always lean towards more baseball.
But I do miss the playoffs being more exclusive and each game meaning more.
Let me say this right off the bat: this will never happen.
The TV money is too much to walk away from.
Winner gets in the playoffs.
It’s that simple.
It’s also not at crazy as our 21st Century brains may think it is.
From 1901-60, each league was only 8 teams.
Winner went to the World Series.
The only one of these ideas I presented that even could potentially happen is the doubleheader idea.
That’s only because you aren’t losing playoff games.
What’s more likely is the playoffs keep getting expanded.
Maybe you see the LDS get expanded to a best of 7?
It’s just about having the playoffs rewarding the best teams and getting rid all of these off days.
6 of 8 series being sweeps is bad for everyone.
These first two rounds have been dreadful for anyone who didn’t have a team in the fight.
I love baseball more than almost anything and I can’t defend them.
Hopefully the LCS can get better quick.
Carl, Hubbs and I give a preview of the NLCS below.
