Blue Jays Discussion: Post Non-Waiver Trade Deadline Edition

[one77]

3.5 games can be done with 1.5 months left. There is hope. But I just don't see that happening until we get fully healthy which might not happen this year.

 

[phillipmike]

The alternative playoff format you've suggested is a different thing altogether. This isn't a "one-game coin flip vs. longer series" discussion. It's a "one-game coin flip vs. nothing" discussion.

You're arguing against something that no one is arguing for. No one has suggested that a shorter series is better. All anyone is saying is to leave it the way it is and add a couple more (highly intriguing and profitable) games if there's a tie rather than skipping those games altogether.

Again... this is a "one-game coin flip vs. nothing" discussion, so the Oakland and Pittsburgh examples aren't really relevant.

Playing those one-game play-ins means more revenue and more national interest than skipping them.

That's not a relevant comparison at all. Again... this is about a tie-breaker. Imagine NYI and TB had each gotten one more point this past season. Would you rather see a scenario where the three teams have a brief, two day play-in series (TOR vs. NYI, winner plays TB, winner goes on) or would you rather see TB move on and that's that?

You may not believe me but i rather see TB move on and that's it. I dont really care for 1 tiebreaker game when i have 2-3 months of playoff hockey coming. Give me my entree and dessert, i dont need my salad.

Oh of course but i am just stating why i hate the current system and what i propose to change it. I despise people who say i hate something like the Jays off-season moves but dont offer what they would have done instead. Its easy to criticize but not offer up an opinion to rival it.

By having 8 playoff teams in the league you add much much more highly profitable playoff games and more hope for MLB franchises. No more long playoff droughts and more fanbases get to see playoff games... like that better than a few 1 game tiebreakers.

I like having discussions with you about this kind of stuff because your arguments are usually well thought out and reasonable, but you have a tendency to lean too heavily on hypotheticals, which never make good arguments. For example:

Your hypothetical: Jays use Stroman on the last day of the season to win and create the elusive four-way tie-breaker. Estrada wins a one-game playoff. Happ wins a one-game playoff. Jays head to the Wild Card game having to decide between Stroman on short rest, Rowley, Biagini, etc. against the other team's ace.

Your preferred scenario: What Stroman does on the last day of the season doesn't matter because the Jays run-differential is terrible and, even if they win, they lose the tie-breaker.

The scenario you DON'T like includes do-or-die wins from Stroman, Estrada, and Happ, but you don't want to see that because of the awkward scenario of not having best-on-best in the fourth do-or-die game? That's weird.

It may seem that my argument is based off of a hypothetical which is true. But i have brought it to light because something has happened this season that hasnt happened since the institution of the 2nd WC spot - 7 teams within 3.5 games of each for 1 playoff spot. The hypothetical is a legit reality and could potentially be an issue at the end of the season.

My preferred scenario is avoiding a bunch of tiebreaker games. In years past we have because there was a bigger division in competition between teams - this year it could be a potential problem.

I just want best on best to start the playoffs (like every other major sport in NA) and avoid 1 and done games where your best player may not play.

You can't keep comparing it to the NBA and NHL. They're not remotely similar. In baseball, your best pitcher pitches in 20% of the team's games. Poor matchups are just part of the game.

Of course it is as it stands but that is because of the system. If the system were to change then poor matchups wouldnt be part of the start of the playoffs which i think is the way to go. Best vs best to start the playoffs.

I think it is a very poor argument to say "poor matchups are just part of the game" when i am offering a way to avoid for the playoffs which i think is better for the game.

The NBA usually has a 2 day gap between the end of the RS and the start of the playoffs and the NHL had a 3 day gap for some teams. It would be even better if there were 2-3 game gap between the end of the RS to the start of the WC games to ensure both team's best pitchers are rested and ready.

The MLB has a 1 day break and it isnt really a break as its a travel day sometimes for both teams.

What's "messy" about it? The "worst" case scenario is a crazy 5-way tie in which the playoffs are extended by three days and three or four teams that otherwise would have been eliminated get to play an exciting game that pretty much every baseball fan is interested in watching.

I think you answered your own question. Its messy because it can get "crazy" as you stated. As it stands they havent had an issue because parity hasnt been this good or teams have been this bad. It could potentially be messy because as of August 15th something has happened that hasnt before since the introduction of the 2nd Wildcard spot (and i bet barely has happened before that) which is 7 teams within 3.5 games of a wild card spot... Closest we had before this was in the NL when 3 teams were within 3.5 games of the 2nd WC spot in 2014. Now we are dealing with double the "contenders" which can make it messy.

 

[phillipmike]

The same way MLB went to teams last year and asked them which spot they wanted in the potential 3 way tiebreaker for 2 spots, spot A, spot B, or spot C. A and B were to play in A's ballpark, then the winner of that got in and C hosted the loser for the 2nd spot. Tiebreaker stats decide who gets first choice. Jays took the obvious A choice and Baltimore got quite ridiculed for choosing C for 1 shot at home instead of 2 on the road. I think the 3 team was the Tigers who didn't make the tie, and it was straight Jays and O'd tied for both WC spots so not tiebreaker was necessary.

They'd have 5 spots for 5 tied teams, label them A, B, C, D, E. Go through all the tiebreaking stats to determine who has first choice, and they'd go get the teams choices in advance of the tie even happening like they did last year. The likely choices would be A hosts B for 1 spot, and D hosts E with the winner to host C for the other.

Here is the MLB link, I don't believe they have gone to the point of listing scenarios for 5 way ties but I assume they have the scenarios that they would go through in those cases.

http://m.mlb.com/news/article/59527184/playoff-tiebreaker-rules/

Here's the one that could have happened last year, along with the link to the story about the choices and how they went about it

And again is that truly an authentic tiebreaker? You are tied with 5 teams not just 1... So the tiebreaker for being tied with 5 teams decide by playing 1 team in 1 game. You dont see the in-authenticity of this "tiebreak"? Teams are getting to pick I see that being very flawed if not more flawed than awarding a team a spot based on something like head to head or run differential like it is done in the other 3 major sports.

 

[phillipmike]

This is pretty much spot-on.

Using run differential would fundamentally change how the game is played. All of the sudden floating around for a couple innings and having a 12-2 game turn into a 12-7 game has the potential to have a dramatic impact on the season. Closer and top end reliever usage increases greatly - teams don't pull starters and continue to run/bunt etc deep into blowouts. And at the end of the day, does having a +15 higher run differential (that's less than 1 run every 10 games) really mean anything?

H2H fails to take into account pitching matchups, home field and injuries. Let's say the Jays and Seattle finish tied for the wildcard. The Jays crushed the M's 6-1 in H2H this year.

Jays SP: Estrada, Biagini x2, Stroman x2, Sanchez, Happ
Mariners SP: de Jong, Bergmann, Weber, Miranda x2, Gaviglio, Paxton

Now I'm not saying the Mariners have a good starting rotation or anything, but there's a lot of garbage there, and its not garbage that's being thrown out by Seattle every five days. Not to mention the Jays had an extra home game.

I think something like head to head or run differential would improve the quality of regular season games like it is done in international hockey and basketball play for the round robins. You will see less blow outs and more teams trying to win games and put up runs/stop the bleeding in game that are out of hand of getting out of hand. Maybe more games like Jays-Angels with Pearce's walk off GS rather than team giving 3 outs late in games so easily to "save bullets" for tomorrow.

And a 1 game tiebreak would fail to take into account the incongruity of a regular season found in an unbalanced schedule among other factors by awarding someone home field advantage. No system would be the true representation of fair so i opt for the solution that may not be that much better but allows for more rest which would/can give you best on best for the playoffs.

There's nothing wrong with something like this being decided by a H2H tiebreaker (which IIRC it is), as otherwise it would just be a random draw. At least every team gets a chance to earn their spot on the field though. Like, the Jays tying for a WC spot and then not having a chance to play because Matt Dermody gave up about 1100 home runs to the Orioles on a Sunday in April is rather ludicrous, isn't it?

I, for one, welcome our new chaos overlords.

Lol... i hope i am wrong but i wouldnt want to see that chaos at all.

If all stadiums had roofs, there was enough travel days and rest to get best on best in the playoffs then i wouldnt be complaining about the current system but as it stands its just too condensed for my liking.

 

[lebdafor norris]

I don't know how they can keep this guy on the roster

Also speaking of absolute wastemen...Kendrys Morales. Woof.

This x10, a full time DH who is putting up a wrc+ below 100 to go along with very absymal baserunning is absolutely unacceptable. I'm hoping the Jays can somehow find a taker for him this winter so they can give Steve Pearce the full time DH role.

 

[theaub]

I think something like head to head or run differential would improve the quality of regular season games like it is done in international hockey and basketball play for the round robins. You will see less blow outs and more teams trying to win games and put up runs/stop the bleeding in game that are out of hand of getting out of hand. Maybe more games like Jays-Angels with Pearce's walk off GS rather than team giving 3 outs late in games so easily to "save bullets" for tomorrow.

Those are 4-6 game tournaments where you play everyone once, which isn't even on the same stratosphere as a 162 game season where every division has a drastically different SoS.

The only comparable here is probably traditional top-tier soccer, but even then every team has the same schedule, the nature of the sport indicates that you likely don't fall victim to the randomness monster that is starting pitching, there are about 15% as many goals scored in the average PL season as there are runs for the average MLB team, and they play in the range of 20-25% as many games. And even then, if Chelsea and Newcastle are tied for the title a one-game playoff at Wembley would be phenomenal instead of having Chelsea win it because they beat Norwich 7-1 back in September (and fwiw, the PL doesn't even use head to head as a tiebreaker anywhere - if teams are tied on points, goal differential and goals scored the next tiebreak is a one game neutral site playoff).

Also, for all the pitcher injuries we see nowadays, a run differential-based tiebreak will only result in increased usage of good pitchers (especially at the relief level), which can't be a good thing.

And a 1 game tiebreak would fail to take into account the incongruity of a regular season found in an unbalanced schedule among other factors by awarding someone home field advantage. No system would be the true representation of fair so i opt for the solution that may not be that much better but allows for more rest which would/can give you best on best for the playoffs.

Sorry, but there is zero way that having more rest is a better option than actually deciding it on the field. That makes zero sense.

Lol... i hope i am wrong but i wouldnt want to see that chaos at all.

If all stadiums had roofs, there was enough travel days and rest to get best on best in the playoffs then i wouldnt be complaining about the current system but as it stands its just too condensed for my liking.

I agree the playoff system is too condensed, but that's the nature of playoffs. We all know the playoffs are nothing but a crapshoot and really determine nothing more than who is better in October instead of determining who is the best from April to October. Alas, it is more entertaining that way.

The advantage of the system now is the six division winners get the best possible advantage for being the best during the first six months of the season (ie being able to play in an actual series and having the extra day or two of rest for your pitchers). An expansion to an eight team playoff (or elongating the WC process) only diminishes or outright removes that advantage.

You could easily convince me on a best of seven DS round + reducing the schedule to 158 games. End the season on a Wednesday, play the WC games on Thurs/Fri and then start the DS on the Saturday/Sunday. But the lost revenue for 60 playoff games probably isn't made up from the extra 4-8 playoff games you get out of that expansion so it won't happen.

 

[King Mapes]

This x10, a full time DH who is putting up a wrc+ below 100 to go along with very absymal baserunning is absolutely unacceptable. I'm hoping the Jays can somehow find a taker for him this winter so they can give Steve Pearce the full time DH role.

HEs been a major flop. I thought he'd be much better.

Quick question, do you guys see Vlad as a 3B in the future or 1B/DH? I see him as a David Ortiz type which there's nothing wrong with

 

[phillipmike]

Also, for all the pitcher injuries we see nowadays, a run differential-based tiebreak will only result in increased usage of good pitchers (especially at the relief level), which can't be a good thing.

I disgaree. I fail to recognize how seeing more good pitchers is a bad thing. I prefer a well pitched game as much as a high scoring affair.

Sorry, but there is zero way that having more rest is a better option than actually deciding it on the field. That makes zero sense.

This is a clear difference of opinion or maybe a misunderstanding. Im saying these tiebreaker games may water the product down of a wildcard game as i stated it may end up being a team's 3rd or 4th start vs the home team's ace in a do or die wildcard game.

I have two opinions;

1. My unrealistic opinion of getting rid of the wildcard and shortening the season to accommodate 8 playoff teams per league;

2. My more realistic opinion of the quality of competition being diminished even more for that wildcard game do to the potential of extra tiebreaker games. The wildcard game is likely here to stay for awhile and i want rested and best on best for that game to determine who advances.

Im never going to get my 1st opinion just a pipedream but i think opinion 2 is an extension of a real concern from this season's 7 teams within 3.5 games of a playoff spot - the closest this has been done in the past on August 15th was 3 teams in the 2014 NL wildcard race. It is possible this could be what i would call a "messy" situation which disrupts the quality of competition for the wildcard game.

I agree the playoff system is too condensed, but that's the nature of playoffs. We all know the playoffs are nothing but a crapshoot and really determine nothing more than who is better in October instead of determining who is the best from April to October. Alas, it is more entertaining that way.

The advantage of the system now is the six division winners get the best possible advantage for being the best during the first six months of the season (ie being able to play in an actual series and having the extra day or two of rest for your pitchers). An expansion to an eight team playoff (or elongating the WC process) only diminishes or outright removes that advantage.

You could easily convince me on a best of seven DS round + reducing the schedule to 158 games. End the season on a Wednesday, play the WC games on Thurs/Fri and then start the DS on the Saturday/Sunday. But the lost revenue for 60 playoff games probably isn't made up from the extra 4-8 playoff games you get out of that expansion so it won't happen.

Again its the nature of the playoffs because its a product of the current system. I believe my suggestions correct most of the problems we see when we chalk something up as "it is just the nature of the playoffs."

I know my idea seems far fetched for baseball but it is a common practice in the NHL and the NBA. If Baseball had a 140 game season with four 7 series rounds already no one would blink an eye but because my suggestion is different it gets the push back because usually thats the case when change comes to baseball. I am very similar when they bring up other things i think are stupid or different than other sports; nickname jerseys, no trading draft picks, competitive balance picks, compensatory system etc.

 

[Discoverer]

I think it is a very poor argument to say "poor matchups are just part of the game" when i am offering a way to avoid for the playoffs which i think is better for the game.

Having fewer teams involved by removing a bunch of exciting games that generate general interest across baseball and specific interest among multiple teams just so you can say the next round was "best on best" is a weird thing to wish for, to me.

Plus, there's a lot more to a matchup than the two starting pitchers.

It would be even better if there were 2-3 game gap between the end of the RS to the start of the WC games to ensure both team's best pitchers are rested and ready.

That would be the worst. Why shouldn't teams with deeper rotations have an advantage heading into the playoffs? Why shouldn't teams who spend the last week of the season adjusting their starters to get their playoff rotation to line up the way they want see an advantage?

The MLB has a 1 day break and it isnt really a break as its a travel day sometimes for both teams.

There should never be more than one day off between games.

I think you answered your own question. Its messy because it can get "crazy" as you stated.

The problem here is that you're reading "crazy" as being a bad thing. "Crazy" is literally the best part of baseball.

 

[Discoverer]

I know my idea seems far fetched for baseball but it is a common practice in the NHL and the NBA. If Baseball had a 140 game season with four 7 series rounds already no one would blink an eye but because my suggestion is different it gets the push back because usually thats the case when change comes to baseball. I am very similar when they bring up other things i think are stupid or different than other sports; nickname jerseys, no trading draft picks, competitive balance picks, compensatory system etc.

Most of the push-back you're getting isn't related to your "shorter season, more playoffs" option. It's about your "skip the play-in games" idea.

Sure, it's a difference of opinion, but it seems unfathomable to me that someone would rather skip two days of intense, do-or-die baseball so they can make sure Tyler Skaggs gets to start the Wild Card game against the Yankees.

 

[MS]

This x10, a full time DH who is putting up a wrc+ below 100 to go along with very absymal baserunning is absolutely unacceptable. I'm hoping the Jays can somehow find a taker for him this winter so they can give Steve Pearce the full time DH role.

Yup. Guy is a complete donkey but his ok-looking counting stats and the fact he's on pace for 25 HR and 80 RBI has managed to get him out of serious criticism.

He's an awful player. He can't run, he can't get on base, you can't put him anywhere in the field, and he isn't even a league average hitter. At a premium offensive position. Hopefully they can get rid of him for next year. Even releasing him would be ok. All he's doing is blocking the move of Pearce (or someone else) to DH to open up an outfield spot for a young player.

 

[Eyedea]

Not saying he hasn't been inconsistent, but Morales still has a 0.97 WPA (3rd on the team behind Smoak and Donaldson). He's the 6th best hitter in high leverage situations this season.

 

[phillipmike]

Having fewer teams involved by removing a bunch of exciting games that generate general interest across baseball and specific interest among multiple teams just so you can say the next round was "best on best" is a weird thing to wish for, to me.

Plus, there's a lot more to a matchup than the two starting pitchers.

That's why its a difference of a opinion. What is weird to you is desirable for me and vice versa. What you think is weird is what happens in the 3 other major sports so it shouldnt be that weird.

There is but you have a better chance at a better game with two rested aces going against each other, no?

That would be the worst. Why shouldn't teams with deeper rotations have an advantage heading into the playoffs? Why shouldn't teams who spend the last week of the season adjusting their starters to get their playoff rotation to line up the way they want see an advantage?

That argument of deeper rotations gets thrown out the window for the rest of the playoffs because of the prolonged breaks between series.

Why does the league schedule all the series to end before starting a new one? The Jays and Indians were set when the Indians won on October 10th.. they could have played on October 12th but had to wait for the NLDS to finish and wait until October 14th. It isnt the "worst" its reality - they have breaks and sometimes prolonged breaks in between every series with the exception of the end of the RS and the start of the Wildcard games. In fact the NL wildcard teams has two nights off as they are the 2nd game that is played vs the AL who gets 1. Its not about consistency with the league its about tv ratings and even then they mess it up when they have 4pm playoff games on weekdays.

There should never be more than one day off between games.

There is, when a new series starts and should be the same for a wildcard.

The problem here is that you're reading "crazy" as being a bad thing. "Crazy" is literally the best part of baseball.

And i disagree. No one says on opening day the best thing is i hope there is a tie at the end of the season so we can see a bunch of tiebreaking games. People want to see the playoffs and the world series. These "high pressure" tie breaker games you speak of that you think everyone wants isnt the case; i bet the causal fan doesnt even know the tiebreaker rules for these games. Its just overkill.

Most of the push-back you're getting isn't related to your "shorter season, more playoffs" option. It's about your "skip the play-in games" idea.

Sure, it's a difference of opinion, but it seems unfathomable to me that someone would rather skip two days of intense, do-or-die baseball so they can make sure Tyler Skaggs gets to start the Wild Card game against the Yankees.

Or Marcus Stroman, Jose Beirros/Ervin Santana, Danny Duffy, James Paxton, Chris Archer, Dylan Bundy, and Cole Hamels. But sure we can just talk Tyler Skaggs.

As you say i focus on the hypothetical that could become a reality in a few months you focus on the least desirable individual case - Tyler Skaggs to prove a point.

 

[Suntouchable13]

A crappy team like the Angels is sitting in a wild card spot. Who's to say that if the Jays were just a little bit healthier (Let's say Donaldson does not miss any time and Sanchez is healthy and even better than last season) that they wouldn't be right there right now?

 

[phillipmike]

A crappy team like the Angels is sitting in a wild card spot. Who's to say that if the Jays were just a little bit healthier (Let's say Donaldson does not miss any time and Sanchez is healthy and even better than last season) that they wouldn't be right there right now?

I feel you man.

Healthier? We had game 4 games won and Osuna blew those saves with one being against the Angels. We would be 61-60 with the Angels being 60-60... We would be tied with Minny and KC for the 2nd WC spot and 3.5 games behind the Yankees.

Health aside we were in a good position. Add in health and we should be easily in the 1st WC spot and right behind Boston.

 

[Eyedea]

A crappy team like the Angels is sitting in a wild card spot. Who's to say that if the Jays were just a little bit healthier (Let's say Donaldson does not miss any time and Sanchez is healthy and even better than last season) that they wouldn't be right there right now?

Even if Sanchez regressed to a ~2-3 win guy the Jays would be in a much better position. Bautista/Tulo being 20-30 points worse than last year, Travis being dead, Pillar's defence regressing hurts as well.

 

[Discoverer]

And i disagree. No one says on opening day the best thing is i hope there is a tie at the end of the season so we can see a bunch of tiebreaking games. People want to see the playoffs and the world series. These "high pressure" tie breaker games you speak of that you think everyone wants isnt the case; i bet the causal fan doesnt even know the tiebreaker rules for these games. Its just overkill.

This is the main crux of the disagreement, and it's where you're 100% wrong. Regardless of their knowledge of the specifics, casual fans want exciting baseball. There's nothing more exciting and meaningful than elimination games.

Or Marcus Stroman, Jose Beirros/Ervin Santana, Danny Duffy, James Paxton, Chris Archer, Dylan Bundy, and Cole Hamels. But sure we can just talk Tyler Skaggs.

As you say i focus on the hypothetical that could become a reality in a few months you focus on the least desirable individual case - Tyler Skaggs to prove a point.

Wait... so your hypothetical in which a bunch of these teams that are currently separated by 3.5 or fewer games end up tied in a crazy play-in scenario qualifies as "could become reality", while mine, in which I stated the scenario that is literally in place today is cherrypicking the "least desirable individual case"? My original point was that hypotheticals are silly because you can make up anything to support any point, and the Skaggs example was intended to illustrate that.

Either way... you want more awesome pitching matchups. I want more fun games and memorable moments (which, conveniently enough, would also include more great pitching matchups, just not in "official" playoff games).

Meh.

 

[hockeywiz542]

 

[canucksfan]

Jansen continues to hit. He's 12 for 23. 4 doubles which is nice. 7 BB and one SO. Obviously not sustainable but he has taken no time in adjusting to AAA so far.

 

[Bad News Benning]

Jansen continues to hit. He's 12 for 23. 4 doubles which is nice. 7 BB and one SO. Obviously not sustainable but he has taken no time in adjusting to AAA so far.

McGuire hit another jack as well.

Hopefully one of these guys can break the curse

 

[canucksfan]

McGuire hit another jack as well.

Hopefully one of these guys can break the curse

McGuire has hit the ball very well since he has come back from the DL.

 

[hoc123]

McGuire has hit the ball very well since he has come back from the DL.

He was one of the prospects I was most interested in after the first month of the season. He raised his flyball percentage by about 10% before he got injured and has an ISO of over .100 for the first time in his career. Now it was only 20 games so obviously SSS, but it seems like he has continued where he left off.

 

[phillipmike]

This is the main crux of the disagreement, and it's where you're 100% wrong. Regardless of their knowledge of the specifics, casual fans want exciting baseball. There's nothing more exciting and meaningful than elimination games.

Got any proof? Just because your opinion differs mine doesnt make me 100% wrong, dumb comment to make. Nice to know that your opinion speaks for 100% of all the fans... all around the world. Someone disagrees with you, no need to make an idiotic statement just because someone doesnt share the same viewpoint as yours.

Why would fans want to delay the most exciting baseball in playoff ball for tiebreaker games? Its an opinion of yours that isnt fact. If that were the case then you should be advocating for tie breaker games in the NFL, NBA and NHL.

Wait... so your hypothetical in which a bunch of these teams that are currently separated by 3.5 or fewer games end up tied in a crazy play-in scenario qualifies as "could become reality", while mine, in which I stated the scenario that is literally in place today is cherrypicking the "least desirable individual case"? My original point was that hypotheticals are silly because you can make up anything to support any point, and the Skaggs example was intended to illustrate that.

Its the least desirable because you literally picked the worst team's best pitcher. You pick 1 specific pitcher over 6 others. You picked Skaggs for a reason because if you pick any other team's ace it wouldnt "prove your point." As bad as you think Skaggs is i am sure the Angels and all of baseball would prefer to see the Angels best in a wildcard game in Skaggs vs their 3rd or 4th starter in Shoemaker. Skaggs vs Severino is a better matchup than Shoemaker vs. Severino.

Either way... you want more awesome pitching matchups. I want more fun games and memorable moments (which, conveniently enough, would also include more great pitching matchups, just not in "official" playoff games).

Meh.

Chicken or the egg. You say great pitching matchups can still occur in these tiebreaker games. I say great baseball occurs in the playoffs regadless which is delayed by tiebreaker games and would be even better if you have best vs best when it comes to starters like when opening day rolls around. First few go arounds are 1 vs 1, 2 vs 2 etc.

 

[theaub]

Got any proof? Just because your opinion differs mine doesnt make me 100% wrong, dumb comment to make. Nice to know that your opinion speaks for 100% of all the fans... all around the world. Someone disagrees with you, no need to make an idiotic statement just because someone doesnt share the same viewpoint as yours.

Why would fans want to delay the most exciting baseball in playoff ball for tiebreaker games? Its an opinion of yours that isnt fact. If that were the case then you should be advocating for tie breaker games in the NFL, NBA and NHL.

Just so I'm clear...

You're arguing that casual fans care more about seeing linear pitching matchups in a series than having multiple elimination single game playoffs?

That's a bold argument, considering it flies in the face of historical TV ratings, attendance, and basically everything we know about North American sports.

I am moreso open to the argument that people would be open to more series (as more series = more games = more viewers since TV ratings are generally consistent amongst WC/DS games by market). But due to the nature of baseball, if you have 8 series that means you're going to have either 4 or 8 games per day. Which in theory sounds good, but it does absolutely nothing for TV ratings (outside of the small local market bump) since there's only so many timeslots in which you can play baseball. Having two wildcard games in primetime on separate days basically offsets adding two more games and six more teams to the playoffs from a TV perspective.

 

[Canada4Gold]

We should skip past the Divisional and Championship series and go right to the World Series, why would we delay the World Series for that other lesser stuff that fans don't care about. Now that I think of it, lets skip the Regular season as well.

My other favorite part of your post was where you suggested that Discoverer should also advocate for tiebreaker games in other sports when he's literally been doing that in replies to your own posts in this very thread.

edit: Also not sure why we're all here arguing about which aces are going to be pitching wildcard games. If there's anything close to a 5 way tie to close the season, teams are going to be either pitching their normal rotations until the end of the year which could involve their best pitchers ending the season and not being available for said games, or teams scrambling to line it up for that to happen so they get that 1 extra start for their best guys to maximize their chances of actually getting to the WC game. Tiebreaker games wouldn't change that. Teams would just end up pitching the next guy up. Jays could be in a position where they end the year Happ, Estrada, Stroman, and if they were to make a WC game it could be Biagini pitching.