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Zephyr · 11-05-2009, 08:43 AM

Now that that's over, I'd like to hear your opinions on what you would do about MLB. Anything you want to change: this could be on-field rules, television stuff, "business" issues, etc. I have some thoughts but I'll just throw open the forum to you guys...

IHeartSteveMcQueen · 11-05-2009, 03:45 PM

bring back the Expos.

EagerMinnow84 · 11-05-2009, 05:39 PM

Instant replay for the playoffs.

anonymid · 11-05-2009, 07:16 PM

Instant replay period, regular season as well as postseason.

JFmtl · 11-05-2009, 07:30 PM

Is another round of playoffs something plausible? (8 teams per league making the playoffs instead of 4) It would give more hopes and excitement to fans of middle of the pack teams as making the playoffs wont be an once in a generation event.

anonymid · 11-05-2009, 07:50 PM

I don't know, another round of playoffs is not something I'd be keen on. I don't want to see baseball turn into the NBA or the NHL.

JFmtl · 11-05-2009, 07:53 PM

Why not, playoffs are supposed to be a long war

anonymid · 11-05-2009, 08:01 PM

Another thing I'd like to see is a schedule that's a little more balanced. Eighteen games against each divisional opponent is excessive. You end up playing almost half of your games against the same four teams.

pokeherpro · 11-06-2009, 02:16 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anonymid

Another thing I'd like to see is a schedule that's a little more balanced. Eighteen games against each divisional opponent is excessive. You end up playing almost half of your games against the same four teams.

I think that's important, if you need to win your division to make the playoffs, then games within the division are much more telling than more games against non-division teams.

Five things I want to see:

1)No more unlimited timeouts. Have a play-clock like football, if the pitcher takes too long, it's an automatic ball, if a player steps into the batters box and steps out, it's a strike. In Game 6 of the World Series, I saw 3 timeouts in the first 5 minutes alone.

2)Less regular season games, 1 more wild card team in each league, for a total of 5 in the AL and 5 in the NL. The 4 wildcard teams can play a best of 5, and the winner gets to play against the #1 seed in the ALDS/NLDS.

3)Change the ALDS/NLDS to 7 game series.

4)Start the playoffs with 1 week left in the regular season.

5)Start playoff games earlier.

pokeherpro · 11-06-2009, 02:18 AM

162 regular season games in 6 months. 19, maximum, playoff games, in 1 month. Doesn't that seem dumb to anyone? In baseball, it seems making it to the playoffs is the goal, not actually winning once you're there...

Zephyr · 11-06-2009, 06:47 AM

Good suggestions so far...

Quote:

Originally Posted by anonymid

I don't know, another round of playoffs is not something I'd be keen on. I don't want to see baseball turn into the NBA or the NHL.

Me either. I might be in favour of adding one more wildcard team per league, although that would probably mean introducing a bye and I'm not sure that's a good idea in baseball.

Quote:

Originally Posted by JFmtl

Why not, playoffs are supposed to be a long war

I wouldn't like to see that many because I think it cheapens the regular season a bit. The other problem is that, due to the nature of the game, upsets are more likely in baseball which would mean lower seeds knocking off higher seeds more frequently than you get in the other sports. I don't want to reward a .500 team with a playoff berth from which they can win the whole thing.

Quote:

Originally Posted by anonymid

Another thing I'd like to see is a schedule that's a little more balanced. Eighteen games against each divisional opponent is excessive. You end up playing almost half of your games against the same four teams.

Same here. There are two issues I have with the unbalanced sched: it's boring seeing the same teams and players all the time, and it's unfair in a wildcard race when teams have to play different schedules.

Quote:

Originally Posted by pokeherpro

1)No more unlimited timeouts. Have a play-clock like football, if the pitcher takes too long, it's an automatic ball, if a player steps into the batters box and steps out, it's a strike. In Game 6 of the World Series, I saw 3 timeouts in the first 5 minutes alone.

There actually is a rule to this effect. A pitcher is supposed to have twelve seconds to deliver a pitch if there's no one on base. It's not often enforced, but Papelbon got dinged a couple times this year.

There are many things they could do to eliminate much of the dead time that saps momentum at critical spots. Not allowing a batter to constantly step out is a great one. Another rule I'd like to see is some limit on pitching changes per inning: I hate it when managers start doing the platoon matchups in late innings and it's one pitcher for one hitter. I'd be in favour of something like one change allowed per inning, unless/until the current pitcher surrenders a run.

anonymid · 11-06-2009, 07:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pokeherpro

162 regular season games in 6 months. 19, maximum, playoff games, in 1 month. Doesn't that seem dumb to anyone? In baseball, it seems making it to the playoffs is the goal, not actually winning once you're there...

It's true, baseball is more of a regular-season sport than some of the others are, but I'm ok with that. I like having a long regular season and relatively compact playoffs.

pokeherpro · 11-06-2009, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anonymid

It's true, baseball is more of a regular-season sport than some of the others are, but I'm ok with that. I like having a long regular season and relatively compact playoffs.

Well, back in the day there really were no playoffs. Prior to 1969, there was the regular season, and then the two 1st place teams played in the World Series. Not only that, but it wasn't until 1985 that the ALCS/NLCS went from a 5 game series to a 7 game series....so baseball has always been about the regular season.

anonymid · 11-06-2009, 07:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by pokeherpro

Well, back in the day there really were no playoffs. Prior to 1969, there was the regular season, and then the two 1st place teams played in the World Series. Not only that, but it wasn't until 1985 that the ALCS/NLCS went from a 5 game series to a 7 game series....so baseball has always been about the regular season.

Exactly. That's why I don't like the idea of straying too far from that model.

I honestly wouldn't mind scrapping divisional play altogether, and simply having the two league champs play in the World Series, the way it used to be. Contract two teams, go to two 14-team leagues, play a 156-game schedule with each team playing each other team in its league 12 times. And once you've done that, heck, make the World Series best-of-13.

That will of course never happen, but I think that would be my ideal.

CrashMedicate · 11-07-2009, 11:12 AM

Well for one, I'd like to see The Mets win a championship

but I don't think that will be happening anytime soon.

I agree with extended playoffs. I hate how you know your team's season is over by August. Extended playoffs would at least take you to the football season.

And I think instant replay needs to be utilized much much more. Too many bad calls from the umps. I just don't see the argument against it. The technology is there, use it!

Tungsten · 11-07-2009, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CrashMedicate

And I think instant replay needs to be utilized much much more. Too many bad calls from the umps. I just don't see the argument against it. The technology is there, use it!

I support instant replay, but I can see it becoming a problem if they don't do it right. They need to have a special replay umpire in the booth who can quickly review and overturn questionable calls. Giving the managers a certain number of challenges per game seems like a good idea.

I just don't want them to keep the current setup for home run calls where the entire umpiring crew disappears into the clubhouse every time there's a discrepancy. It really slows down the game.

11-05-2009, 08:43 AM	#1 (permalink)
Zephyr Status: gone Join Date: Nov 2003 Posts: 9,579	So...things you would change about baseball Now that that's over, I'd like to hear your opinions on what you would do about MLB. Anything you want to change: this could be on-field rules, television stuff, "business" issues, etc. I have some thoughts but I'll just throw open the forum to you guys... __________________

11-05-2009, 03:45 PM	#2 (permalink)
IHeartSteveMcQueen Status: lost in the supermarket Join Date: May 2009 Location: Canada Gender: Female Posts: 1,401	bring back the Expos. __________________ If Adolf Hitler flew in today , they'd send a limousine anyway

11-05-2009, 05:39 PM	#3 (permalink)
EagerMinnow84 Status: Living in Technicolor Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: Dancing with Gene Kelly Gender: Female Posts: 1,189	Instant replay for the playoffs. __________________ I don't know, I kind of like him. He's the exact opposite of everything I really hate. In a way, he's such a clueless dork, he's almost kind of cool

11-05-2009, 07:16 PM	#4 (permalink)
anonymid Status: gulping for shape Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Chicagoland Gender: Male Age: 30 Posts: 2,077	Instant replay period, regular season as well as postseason. __________________ "He who has not the courage to suffer either death or life, who will neither resist nor flee, what can we do with him?" - Montaigne

11-05-2009, 07:30 PM	#5 (permalink)
JFmtl Status: schtroumpf grognon Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Montréal Gender: Male Age: 22 Posts: 1,095	Is another round of playoffs something plausible? (8 teams per league making the playoffs instead of 4) It would give more hopes and excitement to fans of middle of the pack teams as making the playoffs wont be an once in a generation event. __________________ Reverend Lovejoy: Marge, just about everything’s a sin. [holds up a Bible] Y’ever sat down and read this thing? Technically we’re not supposed to go to the bathroom.

11-05-2009, 07:50 PM	#6 (permalink)
anonymid Status: gulping for shape Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Chicagoland Gender: Male Age: 30 Posts: 2,077	I don't know, another round of playoffs is not something I'd be keen on. I don't want to see baseball turn into the NBA or the NHL. __________________ "He who has not the courage to suffer either death or life, who will neither resist nor flee, what can we do with him?" - Montaigne

11-05-2009, 07:53 PM	#7 (permalink)
JFmtl Status: schtroumpf grognon Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Montréal Gender: Male Age: 22 Posts: 1,095	Why not, playoffs are supposed to be a long war __________________ Reverend Lovejoy: Marge, just about everything’s a sin. [holds up a Bible] Y’ever sat down and read this thing? Technically we’re not supposed to go to the bathroom.

11-05-2009, 08:01 PM	#8 (permalink)
anonymid Status: gulping for shape Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Chicagoland Gender: Male Age: 30 Posts: 2,077	Another thing I'd like to see is a schedule that's a little more balanced. Eighteen games against each divisional opponent is excessive. You end up playing almost half of your games against the same four teams. __________________ "He who has not the courage to suffer either death or life, who will neither resist nor flee, what can we do with him?" - Montaigne

11-06-2009, 02:18 AM	#10 (permalink)
pokeherpro Status: Previously Banned Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Canada eh? Gender: Male Age: 25 Posts: 1,375	162 regular season games in 6 months. 19, maximum, playoff games, in 1 month. Doesn't that seem dumb to anyone? In baseball, it seems making it to the playoffs is the goal, not actually winning once you're there...

11-07-2009, 11:12 AM	#15 (permalink)
CrashMedicate Status: Racing through life Join Date: Oct 2009 Location: Riiiight here. Gender: Male Age: 24 Posts: 205	Well for one, I'd like to see The Mets win a championship but I don't think that will be happening anytime soon. I agree with extended playoffs. I hate how you know your team's season is over by August. Extended playoffs would at least take you to the football season. And I think instant replay needs to be utilized much much more. Too many bad calls from the umps. I just don't see the argument against it. The technology is there, use it! __________________ A man has to have goals. A man without goals is like a car without steering. You're going to crash.