Please NO Expanded Playoffs.
With the end of the 2021 season and the current collective bargaining agreement ending in less than a month, there is speculation that the playoffs could be changed for the upcoming 2022 season.
During the Pandemic shortened season, the playoffs were expanded from its usual 10 team format to a 16 team format. In those expanded playoffs, each league was represented by each of the division winners, the division runner-ups, and the remaining 2 spots in each league were determined by the best remaining two records in any of the divisions. In this format, there is no 1 game play-in game or a first round bye for being the top record in the league. The #1 seed in the A.L. played the #8 seed in the A.L in a best out of 3. This playoffs format added an additional round for all teams.
If MLB would have kept that same format for the 2021 season, the Cleveland Indians with an 80-82 record would have been a playoff team in the American League. The Philadelphia Phillies and Cincinnati Reds would have been the last two teams to represent the National League. In my eyes, MLB and baseball fans do not want to see mediocre / bad baseball teams playing in the postseason. I do not want to see a team like the Phillies with a pitcher like Zack Wheeler go up against the National League's best team, the San Francisco Giants, that won 107 games. Anything can happen in a short 3 game series, especially when a pitcher like Wheeler is on the #8 seed. A team like the Phillies did not belong on the same baseball field as the 2021 San Francisco Giants competing in a playoff series with World Series aspirations. Thankfully in 2021, we went back to the normal playoff structure with the division winners and the two wild card teams.
Another aspect of the baseball season that I do not want to see changed is the emphasis on winning in the regular season. The current rules favor the best record in each league because they get to face a team coming off of a Wild Card game victory in which they possibly had to use their best starting pitcher and their top bullpen arms in a win or go home game. By expanding the playoffs and using a format like the one used in 2020, there isn’t a big advantage to winning your division or just doing enough to get into the playoffs. Yes, home field advantage is an advantage as home teams in the 2021 postseason went 24-13 (.648 win percentage). But in a 3 game series, anything can happen as long as you are a part of the field. With a season as long as the 162 game season, devaluing the regular season would be bad for baseball. I think we could see a lot more of “resting players” throughout the season if there isn’t a big emphasis on divisional winners. The NBA struggles with this issue as many of the game’s star players sit games throughout the season for “load management.” MLB players get off days as well but I think we would see a lot more of it if there wasn't a huge difference between teams 1-4 or 5-8. Everyone is guaranteed a 3 game series. Keeping the games as meaningful as possible and keeping fans engaged during the regular season should be top priority.
The last day of the 2021 season was very entertaining. The team that made it to the ALCS, the Boston Red Sox, were trailing 5-1 against the Washington Nationals. A loss would have given the Seattle Marines, a 90 win team, and the Toronto Blue Jays, a 91 win team, a chance to get to the Wild Card game through a couple of tie-breaker games. The Red Sox ended up coming back and no tie-breakers were needed but it made for a very entertaining final day of the season. Game 162 of the regular season saw four 90 game winners all fighting for their playoff dreams. Could we see drama if MLB decides to expand its playoffs? Absolutely. But I personally do not want to see drama between sub .500 teams who did absolutely nothing at the trade deadline to compete in the final two months to fight for the playoff dreams. In my eyes, they are not interesting story lines and they just don’t belong.
If MLB decides to expand its playoffs similarly as it did in 2020, then I can guarantee we will not see what the Dodgers and Giants did on the final day of the regular season. Both the Giants and Dodgers threw their best to try to win their final game and win the division to avoid the 1 game Wild Card game. If all that was at stake was either the #1 seed or the #2 seed, there is no way Logan Webb and Walker Buehler throw on Sunday. The final games for the top 2 seeds in the National League mattered with the current format. Why would we want to get rid of compelling baseball on the day of game 162?
This season was a competitive season as two 90+ win teams did not make the playoffs. The Toronto Blue Jays (91 wins) and the Seattle Mariners (90 wins) barely missed forcing tie-breaker games. Prior to this season, only 4 teams that won 90+ games missed the playoffs since the second Wild Card spot became a rule in 2012. The teams were the following:
2019 Cleveland: 93 wins
2018 Tampa: 90 wins
2013 Texas: 91 wins
2012 Tampa: 90 wins
I would rather see a bunch of 90+ win teams fighting for the last playoff spot than 80-85 win teams fighting for the 8th seed. It sucks for the teams that had a great year and won 90+ games but they had 162 games to secure 1 of the 5 spots. Expanding the playoffs just waters down the competition, which MLB hopefully does not want to do.
The other argument that I often hear in regards to the current playoff structure is baseball is meant to be played in series, not a 1 game Wild Card game. I have always felt bad for teams that have their season come down to a singular event. When looking at the 36 Wild Card teams since the Wild Card game entered the playoffs in 2012, the numbers are split between 80 and 90 win teams.
This season, the Dodgers had an incredible season with 106 wins. The Dodgers made decisions at the Trade Deadline that are great for the game as they brought high profile players to LA to play on the biggest stage. All those decisions earned them a 1 game win or go home game with the Cardinals since they could not catch the Giants. But this year was an anomaly when looking back at all of the Wild Card teams. Only 5 percent of the teams (the 2018 New York Yankees and the 2021 Los Angeles Dodgers) have won 100+ games and had to play in the Wild Card game. Both ended up winning the Wild Card Game. The more I think about it, their season does not come down to 1 singular event. They had a 162 games to avoid that win or go home game. I still would much rather see a great team in a 1 game Wild Card game than devaluing the regular season.
I am almost certain that MLB will expand their playoffs with the new CBA, whenever that is agreed upon. I hope the commissioner does not go with the 2020 format if expansion does happen. I personally do not see anything wrong with the current regular season / postseason format. In the words of Thomas Bertram Lance, “If it ain't broke, don’t fix it.”
Do you think MLB should expand the playoffs?
If you like what you read, please consider subscribing. All you have to do is enter your email. It’s free. It just let’s me know that the blog is going in the right direction. Thanks for reading!