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I know there needs to be a system, and I'm not a proponent of best of 5 series, but the WC should be at least best of 3. Cut off 2 games of the regular season and add them into the playoffs to make the WC a best of 3. Granted, that's not perfect either, but we shouldn't have baseball become the NCAA, 1 and done.
Cut off 2 games of the regular season and add them into the playoffs to make the WC a best of 3. .
They can't. They had already locked themselves into the TV dates for the games, and they came up with this brainstorm on the spur of the moment after they had already scheduled the other playoff games..
So, it's the first year for the new playoff format, and regardless of what you think about the new rules it has certainly increased the playoff aspirations for a few teams.
Something that's been popping up around the internets lately centers on the playoff roster rules. Currently, teams are allowed to make changes to their roster between playoff series. The Wild Card Play In game is, technically, a playoff series. This means that teams can change their roster both before and after the game. Since it's a one-game series, there is little need to have more than one starting pitcher on the roster for the series.
More than a few people have proposed that the best strategy for the play in game would be to eschew a starting pitcher all together, instead using relievers for the entire game. Relievers tend to be more effective on a per inning basis than starters and the platoon advantage (left vs left) could be taken advantage of more frequently. That's a perfectly logical argument. In 2012: The average starter has an ERA of 4.22, strikes out 19% of hitters and walks 7.5% of hitters The average reliever has a 3.64 ERA, strikes out 22% of hitters and walks 9% of hitters
With off days, teams could empty their bullpens for the play in game and still use their number one starters should they make it to the next round.
I doubt any team will have the balls to try it, but it's a sound strategy.
The Atlanta Braves are doing something similar to this as we speak.
Yeah, it's against the Pirates, but no Braves pitcher has faced more than 6 hitters. Through 8 innings, the Pirates have 3 hits, 0 runs, 0 walks and have K'd 8 times.
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