McKenzie: GMs would support "Play in" concept for Wild Card

[thefoss1957]

Originally Posted by Jason14h

Like in Baseball?

This isn't a new concept. Baseball plays twice the amount of games, and the 2 wild card teams have a play in.

The last wild card team is most likely never going to be way ahead in the standings. With loser points and what not, is a team finishing in 8th actually any better then then team in 9th? It could have came down to schedule or 1 bad bounce.

The excitement and suspense of this game would be fantastic. I am not sure why everyone is so against it.

The purist in me REVILES almost ALL that Bud Selig did to baseball.

What is the point of playing a 162 game schedule if you are going to have champions that are mere THIRD place teams?

When I was a kid, you had to be a LEAGUE CHAMPION to be in the WS. Then came expansion, and divisions, but, at least, a team had to be a DIVISION champion, to make the post season. Then greed set in, and IMO, to the detriment of the sport, Winning in the regular season became minimized to just being "good enough to make the playoffs".

It is pathetic. As a life long Cub fan, I was asked if I was excited by last year's playoffs. Frankly, I was appalled. The team wasn't good enough to win the Central...and I did NOT want the 100 plus year "jinx" to be broken by a mere THIRD PLACE team, that to my purist heart, had NO BUSINESS playing October ball.

I realize that mine may be a minority view...but, it is truly how I feel. Unlike the NFL, with relatively short, and by necessity, unbalanced, schedules, Wild Cards, there, make sense. For the longer NHL or NBA schedules, okay, divisional 1sts and 2nds make some sense, but, no worse than 2nd place teams truly deserve a shot. Although, in the NHL, 66% of the O-6 teams played post season. But, for the LONG MLB schedule? Expanded playoffs simply reflect the worst in greed and manipulation of the sport. Heaven Forfend, what is next? A DH for the NL! For Shame!

[DoubleK]

More hockey is more better. When can it start?

[Party Elephant]

Originally Posted by thefoss1957

The purist in me REVILES almost ALL that Bud Selig did to baseball.

What is the point of playing a 162 game schedule if you are going to have champions that are mere THIRD place teams?

When I was a kid, you had to be a LEAGUE CHAMPION to be in the WS. Then came expansion, and divisions, but, at least, a team had to be a DIVISION champion, to make the post season. Then greed set in, and IMO, to the detriment of the sport, Winning in the regular season became minimized to just being "good enough to make the playoffs".

It is pathetic. As a life long Cub fan, I was asked if I was excited by last year's playoffs. Frankly, I was appalled. The team wasn't good enough to win the Central...and I did NOT want the 100 plus year "jinx" to be broken by a mere THIRD PLACE team, that to my purist heart, had NO BUSINESS playing October ball.

I realize that mine may be a minority view...but, it is truly how I feel. Unlike the NFL, with relatively short, and by necessity, unbalanced, schedules, Wild Cards, there, make sense. For the longer NHL or NBA schedules, okay, divisional 1sts and 2nds make some sense, but, no worse than 2nd place teams truly deserve a shot. Although, in the NHL, 66% of the O-6 teams played post season. But, for the LONG MLB schedule? Expanded playoffs simply reflect the worst in greed and manipulation of the sport. Heaven Forfend, what is next? A DH for the NL! For Shame!

I really enjoyed reading this.

[speede5]

I'd like to see a 3 point per game system tried first. An extra point in regulation might really intensify late season games, particularly divisional games.

As it is the season is basically over mid way.

[mrkajz44]

Seriously though, the NL needs to adopt the DH. Pitcher are so specialized and focused on pitching, the vast majority are brutal at the plate. It just forces the manager to make odd ball moves and replacements to manage around the pitcher spot.

[VladtheImpaler]

I would be OK with play-in games IFF the NHL went to a 3-2-1 point systems and eliminated artificial "races".

[SeeGeeWhy]

Yeah it was really ####ty when the royals got in the playoffs on the wildcard and ran it up to a 7 game WS set.

So bad that the NFL started doing it too.

The interesting twist I'd like to see is to make a tournament for the hottest teams outside of the playoffs. Like the top 2 teams in win % out of the playoffs play the worst two win pct teams IN the playoffs, winner gets the #8 seed in the respective conference.

Maybe it would help get rid of the tanking problem.

[SeeGeeWhy]

Originally Posted by thefoss1957

The purist in me REVILES almost ALL that Bud Selig did to baseball.

What is the point of playing a 162 game schedule if you are going to have champions that are mere THIRD place teams?

When I was a kid, you had to be a LEAGUE CHAMPION to be in the WS. Then came expansion, and divisions, but, at least, a team had to be a DIVISION champion, to make the post season. Then greed set in, and IMO, to the detriment of the sport, Winning in the regular season became minimized to just being "good enough to make the playoffs".

It is pathetic. As a life long Cub fan, I was asked if I was excited by last year's playoffs. Frankly, I was appalled. The team wasn't good enough to win the Central...and I did NOT want the 100 plus year "jinx" to be broken by a mere THIRD PLACE team, that to my purist heart, had NO BUSINESS playing October ball.

I realize that mine may be a minority view...but, it is truly how I feel. Unlike the NFL, with relatively short, and by necessity, unbalanced, schedules, Wild Cards, there, make sense. For the longer NHL or NBA schedules, okay, divisional 1sts and 2nds make some sense, but, no worse than 2nd place teams truly deserve a shot. Although, in the NHL, 66% of the O-6 teams played post season. But, for the LONG MLB schedule? Expanded playoffs simply reflect the worst in greed and manipulation of the sport. Heaven Forfend, what is next? A DH for the NL! For Shame!

A true champion should have no problem dispatching a play in wild card seed, but the game becomes more exciting to a wider base. I get what you're saying and I agree to a point but at the end of the day this is about entertainment, and the concept makes the sport more entertaining.

[habernac]

Gimicky bull####. No thanks.

[GirlySports]

you'd have to play under playoff rules (full overtime)

and yes a 3-2-1 point system during the 82 game season

They should reduce the regular season to 70 games and the playoffs to 3 rounds, only top 2 in the division make it.
Players need a break, they are getting hurt.

[Fuzz]

Maybe they should do a last chance kitchen where the loosing teams all play each other until they have a winner that plays in the Stanley Cup Final Final, after the other 2 best teams play. Then you can be really really sure the best of the worst had an underdog story to go against the best! Think of the ratings!

[thefoss1957]

Originally Posted by mrkajz44

Seriously though, the NL needs to adopt the DH. Pitcher are so specialized and focused on pitching, the vast majority are brutal at the plate. It just forces the manager to make odd ball moves and replacements to manage around the pitcher spot.

Just NO! What's next? Shortstops are so specialized?, so, hit for them! Defensive players are so specialized? So hit for them! We need to platoon offense and defense!

NO...

"Use of the DH takes something away from the game." - Chub Feeney

To relate back to hockey...not all rule changes do change the game for the better...the play in seems just another gimmick to gouge fans, and allow an inferior team to make a few extra bucks.

[OutOfTheCube]

I have a wild concept -- we make EVERY playoff spot a play-in spot. And instead of one game, it's like, 82 games. And we give points for wins, then the 8 teams on each side with the most points after all 82 games get to be in the playoffs!