So as I sit on my couch today to watch a potential series clinching game for the Chicago Cubs at home against the St. Louis Cardinals I am left saying “What The Fuck”! Who is making the MLB playoff schedules? This game with the most popular team in the playoffs playing against the team with the best record in baseball is being played at 4:30pm in the eastern time zone. What the Fuck? Now that would be bad enough if even one of the teams resided in the eastern time zone, with most fans still at work even on the east coast. But both teams are in the central time zone where it will be 3:30 and the west coast can enjoy the game over their lunch break.
Major League Baseball, get your heads out of your asses! The playoffs are the only time your snail paced sport is more exciting than reading Apples terms and conditions agreement, and you are burying all your games in the daytime as if it is week one of your 60 week season! You are missing a great opportunity to appeal to casual sports fans and squandering countless dollars.
It is clear to me that the season is just too too long. They are trying to rush the most important portion of their season simply because they have run out of time in the calendar year. Let me offer up a simple and reasonable solution to your problem. First, the amount of non playoff games needs to be reduced. This can be done by doing one or both of the following. Eliminate the preseason, players train year round and no longer need the time to get in shape, so it is really only useful to let young minor league players get a shot in a non typical major league situation. This year players started arriving at camp February 19 and the regular season didn't start until April 6th. Next, shorten the regular season. 162 games is absurd - lets make it a clean 100.
Now with all this extra time we will fix the post season. First off no more one game wildcard “Playoff”. Even as the season is currently constructed, this needs to be a minimum 3 games. Next, each series thereafter should be 7 games. It makes no sense to jump from 5 to 7 in the conference finals.
NO DAY GAMES DURING THE WEEK! These games are so buried that a casual fan like myself can barely tell you which teams are playing. You want your games on in prime time when you can make more advertising dollars and people don't have to call out of work to attend the games. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, give the team with the best record home field advantage in the Damn World Series! It boggles the mind that the winner of the exhibition All Star game decides home field and that it makes more sense than the previous method of alternating years. I don't give a shit if the All Star game wasn't competitive, that's not what it is about. It is about seeing all the best players in one city and having fun.
While there are several other things about the sport that I would like to change, this should be a good start. I can't promise my changes will make the game exciting, but maybe at least you won't have to worry about a summer sport having a game snowed out in the championship Series.
