https://totallytigers.wordpress.com/2022/10/18/watercooler-wednesday-58/
WATERCOOLER WEDNESDAY.
Totally Tigers
Today, another opportunity for readers to discuss the hottest topics in a forum where thoughtful dialog and a variety of opinions are welcomed.
Let?s create some running conversational threads. And for those of you back in actual offices, here?s a question to take with you ? or use via Zoom ? as you talk to your co-workers.
Here is today?s topic??..
The playoffs are in full swing this year. A year in which significant changes were made to the format.
An additional wild card team was added to each league as well as a best of 3 series.
Meanwhile, the top teams sat around waiting until it was their turn while the underdogs had the advantage of being in ?playoff mode.?
What ended up happening is 3 teams that won over 100 games ? Braves, Dodgers and Mets ? were sent home early. There are concerns that the new format is unfair towards the top teams and give the lesser teams an edge in a short series.
The Padres finished 22 games out of first place while the Phillies ended up in 3rd place, 14 games out and won only 12 more games than they lost. Under the old rules, neither team would have been close to qualifying for the playoffs. But now they have moved deeper into the playoffs, having won significantly fewer games during the season but managing to pull off short series wins.
MLB?s reasons for the changes are simple. More teams, more interest, more excitement, more eyeballs, more tv, more money. They wanted to create an ?anything can happen? feeling and format, which is what happened.
But is it a good thing when a championship is no longer based upon the best teams?
Do you prefer a championship series that has more of a ?crapshoot? feeling to it?
Does the new playoff format now make how many games you win from April through September meaningless?
What do you think? Which system is the better one?
Which playoff system is the better one?
1. The former one (2021 and earlier).
2. The new one (2022).
VOTE