NL West a joke

[blankman]

I like the divisions and its sad that the West is so bad this year, but things come and go.

It may be unfair and very clearly so this season, but I think the game would be less exciting, not to mention it would likely require more travel for the players.

[WharfRat]

Would the game really be less exciting if the four best from each league made the playoffs? You could still have a bunch of teams fighting for those slots. This year at least, little would change in either league, except the Pads would be pretty much assured of playing golf in October instead of making the playoffs with a possibly losing record, and an additional team from Phi/Fla/Hou/NYM/Was taking their place.

I do like the division format though - perhaps they ought to go back to 2 divisions in each league, with a slightly more balanced schedule, and then give it to the top 2 in each league. That would make it less likely that .500 teams get in while .530 teams miss out.

[dannyolbb]

Divisions are fine, but the unbalanced schedule is murder. We're hurting the markets in Baltimore, Tampa, and Toronto because their fans know going in to the season that they have no chance at winning their division. Every year.

But we can't get rid of divisional play because we'd lose some great rivalries and a lot of excitement.

Unfortunately, I think the current setup is the best we can do. Although dropping the unbalanced schedule wouldn't hurt.

[reznorsboy]

Would the game really be less exciting if the four best from each league made the playoffs? You could still have a bunch of teams fighting for those slots. This year at least, little would change in either league, except the Pads would be pretty much assured of playing golf in October instead of making the playoffs with a possibly losing record, and an additional team from Phi/Fla/Hou/NYM/Was taking their place.

I do like the division format though - perhaps they ought to go back to 2 divisions in each league, with a slightly more balanced schedule, and then give it to the top 2 in each league. That would make it less likely that .500 teams get in while .530 teams miss out.

[TheYanks04]

It is all about the money. The owners will never do something that lessens revenue. That is why we got division play back in the late 60's. That is why divisions expanded and wild-cards came into being. More playoff teams means more revenue. More teams in contention late in the year meeans more revenue.

It is why we also get the unbalanced schedule and inter-legaue play. It should all be buried deep and forgotten. Never happen though. No divisions. A balanced schedule. League winners to the WS. Was done that way for many decades and things worked out just fine.

[Nerfherders]

The NL West is pretty damn bad this year. However it's probably not the worst ever. At the strike date in 1994 the Rangers were leading their division at 10 games BELOW .500. Now that's bad.

And as an aside. I've really been pulling for an NL East team to win the wildcard so the Braves (assuming they win the division) will play the Padres and not the Cardinals in the first round. However, after watching them get destroyed by the Padres this season, I wonder if that's a good thing or not. The Padres seem to have the Braves' number this season.

[Amazinz]

I like the divisional setup. Sometimes it's not fair but that's life and most of the time it works out just fine.

[CubsFan7724]

It is all about the money. The owners will never do something that lessens revenue. That is why we got division play back in the late 60's. That is why divisions expanded and wild-cards came into being. More playoff teams means more revenue. More teams in contention late in the year meeans more revenue.

It is why we also get the unbalanced schedule and inter-legaue play. It should all be buried deep and forgotten. Never happen though. No divisions. A balanced schedule. League winners to the WS. Was done that way for many decades and things worked out just fine.

Yawn, how boring. Two teams have a shot at winning it all instead of 8 and probably all but 4 teams in the league are eliminated by the all star break.

[TheYanks04]

Boring? When did it become boring to give the regular season meaning and not let second place Wild Card clubs get a crack at beating first place clubs? Or NL West lame-os with 500 or less of a record a chance to beat a team with over 100 wins? You can't win the regular season you should not be eligible to win the post-season either.

Divisional play is all about keeping fans of as many inferior teams as possible interested as long as possible. That makes money for the owners and the players. It does not mean it is the best baseball or the type of baseball that the fan should want. You get a thrill watching the Padres in the post-season? Like they really deserve to be there? They do under the rules. If they win the NL pennant by some wild stroke of luck I hardly consider that good for anyone but Padre fans.

[CubsFan7724]

Boring? When did it become boring to give the regular season meaning and not let second place Wild Card clubs get a crack at beating first place clubs? Or NL West lame-os with 500 or less of a record a chance to beat a team with over 100 wins? You can't win the regular season you should not be eligible to win the post-season either.

Divisional play is all about keeping fans of as many inferior teams as possible interested as long as possible. That makes money for the owners and the players. It does not mean it is the best baseball or the type of baseball that the fan should want. You get a thrill watching the Padres in the post-season? Like they really deserve to be there? They do under the rules. If they win the NL pennant by some wild stroke of luck I hardly consider that good for anyone but Padre fans.

Yeah, I'll stand by that its boring. It'd be the same 3-4 teams in competition every year, except with no postseason to knock them off anymore. Yeah, its more fair, but its much less exciting. Of course, it really doesn't affect you as a Yankees fan most of the time...