Read the opposing argument from Bleacher Fan.
Just like the cliché about life, the MLB season is not a sprint, but a marathon. It is one of the most grueling tests of endurance in all of professional sports. Teams play 162 games over a six month period. The ultimate goal, the finish line (if you will), is in my opinion the most sacred of all championships in sports – the World Series. The World Series itself is a reflection of the epic journey through the regular season, which earned the winning team a spot in the playoffs when the process began. It is a best of seven series that ensures the winner is not decided by random luck or happenstance, but rather by skill and ability to win at both home and away demonstrated over a minimum of four games. The World Series is not the only seven game series of the MLB playoffs. The American and National League championship series are also best of seven contests. Yet, for some strange reason, the division series remains the only aspect of the playoffs which is a best of five series. While I am usually a baseball purist who clings to tradition, I know that in this instance it is time for a change. Major League Baseball should expand the first round of the playoffs to a best of seven series.
First of all, a five game divisional series is not an accurate tool for measuring a team’s worth. I am not alone in this belief. Many noted coaches and players, such as Bobby Cox, John Smoltz, and C.C. Sabathia, have expressed their criticism of a five game division series. Similarly Joe Torre articulated his frustration with the validity of a five game series, stating, “I’ve always thought that if you’re good enough to win your division, or even to reach the playoffs, it’s not right to have the chance to get blown out in a three-of-five series.” And he should know a little something about the playoffs, seeing as how he has won the league championship series more than any another manager.
Aside from lacking consistency with the rest of the postseason, it just does not make sense. Opponents of postseason expansion argue that there is no difference between winning three games in a best of five series and winning four games in a best of seven series. But, here are huge differences.
A short division series rewards the wrong achievements. A best of five contest places too much emphasis on what could potentially be a fluke three games. If a wild card team lucks into a win in game one of a best of five series, then they have basically removed any advantage that the other team that won their division outright had established. Each team would have two games at home and two games away. Does baseball really want to reward wild card teams that much? A short series should not be able to undermine the accomplishments of the 162 regular season games that got the team to the playoffs in the first place.
A short series also overvalues pitching. A team with three ace type pitchers can hide their weaknesses in such a short series. We all know pitching wins championships, but it should not be the only important aspect of the game. If that is the case the playoffs become little more than a high profile pitching clinic.
The call to expand the five game series cannot simply be dismissed as a passing fad or whim. Historically, MLB has favored seven game series. In 1985 the NLCS and ALCS expanded from a best of five series to a best of seven series. Hmmmm. If we learned that a best of five series was not right then what seems to be the hold up now?
While it is true that trying to establish a system that makes everyone happy is virtually impossible, expanding the first round of the playoffs to a best of five game series is a great step in the right direction.
While I agree that a 7 game series is preferable, I’m not sure it’s practical. Last year’s final series game was played on November 4, and weather was a serious issue for several of the games. We need to figure out how to end the season earlier. We can’t shorten the season back to 154 games (neither the players union nor MLB would go along), nor can we start the season earlier (because we’d have even more weather problems earlier in the season). It’s a problem I’d like to see tackled, but not an easy one to solve. I’m more concerned about the spreading out of the postseason to accommodate television. With so many off days during a postseason series, even seven game series allow a team with 3 strong starters to hide their weaknesses. Solving the problem of series spread seems to me to be achievable.
Thanks for a great blog.