ESPN's "Ways to Improve the Wild Card"

[DonkeyJote]

Re: ESPN's "Ways to Improve the Wild Card"

That's a bad example.. of course the Reds would be a big draw in Seattle, because of Griffey.

But otherwise I agree, keep interleague play as it is.

Yeah, but every year when the Padres come to town, the place fills up a lot more than a normal game. And those special draws are the reason interleague is great. I remember when the Atlanta Braves came up here. Safeco sold out all three games. I know, I couldn't get tickets. I think interleague needs to be restructured a bit, but not scrapped. I believe the real interleague rivalries should be played once a year, and the other rivalries that mlb tries to manufacture should be scrapped. There is no reason that the Mariners and Padres should play each other twice a year. Have the A's/Giants, Dodgers/Angels, White Sox/Cubs, Mets/Yankees, Rangers/Astros, Royals/Cardinals, and Devil Rays/Marlins play each other once a year, one year at one park, the next year at the other. Outside of those rivalries, have no yearly series. Have it be rotational. It generates more interest when the teams coming to town are those that don't make the trip very often.

[J0nnD0ugh]

Re: ESPN's "Ways to Improve the Wild Card"

I see no problems in the current system.

[CMH]

Re: ESPN's "Ways to Improve the Wild Card"

Well, I agree that the season should start later and end sooner (postseason included).

I guess the only way to make that happen is to drop to 144 games as suggested. That may not be an entirely bad idea and it forces a balanced schedule like SPTO mentions in his 154 game defense.

(It really is about time that we have balanced schedules again...but honestly, I'd prefer it more if baseball just went back to a two division setup per league. Though, I realize that will never happen because of the financial benefits of a wildcard.

I agree that teams should be stacked against each other but baseball is about winning your division and a good argument could be made about teams playing their own divsion more to settle who is the best).

MLB can stick with 162 games (and fix the schedule) if they by way of miracle decided to bring back weekend doubleheaders but I realize that it's basically an impossibility. There's a better chance of Selig being caught using steroids than traditional doubleheaders making a return.

Interleague play is here to stay and I think the current setup works pretty well. I once hated the fake rivalry system but at this point it's somewhat become moot because now those fake rivalries are in some way a rivalry, though not in the traditional Dodgers/Angels, Giants/A's, Yankees/Mets, Cubs/WhiteSox way.

Apparently, fans don't mind it either because interleague games get sold out everywhere you go. It doesn't matter if it's the Royals playing the Astros. People go to watch the games.