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Big League Stew

Wed Nov 19, 2008 5:04 pm EST

BLS poll: Would you be in favor of a one-game division series?

By 'Duk

Well, I guess you couldn't call it the division 'series' if it consisted of only one game, but that's exactly what Oakland A's owner Lew Wolff is proposing as a solution for baseball's ever-expanding postseason.

"I'd make it one-game-and-you're-out for the first series," Wolff said to the Associated Press on Wednesday. "It would be exciting. It would be great."

There's no doubt it would be exciting, but I honestly hate this idea. Weren't we just discussing extending the best-of-five format in the wake of both leagues' top regular season teams (the Angels and Cubs) being ousted in the first round this year? Reducing the matchup to one game would basically bring the postseason down to four first-round coinflips and likely reinforce the notion that the season's best team is not always the one holding up the Commissioner's Trophy at the end.

(It's worth noting, however, that only three of the past 10 World Series champions — the '03 Marlins, the '02 Angels and the '00 Yankees — dropped their first playoff game.)

Still, I'm interested to see what the Stew populace thinks about this issue. Is Wolff's idea — one he says he hasn't run by Bud Selig yet — worth discussing further?


Do you like the idea of a one-game playoff for the first round?

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46 Comments

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  1. Greg
    1. Posted by Greg Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:12 pm EDT

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    absolutely not.
  2. eight inches
    2. Posted by eight inches Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:37 pm EDT

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    I would be in favor of a 3 game series instead of 5. It still shortens the season.
  3. The Thrilla in Vanilla
    3. Posted by The Thrilla in Vanilla Thu Sep 03, 2009 11:01 pm EDT

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    Only way this could work is if you added a 1-game playoff BEFORE the current 'first round Best of 5' to decide a Division champ?
    Or institute a 1st Round Bye like in the NFL for the top two teams in each league, and let 6 teams per league into the playoffs. Let the 3-6 and 4-5 matchups play a 1-off.
  4. Duk
    4. Posted by 'Duk Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:07 pm EDT

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    I like that idea, Thrilla, even though it opens a whole different debate about the importance of the regular season.
  5. The Thrilla in Vanilla
    5. Posted by The Thrilla in Vanilla Thu Sep 03, 2009 11:01 pm EDT

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    Forgot to add: Shorten the regular season. But of course, that is a whole new can of worms...
  6. Saro G
    6. Posted by Saro G Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:46 pm EDT

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    I think Wolff is just pissed the A's faltered so frequently in the ALDS over the last several years, including blowing 2-0 leads to the Yankees and Red Sox.
  7. travisf
    7. Posted by travisf Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:54 pm EDT

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    I vote to shorten the regular season, too.
  8. Too much fantasy
    8. Posted by Too much fantasy Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:45 pm EDT

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    This is the stupidest idea I ever heard of. What's the point of having 3 divisions and a wild card if it just comes down to one game? Why not just go back to 2 divisions and the division winners play for the LCS?
    If one game playoffs are so exciting, then MLB should let 16 teams into the playoffs and play single elimination like March Madness. Wouldn't that be SO EXCITING...so exciting it would make you want to puke when you see the Marlins play the Rangers for the title.
  9. SMALL MARKET FANS, NEED TO KEEP IT POSITIVE!
    9. Posted by SMALL MARKET FANS, NEED TO KEEP IT POSITIVE! Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:41 pm EDT

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    As i was reading " A's owner.." i thought they might of traded Matt Hollday already. i still would've felt a positive feeling about my team! What am i trying to say??..
    A's, Raiders, Warriors, Giants, Niners, AND Sharks fans.. all your negative thoughts DO go someplace.. right into the heads of our teams!! i like any type of playoffs. 1 game, 3 games 5 or 7. More games= More money for your franshise. and that means they can bring in the "best" players and thats what has been winning CHAMPIONSHIPS..?
    Which team has the best front office?
  10. fuquamanuel
    10. Posted by fuquamanuel Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:20 pm EDT

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    No, absolutely not. The owners should man up and shorten the regular season if they are concerned about the playoffs going too long. All fans do as it is is spend half our time complaining about how a 5 or 7 game series is not a large enough sample size to determine who is really the best team. A single elimination game not only has the potential to devalue what the players worked hard to accomplish over the course of 162 games and it is unfair to the fans who deserve to see their team play more 1 game in the division series - win or lose.
  11. bigboo's bro
    11. Posted by bigboo's bro Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:38 pm EDT

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    The current playoff system has already degraded the importance of the 162-game season. Why continue the charade: cut the season by a thrid and then let half the teams diddle one another in the play-offs. That way owners can screw fans by raising ticket prices and then taking interest-free loans by making them buy the whole strip through the WS.
  12. meechone
    12. Posted by meechone Thu Sep 03, 2009 7:14 pm EDT

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    I think the extra 'F' in Lou Wolff's name stands for "F*cking Imbecile"
    That's what I think.
  13. Older_than_Moses_Shaq
    13. Posted by Older_than_Moses_Shaq Thu Sep 03, 2009 2:56 pm EDT

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    Dumb idea.
  14. MOG
    14. Posted by MOG Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:11 pm EDT

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    based on revenue alone ($$ is what MLB and any sport seems to base their decisions on anyway), it would seem like the best way to shorten the season is to trim the pre-season games if anything. Those games are less revenue generating than the playoffs and most players keep themselves in shape year round than they did in the past. To me, everyone comes out the winner. Now if they did shorten the first round, I'd say a 3 game series would be better than a 1 game series because a 1 game series only punishes the team that worked so hard to finish first in their division but 3 games is kind of a 'meet in the middle' kind of solution. Since we're making a 'wish list', we may as well ask MLB to yank McCarver out of the telecasts as well. I'd rather have THAT than shortening the season OR playoffs.
  15. D S
    15. Posted by D S Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:38 pm EDT

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    Ditch the wildcard and give the best division winner a 'bye' out of the first round of the playoffs.
    Shorten the regular season to 154 games.
    Cut the LCS back to 5 games.
  16. Gerald
    16. Posted by Gerald Thu Sep 03, 2009 4:13 pm EDT

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    What about going back to the "traditional" 154 game schedule and a 3 game divisional play play-off schedule. League play-offs can stay at 7 games or drop to a 5 game schedule. The World Series will remain at 7 games. This way the series begins and ends in October.
  17. dsl_speed_yes
    17. Posted by dsl_speed_yes Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:49 pm EDT

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    Make it a 3 inning playoff series, why wait 9 innings or 5 games?
    The 3 innings could be televised from an indoor basketball stadium,
    indoor baseball. The TV guys would love it. And we all know that the
    playoffs are totally controlled by the TV guys. If FOX, TBS and ESPN
    had their way only teams in the playoffs would be the Yankees and the
    Red Sox, with the Cubs allowed to lose in the first round.
    Baseball needs to speed up, early rounds should be decided
    via short spurts, similar to shootouts on Soccer or Hockey.
    (Baseball is my number one sport. I do not follow Hockey.
    Except for the World Cup I do not follow Soccer. I like the NFL then
    the NBA after Baseball).
  18. Eric J
    18. Posted by Eric J Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:52 pm EDT

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    bad idea, we should ask obama what to do if there is a problem......... but i dont think there is
  19. David P
    19. Posted by David P Thu Sep 03, 2009 8:47 pm EDT

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    i'd go for a best of 3 first round. they can also start the regular season earlier if they're concerned about ending in october.
  20. Derrol O
    20. Posted by Derrol O Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:49 pm EDT

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    I'd do just the opposite. If they want to shorten the season don't take a bite out of the postseason to do it. I'm in favor of making the first round best of 7 and reduce the length of the regular season a few games.
    The shorter you make a series in baseball the more likely the lesser team can fluke out a win.
  21. Peter F
    21. Posted by Peter F Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:58 pm EDT

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    It's too long now. Anyway, October and now NOVEMBER is football season
  22. Jamie
    22. Posted by Jamie Thu Sep 03, 2009 10:01 pm EDT

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    I like #3 posts idea but shortening the season, definatly not, it's baseball it's suppose to be long, then get it done in october
  23. Guess who
    23. Posted by Guess who Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:59 pm EDT

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    What an IDIOT!
    Glad I'm not an A's fan. They have a total boob head for an owner.
  24. Legacyof22
    24. Posted by Legacyof22 Thu Sep 03, 2009 9:32 pm EDT

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    If anything it needs to be extended to seven games. The sheer randomness of one ballgame wont tell you who is the best team. That deep starting rotation, means nothing. these guys work hard 162 games a year, by playoff time, these guys are playing on pure adreneline. Plus you get more TV revenue from more games, and by this year's series, we know how much Bud Selig cares about that.
  25. Esco
    25. Posted by Esco Thu Sep 03, 2009 3:16 pm EDT

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    I heard somewhere that all teams would have to do is play 4 double headers all season and they can make sure the WS never has to have a sniff of November. Plus once the playoffs start there are too many days off!
    One game playoff is stupid.

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