ALDS & NLDS: why is a short series so scary?

[Mattingly]

I've heard it countless times that anything can happen. Perhaps the question is a bit vague, but I have to ask it. One of those strange thoughts that go through my head every now and then.

Anyway, many people say that the regular season games gecome so much different when it's a best-of-5 instead of a best-of-7. Losing 3 games means you've gotten an early exit, but in the LCS & WS, you must win the 4th game to be declared the winner.

What is there about the short series that makes fans nervous? That one team will get lucky? Every bad start by your ace (or slump by your #3 hitter) will be magnified? I'm trying to find out how the fans here feel about this stuff.

Thanks. :)

[rockin500]

I've heard it countless times that anything can happen. Perhaps the question is a bit vague, but I have to ask it. One of those strange thoughts that go through my head every now and then.

Anyway, many people say that the regular season games gecome so much different when it's a best-of-5 instead of a best-of-7. Losing 3 games means you've gotten an early exit, but in the LCS & WS, you must win the 4th game to be declared the winner.

What is there about the short series that makes fans nervous? That one team will get lucky? Every bad start by your ace (or slump by your #3 hitter) will be magnified? I'm trying to find out how the fans here feel about this stuff.

Thanks. :)
i can tell you why i liked it in 2003 in 3 words that year: Wood and Prior. Say what you will what happened after that series, but that series emphasized their potential against Atlanta. Two dominant starters had 3 starts that series. they won those 3 games.

[jalbright]

I think it depends on the team you root for. If your team got into the playoffs because of its depth, it could be in trouble, as the front line guys tend to be the deciding factor. If your team has only three really good starters and two borderline guys, you can survive the playoffs that way (maybe even with two real studs) in a way you are less likely to do during the season. If you have a bunch of above average starters but no ace, you could be in for a rough ride. The shorter the series, the more likely an injury, a freak play or blown call, or a slump can doom you. If you're rooting for the team that did better during the season, you worry about those things. If you're rooting for the 1993 Phils or the 1969 Mets or a similar team, hey, if you get hot, you might be able to ride it to the Series or even a title.

If my local Phils get in, I'd be praying for all the breaks they could get. There's no way they should make the Series, much less win it, but they could if they make the playoffs. I mean, if Ryan Howard is hot and gets some help, stranger things have happened.

Look at the NCAA basketball tourney. No bad teams have won the title, but there have definitely been times when the best team that year didn't get the title because they went down in a one and done format. But if you rooted for Villanova in '85 or N C State in '83, to name just two, you had to love the format.

Jim Albright

[geezer]

Ask the M's in 2001, they were so close to be eliminated by a team with 23 wins fewer in the regular season, and the Indians in 1996 and 1999 got crushed in that first round.

[Brooklyn]

I've heard it countless times that anything can happen. Perhaps the question is a bit vague, but I have to ask it. One of those strange thoughts that go through my head every now and then.

Anyway, many people say that the regular season games gecome so much different when it's a best-of-5 instead of a best-of-7. Losing 3 games means you've gotten an early exit, but in the LCS & WS, you must win the 4th game to be declared the winner.

What is there about the short series that makes fans nervous? That one team will get lucky? Every bad start by your ace (or slump by your #3 hitter) will be magnified? I'm trying to find out how the fans here feel about this stuff.

Thanks. :)

One good started can really turn around a 5 games series. These days teams tend to go with a 4 man rotation in 7-games series, meaning the most an ace will pitch is twice. You never see the ace pitch games 1, 4 and 7 anymore.

Look at the Twins this year. Santana can be really scary to face in a short series. Santana will get two starts in a 5 game series. Assume he wins them both. The Twins only have to win 1 of the other 3 to advance. Or from the other team's point of view, they have to sweep the other three games to advance.

Now in a 7 game series, Santana will get the same 2 starts. If he wins them both, that means the Twins have to win 2 of the other 5 games. Not terrible, but tougher to do. From the other team's point of view, they have to win 4 out of 5 - still tough, but leaves them room for error.

Of course, there is no guarantee that your ace will win both those starts, but I'd be afraid to face the Twins in a short series just because it is a distinct possibility.

[Astro]

If a team gets off to a slow start and goes down 2-0, they can not lose another game or they are out... if you are down 2-0 in a best of 7, just win game 3 and you have much more room for error

[EvanAparra]

Id really like to see it changed to a Best of 7. Although watching the sox come back down 0-2 against the A's a couple times was pretty fun.

Best of Five just comes off to me as a wham-bam kind of thing.

[hudsonharden]

I believe it was 4 years straight that the A's went up 2-0 in the ALDS, only to lose to the Yankees twice, the Twins, and the Red Sox.


The scary thing about a 5-game series is that one bad start (i.e. pulling a starter in early innings because of injury) can mean you have to take 3 out of 4 to win it.

[YankeeDJW]

Id really like to see it changed to a Best of 7. Although watching the sox come back down 0-2 against the A's a couple times was pretty fun.

Best of Five just comes off to me as a wham-bam kind of thing.

I agree. It's over almost before it begins and I don't see why it should be shorter than a LCS or WS series. It only gives the inferior teams a better chance to upset the good ones on some fluke play or one bad start.

[geezer]

Id really like to see it changed to a Best of 7. Although watching the sox come back down 0-2 against the A's a couple times was pretty fun.

Best of Five just comes off to me as a wham-bam kind of thing.

It seems the LDS in a 5 games format is a easy ride, I like rather also a best of 7 series, is more exciting to watch.