How can the post season be improved

[SABR Steve]

The Cardinal/Tiger series was the lowest viewed in history according to the local paper. What are some of your ideas to improve the overall post season?

[SamtheBravesFan]

The Cardinal/Tiger series was the lowest viewed in history according to the local paper. What are some of your ideas to improve the overall post season?

It's not the postseason that's the problem, it's something else.

[EvanAparra]

Baseball isn't "cool". Maybe we need some players to drop some rap albums, or have the Orioles jump into the stands at Fenway and beat the crap out of some fans.

[SamtheBravesFan]

Baseball isn't "cool". Maybe we need some players to drop some rap albums, or have the Orioles jump into the stands at Fenway and beat the crap out of some fans.

Or someone will do that to protect their girlfriend. ;)

[Captain Cold Nose]

The Cardinal/Tiger series was the lowest viewed in history according to the local paper. What are some of your ideas to improve the overall post season?
Overemphasis on a handful of teams has really hindered national interest to anyone beyond those teams. The NFL, the very model for sports ratings success, does a good job in not pumping up one or two teams above everyone else. Why the media is like that with baseball I've no idea. Baseball can also take a page from baskeball in terms of promoting its superstars, the one aspect of the NBA where they thrive. If great players are ignored because they're not in a so-called hot spot, the problem is not with the player.

[Mattingly]

Greater publicity for the other teams out there. Right now, between NYC & LA, those teams will always get top billing. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if the NLCS, because of the Mets, got higher ratings than the WS.

Perhaps it's a battle between the preferred and the less watched (but not lesser) teams. Garner greater interest amongst all teams. Create the excitement. Show a reason to watch it and people will show up.

[hellborn]

The postseason needs to happen earlier in the year. The three tiers of playoffs, combined with the 162 game schedule, pushes the money games back to a time of year that doesn't make most people think of baseball. They're out buying snowblowers, scarves, roof wire, etc.
Obviously doesn't apply to the South and West...

[YANKEESmmm]

I can't explain low ratings. I have read though that this was a good year for ticket sales. But as far as making the playoffs better. I don't like the wildcard. Go back to two divisions an ALCS a NLCS and get it on. That alone probably knocks a week off the season.

[Captain Cold Nose]

Another reason is the lateness of the games. Staring games around 8:30 EST is not a good way to keep an audience for six innings, let alone 9. Do they really need 30 minutes of Jeanne Zelasko and Kevin Kennedy making googly eyes at each other in primetime before the first pitch?
I'm glad that Jeff "Soup" Suppan is so enthusiastic about his friendship with Scooter, though.

[trosmok]

It's not the postseason that's the problem, it's something else.

I agree. If MLB had a real Commissioner that knew the fans, all thirty teams would be marketed equally and well, superstars would be touted regardless of team, there would be two divisions per league, no wild cards, no interleague play before the WS. Most importantly the owners would be forced to work together in the business of baseball, or forfeit their position. Rudy G. for Commish!

[AznInvasion]

Shorten the season by like a month...It's just too long. Playoff baseball in September wouldn't be much different. I definitely agree on the pregame show and the late game statements. Let's make pregame 15 mins at max and start the games at the latest of 8 PM EST. I disagree with the wild card thing...I actually like the wild card.

[cardsfanatic]

I definitely do not want to see the season shortened by a month. Part of the mystique of baseball is the "numbers" and "records." If you cut the season down to 130 games then how do you compare a .400 batting average over 130 games to a .400 batting average over 154 or 162? Twenty game winners will become a very rare breed and it'd wipe out all of the "milestone" numbers. If it takes the average hitter 20 seasons to get to 3,000 hits, it's going to take that same hitter 24 years to do it because over the seasons he's going to lose 4 years of playing time due to the shortened season.

Shortening the season = worst idea ever.

Now, what I might go for is getting rid of spring training and just starting the season earlier. Spring training is crap, anyway. Just hold a two week camp prior to the start of the season and then get cracking in early March in meaningful games. Then you can end the season in September and hold the playoffs then.

What is spring training good for, really? Other than every year 3-4 big name stars go down with injury during it and miss the season.

[Elvis]

"Crossfire" style pregame debate show

Death cage ultimate fighting match between opposing third base coaches after the 5th inning

Nude ball girls.

Public execution of losing manager following clinching game - viewers choose method of execution by cell phone voting

Public flogging of either Tim McCarver or Joe Morgan - again determined by cell phone voting

Game 5, 6, 7 cliffhangers - If games are close after 8 innings, game will be stopped and viewers will be prompted to "Tune in tomorrow for the exciting conclusion!!!"

Bud Selig will don a lei, wig, coconut shell bra and grass skirt and do his "happy hula dance" after the 7th inning stretch

Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake will perform the Star Spangled Banner with a "surprise finsh"

Ultimate makeovers for ugly player wives

[EvanAparra]

"Crossfire" style pregame debate show

Death cage ultimate fighting match between opposing third base coaches after the 5th inning

Nude ball girls.

Public execution of losing manager following clinching game - viewers choose method of execution by cell phone voting

Public flogging of either Tim McCarver or Joe Morgan - again determined by cell phone voting

Game 5, 6, 7 cliffhangers - If games are close after 8 innings, game will be stopped and viewers will be prompted to "Tune in tomorrow for the exciting conclusion!!!"

Bud Selig will don a lei, wig, coconut shell bra and grass skirt and do his "happy hula dance" after the 7th inning stretch

Janet Jackson and Justin Timberlake will perform the Star Spangled Banner with a "surprise finsh"

Ultimate makeovers for ugly player wives
Yes yes yes!!!

[Erik Bedard]

Now, what I might go for is getting rid of spring training and just starting the season earlier. Spring training is crap, anyway. Just hold a two week camp prior to the start of the season and then get cracking in early March in meaningful games. Then you can end the season in September and hold the playoffs then.

What is spring training good for, really? Other than every year 3-4 big name stars go down with injury during it and miss the season.

This makes absolutely no sense to me.

As an O's fan, the obvious example for me is Nick Markakis. Would he have made the ML squad and hit .300 with 15 HRs if he hadn't had such an amazing spring? What about the journeymen, the Fernando Tatis type? This is likely their last shot to catch on with a big league club. There needs to be a time for players to play against other teams, not in games that count, but to see if they are good enough to play in the majors, to see if they've still got it. Spring Training is necessary. Period.

[Astro]

Put Houston in the World series and give them a 5-0 lead and make it best of 11... I think that would make the post season extremly good :D

[Mattingly]

I'll agree that the 8pm scheduled start (but eventually being 8:25 or 8:30) killed most people's interest in a 3-hour game. They must think it's the Super Bowl or something. However, despite the crazy amount of excessive analysis you'll get in the Supe, at least they start that in the early afternoon, rather than mixing it in between a bunch of prime time shows.

For the 2 divisions crowd, which AL Central and NL Central teams go where? Is there an imaginary line you folks propose (like a Mason-Dixon type) where you're either east or you're west?

[AznInvasion]

Records are important but not as important as crowning the right team. Injuries decimate rosters and by the time playoffs come around it's not actually the best quality baseball possible. You actually end up with reserves and no names instead of the people who should be in the pressure situations.

[cardsfanatic]

This makes absolutely no sense to me.

As an O's fan, the obvious example for me is Nick Markakis. Would he have made the ML squad and hit .300 with 15 HRs if he hadn't had such an amazing spring? What about the journeymen, the Fernando Tatis type? This is likely their last shot to catch on with a big league club. There needs to be a time for players to play against other teams, not in games that count, but to see if they are good enough to play in the majors, to see if they've still got it. Spring Training is necessary. Period.

And knocking a month off the season does make sense to you? And Marakakis would have been given a chance regardless of their being a spring training or not. He was too good of a prospect to never get a crack in the bigs. Personally, I like baseball the way it is and think too many people want to change too much about a game that has been this way since 1900. However, I'd much rather see Spring Training go than a month of the regular season.

[Mattingly]

Put Houston in the World series and give them a 5-0 lead and make it best of 11... I think that would make the post season extremly good :D
Put the Yankees in there every time. Just give them a bye.

OK, don't throw too many apples and fried green tomatoes at me, folks! :D

Records are important but not as important as crowning the right team. Injuries decimate rosters and by the time playoffs come around it's not actually the best quality baseball possible. You actually end up with reserves and no names instead of the people who should be in the pressure situations.
You mean like Pedro being unavailable for the Mets? I think that since everyone already knows the length of the system, they should be up and ready.

Also, teams need to have quality pitching. Either big names or help from the pitch coach, the team's pitching and defense should be well-honed by now. Everyone should look lively.

I won't mention that to my Yanks, who unfortunately, didn't look like they were battling as hard as they were expected to. :o :(

[hudsonharden]

three words: Hank Williams, Jr.

[Dasperp]

Another reason is the lateness of the games. Staring games around 8:30 EST is not a good way to keep an audience for six innings, let alone 9.

Remember that it's not 8:30 for the whole country. Making it earlier would make it difficult for people in the West to watch.

To me the biggest problem is Fox's coverage. I can't count how many times we missed a pitch because they were too busy showing one of the managers or players on the bench or some fan. In between pitches I'd much prefer a view of the field to see how everyone is positioned, or watching the pitcher and catcher goe through the signs. This probably won't improve ratings, but it would make it more enjoyable for real baseball fans, who are the ones watching other than people who have their team in it.

[TonyK]

Afternoon games on the weekends so East Coast kids can actually watch a 9th inning live, and not hear about it on Sportscenter the next day. Make it a true World Series by having the US WS Winner play the winner of a playoff between other countries. FOX has gotta go. ML Baseball has to do a better job marketing itself. Shorten the games so fans don't tune out by the 6th inning.

[Sweet Lou]

Hey Cardsfanatic, you need to change your signature! :clapping :cool: :gt :laugh

[ChrisLDuncan]

Yankees v. Sox Pennant is always good. I guess they just had two teams that no one cared about. The Tigers had zero superstars, and the Cardnals barley made the playoffs. So I guess they had more popular teams in the playoffs the ratings would be higher.

[wu-tang clan]

there wouldn't be a problem with the postseason if there wasn't a postseason.

[ChrisLDuncan]

Make the commericals like the Super Bowl,that way causual fans would watch regardless like with the Super Bowl. I am an avid football fan (like baseball more) and even I watch the Super Bowl regardless of the teams, however with the WS this season I was "too busy" to watch.

[malt-tones]

Wulp, I believe it was the beloved Tigers own Todd Jones, who is worth his weight in memorable comments more so than his 9th inning prowess, that said, "Hold the World Series in Honolulu."

At least that way the Series would not be subjected to the rain that falls in St. Louis for the post season! :D

[plask_stirlac]

Well I would say day games... maybe Friday, but tough to go against NCAA or NFL football or weekday business hours.

The pitches come too slowly, try timing it with a watch. One minute was the rhythm with several pitchers. The umpires should cut this down or start issuing balls (or what have you). I know, these are important pitches but the point of the game ISN'T JUST deciding the winner, people are watching for entertainment.

But they really should try to start the games at 8:03 ET ("Hi, Joe Buck here with Tim McCarver. We'll get you caught up while pitchers take 50 seconds on the mound.") if they're going 3+ hours. It probably doesn't help when kids start to go to bed and the evening news comes on every other network (then Letterman and Leno).

[antihipster]

I think the best way to attract a larger audience would be to figure out ways to speed up the game.

Have umpires limit the amount of timeouts to one per team per half an inning [including teams stalling when bringing in a releif pitcher], start each inning 15 seconds earlier, and start East coast games at 7pm.

Little things would help speed up the games if mlb had the balls to actually impliment these rules.

[hellborn]

there wouldn't be a problem with the postseason if there wasn't a postseason.
"Cut The Mullet" is just about my favorite song of all time...I miss Wesley, too.
Rock on in heaven, big guy!!

[hellborn]

Put the Yankees in there every time. Just give them a bye.


A Yanks fan is finally honest enough to admit to what it's going to take to get his team back in the WS!!! :clapping

[YANKEESmmm]

I was going to say start time untill I till someone mentioned the west coast start would be quite early. I let my kids keep the game on in there rooms(some thing are more important than being rested for school) but they can't make though the end. As far as ratings, if not mistaken I think Fox got a "win" vs. other programming. I don't think it was a bad post season. N.Y.-St.L. was a good series, Detroit beating Yankees was a good stories. Left a bad taste in my mouth however. The world series was competitive other than the Cardinals winning 4 of 5. They were close games. It doesn't count as post season but the final couple weeks of the season was really competitive.

[bigtrain]

I definitely do not want to see the season shortened by a month. Part of the mystique of baseball is the "numbers" and "records." If you cut the season down to 130 games then how do you compare a .400 batting average over 130 games to a .400 batting average over 154 or 162? Twenty game winners will become a very rare breed and it'd wipe out all of the "milestone" numbers. If it takes the average hitter 20 seasons to get to 3,000 hits, it's going to take that same hitter 24 years to do it because over the seasons he's going to lose 4 years of playing time due to the shortened season.

Shortening the season = worst idea ever.

Now, what I might go for is getting rid of spring training and just starting the season earlier. Spring training is crap, anyway. Just hold a two week camp prior to the start of the season and then get cracking in early March in meaningful games. Then you can end the season in September and hold the playoffs then.

What is spring training good for, really? Other than every year 3-4 big name stars go down with injury during it and miss the season.

I fully agree. :clapping

[Imapotato]

The longer the season...the shorter the playoffs must be.

The NFL has it down pat, yet the NBA and MLB try to follow suit and it doesn't work

The NBA needs 6 teams in the playoffs for each conference to make an 82 season worth something.

MLB needs 2 rounds...the championship series and the World Series to make 162 (would be better at 154) games worth something

[Erik Bedard]

And knocking a month off the season does make sense to you? And Marakakis would have been given a chance regardless of their being a spring training or not. He was too good of a prospect to never get a crack in the bigs. Personally, I like baseball the way it is and think too many people want to change too much about a game that has been this way since 1900. However, I'd much rather see Spring Training go than a month of the regular season.

No, knocking a month off the season does not make sense to me. I'm with you, I don't see any need for change just yet.

[Evangelion]

Overemphasis on a handful of teams has really hindered national interest to anyone beyond those teams. The NFL, the very model for sports ratings success, does a good job in not pumping up one or two teams above everyone else. Why the media is like that with baseball I've no idea. Baseball can also take a page from baskeball in terms of promoting its superstars, the one aspect of the NBA where they thrive. If great players are ignored because they're not in a so-called hot spot, the problem is not with the player.
I doubt that will change.

Most people will want to see New York team or the Boston Red Sox. It's not arrogance on my part, but media does hype up the New York clubs far too much. Boston against New York hyped to a level where it's throw in the face of the typical baseball fan. People forget about the other clubs and when the other clubs are playing for the championship, people don't care, because they never did, except fans of those teams.

Since the Yankees and Red Sox are contending just about every season, there's no time for other teams to dominate and take over the market while the Red Sox and Yankees stink, which doesn't look like it will happen. While we can talk about fairness and different champions in the league each the past seven years, there's still a problem when clubs remain good year after year due to money and remain in spotlight. The Yankees and Red Sox need to go into season where they're not contending, where they're not in the spotlight, like they have been since the 90's.

[RMan10]

I think it's the fact that the playoffs are too short. I know I would like to see more teams in the playoffs.

[Disgruntaledmarinerfan]

IMO for the MLB to improve the playoffs they must somewhat rethink the system; first of all they never give the wild card teams home field advantage throughout the playoffs(unless the two wild card teams meet in WS),along with this extend the divison series to 7 games, extend the ALCS and the NLCS to 9 games and have the WS be a best of 11 series.

[hellborn]

Spring training used to be for players to get in shape, but almost all players train very hard all year now. I think that cutting into spring training is a very good idea. There were be some games on very cold days if the season started earlier, but better that than WS games in Boston or Chicago happening on equally cold days in the fall.
Speeding up games would be wonderful...of course, the rampant pitching changes these days are a huge part of that. But, batters all seem to feel entitled to step out and sew themselves new batting gloves after every pitch these days...it wasn't always like that, Mike Hargrove used to catch heck for doing such things. But, if you clamp down on the batters, you also have to tell the pitchers they can't hold the ball for 78 seconds or give the ball a shiatsu massage before each pitch, too.
I never like to step out as a batter...I feel like that sends a message to the pitcher that I'm reluctant to hit. I always want pitcher to feel like I can't wait for the next horrible meatball that he's going to serve up!

[Evangelion]

IMO for the MLB to improve the playoffs they must somewhat rethink the system; first of all they never give the wild card teams home field advantage throughout the playoffs(unless the two wild card teams meet in WS),along with this extend the divison series to 7 games, extend the ALCS and the NLCS to 9 games and have the WS be a best of 11 series.
Wild Card teams never have home field advantage, unless their division won the AS. Your idea would extend the playoff into November, which would be ridiculous. 7 the highest numbers of games that should be played in any WS.

Also, I don't want MLB playoff lasting as long as that ridiculous system in NBA.

[give_it_a_ride]

At least in the NBA, teams that actually showed up in the regular season end up winning, instead of the endless stream of wild-card champions baseball seems to have

Contraction! Dilution of talent is the biggest problem in baseball.

[Disgruntaledmarinerfan]

Wild Card teams never have home field advantage, unless their division won the AS. Your idea would extend the playoff into November, which would be ridiculous. 7 the highest numbers of games that should be played in any WS.

Also, I don't want MLB playoff lasting as long as that ridiculous system in NBA.

It was just an Idea, a really badly thought out idea at that.
I have no idea what i was thinking at the time. My idea would never work.

[Mattingly]

I think the best way to attract a larger audience would be to figure out ways to speed up the game.

Have umpires limit the amount of timeouts to one per team per half an inning [including teams stalling when bringing in a releif pitcher], start each inning 15 seconds earlier, and start East coast games at 7pm.

Little things would help speed up the games if mlb had the balls to actually impliment these rules.
You feel like posting a new thread on what could help to speed up the game? I've also heard suggestions that pitchers wouldn't need 4 pitchers to walk a batter. Just hold up some signal with his hands and the batter gets IBB'd.

[captsapp]

I like what was said about shortening Spring Training - maybe not drastically, but by a couple of weeks at most. There would just be more travel time and rest built into the season, it would be easier to schedule doubleheaders, and maybe it would cut down on fatigue and injuries.

Baseball really needs to do some serious research into cross-promoting teams. Everyone knows the Yankees-Red Sox, especially on the East coast because that's all ESPN talks about. Whatever it takes, MLB needs to increase the awareness of other teams - people will care about the Cardinals being in the World Series in 2004 if they could have actually watched them get there! Build regional support, not just city support.

I wouldn't have a problem bringing the season back down to 154 games, but it'll never happen.

Start the coverage for playoff night games at 7:00 p.m. - first pitch at 7:25. Fox will whine, but you'll still get the prime time airing, it'll just be in the 3rd inning, not in the beginning. West Coast will get afternoon games (sorry) because of the time differential. MLB is losing kids interest because they can't finish the games.

Just some ideas!

[riverfrontier]

Let the league secretly encourage players to celebrate homeruns with signature trots. Let it catch on, SportsCenter style. Let it escalate to the point of suburban outrage, then start randomly penalizing the next hitter with an 0-2 count if it's deemed too unsportsmanlike, creating a huge national buzz over the 'will he?/won't he?' possibilities. The anticipation of seeing whether Pujols would hopscotch his way around the bases, butterscotch (3 steps forward, 2 back) or scotch and soda (smiling, shaking the first baseman's hand, loudly debating politics with the second baseman, ranting incoherently at the third baseman while walking off toward the dugout, having the third base coach point him in the right direction home, and pulling out his cellphone to ask an ex-girlfriend what she's doing later while crossing the plate) would generate so much peripheral excitement from outside the normal target audience that this game could blow up all over again. Just like the NFL. Either that, or get Vince McMahon involved in the TV production. You know every male in Jackson Heights would be watching.

[hellborn]

You feel like posting a new thread on what could help to speed up the game? I've also heard suggestions that pitchers wouldn't need 4 pitchers to walk a batter. Just hold up some signal with his hands and the batter gets IBB'd.
That's the way it's done in SP softball, but only because there is no base stealing. I guess it wouldn't be a big loss to do it that way in baseball...