Major League Baseball has the worst -- and stupidest -- playoff systems in professional sports


... Pirates could win 99 games and not make the playoffs 

In August, a man named William Sieg from Colorado wrote a letter to the Pittsburgh Post-Gazette complaining about the post-season playoffs in Major League Baseball. He is a Pirates fan, so he was concerned with how the teams in the playoffs would not be fairly placed. This focused on the rationale that the champion of each division will automatically make the playoffs. The next two teams based on record will play in a "one-and-done" game to determine the fourth team in each league.

How prophetic Mr. Sieg has been. Here is what he put forth to reach a fairer system: "I propose that regular season division standings be thrown out for the playoffs and overall record be used to match teams." That is step one, the rest is somewhat irrelevant right now.

Why? Going into the final two games of the season, the top three teams in terms of percentage are all in the same division.

NL-Central

St. Louis Cardinals 100 wins,

Pittsburgh Pirates 97

Chicago Cubs 95.

The irony of this is that none of the rest of the divisions can go above the 95 plateau with two games left. The Cardinals will have home field advantage throughout the playoffs with their 100 wins. The Mets are leading the NL-East with 89 wins, and the LA Dodgers are first in the NL-West with 90 wins.

In the American League, Toronto leads the AL-East with 93 wins, and the Royals have 93 in the AL-Central. The Texas Rangers have the worst record of the division winners with just 87 wins.

Conceivably, the Pirates could win 99 games and still lose in the "one-and-done" play-in game and not make the playoffs. That is outrageous! That is why the MLB playoff system is the worst ever.

(You could argue that the teams in the play-in game make the post-season, but how can you be in the playoffs and play just one game?)

I would add that the systems used by the NFL, the NBA, and the NHL have better systems. The hockey playoffs are somewhat strange, but they still award the teams with the best records. Only MLB does not.

You could argue that the Pirates had their chances to catch the Cardinals and take the first spot. That is true. Still, a team with 99 wins might not make the field?

Shame on those dunces in the MLB front offices who are making seven-figure salaries. Change the system!

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