Wahoo for ratings! It is vitally important for ratings that these series get extended. Tonight was an excellent start as only the Phillies finished off their series tonight. The one good thing about a 5 game series is that fans are very intrigued because the tides can turn in an instant.
That brings me to the issue of a 5 game series in the playoffs. I don't think a 5 game series is a responsible way of finding a champion. If David Stern decided to eliminate the 5 game series in the NBA, all the more so MLB should eliminate it.
In basketball, since the same players play every game, even a short 5 game series has the potential of determining the rightful and most worthy winner of a series. Yet, David Stern felt that even opening series of the NBA playoffs should be lengthened in order to ensure that the better team advances (even though the NBA playoffs would take even longer - they take longer than about half the season in terms of months!)
Since pitching is such an important factor in a baseball game and it varies every night, a 7 game series is a far truer determinant of the best team in each series. A 5 gamer is simply too short to eliminate as much luck as possible.
Comment with your thoughts...
Yaros
Agree completely, besides for the pitching, the advantage in a 5 game series is really to the underdog. If they win 1 of the 2 games on the road, they could finish it off at home, while in a 7 game series the favorite would still host a possible Game 5.
ReplyDeleteStern's motivation is money -- and MLB will have a 7 game series when they are able to arrange it with TV and the union. there could be a fear of fan backlash from too lonfg a season, but i predict that we'll see MLB taking that chance soon.
ReplyDeleteI agree....but I don't think the LCS matchups would be any different - Cubs werent gunna win 4 straight from LA, and the other serieses would have required 3 straight by the team that was down.
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