Time to dump the Wild Card?

Team B swept Team A in the regular season.

 

Not sure what would replace the wild card, if it were dumped. Seems like the system's working just fine.

 

If it ain't broke ... and all that.

 

I really think it is a ridiculous question, statrat.

The wild card has been an unqualified success.

Baseball still has the most exclusive postseason of any of the four major American sports.

It also adds a layer of strategy to the pennant race.

I'm hard pressed to think of one bad thing about adding the wild card, I really am.

 

Wildcard has been one of Selig's few slam dunk successes.

 

The one bad thing is it can diminish the importance of pennant races. This Sox/Yankees race is a prime example. Without the WC, this race would be viewed as something epic and historic, a potential meltdown of huge significance in baseball history. But, since we know both teams will be in the playoffs anyways, its not nearly as consequential.

Having said that, I agree the good of the WC outweighs the bad.

 

If you don't like a system that guarantees the top two teams in each league make the playoffs, I don't know what to tell you.

Yes I do. Suck it up, because it's not going away.

By the way, Bostonbred, wild card, like Super Bowl, is two words.

 

I like some of the aspects of the Wild Card (just look at the teams that have won the World Series after making the playoffs thanks to the Wild Card) it just seems to dillute what should be some great pennant races. I would just as soon see four small divisions in each league. Having the Wild Card is not the end of the world for me, I just think their could be a better way of doing things.

 

Why not go all the way then? Let's just go back to no divisions. That's the purest pennant race.

 

They should go the NBA/NHL route.

Sixteen teams in the playoffs.

Game 7 of the WS on Christmas Day.

As an aside, nothing so sweet as seeing the Jays sweep those Sox.

And Toronto plays in New York this weekend. First time I've been really interested in baseball all season.

 

So you honestly think that it would be better if the Yankees or the Red Sox weren't going to make the playoffs?

 

Not this year. Only two divisions are wrapped up (AL Central and AL West), and the second-place teams in both of those divisions are essentially cooked when it comes to the wild card. The other four divisions are completely up for grabs.