GDT: A's at Royals, AL Wild Card Game

[Slateman]

A's need to get their pen up and see if they can get Lester on short rest in LA

[houston-nat]

Yeah, this game is over...

Yeah.

The A's are back. The Tigers and Orioles better start worrying.

[Kevrock]

A's need to get their pen up and see if they can get Lester on short rest in LA

That would be incredibly dumb.

[imref]

well this was fun for a few innings.  good night.

[mmzznnxx]

2 days after throwing ~80 pitches, young kid, no playoff experience, never pitched out of the bullpen like that. Best bullpen in baseball, including Wade Davis, against a huge lefty bad. Better pull Shields and put in Ventura.

Might honestly be the worst move I've ever seen.

[RobDibblesGhost]

One game playoffs are so dumb.

I don't disagree, but a 3-game series would be too long of a break in the action for the other six teams. It does make it exciting to watch though, but I have to imagine players and managers hate it.

[houston-nat]

Might honestly be the worst move I've ever seen.

So you didn't watch Ron Washington manage a World Series against the Cardinals.

[skippy1999]

Won't someone please think of the puppy?

[JCA-CrystalCity]

I see the commercial with Mr Met and the Philly Phanatic and I wonder, "shouldn't those guys be getting some rest before the NL playoffs start?"

[rbw5t]

One game playoffs are so dumb.

That's why you win the division instead of the wildcard.  I like it, because it restores an actual advantage to being the best team in your division over 162 games.  Under the old system, for example, it didn't matter whether the Red Sox or the Yankees won the AL East -- they were still on equal footing once the playoffs started.  This way, you're at a real disadvantage being a wildcard, which seems appropriate to me.

[whytev]

That's why you win the division instead of the wildcard.  I like it, because it restores an actual advantage to being the best team in your division over 162 games.  Under the old system, for example, it didn't matter whether the Red Sox or the Yankees won the AL East -- they were still on equal footing once the playoffs started.  This way, you're at a real disadvantage being a wildcard, which seems appropriate to me.

Agreed.

Unless they add a 16th team and have 4 divisions of 4, this is how it has to be.

[Kevrock]

I'm aware of the positives of the one game playoff, and I like that there's a legitimate advantage to winning the division again, but this ain't baseball. Probably better than the alternatives (3 game series, one wild card team) but it still sucks.

[whytev]

I'm aware of the positives of the one game playoff, and I like that there's a legitimate advantage to winning the division again, but this ain't baseball. Probably better than the alternatives (3 game series, one wild card team) but it still sucks.

What Desmond said about the Mets closer..."If you don't like it, play better." The WC teams are on borrowed time. It is one of the only changes in the league I actually like.

[Bloo]

Royals really cut their teeth on wedding rings.

[skippy1999]

I'm aware of the positives of the one game playoff, and I like that there's a legitimate advantage to winning the division again, but this ain't baseball. Probably better than the alternatives (3 game series, one wild card team) but it still sucks.

Why isn't it baseball? 

[KnorrForYourMoney]

I'm aware of the positives of the one game playoff, and I like that there's a legitimate advantage to winning the division again, but this ain't baseball. Probably better than the alternatives (3 game series, one wild card team) but it still sucks.

I guess they're playing squash out there?

[Slateman]

That would be incredibly dumb.

Not really. They have a good pen too. They need nine outs. Lester being able to pitch twice in thay series would be huge

[DPMOmaha]

Royals fans are eviscerating Yost on Twitter right now.

[pazzo83]

Royals fans are eviscerating Yost on Twitter right now.

I'd love to see some of those.

[skippy1999]

Royals fans are eviscerating Yost on Twitter right now.

As they should be, he's awful and proves it over and over, what a disappointment for them

[skippy1999]

I'd love to see some of those.

Search #yosted

[Kevrock]

There used to be 4 divisions and 4 division champions and real series played. Wild Card teams have never played into a decent post season system.

Yeah, this system is better than idiotic system that treated wild card teams the same as division champs. Still, it's not the Oakton High School vs Chantilly in the Concord district championship and MLB post season based on one game is painful to watch.

[Kevrock]

 

[KnorrForYourMoney]

There used to be 4 divisions and 4 division champions and real series played. Wild Card teams have never played into a decent post season system.

Yeah, this system is better than idiotic system that treated wild card teams the same as division champs. Still, it's not the Oakton High School vs Chantilly in the Concord district championship and MLB post season based on one game is painful to watch.

Having only 4 postseason teams in a 30-team league would be completely idiotic.

[whytev]

Having only 4 postseason teams in a 30-team league would be completely idiotic.

It's about ratios. Like what was the most teams there were before divisions? Switching from 2 - 3 after 6 per division was reasonable.