I have a Major Beef with Baseball Scheduling

[DannyMay]

The scheduling is completly unfair.

In years past teams were only competing against other teams in their division, therefore this uneven scheduking didnt matter because you were not competing for a playoff spot with teams outside your division.

When they brought in the wild card a few years back they left the old scheduling in place. This has created tremendous advantages for some teams at the expense of others.

This year the Cubs play 86 out of 162 games against NL Central teams ( UNREAL- That is well over half of their games ) ( source - mlb.com). Meanwhile the Marlins have to play an equally high percentage against NL East teams.

This results in a terrible disadvantage for NL East teams. The Cubs spend over half the season playing absolute sh*t teams ( Milwaukee, Cincinatti, Pittsburgh) the Marlins are repeatedly playing the Braves, Phillies, and Expos.

I think it is undeniable that the NL east has 3 teams if not 4 that are better than ANY team in the Nl Central. The Braves, Phillies, and Marlins ALL have better records than ANY team in the NL Central even though they have much more difficult schedules. I would even suggest that the Expos would win the NL Central if they got to play that sh*t NL Central schedule.

MLB has failed to adjust the scheduling when they changed the playoff rules and it just isnt right. I realize that you cany always be 100% fair in sports but the schedules should be somewhat equla and they are nowhere close to being equal.

If the Cubs beat out the Marlins or Phils by 1 game for the Wild Card it is clear that it will be only because of their weakened schedule. Teams should not be punished for playing in a tough division.

 

[DannyMay]

I cand understand playing a few extra games against teams in your division. However, the Cubs getting to play over half their games against NL Central teams is ridiculous. There is not 1 NL Central team that could play anywhere near .500 ball in either eastern or western division.

The NL Central has 3 Average Teams and 3 Sh*t Teams. In the interest of fairness I sure hope that the NL Central's second place team doesnt get the Wild Card.

 

[-Slim-]

Interleague also messes things up a bit, one national league team gets to face the Tigers while another completely unsuspecting team takes on the Boston Red Sox...

 

[sickgambler]

I am not too happy too about this MLB schedule because whoever made it is a jerk and DEFINITELY not an Expo fan. Reason is, why the hell do they make the final game ever in Montreal on a Wednesday afternoon at 5pm when everyone is working. Why not have it like last year on the final game of the season on a Sunday afternoon.. Now instead of only 12,000 to 18,000 fans today, we would have definitely drawn 35,000 to 45,000 had this game been on the last day of the season on a Sunday afternoon.

I am not too happy about this..

 

[Tablarasa]

Sounds like a complaint just to complain to me.

NFL, you play half your games in division.
And could find yourself lucking out in interconference play and getting a Cincinnati game, or complaining about getting a Tampa game.

Since beating your division is what really decides if you go to the playoffs, playing more games within the division obviously is the strongest criteria.

And if you think this is screwed up, you must have majorly disliked the baseball playoffs before there were wildcards, when teams with 100+ wins and the second best record in their league did not go to the playoffs at all.

 

[Fishhead]

Quite frankly, the Expos should have left town 10 years ago.

 

[sickgambler]

STFU Fishhead..

If you would have gone to yesterdays game, you would have said,, NO WAY is this not a baseball town. The place was going crazy last night at the stadium. Even when we were down 4-1 late, fans were chanting and screaming.. When we were tied for 1st place 2 weeks ago, this city was going nuts.. Honking cars, singing on the streets, expo flags everywhere. This is a town that loves winners ONLY. If we bring a winning product to Montreal, look out.. We will avg 40,000 a game, just like in 94 when we drew 35,000 a night. We have no stars here in Montreal and keep getting rid of our players. Why should they show up to see a minor league team for? Just give us a team that will contend every year and we will draw 2.3 million, mark my words. Montreal is a great sports town.

 

[Fishhead]

Canada has no college football......you need to move to a BIG TEN, or SEC city in the United States.

 

[Fishhead]

Slick Gambler- Your opinions are greatly appreciated here at the RX. Enjoy your stay here.

ps- by the way, thanks for the quick response to the Ashcroft incident. Not many Canadiens would have felt that way. Thanks again son.

 

[tkf18ny]

the whole wild card system is dog shit and to have an unbalanced schedual with a wild card is even stupider

 

[sickgambler]

<BLOCKQUOTE class="ip-ubbcode-quote"><font size="-1">quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by STRUT888/FISHHEAD:
Slick Gambler- Your opinions are greatly appreciated here at the RX. Enjoy your stay here.

ps- by the way, thanks for the quick response to the Ashcroft incident. Not many Canadiens would have felt that way. Thanks again son.<HR></BLOCKQUOTE>

Fishhead, I don't know what to say to you there sir, but you sounded like my father there.. Are you ok man? That was a weird tone of voice in that post. It was actually funny, I am still laughing, as it didn't sound anything like you. Is this your new approach kid.? LOL.

I like it..Keep it up.. Can i call you dad from now on. It sounded like my father talking to me..

 

[D2bets]

The unbalanced schedule is a good thing. You should play more against teams in your division to help decide your own fate. Plus the division rivalries should be allowed to be just that, rivalries. Whining about having a tougher chance at the wild card is just stupid. It's a WILD CARD. Noboyd's entitled to it and it doesn't have to be completely fair. If you don't win your division you take your chances. Like others have said, football is completely more based on scheduling quirks. I mean heck, what about the NBA which just takes the top 8 but plays unbalanced schedules? No schedule or system is going to be 100% equitable especially over 162 games. It's just not possible. The unbalanced schedule is good and the wildcard is good. That's it.

 

[dr.chau]

What a crappy game for Expos to end their last home game this season.

 

[sickgambler]

tell me doc, and I came so so close to going to this game. THANK GOD I didn't go.. I am really sad though that it had to be a blowout, as there is a good crowd on hand and they are seeing a disaster. What a bad way for the fans to remember the possible last game ever here.. Would have been nice to sneak a victory or even play a close game to end it all.

 

[-Slim-]

sick, I hate myself for even wasting time contemplating this (

) but you dont sound like your usual self.....

 

[sickgambler]

slim,

how am i supposed to sound kid? Are you trying to say that I am not as obnoxious as I used to be.

 

[Jazz]

SG: Sorry about the Expos, but only 9,843 fans attended last night, and are averaging 11,987 per game in Montreal this year. Not wanting to be a bad guy, honestly, but if Montreal is such a baseball town then WHY DID THEY LET THIS HAPPEN? As far as I understand it, if they keep attendance strong and the bills paid, baseball would have stayed - or is there something else I'm not aware of?

I have no doubts serious fans are there and are hurting - I'm referring to the city as a whole.

 

[-Slim-]

hmmmmm, perhaps, perhaps, not sure what im trying to say or how exactly you used to sound or sound now but 'you dont sound like you'.

 

[sickgambler]

Jazz,

Like i said, it's hard to bring in fans when we have a minor league team on paper and are never in the race. Give us a contending team and you will see what will happen. We have proved in the past that we can draw when we used to draw over 2.5 million regularly every year in the mid 80's.. Look at florida, even now in this race, they only draw 9,000 a game.. And a lot of teams today draw under 12,000 a game. We averaged 12,000 a game this year. And we have an ugly old indoor stadium in a very bad spot far far away from the city. Give us a downtown outdoor ballpark, along with a competitive team, and look out..

Slim,

I have matured a lot, and you know why. I should have NEVER gone through what I went through last month, kiddo.. You know what I am talking about, and it took a lot out of me, and drained me. All because of one vicious miserable woman who couldn't get what she wanted, so I had to face this crap. 4 names in 4 yrs is nothing. That's 1 name a yr. Big crap!! They all got a ton of action in return for it. It will be awhile before I get back in tip top form again, but I'll be back. Till then, I will have to remain a boring lousy poster with not much to say..

 

[Fishhead]

Slick is a good guy. He has many perils of wisdom that at least occasionally you all ought to pay attention to. Live and learn here at the RX.