With playoff baseball quickly approaching and the standings practically full, this seems like a great time to level out a flaw within the new six-team format (aside from rising the variety of video games per spherical). In case you’re going at hand out first-round byes, give them to the 2 finest groups in every league.
Proper now, the Houston Astros are poised to waltz into the second spherical regardless of trailing Tampa Bay and Baltimore by 8.5 video games. The Rays and Orioles are deadlocked in a battle for the AL East crown, however the greater motivation for these two golf equipment is the No. 1 seed, as a result of the loser is busted right down to the No. 3 spot and an extra spherical of baseball.
My pondering is in the identical vein as what the NBA did with its divisions. Till not too long ago, their division winners robotically occupied the highest 4 seeds, so when the Southwest was stacked solely considered one of Dallas, San Antonio, Memphis, Houston, and many others. would get dwelling court docket within the first spherical. After a slight tweak, the division winners don’t matter, and it’s seeded strictly by report, as a result of near half of the NBA makes the postseason, and its common season actually is pointless.
Nonetheless, in MLB, divisions would nonetheless matter, as I’m not saying seed the bracket by finest report. The AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins have the seventh-best mark within the AL, and if I wished to be a righteous nihilist about it, I’d suggest correcting that, too.
Seeing as I’m not Karl Hungus, I agree divisions imply one thing as a result of baseball followers worship issues like dust, and divisions are positively on that sentimental checklist. Merely give the second-best membership — no matter if it gained the division — a bye.
The Rays and Orioles are assured a playoff spot, so neither would oust a deserving group. On this situation, the Astros nonetheless get home-field benefit, however they aren’t two collection away from the World Sequence. I do know Yankee followers, and baseball followers normally, would admire a harder path for the ‘Stros, and I feel AL East supporters would even admit that Baltimore followers at the least deserve a bye.
There’s all the time this emphasis on preserving the meaningfulness of baseball’s grueling 162-game schedule, and my repair is within the spirit of that nonetheless nonsensical all of this will appear even by baseball argument requirements.
The opposite actuality of what I’m suggesting is it could inevitably profit top-heavy divisions just like the AL East, and NL West, and if I’ll enchantment to Rob Manfred for a second, don’t you need higher possibilities of the Crimson Sox, Yankees, Dodgers, or Giants making the World Sequence?
Maybe if the league workplace was targeted on perfecting its new playoff system, and not debuting a digital ballpark, they might’ve been a little bit faster on the uptake. However, no, by all means, Rob, go play trivia on a headset and promote something however watching the video games.
Sorry, that’s a tangent for a future article. Again to tearing Manfred for the playoff system. Really, I feel I wrung the vitriol out of that rag, so, umm, yeah, suck it, Rob.
Alabama turning to Tyler Buchner
Notre Dame switch Tyler Buchner is taking on the reins of the Crimson Tides offense, and Jalen Milroe is again to holding a clipboard. Nick Saban’s leash is as quick as his mood, and he’s onto Plan B, which is pairing Buchner with new offensive coordinator Tommy Rees, who additionally came to visit from South Bend.
One of the crucial fascinating facets of the switch portal is the QB carousel. We find out about gamers like Sam Hartman who upgraded to the Irish, however Notre Dame was actually excessive on Buchner earlier than his 2022 season was disrupted by harm. This can be a large spot on a proficient roster, and most of those faculty quarterbacks are so younger {that a} tweak in teaching or system may unlock the sport for them.
My guess is Buchner does a ok job that Milroe turns into a free agent after the season, and there’s completely a coach on the market salivating at his talent set, and higher geared up to maximise it.
