ShareThisBud Selig's saving grace from his steroid-stained tenure as the commissioner of Major League Baseball is that he instituted the popular wild-card format.
Now as Selig's days on the job are winding down -- he has mentioned before he wants to retire after the 2012 season -- the commish is intent on tinkering with his brainchild.
Selig reiterated his desire last week to add additional wild-card teams to the mix by next season, mentioning that 10 playoff teams would be a "fair number."
While I'm not necessarily completely opposed to postseason expansion, I believe it's a delicate issue and am hesitant to have faith in it.
Not many details have been worked out, but the plan is to have two wild cards face each other in the first round of the playoffs.
From the sound of it, a five- or seven-game series would be nixed because it would push the rest of the playoff rounds deeper into frigid weather.
But a one-game, winner-take-all format is too gimmicky. My apprehension probably stems from the First Four that college basketball was selling, where essentially 60 teams received first-round byes.
A best-of-three system might be the best way to go, but the winner will have a distinct disadvantage in the divisional round if it's forced to open the series with a No. 4 starter.
Last year, the AL wild-card round would have been a ratings buzz between the Yankees and Red Sox, but should the Yankees have to win a wild-card series after posting the AL's second best record?
And should Boston be given a chance to play in October after finishing third in its division and with the fifth-best AL mark?
It's devaluing the 162-game season by adding more teams, but I can see why the owners and players would be for it. The opportunity for a World Series run is why most guys play the game, and the extra revenue would be a bonus for the suits.
If we're going to make changes, why not do something radical? Let's add two teams in each league, trim back the regular season to 154 games -- where it used to be -- and give the top two division winners first-round byes.
It's an extreme suggestion, but there'd be a way to fit in two five-game matchups before the ALCS and NLCS. There could still be some intriguing races at the end, and the best two teams in each league would be rewarded.
Obviously it's toughest to make the playoffs in baseball. In the NBA and NHL, you only need to be better than about half the teams.
But that's one of the sport's allures, much like the doubleheader or the uniform-donning manager. Any changes should be made delicately.
(Zach Duncan writes for the Wichita Falls Times Record News in Texas.)
columnwith BBO-ADAMSON
