What has MLB’s Robert Manfred said in defense of the playoff structure?
Regardless of your stance on the issue, it’s now clear that there is an increasingly louder voice of discontent, something MLB’s commissioner had to address.
There appear to be more than two sides to this coin, which is to say on one an almost week-long layoff can surely break the rhythm. On the other, some teams have coped just fine with the change. Then there is the age-old rule of sports to consider: If you can’t adapt, you can’t complain.
Does MLB have a playoff problem?
On Thursday night, the Atlanta Braves were eliminated from the playoffs by the Philadelphia Phillies in the National League Division Series for the second straight year. As such, the Phillies will now face the Arizona Diamondbacks for the NL pennant, with the winner advancing to play either the Texas Rangers or Houston Rangers of the American League in the World Series. This is all to say, that this year’s final four will not feature any of the three clubs to win more than 100 games this season: the Baltimore Orioles, Los Angeles Dodgers, and the aforementioned Atlanta Braves. As you can imagine, that fact has been heavily criticized by many as being a by-product of the changes made to MLB’s playoff structure.
What are those changes you ask? MLB and the MLB Players Association agreed to expand the postseason to 12 teams as part of the latest Collective Bargaining Agreement. What that means is that the top two teams in each league get a bye, with the other four clubs competing in a best-of-three Wild Card Series. To that end, the Braves, Dodgers, and Orioles all had time off between the end of the regular season and the beginning of the LDS round, something that appears to have become an issue for the managers of the teams in question.
What did managers say about MLB’s playoff structure changes?
Speaking with the media, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts lamented the structural change, though he did acknowledge there are worse things in the world. “I don’t think that five days is ideal, but that’s the playoff structure,” Roberts said. “The world’s not perfect. A couple-day break would have been nice. But five’s a little...” There was also a similar sentiment from Orioles manager, Brandon Hyde, who spoke to the break in rhythm that one experiences when going from playing constantly to a layoff. “I don’t know if it’s a disadvantage, but it puts you in a different routine than you are during regular season and what you’re used to. That’s something we’re aware of and need to adapt to.”
MLB’s Rob Manfred pushes back
Despite the backlash, it’s interesting to note that MLB commissioner, Rob Manfred, stood firm explaining on Thursday - prior to the Braves’ elimination - that he does not believe the playoff format needs to be amended. “It’s only Year 2,” Manfred said. “I’m sort of of the view you need to give something a chance to work out. I know some of the higher-seeded teams didn’t win. I think if you think about where some of those teams were, there are other explanations than a five-day layoff. But I think we’ll reevaluate in the offseason like we always do and think about if we have the format right.”
Truthfully, it may be that the trio of teams have a point about the effects of having a bye, however, the fact that last year saw two of the four teams who received first-round byes advancing to the LCS round, does seem to make the argument less plausible. Even more so when you consider the idea that one of the two teams that advanced, the Houston Astros, went on to win the World Series. Ultimately, while it appears for the moment that there will be no changes on the horizon, it’s likely that discontent will continue to grow.