I don't like the MLB postseason system.

[El Supremo]

From 1903 to 1968 there was just the World Series. And the loser could always say that he had the best record in his league and had won the pennant.

From 1969 to 1984 there was the horrible best of 5 game League Championship Series (it isn't ever correct to call these "playoffs" - that's NFL terminology). From 1985 to 1993 this was mercifully expanded to 7 games (remember, the World Series used to be 9 games).

Then in 1995 (1994 was the strike) they expanded it into the present 5 game League Division Series and the 7 game League Championship Series. That's when it really got stupid.

You play a grueling 162 game 6 month season only to have your best record in the league shot down in 3 to 12 games because some other team happened to be hotter than you at the end. You win no pennant.

This has happened 18 out of 28 times since 1995. And 10 of those times happened in the LDS (first round). Only in 1995 and 1999 did each of the teams with the best records make it to the World Series. Well, this just ain't right and flies in the face of 65 years of tradition.

I like to watch postseason games even when it drags the season into November, but I don't like teams getting screwed out of a pennant. So I propose this solution: The teams that have the best league record at the end of a season (even with the unbalanced schedule) get a trophy or the pennant. If they make it to the World Series then they get both. Perhaps home field advantage for the World Series could be a reward for getting both.

[madinmaryland]

1. Don't they do that in the NHL! As I recall, cboy's team won that trophy and

promptly choked in the first round!!

:rofl:

[El Supremo]

2. They play only 82 regular season games.

But the season lasts forever.

On edit:

Oh, I looked it up. That's called the President's Trophy. It goes to the best NHL team in the regular season. The team also gets 350K Canadian dollars. Not a bad idea. But I'd give one to the best AL team and the best NL team in the regular season.