New CBA...

[notin]

Not that home field advantage means that much, but thank goodness some people finally came to their senses. Having the World Series HFA determined by the All Star game was ridiculous.

 

Maybe MLB will get rid of some of their other stupid rules, like actually playing under the same rules in both leagues.

[moonslav59]

More...

 

-- The new CBA allows the league to issue extreme levels of punishment to teams that try to circumvent the international spending guidelines that are in place. Per Passan, MLB can penalize up to 50 percent of a team’s international bonus money through the 2021 season if it is found to be in violation of the new international signing rules.

 

-- Teams can trade all of the new international bonus allotments, .Alternatively, they may boost their spending by adding up to 75% of their initial spending capacity.

 

-- The top slot of the 2017 draft will fall to $7.4MM, though the overall spending availability in the domestic arena won’t change.

 

-- The QO front, teams signing multiple qualifying offer-declining free agents would continue to sacrifice their next selection (or, in the case of a team over the luxury line, selections).

[georom4]

I actually loved the idea and thought that it did make the games meaningful and worth watching. Now it will be back to ham city with no one trying and a parade of players inserted for an inning or so. How is that an improvement? Plus the leagues don't really play each other except for a small sample of games. The best MLB record means nothing under those auspices. I never got the hate for this move. I won't be watching the mid-summer "classic" anymore. It will be just another version of the Pro Bowl.

[Bellhorn04]

I actually loved the idea and thought that it did make the games meaningful and worth watching. Now it will be back to ham city with no one trying and a parade of players inserted for an inning or so. How is that an improvement? Plus the leagues don't really play each other except for a small sample of games. The best MLB record means nothing under those auspices. I never got the hate for this move. I won't be watching the mid-summer "classic" anymore. It will be just another version of the Pro Bowl.

 

Sorry buddy, but you're in a big-time minority there, I think.

[moonslav59]

Sorry buddy, but you're in a big-time minority there, I think.

 

I liked the idea too.

 

Best record is influenced by strength of schedule.

[Bellhorn04]

I liked the idea too.

 

Best record is influenced by strength of schedule.

 

Sure it is. That applies to the other rounds of the playoffs too. The luck factor tends to even out, presumably.

[S5Dewey]

We seem to have two problems here. 1) How to make the All-Star game relevant, and 2) How to determine who gets home field advantage in the WS. Apparently MLB tried to use one problem to solve the other and IMO it didn't work. It didn't work because the AS game is nothing more than a baseball exhibition game and has nothing to do with the regular season or the playoffs.

 

I can't envision a solution to the problem of home field advantage that someone doesn't find something wrong with but I see this solution to be a positive thing. MLB has already changed the playoff HFA in the league playoffs to the team with the best record within the league - and it's worked. It's given teams more incentive to win games at the end of the year even when they've outdistanced their closest rival in the division. Now they've extended it to the other league as well. I like it.

 

As to problem #1 of making the AS game relevant... meh. As I said, it's nothing more than a baseball exhibition game. A money-maker for MLB and a chance for fans to see the players the fans want to see all under one roof. The ASG is meaningless in terms of the season and teams so the ASG should be left out of the equation completely. And now it is.

[moonslav59]

Sure it is. That applies to the other rounds of the playoffs too. The luck factor tends to even out, presumably.

 

True, but the inter-league factor is not as strong within each league's playoff set-up.

 

I do think best record is probably the fairest way to do it, but the Sox played a division schedule that included the best record 2nd place team, the best record 3rd place team, the best record 4th place team and a last place team that was one win away from the best last place team.

 

Our 4th place team (NYY) had a better record than any divisions third place team!

 

Our 3rd place team(TOR/BAL) had a better record than any divisions 2nd place team!

 

I'm not saying we deserved home field over the Cubs, but it sucks that we'll likely never get home field in the next few years. The all star set up gave us that chance.

[Bellhorn04]

True, but the inter-league factor is not as strong within each league's playoff set-up.

 

I do think best record is probably the fairest way to do it, but the Sox played a division schedule that included the best record 2nd place team, the best record 3rd place team, the best record 4th place team and a last place team that was one win away from the best last place team.

 

Our 4th place team (NYY) had a better record than any divisions third place team!

 

Our 3rd place team(TOR/BAL) had a better record than any divisions 2nd place team!

 

I'm not saying we deserved home field over the Cubs, but it sucks that we'll likely never get home field in the next few years. The all star set up gave us that chance.

 

You just explained why it wasn't 'fair' that Cleveland had home field advantage against us in the division series. Compared to that the World Series home field advantage is a smaller deal.

[S5Dewey]

OTOH, is home field advantage really an advantage? Kimmie, care to chime in on this?

 

BTW, IMO it may not be an advantage to the team - I see it as being a non-issue at the worst, but it's an advantage for the fans who get to see playoff baseball at home.

[mvp 78]

HFA should just be given to the NL in even years and AL in odd years.

 

I don't care about the AS game. Thanks Bud!

[Dojji]

Home field advantage = one extra day of potential ticket sales of the series goes 7.

[Bellhorn04]

Home field advantage = one extra day of potential ticket sales of the series goes 7.

 

OTOH if the series only goes 5 the home team gets one less day than the visiting team.

[moonslav59]

You just explained why it wasn't 'fair' that Cleveland had home field advantage against us in the division series. Compared to that the World Series home field advantage is a smaller deal.

 

I was responding to the point about home field before the WS- the earlier rounds.

[Bellhorn04]

I was responding to the point about home field before the WS- the earlier rounds.

 

OK, but I'm saying, why be concerned about the World Series inequity when the same inequity exists right from the opening round.

[jad]

I'm still waiting to hear from that one fan in Peoria or wherever who watches the ASG intently to determine who will have home field in the WS. It was an extraordinarily silly idea. If I want to watch 'meaningful' games, I can watch hundreds of them during the regular season and PS. The ASG is interesting because it's not! It's an exhibition game!

[Bellhorn04]

I'm still waiting to hear from that one fan in Peoria or wherever who watches the ASG intently to determine who will have home field in the WS. It was an extraordinarily silly idea. If I want to watch 'meaningful' games, I can watch hundreds of them during the regular season and PS. The ASG is interesting because it's not! It's an exhibition game!

 

Right you are.

[moonslav59]

I haven't watched a full ASG since I was a kid in the 70's. I've barely watch an inning or two most years since.

[Kimmi]

I liked the idea too.

 

Best record is influenced by strength of schedule.

 

If they're really concerned about making it fair, the stat geeks could easily come up with a point system of some sort that would factor in strength of schedule. It would not be that difficult to do.

 

That said, while best record might not be completely fair in determining HFA, it makes a heck of a lot more sense than letting the outcome of the All Star game determine it. Personally, I have no problem with using best record.

[Kimmi]

OTOH, is home field advantage really an advantage? Kimmie, care to chime in on this?

 

BTW, IMO it may not be an advantage to the team - I see it as being a non-issue at the worst, but it's an advantage for the fans who get to see playoff baseball at home.

 

LOL

 

I actually kind of enjoy watching the All Star Game. It's an exhibition. It's supposed to be fun, nothing more.

 

I like the celebrity softball game too.

[Kimmi]

HFA should just be given to the NL in even years and AL in odd years.

 

I don't care about the AS game. Thanks Bud!

 

Do not like that idea. I'd rather go with best record.

[Kimmi]

OK, but I'm saying, why be concerned about the World Series inequity when the same inequity exists right from the opening round.

 

For that matter, it exists all season long.

[notin]

If they're really concerned about making it fair, the stat geeks could easily come up with a point system of some sort that would factor in strength of schedule. It would not be that difficult to do.

 

That said, while best record might not be completely fair in determining HFA, it makes a heck of a lot more sense than letting the outcome of the All Star game determine it. Personally, I have no problem with using best record.

 

Not to mention, before using the All Star game, home field was determined in the World Series and in both LCS by alternating years. This was the dumbest method of all. And least fair, because teams in the AL East and NL West could NEVER have home field throughout the entire post-season....

[notin]

HFA should just be given to the NL in even years and AL in odd years.

 

I don't care about the AS game. Thanks Bud!

 

Yeah that made so much more sense.

 

I think home field advantage should go to whichever team has more players named "Logan." If neither team has a Logan, then the tiebreaker shall be number of Chads...

[Kimmi]

Not to mention, before using the All Star game, home field was determined in the World Series and in both LCS by alternating years. This was the dumbest method of all. And least fair, because teams in the AL East and NL West could NEVER have home field throughout the entire post-season....

 

I agree with you Notin. Alternating years just seems so random.

[Kimmi]

Yeah that made so much more sense.

 

I think home field advantage should go to whichever team has more players named "Logan." If neither team has a Logan, then the tiebreaker shall be number of Chads...

 

LOL This almost made me spit my coffee out.

 

I think the Rays have a stranglehold on the "Logans". At least they did. Will they make it back to the postseason before their Logans are gone?

[mvp 78]

It makes more sense than rewarding a team that beats up on an easy division all year.

[Bellhorn04]

I agree with you Notin. Alternating years just seems so random.

 

Alternating years was definitely random. I'm not sure it was much better or worse than using best W-L record.

[mvp 78]

"I love that baseball is random and that you never know if a pitch is a ball or strike. We don't need robot umps!

 

Swapping HFA each year between leagues is too random!"

[Bellhorn04]

"I love that baseball is random and that you never know if a pitch is a ball or strike. We don't need robot umps!

 

Swapping HFA each year between leagues is too random!"

 

You really are an impish fellow.