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Are Expanded Playoffs Coming, and Does it Help the Mariners?
Major League Baseball has entered its first lockout since the 1994 strike. This has quickly become a contentious situation, with it being reported that there have been multiple short and dicey meetings between owners and the players association. The situation has many sides: the league’s/owners’ side, the players’ side, and the fans’ side. The most exciting question for fans is, will there be more teams in an expanded playoffs?
First, the owners’ side of expanded playoffs
The owners are reportedly willing to expand the playoffs, there are currently 10 playoff teams, but they want to up it to 14. This would bring in more revenue for the sport. In 2020, there were 16 playoff teams which made for a great round of wild card games. It was a little similar to March Madness where there are many games happening at once. A proposed 14 team playoff would give the team in each league with the best record a bye for the first round.
The remaining 6 teams in each league would play a wild card round, possibly a one-game, winner advances format. There also could be short 3 game series like in 2020. That would be very fun for the fans out there, they would have more playoff games, which would also entice owners. If there were 3 game wild card rounds instead of one game, then that is more revenue for the teams to make from hosting, and more television money.
The players’ side of expanded playoffs
The players have been a little skeptical about expanding the playoff format. James Dator of SB Nation explained the dispute on playoff expansion as such.
Finally, on the topic of potential playoff expansion, players are concerned that expanding the field will motivate teams to spend less on players knowing they could still slide into the postseason and benefit from the TV revenue from the playoffs.
It has been also reported that the players only want a 12 team playoff field going forward. As Dator explains above, the players don’t want to give teams a chance to barely compete and still slide into the playoffs. Expanding the playoffs could however have the effect of giving teams more motivation to pay better players. If a team is close to .500, winning about 75-82 games, then maybe in the offseason they would be more incentivized to go add another player or two instead.
This could lead to more contracts for players and give them more money if more teams try to make the playoffs. The players want to keep the playoffs for the best teams it appears, but they should be willing to hear the rationale of having more playoff teams, which could also bring more fans to the game, which has not been happening lately.
The Mariners’ side of expanded playoffs
For Mariners fans, wanting more playoff teams is practically a no-brainer. Having a greater chance at making the playoff and ending the drought of over 20 years now would be huge. In 2020, they almost made the playoffs in the 16 team format. Under a 12 team playoff format, they would have finished just one game out of the Blue Jays to miss just a bit again. With a 14 team playoff format, there would be 7 teams from each league. In 2021, the Mariners had the 7th best record.
The Mariners had a remarkable season last year and will have to keep adding to their roster to be a more legit playoff team. They traded for Adam Frazier and signed Robbie Ray, but they still have some holes to fill. Mariners fans should be rooting for more playoff teams after this lockout ends. Mariners fans should be salivating over the chance to make the playoff for the first time since 2001.
The lockout is a huge unknown for everyone, but it is reportedly a guarantee that this won’t take away any games. It is too hard to tell when this lockout ends because the 2020 health and safety protocols were decided through ugly negotiations by both sides.
Next. Could Kyle Crick Be the Next Paul Sewald?. dark
Mariners fans should be thrilled at the potential for a greater chance at the playoffs, it would be a huge boost for team support and it could help return the city to its days when baseball king of the sports teams in Seattle.