Hi, this is Fred Wallace with ” Off the Wire “.
In North America’s Big 4 team sports; NHL, NBA, NFL & Major League Baseball, it’s tradition for the Commissioner to deliver a state-of-the-game address prior to the Stanley Cup, the NBA Final, the Super Bowl & World Series.
Most recently, Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred related he hopes to keep 2 of this year’s innovations: expanded playoffs and starting extra innings with runners on second base, in place.
In terms of the playoffs, Manfred states the post season should contain more than 10 teams but less than the 16 which qualified this year under the modified format
Meanwhile, using the International tie-breaker that’s utilized for years in fastball, MLB’s longest games this year were a pair of 13 inning affairs.
I understand changes in life and changes in sports are perpetual.
Still, there’s a large part of me that yearns for Major League Baseball to be like it once was.
I’m not prepared to explain in detail, but trust me when I tell you I found baseball more appealing when there were just 4 divisions and only the division winners made the post season.
Furthermore, while I fully understand the impact of TV revenue, the baseball post season & World Series were better when the games were played in the afternoon.
And finally, again I understand the rationale, but using the runner-on-second in extra innings, to me, is akin to having the shootout decide hockey games.
I guess I’m aging, and until such time as I take over MLB as Commissioner, the wheels of change will perpetually roll on.
I’m Fred Wallace