Can't say I'm surprised at all. Days off in playoff series have always been for travel. Since there's no travel involved, there's really no need for off-days this year. The first round is 3 games so no change in approach necessary. LDS and LCS should only require one extra starter versus the norm since it's rare that teams use 3-man rotations anymore. Basically, the playoffs are going to require teams to structure their roster much the same way they do in the regular season. No more deepening either the pen or the bench due to only needing four starters versus five.(Edit: Sorry, this is the MLB board and I gamethreaded.)
I'm surprised by this. They seem really worried about not being able to get this done and it's starting to feel like they are more concerned with finishing that finishing well. Just to elaborate -- while teams play three games all the time when you're on the verge of the potential of playing four series including up to 7 against one team starting without a break day seems too breakneck.
I mean, yes, they never gave a shit about 'finishing well', they just want to make sure they fulfill the national TV contracts.(Edit: Sorry, this is the MLB board and I gamethreaded.)
I'm surprised by this. They seem really worried about not being able to get this done and it's starting to feel like they are more concerned with finishing that finishing well. Just to elaborate -- while teams play three games all the time when you're on the verge of the potential of playing four series including up to 7 against one team starting without a break day seems too breakneck.
What’s more likely, then, is this:
• Any player who tests positive would go into immediate quarantine, but teams would replace that player with someone from their pool, and the games would go on.
• And if multiple players on a team test positive? “If we’re playing a series and five guys test positive, then we just have to play five men short,” said an AL executive. “If we don’t have enough players to field a team, we’ll forfeit.”
So what’s the definition of not having enough players to field a team — when, according to sources, all clubs will have a 40-player postseason pool to draw from?
“If you have an outbreak — like the Cardinals or Marlins,” the same exec said. “If you have 10, 15, 18 players unavailable to play and you don’t have enough players in your pool to field a team, then you would forfeit.”
Correct, the picking your opponents part was mentioned but not actually instituted.When they announced this expanded playoffs, they said the top teams would choose their opponents for the first round. Is that not the case and 1 plays 8, 2 plays 7 etc?