00:00Why am I doing three-game series here, Greg?
00:02What am I proving besides giving the team waiting for you
00:07the biggest advantage of anybody else?
00:10Yeah, they have to figure out a way to solve this.
00:12I thought they made the right move going from just the one-game wildcard
00:16to the three, but it really hasn't solved the problem.
00:18So, yeah, you're right, Joe.
00:20They'll have to sort that out.
00:22I don't know if it's a five-game series and then the AL and NLDS go to seven.
00:26I think that's probably in play.
00:28It makes the most sense.
00:29Is there enough time in the regular season to do that, Joe?
00:32I don't think so.
00:33So, like, something would have to give.
00:34I don't know how they would do it.
00:36Something's got to give.
00:36You can't play into November.
00:38So, you tell me, is it less games in, you know,
00:44not having an all-star break or something?
00:45Like, I don't know.
00:47Like, they'd have to sort it out.
00:49They can't add five more postseason games and keep the regular season the way it is.
00:54So, some more doubleheaders, I don't know, something would have to change.
00:56But, yeah, this is – it's not a problem.
00:59It's just something that they could alter a little bit and try and fix because it does feel like the
01:05Red Sox season was somewhat meaningless.
01:07It feels like the Cubs season was somewhat meaningless.
01:09I think those things are definitely true, and it gave a huge advantage to – let's just call it what
01:15it is.
01:15Cleveland had probably two good months of the season.
01:17That's it.
01:18And here they are sitting back waiting to play a five-game series in the ALDS,
01:22and they're three wins away from going to the ALCS, and they really didn't have a great season.
01:27No one would say that Cleveland had a great season.
01:29You'd say they had a really good two months, and that's it.
01:32Look at their offense up and down.
01:33They have no one.
01:35So, collective bargaining agreement, Joe, these things come up, and playoffs make a lot of money.
01:40There'll probably be more playoffs, would be what I would suspect,
01:44and probably the wild-card series has to go to five games somehow.
01:47I think they have to figure that.
01:49And going back to one, I don't think is the answer either.
01:52I think we would all agree that the one was the dumbest, right?
01:55Like, that can't – what does that really do in one game?
01:58I would push back, though.
02:00What that does is give extraordinary power to a 162-game season.
02:06That's what that gives, because you win your division,
02:10and you don't have to worry about a one-game to play in, right?
02:13Is there anything greater in sports than a winner-advances, loser-goes-home moment?
02:19If you gave me a couple of those, I guarantee you there'd be more people in the stands
02:24than there were for a 2 o'clock game between Philadelphia and Atlanta
02:28in the best of three that should never have been at 2 o'clock.
02:33I think they sold out both.
02:34Isn't the whole point of playing 162 games, is that so – it means more?
02:41It should mean more than just, oh, well, like you said, Cleveland.
02:46I could be terrible, or the Astros and the Whites.
02:49I could be terrible, but you know what?
02:51I can still sneak in.
02:53Well, then maybe the answer is expanding it and giving all the divisions the buy.
02:58I mean, maybe that's the only thing, you know, because it would mean less if Atlanta –
03:02And one game, you want to advance, and you didn't win the division?
03:06Maybe.
03:07Maybe.
03:07I'd be okay with that, but you can't possibly – you can't possibly think that Atlanta
03:11should only play one game in the playoffs after the season that they had winning the division.
03:16I mean, that doesn't seem fair at all to me.
03:18I would not –
03:19Well, Atlanta should not be in this conversation.
03:22Why, Craig?
03:24Because after 162 games, they won their division.
03:28So, like, what are we –
03:29So, they'll get a buy.
03:30So, they'll get a buy, and another team will get in.
03:32I mean, that's the only –
03:33I am with you.
03:34They'll expand the playoffs.
03:35But if they expand the playoffs, you're going to get teams like Houston.
03:38It's just the reality.
03:39You're becoming more like the NBA.
03:42NBA playoffs is terrible.
03:42But I won't have to suffer through two games.
03:44I won't have to suffer through two games.
03:46Well, Joe, so, well, how do you feel about those NBA play-in games in the playoffs?
03:53How do you feel about those?
03:54Well, winner advances, loser gets to go play another game that they're never going to win.
03:57No, but they play several games.
03:58It's the same thing.
03:58Yeah.
03:59No, but they – yeah, but they play multiple games, right?
04:01It's not just one – right?
04:02Is it ever just one game?
04:03No, because it's a – no, well, if you win, if you're a seven seed, right, and you're
04:09playing in the play-in game, if you win seven, eight, advances, the other team has to go
04:14to the loser's side and has to play another game.
04:17No matter what.
04:18So, the winner of that first game in the play – they advance.
04:21They win, they're at.
04:22It's one game.
04:23You win, you're in.
04:24If you don't, now you've got to go back and win another game, and here we go again.
04:27You know, that's a pure money grab.
04:29Yeah, but I like the concept where one game, if you win, you're in.
04:33Good.
04:34That's it.
04:34That's all you – Atlanta should have been able to win one game in advance.
04:41Right.
04:41Well, I just – I don't – I think that the easiest thing is just to give the three division
04:45teams the bye.
04:46Like, that's it.
04:47I'm with you.
04:48Give all three of those teams, and then you can figure out what you want to do with the
04:51rest.
04:52But, look, Atlanta was a really great – they were a great team during the regular season,
04:56and now they're forced to have to win this one tonight just to advance.
04:58So – and it's not a guarantee.
05:01I mean, we talked about this yesterday.
05:02It is, in fact, minus 110 on both sides.
05:04Like, it's –
05:05And not only that, but you gave them a week off.
05:08Like, you gave these teams a week off.
05:10It's like one game series, Greg.
05:14You would think it's a big advantage.
05:16Right?
05:17But Atlanta –
05:17It's too big an advantage.
05:19But two years ago, Atlanta had the best record in baseball, had the week off, and then
05:23lost.
05:24And they lost in the playoffs.
05:25They didn't just lose – they got demolished and served them right for being that gross
05:30in a winner-take-all game.
05:32They got absolutely destroyed.
05:34And they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they
05:34lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost –
05:34they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost
05:34– they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they
05:34lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost –
05:34they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost
05:34– they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they
05:34lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost –
05:34they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost
05:34– they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they
05:34lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost – they lost –
05:34they
