In some respects, MLB commish Bud Selig's new plan for the playoffs could benefit the Texas Rangers and their fans. With the off-season push made by the AL West rival Los Angeles Angels, the Rangers will seemingly be harder-pressed to make the postseason, especially when the AL Wild Card usually comes out of the power-packed AL East.
Selig's plan, which could be installed for the upcoming season, would allow five teams from each league into the postseason, adding an extra Wild Card team. The two Wild Card teams would play a one-game playoff for the right to advance and play the team with the best record in the league as the division winners would get the equivalent of a first-round bye.
Baseball purists have a good gripe against this plan, however. Baseball is the hardest professional sport out there to qualify for the postseason in, with such a long season and so few teams making it past that regular-season finale.
Remember the last night of the 2011 regular season, when the NL and AL Wild Card spots were both totally up for grabs? It was called one of the greatest nights in baseball history, and it would likely never happen again under the new format.
But it would set up some thrilling action in those one-game playoffs and all things considered, it should be good for the game and create some more intrigue at the end of the season.
