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Hank Steinbrenner has some issues with playoff system
I thought I was done blogging for today. Then I read the excerpts from Hank Steinbrenner's latest column in the new Sporting News magazine. Yikes!
On revenue sharing: Thats a system I dont particularly like. Its a socialist system, and I dont agree with it. Does it work? It depends on your point of view. But is it right? Is it even American? Id argue no on both of those points.
On the divisional setup: If you want to talk about things that infuriate me about the game today, revenue sharing doesnt top the list. The biggest problem is the divisional setup in major league baseball. I didnt like it in the 1970s, and I hate it now. Baseball went to a multidivision setup to create more races, rivalries and excitement. But it isnt fair. You see it this season, with plenty of people in the media pointing out that Joe Torre and the Dodgers are going to the playoffs while were not. This is by no means a knock on Torre let me make that clearbut look at the division theyre in. If L.A. were in the A.L. East, it wouldnt be in the playoff discussion. The A.L. East is never weak.
On Joe Torre: Im happy for Joe, but you have to compare the divisions and the competition. What if the Yankees finish the season with more wins than the Dodgers but the Dodgers make the playoffs? Does that make the Dodgers a better team? No.
On his case for the divisional setup not being good for the game: Go back to the 2006 season. St. Louis winning the World Series that was ridiculous. The Cardinals won their division with 83 wins two fewer than the Phillies, who missed the postseason. People will say the Cardinals were the best team because they won the World Series. Well, no, they werent. They just got hot at the right time. They didnt even belong in the playoffs. And neither does a team from the N.L. West this season.
On the media: The divisional setup is not right by any definition of logic. But the sports media rarely deals with logic s o you never read about this.















