Former Red Sox star Kevin Youkilis proposes MLB rule changes
By Sean Penney
Best overall records determine playoff seeding
This could be interpreted in two different ways.
One way would be to continue to ensure division winners make the postseason, along with the Wild Card winner. When the Division Series begins, matchups are determined by the best records, regardless of if they won the division. In that scenario, a Wild Card team with the second best record in the league would be the No. 2 seed rather than having to face the top team in the DS.
Another way to look at it would be to abolish divisions altogether. This works best if MLB implemented a more balanced schedule with fewer regular season games, as we’ve previously discussed.
In this scenario, the four best teams in their respective leagues would qualify for the postseason and be seeded based on their record. If the Red Sox and Yankees are the two best teams in the league, don’t make one settle for a one-game Wild Card simply because they reside in the same division. Let them be the top two seeds to improve the chances that the league’s best teams meet in the Championship Series.
Too often we see divisions that are essentially decided by the time we get to September. The Wild Card format helps give more teams incentive to fight down the stretch but really what they are fighting for is the chance to participate in a one-game playoff. Doing away with divisions and taking the top four teams in each league means more teams are battling for the fourth playoff spot and a trip to the Division Series.