All those 2 game series...
by King Richard on May 3, 2007 8:53 PM PDT
9 comments
Every year, the schedule changes. Sometimes, from our perspective, this is good, sometimes it's bad. The people behind the scenes in the MLB keep working it and working it, in a seeming constant search for perfection. Interleague play, Bay Bridge Series, Unbalanced schedule... These are some different types of innovations that are used to try and, hopefully, achieve balance in all schedules.
However, one thing which is often overlooked by the casual refridgerator-magnet-peerer is the frequency of 4 game series, the frequency of 3 game series, and now 2 game series. I am a personal fan of the four game series, at which you can really feel like you have achieved something if you win, and even more so if you sweep. Still the three game series provides a thrill with the sweep, and a pleasant feeling of accomplishment with a 2 out of 3. But the 2 game series...
The 2 game series is a different matter. If you get swept, you've been swept. There's no concillation there. You've played a team, and you've lost.
A split then feels just indecisive. In a four game series, if you split, you can say to yourself, "well, I think we're pretty evenly matched teams", or "darn, it's too bad Harden was injured", but if you split a two game series, no conclusive results can be found whatsoever, except perhaps, "well, we'll see what happens when we play them more times"...
And then, there's the problem with sweeping a two game series. A sweep of a 2 game series? That's not even a winning streak. Sure, you beat the other team! All... 2 times.
My questions are these: Why have there been so many 2 game series so far in this 2007 season, and what does everybody else think of the Two Gamers?
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A quick perusal of the schedule...
Shows that the A's are scheduled for five 2-game series this year. They just completed the fourth of the five. The only 2-game series remaining is Sept. 25-26 at Boston. Without checking past schedules, I would guess that five 2-gamers is about average.
2-game series are lame because of the excessive travel requirements they impose.
I suspect that MLB is going to do a thorough review of its scheduling practices in light of April's developments. I would expect, though, that "more 2-game series" will not be part of the solution...again, due to the travel.
by Soaker on May 3, 2007 9:03 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
that last 2 game series especially
having to go to the east coast during the last week of the season -- when teams usually battle within their division -- sucks.
by OaklandSi on May 3, 2007 9:22 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
true
I can only remember playing 2 game series against the West coast, not the East coast like we have been. Usually you want to play as many games as you can when you make the long trip there. Teams in your division are a little bit easier to visit.
by whobob on May 3, 2007 9:31 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Absolutely no excuse...
...for the A's to have to make two trips to Boston to play a total of four games. Both the A's and Red Sox had this past Monday and today off (on the original schedule; the Seattle at Boston game tonight was a make-up of a rainout). They should have played a 4-game series at Fenway this week.
For several years, the schedule was, play the first three weeks and the last three weeks of the season within your division. It's not possible to adhere to that entirely due to the divisions with an odd number of teams, but it should be done as much as possible...in April because it makes it easier to schedule make-ups of likely postponements, and in September because head-to-head matchups with division competitors make the pennant races more exciting.
by Soaker on May 3, 2007 9:42 PM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
not a huge deal
because in the week prior to the BOS games, they have a day off and travel to CLE, then travel day to BOS (maybe 2 hour trip?), 2 game series, then back home to play LAA. If the team has any stones, this wont be an excuse for anything, but rather an oppotunity to get used to the playoff sched.
I think we as fans have gotten pretty coddling with our boys...who cares if they have to travel a bit? They have chartered planes and luxuries we'll never even dream of. Not to mention the best travel care available. And dont get me started on the level of medical care they receive...and still pull a shoulder ligament sliding into 3rd!!!!!
by tdwclark on May 4, 2007 5:04 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
to be fair
Piazza didn't pull a ligament sliding into third. Lowell fell full on top of his shoulder while diving to make the tag.
Of course, Piazza shouldn't have been diving head first
by OaklandSi on May 4, 2007 10:58 AM PDT up reply actions 0 recs
Agreed
Two game series... they're just annoying! You're right, there's absolutely no satisfaction in them. The wonderful schedule makers should just rebalance the schedules and do away with two game series.
Of course it won't happen, that's just sort of my humble opinion...
by CTAsGirl on May 4, 2007 10:55 AM PDT reply actions 0 recs
At this point
Were avoiding a three game sweep.
by risp on May 4, 2007 1:53 PM PDT reply actions 0 recs
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