POD System for baseball

Would this be a good idea?
Top two seeds make the playoffs. 4 pods in East 4 in the West

This was posted on another site:::

Let us look at the POD system (much like the NCAA) with playoffs in baseball. Particularly the 2A east playoffs (just bc that is what i am familiar with.) Every year teams that finish with tremendous records get knocked out of the playoffs early on because of an opposing player- mainly the pitcher.

Here is what our playoff system would have looked like if the POD system was in place.

There would be 4 eastern pods with only #1 and #2 seeds making the playoffs. Each pod would have two games on Thursday, two gmes on Friday, and two games on Saturday - the last game would be a one game elimination game. That would be 6 games per pod, one less that is played now to get the winner from each section.

POD A
#1 Greene central 16-6
#2 East Duplin 15-6
#1 Northeastern 12-10
#2 Kinston 17-5

POD B
#1 S Lenior 17-4
#2 Whiteville 13-8
#1 N Brunswick 16-4
#2 Northeastern 11-8

POD C
#1 N Johnston 13-8
#2 St Pauls 8-14
#1 Northood 17-7
#2 Graham 14-9

POD D
#1 Fairmont 17- 6
#2 Louisburg18-4
#1 Providence Grove 16-5
#2 Cedar Ridge 12-10

The four teams that would come out of each pod would meet in the eastern zone and play a super regional - double elimation with the winner advancing to the state championship - 2 games thurs - 2 games fri - and 2 games saturday - first team to 3 wins would win tournament

That would keep one pitcher wonder teams from advancing past the 1st rd and more than likely, we would actually see the best TEAM - win a state championship. Imagine if the MLB used our system - The royals would have a chance to win with ZG over Sabathia on any given day - one game scenarios are tough - especially in baseball.

What do you guys think? Could it work?

I am not saying this system is perfect - but it would be great to see and really would be able to create a great atmosphere for the playoffs. Now the question that will determine if it is possible - How much more money can be made from this format?

 

POD

If it worked like the football playoffs it could force teams to play conference opponents for the third maybe forth time in the season. I do not think this is a plus for anyone. All this does is force only one team from a conference to be able to go deep into the playoffs.

 

I do agree to a point.
Some teams get hot at the right time. A pitcher can have a bad day. Or, your number four pitcher could be CC Sabathia on a given day.

I have seen many teams go home early in the playoffs because of a stud pitcher, but that is baseball. Good teams/ coaches will find a way to win.

Play good Defense & play for one run per inning. More times than not, you will come out on top.

I do agree that the pool is way too large. There has to be a better way of determining talented teams (Power Ranking) for playoff purposes. A fifth seed with a 4-8 record getting to the playoffs should not happen.

 

What difference does it make when two teams in the same conference face each other in the playoffs? Only 1 can go to the championship series. I’m just playing devil's advocate.

 

Not having the same conference play each other is great. If 2 of the better teams in a region are from the same conference it allows them to go deeper in the playoffs. It also allows more teams to play teams they may not have seen, (twice is in same conference) as they progress. It also gives some bragging rights to stronger conferences.

 

The way it is now, the top two teams in a conference can play each other in the third round... Losing in pod play or in the third round.. what's the difference?
If a team has more than a couple of good arms, the pod system will work to their advantage.

Why do you think the NCAA has their system in place?

 

The way it is

now works well too. I saw it 2 years ago with team A from a conference beating team B 2 times during the season. Team B beat team A going away to advance to the Eastern finals and was the hotter of the 2 going into States. That is why they played for the State title that season.

 

Same team

You would see the same team in POD play.. 3 games in 3 days.

 

3 Game Series

Or we could move to the 3-game series starting in the 3rd round. I also understand that logistically, that's really not possible. The "POD" system will get the best overall team to the next level. I like the idea of seeing and using different pitchers for each team. Just a thought.

 

POD Play

If the POD runs as football, two conference teams would play in the 1st or 2nd round and other teams would possibly play teams with a worse win/loss record because of geography.