A New York Post report Monday revealed a potential plan for sweeping changes to MLB's playoff format. In addition to expanding the number of playoff teams from 10 to 14, with three division winners and four wild-card teams, the top teams would have the ability to choose their own opponents in different rounds, with the selections televised live.
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As current and former players weighed in with their opinions on the proposed playoff shakeup across Twitter, it was clear that none of them like the idea.
FAGAN: Here's a better way to change the postseason
Reds pitcher Trevor Bauer was the most vocal on Twitter, speaking directly to Rob Manfred and outright slamming the proposal:
No idea who made this new playoff format proposal, but Rob is responsible for releasing it, so I’ll direct this to you, Rob Manfred. Your proposal is absurd for too many reasons to type on twitter and proves you have absolutely no clue about baseball. You’re a joke.
— Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) February 11, 2020
Bauer later went into more detail in a video where he went into detail about why he was angry at Manfred's proposal:
"It's frustrating, man." @BauerOutage is going off on Rob Manfred 😱
— Momentum (@Watch_Momentum) February 11, 2020
Full Video ➡️ https://t.co/0vOKJwvClg pic.twitter.com/8ugsO4f66L
Several players chimed in with GIFs or emojis below Bauer’s original tweet, seemingly agreeing with him:
— Chris Dickerson (@CDickerson_PFTP) February 11, 2020
— 10 (@SimplyAJ10) February 11, 2020
🤦🏾♂️
— Sir Didi Gregorius (@DidiG18) February 11, 2020
Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Didi Gregorius was less confrontational in his approach, and just had one question:
Why are we changing this loveable sport so much 🤔
— Sir Didi Gregorius (@DidiG18) February 11, 2020
Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher Alex Wood argued with ESPN reporter Buster Olney over the team money side of this proposal:
The Royals just sold for $1 BILLION there is no $ disparity. There are rich teams and there are really rich teams. All are capable to sign and field great rosters yet choose not to. Cheap teams shouldn’t be rewarded with the playoffs if they don’t spend. https://t.co/eulOinyyqP
— Alex Wood (@Awood45) February 11, 2020
BERNSTEIN: Why the playoff proposal won't make teams spend money
Former MLB pitchers Dan Haren and Brandon McCarthy also added their takes. Haren compared the new format to the disputed NBA practice of load management:
“Load management” In the nba is a product of too many teams making the playoffs
— dan haren (@ithrow88) February 11, 2020
Finally, McCarthy wittily disparaged the additional teams being added to the 10 teams already in existance:
a 14 team playoff- the old "why not just make the plane out of the black box," solution.
— Brandon McCarthy (@BMcCarthy32) February 11, 2020
This proposed arrangement couldn’t actually take place until the current CBA ends after the 2021 season, and while it was never actually presented to the union, players have made it clear that this would not be a good change for baseball.