Post a rule change that you think would improve a sport

delete the DH in the NL
delete the pitch clock
delete free runners on base in extras

regarding anything clock or length of game...if you don't want to be there...don't buy a ****ing ticket.

Now 0-6.

I realize this is a small sample size, but even if you give each top 4 team a 50/50 chance of winning their games, you're looking at only a 1.5625% chance of going 0-6. And in reality, the top 4 teams should be a favorite against whoever they play in the second round.

If they go 0-8, or even 1-7 after the next two games today, and no rules change, I guarantee there will be a ton of late-season conversation next season about "should top teams tank to avoid the first round bye?".

Or, get rid of the byes and go to 16 teams.

FWIW probability of 8 60% favorites going 1-7 or 0-8 is 1 in 610.

Checkmate is a draw.
Stalemate is a win.

I wonder if these results results have any bearing on resting starters in the final week of the NFL. Guessing no, because it’s only 1 week and the bye week is generally seen as a good thing but it might possibly cause some adjustments

NFL is completely different IMO.

17 game season, bigger, faster, stronger players getting hit/hurt more often. Better coaching, better preparation, smarter players, more time for key players to recover.

There is merit in starters going 1st half or 2 possessions to maintain routine IMO.

Bigger faster stronger (older) is a reason to rest for sure but I reckon the length of the rest is the main variable. I don’t think a 3 week rest would be good for NFL players either

By that I meant getting hit by bigger, faster, stronger players. I don't have any numbers but NFL starters unavailable due to injury seem a lot more frequent than CFB players, especially QBs who are the most important player on the roster. And older guys take longer to recover, sure.

I don't think NFL with smaller rosters have much to do with it, but doesn't help.

A mitigating factor could be CFB backups < NFL backups, and flexibility of moving NFL guys to different positions to cover for injured players.

The only example I can recall of an extended break for NFL starters was 1995(?) Broncos who locked up everything with 2 regular season games left. They ended up losing their first game to Jags.

And of course there is an x that breaks even x rest days and rust.

Also, all CFB playoff teams had at least 2 weeks rest prior to playoff, so it's not apples-apples.

FWIW NFL teams coming off bye are 1.5-2 points better irt Vegas lines than a non-bye week.

too much rest is definitely a thing in hockey

in the past they sometimes had weird schedules where a team had a week off vs a team that played 2 days ago and the team which had a week off always underperformed

Terrible terrible takes. Nobody is asking to see less baseball. They're asking to see less of people standing around not playing baseball. The pitch clock is the best rule change in decades. Don't be mad at the rule. Be mad at the players who needed to go through a 30-45 second routine after every pitch just to step off, look the runner back to first, then go through the whole routine again. Getting rid of the dead time was needed.

sounds like you understand nothing about baseball strategy

...what you described is a great argument for getting rid of the DH in the AL as well though.

let the pitchers police the game.

Ya, I've just started following it over the past year. If I'm lucky I'll make it to my first game this season.

Edit: I'd be completely fine with doing away with the DH in the NL like it used to be as it adds a ton more strategy to the game. Or so I've been told.

No DH would be fine. Watching .090 hitters is kind of lame and I don't think the double switch is like the pinnacle of strategy or anything, but the general idea of having 9 guys on the field, and the same 9 guys in the lineup just makes sense.

Phantom runner in extras is kinda awful. I think I'd be fine with adding it in the 13th inning on, not bothering to look it up but that has to be <10% of extra inning games that'll be affected. Don't use it all in the playoffs obviously.

Pitch clock is an absolute necessity and is the best thing to happen to the game in forever.

One of the top four is the 'G5 champion' who is probably an underdog.

pitch clock brought me back to baseball

Then Ohtani will only play for the Yankees.

Pitch clock is an unambiguously good rule change in baseball. It wasn't necessary in the era of groundball pitchers throwing 100 pitch complete games, but it is an absolute necessity in this era of endless pitching changes and emphasis on HRs and Ks. Making the bases bigger was a good change as well.

Not exactly a rule change, but I think the fans should be allowed to yell both before and during the points in tennis. Probably the same for golf.

DH is good. If anything I'd be ok with letting teams have 2 DH's, so you could have a defensive whiz shortstop or catcher that doesn't need to hit if you want too.

For x-innings they could go with removing infielder restriction, only 8 fielders and skip the ghost runner gimmick. Kinda like NHL 3-on-3 OT.

It basically accomplishes the same thing and adds some strategy to fielder placement and pitching.

i love this

I'd rather they give the offense 4 outs than the ghost Base runner. Couldn't score with 4 in the 10th? Try 5 in the 11th. And so on.

It annoys me way more than it should that the free runner got the label "ghost runner". Back in my day of backyard baseball a ghost runner was what you had when playing like 3v3 or something and it was the runners turn to bat. "I'm up, ghost runner on first". Then, if I put the ball in play and they got the ball to second base before I made it to first, the ghost runner was out. Calling the man actually standing on base a ghost runner is all kinds of wrong.

/borg23 rant

When the NFL regular season ends, each playoff team - in reverse order of record - (worst to best) drafts ONE player from a non-playoff team to joing their playoff run. After that team is eliminated or wins it all, drafted player reverts back to their original team and contract - or free agency if their contract is up. The players gets an equal playoff share of the team that drafts them.

Free agents would likely want to show their best, so those would be the guys to draft.

Contracts would probably lose some value tho as teams would have less incentive signing top guys if they can play 4 extra games and risk injury. Or demand a new deal if they play well.

One reason why Pro Bowl no longer exists.

I think there would need to be some form of compensation from playoff team for the idea to work.