Scott Boras proposes 9 game World Series

[DiMaggio5CF]

Best of 11 would be better.

How about best-of-162?

[__starr69]

How do you guarantee that the first two games are at a neutral site? I would imagine that would have to be determined far in advance, and that team could always theoretically make the WS.

Well, they could have it in Tampa Bay. Imagine that, playoffs at Tropicana Field.

ETA: They've already experimented with a best-of-nine World Series, and decided against keeping it (one "experiment" that actually went away). However, this was during the 1920's.

[Soriambi]

What an odd suggestion, and what an odd person to make that suggestion.

[__starr69]

What an odd suggestion, and what an odd person to make that suggestion.

More World Series bonus money?

[Viktor Fratrenko]

An absolutely idiotic idea, for all of the reasons cited above. The thing that would make the most sense would be an expansion of the Division Series from 5 to 7 games, along with a reduction in the offdays they just slipped into the schedule this year.

The notion of having it at a neutral site and having the host team keep all the proceeds is an obnoxious idea as well. Those monies should either be split between the two World Series teams or be earmarked for the general revenue sharing pool, with a cut (25-33%?) to the host team to cover expenses, etc. There is no reason to extend the postseason to November. Didn't St. Louis have a snowstorm within a week of the end of the World Series this past year? And that's not a cold-weather area either!

You'll have a hard time convincing owners to give up the gate and television advertising dollars for 8 games, scheduling be damned. The schedule's enough of a mess as it is, with 16 teams in one league, 14 in another, unbalanced divisional schedules, unbalanced interleague by design/necessity (take your pick), and I can't see that being alleviated by shortening it.

The Costas plan would work great, but MLB is too short-sighted to see the benefits of it, but that's a whole other discussion.

[SoCal Pinstriper]

BTW, who cares what Scott Boras thinks?

I agree with almost everyone here that this is a bad idea, but, like it or not, Boras is one of the most powerful and influential figures in the game.

Make all the playoff series 7 games, and I'm fine.

[BillBuckner]

I can't even begin to explain how much I hate this idea.

[YASS]

It's time for 7 game Division Series, and there's no need to lengthen the WS.

I do think the season has continued to stretch until it can no longer be contained by the stretch of the year likely to have suitable weather, and that's a problem. I don't want the first game of the year or 7th game of the Series to be played in a snowstorm.

This is a summer game. I'm all for a return to a 154 game season. If there's a big change to be made in how the season or playoffs are scheduled, that one's at the top of my list.

[fredgmuggs]

What an odd suggestion, and what an odd person to make that suggestion.

I heard someone talking about this on the radio even before Scott Boras was attributed to making this suggestion. The person on the radio said this was something MLB was talking about.

Obviously, this idea just didn't appear out of the blue if it was being reported before the Scott Boras story. I hope nothing comes from it and it's only talk.

[Soriambi]

I heard someone talking about this on the radio even before Scott Boras was attributed to making this suggestion. The person on the radio said this was something MLB was talking about.

Obviously, this idea just didn't appear out of the blue if it was being reported before the Scott Boras story. I hope nothing comes from it and it's only talk.

Ugh. I really hope that person on the radio is wrong. Why the hell would MLB even think of this? I agree that the Division Series should be 7 games, but a nine game World Series would just be dumb.

[BringBackBernie!]

If MLB went for this, I think the 2 "off-site" games should be played in other countries. After all, it is the WORLD Series...

[tdel23]

I'd rather see a best-of-7 ALDS/NLDS.

why would MLB does this? It makes way to much sense.

[__starr69]

If MLB went for this, I think the 2 "off-site" games should be played in other countries. After all, it is the WORLD Series...

No. It's way too inconvienent a time and there's way too much at stake to put players out of whack.

[SoCal Pinstriper]

Boras is just full of ideas these days.

In a sport packed with statistics, is there room for another? With a nod to the best defenders in baseball, the most powerful agent in baseball says yes.

"We need to give the fans something to identify brilliance defensively," Scott Boras said.

Boras proposes the "EP," for exceptional play. The official scorer would be asked to distinguish between an exceptional play and a routine one in the same way he is asked to distinguish between a hit and error.

In that way, Boras said, fans can debate whether a play should merit an "EP" and compare a player with 20 EPs to another with 10 EPs, whether an EP saved a game just as a big hit might have won it. The only common defensive statistic is an error, he says, and zone ratings and other such new defensive metrics are neither instantly identifiable or widely understood.

Fans can look to blocked shots in basketball, he said, or interceptions or sacks in football.

"One thing we do not do well in this game: We do not recognize defense," Boras said. "We need to bring defense to the fans. Give them a statistic, and they'll recognize the player for it. The fans get something else to enjoy the game with."

http://www.latimes.com/sports/printe...ines-pe-sports

You don't think he sees this as another way to push up salaries, do you?

[Bernie Inferno]

Boras is just full of ideas these days.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/printe...ines-pe-sports

You don't think he sees this as another way to push up salaries, do you?

I see this as a result of his argument with Jayson Stark about Andruw Jones being overrated. Stark said that Jones is overrated as a CF defender because his putouts have decreased dramatically. Though, Jones does make some "exceptional," web-gem catches.

[scull567]

Boras is just full of ideas these days.
http://www.latimes.com/sports/printe...ines-pe-sports

You don't think he sees this as another way to push up salaries, do you?

I was going to say I'm sure this has NOTHING to do with the fact that Andruw Jones is hitting .211 in his walk year. In all seriousness, though, Boras is right that something better needs to be done to help fans evaluate defense but this idea of "Exceptional plays" is just silly. There are already some good advanced defensive metrics out there. Instead of making a web gem stat, perhaps mlb should focus on developing better metrics to measure defense or highlight the one that already exist.

[b-ball-lunachick]

Boras is a piece of work...but a smart one.

MLB doesn't promote itself well at all ...the World Series Weekend is kind of a cool idea -- announcing the award winners, etc at a neutral location...have the Home Run Derby where superstars who aren't in the WS could compete without fear of messing up their swing for the year...they could have one game there at the neutral site -- would be good to bring in fans of another part of the country where they don't get to see much postseason baseball and then have the remaining 6 games -- 3 in each park of the teams...keep it at 7 games though -- 9 is insane...

sure it's about money but could bring more fans to the game and experience as well...it's an idea at least worth considering...