After cutting ties with outfield mainstay Carl Crawford, as well as veteran back-up Gabe Kapler, the Tampa Bay Rays are rumored to be in the market for Johnny Damon. Assuming the price tag is reasonable, this would be the kind of low-risk, potentially high reward deal available every year to teams who wait out the annual free agent feeding frenzy.
Yesterday in Part 1, we set out to see what the MLB landscape would look like if the current three-division format was scrapped in favor of the old two-division ways, but with two Wild Card teams instead of one. Today, we go back to 1996 and view the playoff races in the past 15 years through this lens, and it turns out that one-third of the playoff races were affected.
In the proposed new format, 10 different teams would have reached the postseason – nine new Wild Card teams, and one new division winner (the 2000 Cleveland Indians). It would break down as follows:
Before Bud Selig recently decreed that there would be no expansion to Major League Baseball’s playoff format, there had been a lot of talk about expanding the playoffs. Many reasons have been cited – adding excitement for fans, the first Wild Card was a boon for the game, etc. But in the end, the only reason that counts is money. But while adding playoff teams would be one way to make the game more money, it wouldn’t be the only way. What if baseball returned to the two division format?
Baseball fans have accepted the four playoff team per league format at this point. But when the Mets go four years without making the playoffs, or when the Cubs and White Sox have each only made twice in the last seven seasons, that is unsettling for those in charge of TV contracts. But adding a Wild Card team isn’t optimal to the current format, since adding another team means adding another round, which means one of three things: pushing the playoffs permanently into November, pushing the start of the season permanently into March or subtracting games from the regular season, none of which is a desirable option. So that leaves the stewards of the game searching for a different solution. And it is this: return to the two-division format, but with two Wild Card teams per league.
For the past four seasons, Jon Rauch has averaged exactly 1.0 WAR in value. A fly ball pitcher, his value is often determined by which side of the warning track his balls wind up on. Yesterday, the Toronto Blue Jays made him their latest free agent addition, signing him to a completely appropriate one-year deal worth $3.75 million. On the heels of the deals handed out to Rafael Soriano and Brian Fuentes, Rauch’s deal should be a bargain for the Jays, and along with Octavio Dotel, he gives them two sensible options at the back end of their pen.
Despite an uncharacteristically high .332 BABIP, Rauch had himself a nice little season in 2010. He posted a career high in FIP, HR/9, HR/FB, and saves. At first blush, it would seem that those first three stats were aided by Target Field, or as it may soon be known, PETCO North. While there’s probably a little truth to that, Rauch actually allowed a much higher OPS at home than he did on the road. Still, given Rauch’s normal rates, and the fact that Rogers Centre was so homeriffic last season, and that the Blue Jays play in the attack zone that is the AL East, a regression can be expected in 2011. Even with that caveat though, Rauch should be a good addition for the Jays.
We’re pleased to welcome another talented writer to the FanGraphs team – Paul Swyden will be writing regularly for us going forward, and we think he’ll be a great addition to the site.
When Cameron Maybin was traded in November, it seemed as though the Padres were just trying to pick up a low-cost center fielder, as broken down by Dave Cameron here. They then went out and traded for, and extended, Jason Bartlett, and signed Orlando Hudson, seemingly saying that since they couldn’t afford anyone more expensive than Aaron Harang to upgrade the rotation, they’d upgrade the defense around that rotation instead. But this demands a question: does Maybin fit that plan?
At the time of the deal, the Friars already had Tony Gwynn, Jr. in the fold. Coming off a year in which he was 11th in the Majors in UZR, and third among center fielders, keeping Gwynn around seemed like a good idea. However, with Maybin on board, the Padres non-tendered Gwynn in early December, making the center-field job Maybin’s to lose in the process.
