What's up with the baseball playoff schedule?

[Donald A]

TBS must have paid a lot of money for MLB to sell out with the dumbest schedule I have seen. If my Indians go to game five against the Yankees the game starts at 5? In fact the Indians won't start any game in the first series after 6:30. Having lived in the greater Cleveland area, a 5PM game five is a diaster for those who work downtown. Plus say you bought playoff tickets. You didn't know the schedule and now you have to change your work hours possibly three days to go. I am against staying up until midnight to watch a game but does anyone else think the schedule is messed-up?

[PirateLover]

TBS must have paid a lot of money for MLB to sell out with the dumbest schedule I have seen. If my Indians go to game five against the Yankees the game starts at 5? In fact the Indians won't start any game in the first series after 6:30. Having lived in the greater Cleveland area, a 5PM game five is a diaster for those who work downtown. Plus say you bought playoff tickets. You didn't know the schedule and now you have to change your work hours possibly three days to go. I am against staying up until midnight to watch a game but does anyone else think the schedule is messed-up?

Try having our schedule. Two 3'oclock starts here in Philly, and then the 2 Colorado starts come on at 9:30 on sat (not TOO bad) and 10pm on sunday! Columbus day isn't a holiday for everyone. We haven't made the playoffs in 14 years and now people have to either rush home or sneak listening to it on the radio at work, and then stay up until 1 or possibly later on a Sunday night. Really stinks when you get up at 6am or earlier. So yea I agree, the schedule was not very well thought-out.

ETA: All that being said, I'm still just happy that we're in so I'm not complaining TOO much...

[JPL]

I have to admit the schedule makes absolutely no sense whatsoever I am a teacher and I don't get home in time for a 5 PM start.

[Hammer]

Yeah, the schedule is pretty lousy. I am lucky as so long as I made up the 3 hours, I am able to leave tomorrow at 2:00, as I have tickets for tomorrow's game. My sister is picking up her ticket, as she is coming from NYC and can't leave before noon since she is conducting a site visit (she is a corporate event planner) until noon. She knows she is missing first pitch. However, I will be there, so I am not complaining!

Go Phillies !!!

[Ian]

Yeah, the schedule is pretty lousy. I am lucky as so long as I made up the 3 hours, I am able to leave tomorrow at 2:00, as I have tickets for tomorrow's game.

Let me just quickly say .... ME TOO!! I lucked out and was able to grab SRO tickets for today's game, so I'll be there too!

Now as to the topic at hand ... I totally agree. MLB obviously sold out to the almighty dollar on this one and left the fans hanging out to dry. I heard on WIP that one of the reasons there are so many tickets available on the aftermarket is because lots of people bought them before the schedule was out and then weren't able to make 3PM games.

I think that's terribly unfair.

[DizneyFreak2002]

I don't understand how you cannot have the Yankees in Prime Time.... Red Sox too.... Heck, I don't understand how any of the teams cannot play at night.... TBS stinks.... Lousy deal for the playoffs... As much as I hate Joe Buck and Fox, I rather the games be on there....

[Red Randal]

I don't think it's that bad. At least this way it's possible to see all of the games. Let's not forget, they used to play EVERY game during the afternoon.

[DisneyGiant]

I may be in the minority here - but I think the schedule is great for kids. The games are always on too late for them to see the whole thing!

[Ian]

Seems like they knew what they were doing putting the Phillies on in the afternoon.

Thank God the entire country hasn't been able to see them mess all over themselves.

[Melanie]

Thank God the entire country hasn't been able to see them mess all over themselves.

But I got to see it in Japan!

[Hammer]

Unlike Ian, I am not surprised this happened but not in the way Ian is implying. The Rockies were the worst possible team for them to play. Had the Mets not collapsed, we would have tied with the Rockies and the Padres (all had a record of 89-73). Ask the Padres what that was like. They hit just as much as we do and they have had a better pitching staff throughout the regular season. Of course, this town is ready to throw the team away instead of being happy for making progress and getting to the playoffs.

Anyone who truly follows the team knows our bullpen is smoke and mirrors as is most of our rotation. It is widely known this was going to need to be addressed in the off season. I knew it was going to take a bit of luck and a favorable match up to get past the 1st round, neither of which has happened.

Ian, you aren't a real baseball fan anyway, so get ready for your hockey season which starts tonight.

[Ian]

If you're telling me that this team isn't good enough to win, then I'd agree.

Progress? Not really ... they probably shouldn't have even made the playoffs and never would have had the Mets not tanked.

I think it's actually a bad thing they made the post-season because now the cheap-o management will just use that as an excuse to not spend any money next year.

"Hey, we made the post-season last year. What do we need to make any moves for?"

And I never said I was surprised they were getting beat. I said I was disappointed. However, I will say that you're darn right I'm more interested in rooting for the Flyers ... at least they do everything they can to win. They've had more post-season appearances, championships, and division titles in their short 40 year existence than the Phillies have had in 100+ years.

[PirateLover]

Ian, don't break your ankle too hard jumping off the bandwagon....

Don't forget, in order for the Mets to be shut out of the playoffs, we still had to win. The end of the season was amazing. After the all-star break, the Phillies actually had the best record in MLB. I'm a lifer for all Philly teams and honestly haven't given up hope that the Phillies will at least make a series out of it still. I knew that the Rockies would be a tough team to play and would have rather seen the Padres... but I am still proud of all this team has accomplished and I DO think they will address the pitching situation in the off-season.

Progress? Not really ... they probably shouldn't have even made the playoffs and never would have had the Mets not tanked.

As Christine said, they actually finished tied with Padres and Rockies, so there would've been a 3-way playoff, so they still could've made it as the Wild Card....

[Ian]

Ian, don't break your ankle too hard jumping off the bandwagon....

I don't believe in "bandwagons."

[Hammer]

I don't believe in "bandwagons."

That's pretty funny, Ian, coming out of you .

Whenever the offseason comes for the Phillies, we know they have to get pitching. Garcia, Leiber and Lohse are gone. Kendrick is not going back to the minors (unless he is really bad in spring training) Hamels and Moyer, who never missed his turn all season, is contracted next year. While I want Rowand back, he is not worth 10-12 million dollars. Looking objectively, he had a great year his walk year, like many other players (Andruw Jones is the exception). There are other leaders on that team (Utley, Rollins) who do not make 10 million. I expect Victorino to be playing center field next year. Howard is in his first year of arbitration and will get 8-9 million, if the Phillies don't work out a deal first.

I didn't hear you commending the Flyers last year. Every ownership is cheap in some way; take it from someone who works for the company that owns your hockey team (and my basketball team). What I have to go through to get an extra pen is ridiculous!

[Ian]

I didn't hear you commending the Flyers last year.

No, why would I? They had a down year? But you also didn't hear me ripping them, either. No team can be great forever and remember that the NHL just went under a massive restructuring with the institution of the salary cap impacting a lot of teams.

And my point about the bandwagon was just that I'm always a fan of all four Philly teams, but that doesn't mean when they do something I disagree with I won't criticize them.

[Tiggerdog]

I may be in the minority here - but I think the schedule is great for kids. The games are always on too late for them to see the whole thing!

The games the last few days have started here at 1:00 p.m., so that means we have 3 hours and 20 minutes left of school.

I have resulted to bribery with some of my classes: You work hard on during the rehearsal of each song and I will check the Rockies score inbetween songs. I haven't had to ask one drummer to not hit anything other than a drum the past few days!

signed,
a Rockies fan who really wishes her cousin wouldn't have sold her first row, first base side season tickets when she was transferred to Philly!

[Hammer]

No, why would I? They had a down year? But you also didn't hear me ripping them, either. No team can be great forever and remember that the NHL just went under a massive restructuring with the institution of the salary cap impacting a lot of teams.

And my point about the bandwagon was just that I'm always a fan of all four Philly teams, but that doesn't mean when they do something I disagree with I won't criticize them.

Ian, a true fan is there when it is good or bad. If I remember correctly (I don't have time to search the archives right now), you gave up your hockey seats.

Of course fans should criticize, I've criticized as well as commended the Phillies. I hope they will eventually find a decent 3rd base coach as they haven't had one since Vuk (God rest his soul). I hated bringing Jose Mesa back, but I also realize there wasn't much out there in the middle of the season. The Phillies scored gold, though, with J. C. Romero and I hope he stays, though I think he has Boras as an agent (and Boras does not like the Phillies). My hope is Boras is so busy trying to finding someone for Andruw Jones that negotiations for Romero are easy.

Ian, we will never agree. I believe the majority of the men in Philadelphia are totally irrational when it comes to sports. This probably explains why we (my sister and I) do not date men raised in Philadelphia .

[Hammer]

Both of your teams managed to sweep your respective series, which is pretty amazing. While others will like to place all the blame elsewhere, it is evident to people who follow baseball that the NL West was the strongest division. Of course I wish my Phillies had done better and we definitely need to address the bullpen (and add a few starters) this off season. I hope Manuel stays, but I wonder if that will happen now. But that is a discussion for baseball minds on another day.

Congratulations, but understand I am not rooting for you (no offense). I have to root for the Tribe, as their town has suffered for far too long (and my sister has a very good friend who is an Indians fan).

[PirateLover]

Both of your teams managed to sweep your respective series, which is pretty amazing. While others will like to place all the blame elsewhere, it is evident to people who follow baseball that the NL West was the strongest division. Of course I wish my Phillies had done better and we definitely need to address the bullpen (and add a few starters) this off season. I hope Manuel stays, but I wonder if that will happen now. But that is a discussion for baseball minds on another day.

Congratulations, but understand I am not rooting for you (no offense). I have to root for the Tribe, as their town has suffered for far too long (and my sister has a very good friend who is an Indians fan).

I echo all of those sentiments only I am rooting for Cleveland because Major League is my favorite movie