2023 MLB playoffs: Winner and losers so far, from the pitch clock and home runs to bye weeks and home teams

The 2023 World Series is all that continues to be between us and an extended, chilly wintry weather presently. Before taking a look ahead at what’s an overly thrilling (optimistically) seven video games, for myriad causes, let’s glance again at the first 3 rounds of the playoffs. 

Winner: The pitch clock

What a excitement it’s to see gamers simply play baseball as an alternative of status round for 30 seconds between each and every unmarried pitch for little or no reason why. 

The major reason why this issues, after all, is attracting informal sports activities lovers who do not watch a ton of regular-season baseball. The playoffs are the time to promote your product to new shoppers in hopes that they maintain coming again in long run seasons and it is fully imaginable {that a} excellent collection of former baseball lovers heard about the pitch clock and made up our minds to take a look at some hardball this October. 

I firmly imagine the ones other people will likely be inspired with the effects. 

Offense is up and the time of sport is considerably down. These numbers had been run sooner than Game 7 of the NLCS. 

There are nonetheless some other people keeping out and announcing they hate the pitch clock and, as highest I will be able to inform, the argument towards it’s that we are getting “rushed baseball.” I do not know how it’s essential watch those playoffs and imagine the gamers are “rushing” as an alternative of simply taking part in. Excessive downtime has been minimize out, there were 0 pitch clock controversies and the video games beginning at 8 p.m. ET are finishing round 11 p.m. ET, which is a big plus on weeknights. 

For actual, I’ve already heard from an honest collection of other people how excited they’re to watch the finish of playoff video games at an affordable hour. Remember, the die-hard lovers don’t seem to be going any place and we might keep up all hours of the night time to see the conclusion, however there are larger issues at play than your flex about how a lot you’re keen on baseball and would watch till 3 a.m. on a Tuesday. 

Loser: The bye teams

The teams with byes this season had been, jointly, horrible. The Dodgers had been swept in 3 video games through a crew that gained 16 fewer video games in the steady season. The Orioles had been swept through a crew that gained 11 fewer regular-season video games. The Braves misplaced in 4 to a crew that was once 14 video games worse in the steady season (although I’d argue the playoff product the Phillies put in the market was once so much nearer to the Braves in total ability than the data themselves display). The Astros complex to the ALCS and then misplaced. The World Series has two wild-card teams.

Winner: Road teams

All die-hard baseball lovers know that home-field merit is no doubt a factor however it is no doubt now not as drastic as it may be in different sports activities. Along the ones strains, we’ve got observed numerous highway wins so a long way in the 2023 playoffs. 

In the Wild Card Series, it was once a cut up. The Diamondbacks and Rangers went a mixed 4-0 on the highway whilst the Phillies and Twins went a mixed 4-0 at home. In the divisional spherical, highway teams went 8-6. The ALCS clearly skews issues right here with the highway crew successful all seven video games, however nonetheless, highway teams had been 10-4 in the LCS. 

Overall, home teams went 14-22 in the playoffs sooner than the World Series. It was once higher to be on the highway! 

Loser: Those people in need of do-or-die drama in early rounds

This one can nonetheless be salvaged, as the enduring symbol of the postseason every yr is all the time the World Series. If we get seven video games in the World Series and Game 7 is a vintage, all will likely be forgiven and forgotten. Plus, we were given two Game 7s in the LCS, most effective the 2d time that is been the case since 2004.

Still, the drama hasn’t been particularly top on the sequence degree to this level. All 4 Wild Card Series ended after simply two video games with the winners having by no means confronted removing. In the divisional spherical, there have been two three-game sweeps and two four-game sequence with not anything advancing to Game 5.

There was once an terrible lot of amusing in the ones first two rounds, however we certain may’ve used some twin removing video games. 

Winner: The Home Run

There’s a decent-sized phase of sports activities lovers who imagine there may be both one thing flawed with the home run or that it is in some way extra “skillful” to “hit ’em where they ain’t.” I’ll dive extra into this in the coming days, however I believe it stems from Little League when only a few gamers may hit the ball over the fence and everybody had to be told that you just don’t seem to be intended to take a look at to hit a home run. 

These are pros, although, and it does not harm when they are trying. It’s the fastest and best approach to ranking. For instance, would you moderately a area function or a landing in soccer? Would you moderately a three-pointer or a layup in basketball? These are dumb questions, as a result of it will be silly to say area function and layup. And but, there are if truth be told other people in the market who would argue a unmarried is healthier “in some situations” than a home run.

Hogwash. It’s now not. A home run is all the time higher. 

Teams that hit extra home runs than their warring parties have long gone 21-4 this postseason. 

Loser: The structure?

It’s most effective the 2d yr with this present structure and a 106-win crew that in some way persevered having to pass 5 days with out taking part in baseball gained the World Series final season. Please be aware the dripping sarcasm. 

Anyway, I’m open to converting the structure if we see a development year-in, year-out the place the highest teams are bowing out early each and every unmarried yr. This yr was once now not a excellent one for the present construction. We’ve were given a 5 seed and a six seed in the World Series. The LCS noticed 3 90-win teams and an 84-win crew. The 84-win Diamondbacks have the third-lowest win overall ever for a World Series crew. 

If a number of gamers pop out and say, and actually imagine, that they utterly lose the talent to play baseball after 5 off days, I’ll pay attention. If everybody comes to a decision the Wild Card Series teams want extra of a integrated drawback than having to win the spherical over every other crew whilst the bye teams get to skip it, I’ll pay attention. If everybody comes to a decision we want a seven-game sequence in each and every spherical, I’ll most certainly revel in that as a result of that might imply extra playoff video games and playoff video games are amusing. 

I simply do not assume it is a larger development than “weird stuff happens in small samples.” We’ve had two wild-card teams in the World Series sooner than. The 2014 Fall Classic had two sub-90-win teams and all of us in some way survived. In 2003, an 88-win crew beat a 101-win crew, simply as a 91-win crew beat a 100-win crew in the NLDS. Again, all of us survived. On that be aware … 

Losers: Those whining about the structure 

You know, we do not have to be a society that cries “no fair!” each and every unmarried time the crew we would like to win loses. Is this actually who you need to be? Every time your crew loses, this is because the laws were not honest. That’s little child, “I’m taking my ball and going home!” stuff. Be higher than that.

Do I want to indicate that during 2021, there have been 10 playoff teams and the worst report amongst the ones 10 belonged to the crew that ended up successful the identify? Was that due to unhealthy structure or had been we OK with the 107-win Giants getting taken out through the 106-win Dodgers sooner than the Braves had to see both crew? The champion gained 19 fewer video games in the steady season than a crew that did not even make the NLCS.

Again, bizarre stuff occurs in baseball in small samples. That’s simply the way it is going.

Winner: Everyone who watched the ALCS

The ALCS pitted the Rangers and Astros towards every different in the first-ever league championship sequence with two teams from the identical state. It didn’t disappoint. There was once drama during the sequence. Every unmarried highway crew gained, which is fantastic. There had been a number of dramatic home runs, particularly the Game 5 photographs from Adolis García and Jose Altuve. There was once the nonsense surrounding García getting hit, however in and of itself, it is roughly cool to see teams in the LCS have a benches-clearing incident, no? 

What a wide ranging sequence. It’s too unhealthy Game 7 was once a laugher, however total it was once remarkable. 

Winner: The Arizona Diamondbacks

Down 2-0 towards a crew with extra ability and all the vibes in the international, no less than in Philadelphia. Down past due in each Games 3 and 4. Down 3 video games to two heading to Vibe Central the place only a few other people concept that they had an opportunity to win each video games. And they did. They performed remarkable baseball in Games 6 and 7. 

In different sports activities, the Cinderella tale turns out to be embraced much more whilst in baseball the plenty simply need to scream about how a lot the playoff structure will have to be modified as an alternative of celebrating the underdog. 

Can we attempt to include the D-backs as the Little Engine That Could going into the World Series? They misplaced 110 video games in 2021. They had been picked to end fourth position through the general public heading into this season. They had a brutal bullpen for some time. And but, they have pieced all of it in combination at the proper time. They have two frontline, veteran starters in Zac Gallen and Merrill Kelly whilst prospect Brandon Pfaadt simply helps to keep rising. They now have a super system in the bullpen. Corbin Carroll and Ketel Marte are as amusing because it will get as a 1-2 punch in the lineup. There’s much more, too.

I’m embracing the tale right here. Kudos, Snakes. 

Loser: Sanity

Every yr, a lot of other people lose their minds over small-sample effects and snatch for some overarching that means. No topic how a lot we tweaked the playoff structure, it will occur. Crazy stuff occurs in small-sample baseball. That’s simply how it’s. We wouldn’t have to freak out and name for trade each and every unmarried time. We additionally are not looking for to take a look at and find out about the Diamondbacks and Rangers and how they most likely unlocked some secret system. They performed excellent baseball at the proper time. Let’s hope it continues to every other seven video games.