For starters the wild card is just a way to make more money for baseball. There was no need for it and lessens the regular season. There was no excitement in the Yankees and Red Sox this year because both teams were going to make the post season. A similar scenario was taking place in the National League as the Braves were a lock for the wild card.
However, as the regular season comes to an end tonight "excitement" is back in baseball. The Red Sox and Braves have played horribly for the month of September and allowed the Rays and Cardinals to catch them in the wild card race. After 161 games the Red Sox and Rays and the Braves and Cards are where they were the morning of opening day, sitting with identical records.
Baseball is now thinking of adding one extra team to the mix in each league. All the excitement that exists because the Red Sox and Braves have collapsed would be gone. If the fifth team in each league was in effect this year the games on the final day of the regular season would have no meaning because everyone would be back the next day for the play in games. Just as the Yankees and Red Sox were boring from April through August, so too would tonight. Regardless of winning and losing combinations the teams would be back at it tomorrow for the play in game. The only good thing that would hve come from this is that the Red Sox game could be called without a wait until midnight to resume the game.
No more teams should be added to wild cards so that there will be some type of a pennant race possible. Also while they consider adding the extra wild card teams (which should be rejected) they should enter inter-league play. It makes scheduling impossible as teams only visit cities once a year if there are any rain outs. Outside of New York and Chicago and may be the Bay Area does it really create more excitement and draw extra fans anymore? People I am sure just cannot wait for a Houston Seattle series.
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