MLB Owners Concerned About Tanking

[lukethedrifter]

Let's start with mandating that hyper profitable enterprises pay for their own houses. When they went from civic auditoriums to corporate profit streams things changed.

[jim]

I see the Cardinals are doing this new fangled tanking fad thing.

[haltz]

hahahaha

[Cheddar Tom]

ESPN Insider, but the issue is coming up again...http://espn.go.com/blog/buster-olney/in ... t?id=12685 IMO, it is making for a pretty terrible product, even if it's technically the right approach. Has there ever been a season where 1/3 of a league is due for 95+ losses (Phillies, Braves, Reds, Brewers, Padres) and 2 others (Marlins, Rockies) are due for approx. 90?

[dmarx114]

ESPN Insider, but the issue is coming up again...http://espn.go.com/blog/buster-olney/in ... t?id=12685 IMO, it is making for a pretty terrible product, even if it's technically the right approach. Has there ever been a season where 1/3 of a league is due for 95+ losses (Phillies, Braves, Reds, Brewers, Padres) and 2 others (Marlins, Rockies) are due for approx. 90?

It's why I said in the prediction thread that 5 NL teams would lose 90+ games and that a 90+ win team would miss the playoffs in the NL.

It's also why I think the Cubs will win around 108 games.

And no, I don't recall there ever being a season like this.

But I don't know how to prevent teams from doing this. And I'm not sure you really need to do anything. I don't think the Braves can beat the Cubs this weekend. But it's baseball. Anything can happen.

[Cheddar Tom]

I don't think there's anything that should be done unless it is 2019 and the same 5-7 teams are running franchises like they are Sam Hinkie....but it does make for a lot of unwatchable games.

[dmarx114]

I don't think there's anything that should be done unless it is 2019 and the same 5-7 teams are running franchises like they are Sam Hinkie....but it does make for a lot of unwatchable games.

Ironically, my favorite NBA team is the 76ers, and I loved what Hinkie was doing. But the NBA is a different animal where success almost always hinges on getting superstars, which in itself hinges on having high draft picks. The NBA should reform the lottery to stop the Hinkie approach. Just give everyone who misses the playoffs an equal shot at the number 1 pick.

[MrCrowesGarden]

I'm not the first person to suggest it, but there's been the idea of giving the 1st pick to the team that is the one who just missed the playoffs.

[ndistops]

I'm not the first person to suggest it, but there's been the idea of giving the 1st pick to the team that is the one who just missed the playoffs.

In baseball?

[MrCrowesGarden]

I'm not the first person to suggest it, but there's been the idea of giving the 1st pick to the team that is the one who just missed the playoffs.

In baseball?

That's more of a basketball idea, I suppose. But it could discourage tanking if the next best thing to making the playoffs is narrowly missing them instead of putting an awful product on the field.