CLEARWATER, Fla.Major League Baseball is expected to announce the addition of a second wild-card playoff spot to each league this week. The new format will begin this season.
Under the new format, the two wild-card teams would play one game to determine which team goes on. The new format would bring the total number of playoff teams to 10.
The new system will have supporters and critics.
Phillies manager Charlie Manuel is not a fan.
Its hard to swallow sometimes if you play all year and win a lot of games and somebody who did not play as good as you consistently all year gets in and wins, he said. But thats the way it goes and thats the process that we live with.
I understand everything about that and Im not knocking that. Thats what it is. But at the same time, I look at it as Im not a second-place guy or third place or fourth place. Basically thats the partfor me, personally, you shouldnt get nothing for second or third. Thats the American system.
E-mail Jim Salisbury at jsalisbury@comcastsportsnet.com.