NBA vs. MLB PLAYOFF STRUCTURE
I'm happy to see the Bucks clinched a playoff spot in the sad and pathetic Eastern Conference. I hope they finish over .500 now, because under .500 and in the playoffs just doesn't sound right. The Bucks are 39-38. I predicted 34-48, and am glad to see they exceeded my expectations.

If anybody wants to see exactly why it's so great that Major League Baseball has so few teams make the playoffs (and I would contend that 8 is still too many), take a good look at the NBA Playoff "race". In the East you have as many as five teams possibly making the playoffs under .500 (and at the least you'll have two). In the West you have a three-team race between Utah, Portland and Denver. It's not as exciting as it sounds, because all three teams are just over .500. That's the problem with the NBA Playoff structure. The most exciting race is for the last playoff spot, which is always between mediocre to bad teams. Just for arguments sake lets look at the final standings from 2003, with the idea that 8 teams from each league make the playoffs...

AMERICAN LEAGUE

1. New York (101-61)
8. Kansas City (83-79)

4. Boston (95-67)
5. Seattle (93-69)

3. Minnesota (90-72)
6. Chicago (86-76)

2. Oakland (96-66)
7. Toronto (86-76)

NATIONAL LEAGUE

1. Atlanta (101-61)
8. St Louis (85-77)

4. Florida (91-71)
5. Houston (87-75)

3. Chicago (88-74)
6. Philadelphia (86-76)

2. San Francisco (100-61)
7. Los Angeles (85-77)

It hurts me to just look at this playoff scenario. Look at all the mediocre teams with a shot at a title. I heard rumors that they were thinking about adding a second wild-card and having the two wild-card teams play a one-game playoff to determine who advances. While that idea does make a distinction between wild-card and division champion, it ruins another chance at a divisional race.

Under the current system, what is the incentive for winning your division?

Another thing that I don't like about the expanded playoff system baseball has used since 1995, is that up until that year I used to remember almost every team's playoff appearances. It was special to make the playoffs. Now with eight teams making the playoffs instead of four, I can't even remember all the teams to make the playoffs a few seasons back.

My solution? Well since getting rid of the wild-card isn't an option, I'd suggest the following changes to the MLB Playoff Structure...
1) Division Series expanded to best-of-seven
2) Wild Card team plays only two home games maximum each round (excluding World Series, where it would go back to the traditional 4-3 format)

These two changes would increase the importance of not only a divisional title, but having the best record in the league. Making the wild-card team play only two home games would reward the team with the best record in the league with five home games in a best-of-seven.

I know these changes probably won't happen, but that doesn't mean I can't hold out hope.