Selig vows to tighten postseason schedule

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Commissioner Bud Selig pledged today to tighten baseball’s lengthy postseason schedule, but he declined to say how he would do so.

‘I’m going to make the postseason schedule this year,’ he said as baseball’s owners concluded a day of meetings in Chicago. ‘If you’re mad, you can blame me.’

Angels Manager Mike Scioscia was mad during the playoffs, calling the postseason schedule ‘ridiculous.’ The Philadelphia Phillies played nine games in 23 days between the end of the regular season and the start of the World Series. The New York Yankees took advantage of the schedule, using just three starting pitchers en route to the World Series championship.

Selig acknowledged that clubs want to end the season on a weekend and Fox wants to start the World Series during the week, leaving it unclear exactly how he would condense the postseason schedule. He did not indicate any desire to expand the first round from a best-of-five series to a best-of-seven series.

He said the solution did not involve asking Fox to return the World Series start to Saturday, when ratings generally are lower than on weeknights.

‘We should put the games on when the most people can watch them,’ he said. ‘It’s a very simple premise.’

Scioscia made his comments during the American League championship series, and Selig said he had ‘a lengthy conversation’ with Scioscia after the Angels were eliminated.

‘I don’t disagree with Mike Scioscia,’ Selig said. ‘I think he was right.’

Selig also said he remains opposed to the expansion of instant replay but said he has invited general managers to the next owners’ meeting in January. The general managers could propose an expansion of replay at that time.

-- Bill Shaikin in Chicago