Division Playoff Format Might Be Changed

The Major League Players Assn. will recommend that the format for the five-game division series revert to the original 2-3 format from the current 2-2-1.

Gene Orza, the union’s associate general counsel, said that since the change in 1999, the results of the games did not justify the increased travel necessary in the 2-2-1 format. Orza said that the Yankees, for instance, had to fly to New York after Game 4 of the division series in Oakland and then fly to Seattle less than 48 hours later, having beaten the A’s in Game 5.

Baseball used the 2-3 concept from 1995 through 1998. The team with the best record during the season would get the last three games at home, but many in baseball felt the home-field advantage was negated by being forced to play the first two on the road.

Now, the team with the best record gets Games 1, 2 and 5 at home, but Orza said the team with the home-field advantage has won only 53% of all postseason games, including the World Series, so the travel demands of the 2-2-1 format aren’t justified. He added that the teams with a home-field advantage in the 2-2-1 format have won six series and lost six.