Dear Commissioner Selig
My name is Ryan Dugan, and I have been a baseball fanatic my entire life. For the last 28 years the National Past Time has been webbed into my life in very extreme ways. I have been to 29 of the games 30 home ballparks. I have seen a half dozen games in the Grape Fruit League. I have sat in the front rows for post-season games. I have been to the World Series. Over the last three years I have become an independent amateur Journalist and Sports Blogger. As I type this on the evening of October 1, the 2008 Division Series has just begun. As this paragraph plays out on my laptop, the Cubs find themselves down 7-2 against the Dodgers in the 9th inning of game one of the NLDS.
Which brings me to the point of my letter.
I will refrain from commenting on my concerns for baseball’s economic escalation that is bound to lead to disaster. I will exclude my thoughts on elitism in the seats at the park. And I will avoid writing about troubles I see in the marketing of today’s game in the media.
Instead I write you regarding a much lighter topic, but one that seriously troubles me.
My letter is a plead to you and to Major League Baseball to Change the format of the division series from a best of five series to a best of seven series. My problem with the current format is this: teams work all summer long to make it to October baseball, and regardless of effort, numbers, or record, all teams find themselves in the position of being eliminated as early as 72 hours after the post season begins. It’s simply not fair to the players, and maybe more importantly it’s not fair to the fans.
As a life long Yankees fan, over the last three seasons (prior to this year) I have seen my team eliminated in less then a week. The preparation and dream seem to be gone before even starting. And it’s not just my Yankees either. Believe me I realize I am spoiled by my organizations successes. But take Philadelphia as an example. Last season, after waiting fourteen years to return to the playoffs the Phillies were eliminated in three lightning fast games. The Atlanta Braves too. (Prior to 2005) Year after year they work all summer just to return to their prior point of elimination and continue to get knocked out inside of five games. There is just too much at stake to decide these games in a best of five series.
As each breath of our respective lives passes, the great game’s history and tradition continues to build. The more it builds that harder it becomes to make changes. I could continue to site examples or scenarios that support my request, but I am certain you’re already well aware of them all. I believe this change would be for the good of the game. It would be a vast improvement for fans and players, and for the record books too.
Now I realize that this is baseball’s hot topic, and the odds of any Commissioner seriously listening to some scoob such as myself are hopeless. But as I continue to devote countless amounts of my time, money and resources to the great game, I feel as though I have to try.
Thank you for reading my request, and any consideration you might give it.
Regards,
Ryan J. Dugan
