so you expand the number of teams in the play offs because teams aren't following proven models for success because it does work in the play offs when we have seen in a shortened series talent matters?
i just don't buy the problem for teams not trying is because there is too little a payoff to get into the play offs and it isn't as if the play offs have been dominated by the big money teams.
since the yankees won three in a row i think 12 different teams have won at least 1 world series title.
there are teams that aren't making an effort to be overly competitive and more worried about making a profit. unfortunately you don't have relegation in american sports.
I'm probably spending too much time discussing this with someone who says they don't even want much regular season baseball.
If you're calling the A's a "proven model of success", some might disagree you, considering they haven't won a World Series in 30 years and have only won like one playoff series since 1990.
Losing a Wild Card game is not necessarily considered a "success" in today's MLB.
The definition of success in the MLB currently is very narrow...especially when some big market teams like the Yankees and Dodgers have run away with some recent division races.
The expansion of analytics into every MLB front office and increasing price of free agents has also increased the value of draft picks, prospects, and MLB players on rookie contracts (especially with controllable years).
This is true even for the big market teams...the LA Dodgers and NY Yankees have as much elite MLB talent on rookie contracts than any other teams in MLB.
Then you add on the money they can spend on free agents and it makes it very hard for small market teams to really compete.
One way to increase the chances of competing? Be bad for a while to stockpile draft picks/prospects.
Look at the White Sox...haven't had a winning season since 2012. Seven straight losing seasons.
But now they have one of the top farm systems in baseball with a lot of talent at, or close, to the major league level and are seen as a team that will very good soon.