We’ve pretty much known for a while that Major League Baseball was going to increase the playoff pool from eight to ten teams. The only question was whether they would introduce two new wild card slots in 2012, or in 2013. There was a desire to get things done for 2012, but matters were complicated by the fact that the 2012 schedule is already set, and that the 2012 season begins in a month.
MLB To Add Two New Wild Card Slots In 2012, According To Report
Nevertheless, MLB kept working to get this implemented immediately, and according to Ken Rosenthal, it’s happening, you guys:
Sources: Additional wild cards a "go" for this season. Playoffs to expand from eight to 10 teams. Announcement tomorrow. #MLB
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) February 29, 2012
Rosenthal's sources could be wrong, but Rosenthal's sources are rarely wrong. There's every reason to believe that the 2012 postseason is going to feature five teams from each league, as opposed to the four we'd gotten used to.
Expect there to be a bit of a scheduling mess at the end of the regular season. That was an obstacle, but evidently not a deal-breaker.
A lot of people aren’t going to like this because this is change. A lot of people aren’t going to like this because of other reasons. A lot of people are going to like this. As it happens, today we published the Toronto Blue Jays 2012 team preview. The Toronto Blue Jays are going to like this. It’s time to start getting used to our new baseball reality.
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