Selig Open to Global World Series

Bud Selig has said he is open to a global World Series with Japan which he hopes to institute before his term as commissioner expires in 2012.

Bud Selig has stated that he is open to the idea  that the champion of the World Series in United States play the Japanese champion in a global World Series.

If the playoffs remain as they are now and another seven game series between the United States and Japan is added to the schedule the baseball season will end in the first or second week of November.

Baseball Playoffs Getting Longer and Longer

In years when the World Baseball Classic is played it would make the season even longer and December and January would be the only months without baseball being played from the start of spring training till the end of the global World Series. Baseball is moving closer to having as long of a season as pro basketball.

I can’t see the player’s union giving the go-ahead for this plan without asking for additional money for the longer season.

Could Have Games in Undomed Stadium In November

It will be interesting to see if the United States World Series champions would play their games at home if they are in a cold weather state. It would be interesting to see a team like the Minnesota Twins playing in their undomed stadium in the middle of November.

There would have to be extra time allowed for travel between the United States and Japan. If the series is set up like the present World Series in the United States it would take forever to play a seven game series.

How would the winner of  the home field advantage be determined? It could be that the two countries would alternate having the home field advantage.To save travel time the global World Series would have the team with the home field advantage playing four games at home to start the series and the other team would play the three remaining games at home if necessary.

Team Could Win Global World Series Without Traveling

The worst scenario would be to have the home field advantage team win all four games at home with the other team not playing any home games because they would have already lost the global World Series.

This may turn out to be a good idea but the logistics in implementing the global World Series could be a nightmare trying to keep both countries happy with the setup.

It would be nice if Mr. Selig would concentrate on reinstating Pete Rose as much as he concentrates on coming up with problematic ideas like the World Baseball Classic  and a global World Series.

http://www.nytimes.com/2010/01/08/sports/baseball/08base.html