Trevor Bauer: Playoff Proposal Criticism Has Received 'Mostly Positive' Reaction

When it comes to disapproving of MLB's proposed playoff reformatting, Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Trevor Bauer apparently isn't alone.  

According to ESPN, league officials have discussed a postseason bracket that features three division winners and four wild-card teams. In addition, higher-seeded teams would be able to pick their opponents in specified rounds.

The typically outspoken Bauer directed a pointed tweet to MLB commissioner Rob Manfred:

"Generally when I say stuff, people take it one way or the other," he told reporters Sunday. "It's been mostly positive. I think when people speak and they come from a place of sincerity and like caring about the situation, you know, it's easy for people to identify that, and to hear that in the genuine nature of it."

In a video that has since gone viral, Bauer aired his various grievances with MLB and Manfred:

Critics of the playoff changes argue it could water down what is generally a dramatic postseason race. Baseball, in particular, needs to place significant weight on the regular season since it lasts 162 games, longer than any other major sports league.

ESPN's Sam Miller also explained one pitfall of allowing the best teams to select their postseason opponents:

"They would like to face the worst opponents, to be sure. But actually picking them inevitably ends up looking like an act of hubris. You pick a team, fire them up, give them all the bulletin board material they could ever hope for, and then if they actually beat you (which -- it's baseball, so of course they will), you get taunted for your arrogance? Awful. Meanwhile, the notion that lots of fans are going to tune in for this picking ceremony feels wildly optimistic."

Sports commissioners generally know a level of intense scrutiny comes with the territory.

To say Manfred is on the hot seat would be inaccurate because, to the best of our knowledge, he's in no danger of losing his job. But he's having to put out a number of fires at the moment.

In addition to the blowback over the playoff proposal, he's having to answer questions about the continued fallout from the Houston Astros' sign-stealing scandal and watch as fans grow frustrated with marquee franchises putting finances over contention.