Teams: 10 - Leagues: 2 - Octobers: 1

Major League Baseball Playoffs are expanding for the first time since 1994. Effective immediately, there are now two wild card teams per League, increasing the total number of playoff teams from 8 to 10.

The format will be:

• 3 Division Winners Receive 1st Round Bye
• 2 Wild-Card Teams Play 1 Game Playoff
• Winner Of Wild Card Round Advances To Play Highest Seed

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Another nuance of the format change will cause the Houston Astros to switch from the NL Central to the AL West in 2013.  Currently, the American league has one less team than the National League, the move will balance both the leagues and their divisions.

MLB increased the number of drunken postseason 
champagne celebrations like this

I like the addition of an extra team, as baseball already has the most exclusive playoff ticket among the major sports.  However, one side effect of this, is that it may cheapen the League Championship Series.

In previous years, the WIld Card team could not play a division opponent until their League Championship Series.  So, if the Sox won the division and Yankees won the Wild Card, they could not face each other until the ALCS.  This year, the teams could meet as early as the Wild Card round, cheapening the division rivalry aspect of the playoffs.

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What do you think?  Should MLB expand its Playoffs, or keep it the way it was? 

-Kevin Aherne