Players and owners have already agreed to add a wild-card team in each league, but are still deciding whether it would take effect this year or in 2013. Selig said there are scheduling issues to be worked out – once they are, the new 10-team format would begin with a one-game playoff.
“I really believe we’ll have the wild card for 2012, this year,” Selig said Friday night in Chicago at a White Sox fan festival. “Clubs really want it.”
Meanwhile, MLB and the players association reached a consensus that ties for division titles will be broken on the field under the new playoff format, a person familiar with the talks said. The person spoke on condition of anonymity.
Since 1995, head-to-head record has been used to determine first place if both teams are going to the postseason. But with the start of a one-game, winner-take-all wild-card round, the sides agreed that the difference between first place and a wild-card berth is too important and a tiebreaker game would be played.
Under the new format, whenever it begins, the nondivision winners in each league with the two best records will be the wild cards, meaning a third-place team could for the first time win the World Series.
This creates more of an opportunity in the AL East for teams other than the rich New York Yankees and Boston Red Sox, and in the AL West, where the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Angels have spent big bucks to improve.
SHORT HOPS
Right fielder Hunter Pence and the Phillies agreed to a $10.4 million, one-year contract. … Giants ace Tim Lincecum passed his physical and officially signed his $40.5 million, two-year contract. … Outfielder Juan Pierre has agreed to a minor league contract with the Phillies. … Infielder Matt Tuiasosopo, a former Seattle Mariner and Tacoma Rainier, has agreed to a minor league deal with the Mets. … The Giants reached agreement on a $1.25 million, one-year contract with infielder Ryan Theriot. … Free-agent infielder Jeff Keppinger signed to a one-year deal with the Rays.
