Why So Many Off Days?

The Yankees clinched the 1998 World Series on October 21st, 1998. On October 21st, 2009 the Yankees had not yet completed the fifth game of the American League Championship Series. I blamed it on the broadcasting, but the truth is there is no need for so many off days. True, it has benefited the Yankees by allowing them to bring back CC Sabathia on short rest to win Game 4 two nights ago. But the overall product suffers.

Flip Flop Fly Ball provides a great graphic copied below which displays the unbelievable disparity between off days in the regular season and off days in the playoffs. This year, it has become even more egregious. Could the Yankees and Angels or the Phillies and Dodgers really not play on 3 straight days if all those games are in the same park? Do they really need so many off days between series?

I think that Major League Baseball has to take a serious look at this. I know they cave into the networks and they don't want games to go up against each other, but the amount of off days during the playoffs has gotten ridiculous. They play in many outdoor stadiums in the north and the threat of snow and frigid temperatures are real in late October/early November.

I planned a trip to Barcelona over Halloween months back. Little did I know that Game 3 of the World Series would be scheduled to be played on Halloween. It's quite possible we may not have a World Series winner chosen before New Jersey chooses its next Governor. That, my friends, is ridiculous.