Mike Scioscia: cut the season to 158 games

Mike Scioscia must fear watching a Twins-Phillies World Series being played among the snow drifts:

Mike Scioscia is a strong proponent of expanding the division series from five to seven games and of finishing the World Series in October, when there is a better chance of decent weather in the Northeast and Midwest than there is in November.

The 162-game regular-season schedule would have to be condensed so the postseason could start about Oct. 1, and that could be accomplished by playing more doubleheaders.

But on Sunday, the Angels manager proposed something more radical: reducing the number of games, not necessarily to the pre-expansion, 154-game schedule teams played before 1961 but something in the 158-game range.

Bah. More baseball games, please, not less. I realize that split double headers are unpalatable to the players (long day at the office); and that quick-turnaround doubleheaders are unpalatable to the front office (reduced revenue from selling a ticket). Scioscia’s plan of reducing four games worth of revenue would be a non-starter for the owners.

You can’t have three rounds of seven-game playoff series and a mid-to-late October finish without risking crap weather either early in the season if you start early or late in the season if you go late. To expect otherwise is to expect that the law of conservation of matter (or perpetual motion or one of them laws) be broken.

I think we’re being too fearful of the weather to begin with. Yes, we could get snow in Minnesota or Philly in November. But we’re also just as likely to get a nice 65 degree sunny day and a cool but pleasant evening.