It's official the Wild Card expansion for 2012

     The MLB and the Players Association finally agreed to add another Wild Card in each league for the 2012 season (as I explain in my entry "Wild Card expansion for 2012"). Now it's official and I can't be more excited about it. Now two more teams have the chance to fight for a spot in the postseason with this new format.


     Not only that, but there's another change for this year's postseason. The Division Series will start with two home games for lower-seeds, and three home games for higher seeds, instead of the current format (2-2-1-). This is to eliminate a travel day prior to a decisive Game 5. Next year the Division Series format will go back the the original format.


     Good? Bad? For me, every move the MLB is doing is great. They always make good moves for the game and for the fans and I know this will work out. And if those changes mean more games... it's sounds okay to me.

University of South Florida vs Yankees

Today @ 1:05pm - Starting Lineups


Yankees

• Jeter SS
• Granderson CF
• Teixeira 1B
• Rodríguez 3B
• Ibáñez DH
• Swisher RF
• Gardner LF
• Núñez 2B
• Molina C
• Warren SP

University of South Florida

• Méndez LF
• Taylor CF
• Ramsay RF
• Brazeal DH
• Rockhold 3B
• Putnam 1B
• Longley C
• Teaf SS
• Llerena 2B
• Reed SP

Wild Card expansion for 2012

     That’s right. A new format would probably be set for the 2012 postseason. Instead of one Wild Card team in each league, there will be now two Wild Card teams. And maybe you’ll be asking yourself how this is going to work. It’s easy. The three Division Champions of each league will automatically have their spot for the Division Series, but there will be a one-game first-round playoff for the two teams with the best record (Wild Card teams) of each league. In other words: a do-or-die game. Here is an image so you can see it better.

     I don’t know how do you see this, but for me, it’s a great idea not only for the owners of the teams, but for the fans too. If you see this from a business point of view, it’s really good for the MLB, teams owners and sponsors. One of the reasons is that more teams will have a chance to make it to the postseason. This is really brilliant, actually. Because you all know how we, the fans, are. If we know that our team won’t make it to the postseason (if you are not a die-hard fan), then we won’t go to the last games because, no matter how well they play, they won’t make it. But now, with more teams having chances for the Wild Card, the stadiums will stay full of fans during the last weeks and if there are fans, there is money: tickets, parking, food, merchandise, etc.

     

     In other hands, if you see this as a fan, the fact of two spots available for the Wild Card give the fans hope on their teams and the chance to have their teams in October, playing the best baseball in the world. The opportunities are more open now to any team, eve the small-market teams.

     I'm really happy with the MLB Commissioner, Allan H. “Bud” Selig for this move which I think it’s a great move. And to add this format this season, which is already a really interesting season to watch with all the notable changes (Miami Marlins: José Reyes, Mark Buehrle, Heath Bell, Ozzie Guillen - Anaheim Angels: Albert Pujols, CJ Wilson - Detroit Tigers: Prince Fielder - Yankees: Michael Pineda, Raúl Ibáñez - And others), it’s a very smart move.

     This is not official yet, but the talks continues to add this for the upcoming season and I'm sure that they will have an announcement pretty soon. So get ready to cheer for your team because maybe this year, you'll see your team playing in October.

José Feliciano to sing National Anthem at Marlins Park

Puerto Rican singer/songwriter/musician, José Feliciano.

     For me, for Puerto Ricans and for many people around the world, José Feliciano is one of the best guitar players of all times. And it seems that for Emilio Estefan, a 19-Grammy Award winner, too.

      The Cuban-born producer, who has worked with artists such as Ricky Martin and Marc Anthony, will produce Marlins Park's inaugural Opening Night festivities. And to perform the National Anthem, before the game against the defending World Series champions St. Louis Cardinals, he chose José Feliciano, better known by his song "Feliz Navidad (I Want To Wish You a Marry Christmas)."


     I'm really excited about this, because as a Puerto Rican, I am very proud to have one of our greatest artists putting his name and the name of our country in the history of the new Marlins Ballpark and the organization. This is another great achievement for Puerto Rico and our artists.


     The game will be on April 4th, 2012 at 7:05pm ET.

Hello! ¡Hola! Ciao.

      Hello, everybody! I'm Félix Torres and this is my blog Fishing Some Pinstripes. This is a baseball blog and you'll find a lot from the teams I follow: New York Yankees and the new Miami Marlins. Here you'll see some news, pictures, videos and interesting facts about these two teams (most of them, Yankees).


     Are you ready for the season? I am! And so are the teams. The Yankees are taking care of business on George M. Steinbrenner Field at Tampa, FL, while the new and relocated Marlins are working together on Roger Dean Stadium at Jupiter, FL.


     With the Marlins making the highlights moves this off-season and the Yankees staying quiet, but making smart moves, it's going to be fun to watch these teams during the 2012 season.


     I hope you all like the blog and I hope you all have fun reading some baseball. Playball!