They are already replaced the drafting in reverse order of standings with a lottery that guarantees nothing for sucking, but does give somewhat better odds of picking high to the worst teams. (though it also blocks you from picking top 10 year after year to discourage repeat tanking).
In additiona I'd like to see them give higher odds of picking high to the teams that finish 7th and 8th in each league and just miss the WC. So the bottom 2 teams and the top 2 teams to miss the playoffs get the higher chances of picking 1st, 2nd etc. That would motivate teams at or just below the middle of the pack to keep competing thru September. Quitting before the season is over and hoping for a higher draft seed is awful both for the fans and the sport.
Some of y'all are going to instinctively think that's a bad incentive, but only because minds have been warped to incorrectly think that losing is the path to winning. Its time for incentives to change and to benefit the fans and the sport.
MLB should move to Barbell shaped Lottery odds
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CorneliusWolfe
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Re: MLB should move to Barbell shaped Lottery odds
Interesting idea. Might be a complicated goal for many teams since there are so many still technically in it late in the season. The scenarios and tiebreakers might be a nightmare to keep up with but it could still be an incentive to consider.Carp4Cy wrote: ↑08 Sep 2025 16:21 pm They are already replaced the drafting in reverse order of standings with a lottery that guarantees nothing for sucking, but does give somewhat better odds of picking high to the worst teams. (though it also blocks you from picking top 10 year after year to discourage repeat tanking).
In additiona I'd like to see them give higher odds of picking high to the teams that finish 7th and 8th in each league and just miss the WC. So the bottom 2 teams and the top 2 teams to miss the playoffs get the higher chances of picking 1st, 2nd etc. That would motivate teams at or just below the middle of the pack to keep competing thru September. Quitting before the season is over and hoping for a higher draft seed is awful both for the fans and the sport.
Some of y'all are going to instinctively think that's a bad incentive, but only because minds have been warped to incorrectly think that losing is the path to winning. Its time for incentives to change and to benefit the fans and the sport.
Re: MLB should move to Barbell shaped Lottery odds
Ever since tanking became something without a stigma, I've thought that the 3-5 teams who come closest to making the playoffs should get the top 3-5 picks in the draft (for whatever sport). Not trying to win (and not lowering prices while tanking, by the way) is just wrong.
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Cardinals4Life
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Re: MLB should move to Barbell shaped Lottery odds
How about the team who wins the World Series gets the 1st overall pick?!? Incentive winning!!freed5179 wrote: ↑08 Sep 2025 22:32 pm Ever since tanking became something without a stigma, I've thought that the 3-5 teams who come closest to making the playoffs should get the top 3-5 picks in the draft (for whatever sport). Not trying to win (and not lowering prices while tanking, by the way) is just wrong.
Re: MLB should move to Barbell shaped Lottery odds
I mean that’s how college sports has effectively worked. The best teams always get the best new recruits.Cardinals4Life wrote: ↑08 Sep 2025 22:46 pmHow about the team who wins the World Series gets the 1st overall pick?!? Incentive winning!!freed5179 wrote: ↑08 Sep 2025 22:32 pm Ever since tanking became something without a stigma, I've thought that the 3-5 teams who come closest to making the playoffs should get the top 3-5 picks in the draft (for whatever sport). Not trying to win (and not lowering prices while tanking, by the way) is just wrong.
Re: MLB should move to Barbell shaped Lottery odds
I like the way it is set up now prevents total tanking
In theory however, The lesser clubs should get the best available talent
In theory however, The lesser clubs should get the best available talent
Re: MLB should move to Barbell shaped Lottery odds
In theory yes, but what's been happening for a while now rewards incompetence and/or not putting the best product out there for your fans. We keep hearing the "the middle" is the worst place to be, but if a team is trying to win, but comes up short, maybe they should be rewarded with the top picks. It certainly would be better for the top prospects--again, in any sport--to go to a better team. And fans wouldn't be subjected to their team's big signing being, oh I don't know, a middle reliever?