Touch 'Em All: MLB wants more wild cards

On the heels of what's shaping up to be another very exciting wild-card picture comes news that Major League Baseball and the players' union are close to adding an additional wild-card team in each league.

According to the New York Post, the expansion is being worked out as part of negotiations for a new collective bargaining agreement.

Commissioner Bud Selig, who clearly believes that more of a good thing is always better, has indicated that he supports adding more wild-card teams to the playoffs. One source said the change - to add one wild-card team in each league - is "a done deal."

Under this scenario, one-game playoffs will determine which wild-card team advances to the next round. The changes could be instituted as soon as next season or no later than 2013.

If that rule had been in effect this year, the Atlanta Braves and the St. Louis Cardinals - who are one game apart with three to play - would be going.

Similarly, the Rays and the flailing Boston Red Sox (who beat the Yankees, 7-4, in 14 innings Sunday night to remain one game ahead in the wild-card race) would be assured of moving on to the playoffs.

Some things never change, like the Baseball Writers' Association of America's annoying habit of announcing their awards in a weeklong festival. The BBWAA (as it's known to the in crowd) has released the following schedule of announcements:

AL and NL rookies of the year will be announced on Nov. 14.

AL Cy Young Award on Nov. 15.

AL and NL managers of the year on Nov. 16.

NL Cy Young Award on Nov. 17.

AL MVP on Nov. 22.

NL MVP on Nov. 23.

By the way, Touch 'Em All will announce its award winners later this week. All on the same day. No long rollout here, bub.

As if going into bankruptcy wasn't bad enough, the Dodgers have suffered another indignity in this forgettable season: They came in second in attendance to the Angels.

With four home dates to go, the Angels have already drawn 3,006,670 fans. The Dodgers, on the other hand, completed their home schedule Thursday night with a total of 2,935,139 fans.

This is the first year the Angels have outdrawn the Dodgers - ever. To put this in East Coast terms, it would be like the Mets outdrawing the Yankees.

Major League Baseball on Friday asked a bankruptcy judge in Delaware to force the sale of Dodgers, arguing in court papers that owner Frank McCourt's plan to retain ownership of the team is "dead on arrival."

MLB does not intend to approve any sale of television rights that would help McCourt maintain ownership of the Dodgers, according to the filing, and the league could enforce its ability to strip McCourt of the team once it emerged from bankruptcy protection, according to the Los Angeles Times.

"Mr. McCourt cannot hide the Dodgers in bankruptcy forever," the filing read.

McCourt and his ex-wife, Jamie McCourt, announced their separation two years ago, on the eve of the NL Championship Series between the Dodgers and the Phillies, and the team has been on shaky financial ground since.

In a statement, the Dodgers called the filing "meritless" and said MLB had advocated for "an unnecessary and value-destroying distressed sale of the team."

Washington Nationals righthander Stephen Strasburg will be on an innings limit next season as he continues his comeback from Tommy John surgery on his pitching elbow, general manager Mike Rizzo said Sunday. He did not elaborate.

"We want to find out how he feels at the end of the season and where he's at. We'll calculate it and see what's a comfortable amount for him," Rizzo said.

Strasburg, who had the ligament-replacement operation last September, returned to the majors this September, going 0-1 with a 2.00 ERA, zero walks, and 14 strikeouts in 18 innings. His last start will be Wednesday in Florida.