Not only is the system changing for the worse, but American fans will not be able to watch most of the playoff games under the new system. The majority of the playoff games will not be broadcast on the major networks as in the past. Instead, they'll be aired on cable--or even worse, on pay-per-view.

Yes, there will be more playoff games to televise, and playoffs tend to gain higher viewership than regular season games. But tampering with baseball and its traditions may decrease its popularity and, ultimately, decrease viewer interest.

The new playoff system will make baseball more complicated, extend the season further, and make it more difficult for fans to watch the games. The demand for the rights to air baseball, even playoff games, may dwindle, along with the revenues they provide for owners.

Baseball should follow the lead of the NBA and begin a strong marketing campaign, rather than changing the structure of the sport. Some simple rule changes to help speed up the pace of the game wouldn't hurt, and won't distort the game the way the new proposal surely will.

Baseball, as it is, will always hold a special place in the hearts of American sports fans. It may be that a midseason game doesn't get higher ratings than the Simpsons on a given Thursday night, but come September, the fans prefer a pennant race game to anything Bart can do.

Change the system, and September will never be the same.