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THE CZECH IS IN THE MAIL
With the state baseball and softball playoffs beginning, we’re entering the second year of a bizarre playoff system. There will be 11 state champions in both sports for the second time in as many seasons.
The top four teams in each district for Classes 6A-2A advance to the playoffs, while the top two in each Class A district move on. In 6A-2A, the two postseason-qualifying schools with the largest enrollments in each district are placed into the Division I bracket, while the two smallest playoff participants in each league compete in Division II.
It’s ridiculous, but at least Class A just has one state champion. The six rounds of the playoffs are even more “interesting.”
After five rounds in which teams have the option of playing a best-of-three series or a single game, the state championship games are decided in a single- game format. That’s ridiculous as well.
If best-of-three series are available in earlier rounds, the University Interscholastic League should offer the same option for the state championship games— or adopt a uniform playoff format.
With 64 teams in each division in classes 6A through 2A, it would be apropos to hold double- elimination tournaments in the first two rounds. The state semifinal and state championship rounds could be a best-of-three series.
If you break it down into four-team area tournaments, you go from 64 to 16 teams after the first weekend. With four-team region tournaments, you then dwindle down from 16 to four.
During the third weekend, neutral-site bestof three series could be played at Dell Diamond and Nelson Wolff Stadium in San Antonio. The best-of-three state championship series would be held at Choctaw Stadium (formerly Globe Life Park) in Arlington.
Regional tournaments could also be played at neutral sites. For Region I, Texas Tech University and Abilene Christian University could host tournaments, while Baylor University and Texas Christian University could host Region II. The University of Houston and Rice University could cover Region III, with Texas A&M University and the University of Texas handling Region IV. It may sound radical, but look at the mess we’re already in.
This split-division format is similar to the one employed in Class 6A football. While I’m not a fan of having two state champions per classification in each team sport, there is one thing I like about the split-division format in baseball and softball: a best-of-three series option in the state semifinals.
The UIL is doing one thing right, but it needs to fix the rest. Under my double-elimination proposal, the state playoffs would last four weeks instead of six.
It would also be more uniform, which means a superior team wouldn’t suffer a fluke one-game loss to end their season. The best teams win double-elimination tournaments and bestof- three series.
It’s definitely worth thinking about.
Jason Chlapek is the area editor of the Elgin Courier and Taylor Press. He can be reached at jason.chlapek@granitemediapartners. com.
