What Baseball Should Have Done

Baseball needs a way to get back from the disastrous PR move they made earlier this pandemic, a way to reignite a fanbase that is dying for action. What baseball needs is a re-do button, but that is obviously impossible so let me just be Mr. Hindsight. Here is what should have happened en route to this 60-game season instead of what they actually accomplished.

Step 1: Put 2020 on hold

What do I mean? I literally mean make the 2020 baseball season the 2021 baseball season. Move the schedule to the 2021 season (which they may already do). Freeze all transactions except the draft, including on the coaches and front office front. Push player's salaries back one year.

Question: How do the players get paid? They either don't, or they get paid off of the agreement for the semi-season they will actually have.

Question: What if somebody wants to retire? They will get paid their full amount, under the assumption they will be banned from a return for three seasons (i.e. if Ryan Braun wants to retire after 2020, he gets his money then can't play until 2024).

Step 2: Create a World Cup format

Separate into the regular divisions. Have every team play each team in their division 6 times (home 3 games, road 3 games). The top 3 teams in each division get to move on to the next round.

Step 3: Eliminate 2 teams

If just two teams are under .500, eliminate both. If there is any more complication, have the 15-18 teams have a wild card round game.

Step 4: 16-team bracket to decide the champion

Once baseball is down to 16 teams, start off with best of 5 series'. Then move on to best of 7 later on. The list is organized based off of win-loss record, with runs scored as the tiebreaker. If necessary, runs allowed is the backup tiebreaker.