Best Possible 10 Team MLB Playoff

The Best Possible Practical MLB Postseason w/ Current Ten Team Qualification Format

Step 1:  Shorten the season to 158 games.  End the season on a Sunday or Wednesday a half week earlier than any proposed 162-game schedule.

Step 2: Allow 1 date for tie-breakers, begin best of three Wild Card Series series with 2-1 or 1-2 format between (4) and (5) seeds the next day.

Step 3: Make Division Series best of seven and begin play between the (2) and (3) seeds in a 2-3-2 format on the second and third days of the Wild Card Series.

Step 4: The day after the Wild Card Series the two winners will begin a best of seven series at the (1) seeds in a 3-2-2 format.  The (1) seed is given two extra home games than the (WC) seed to offset the chances the condensed seven game series will be a disadvantage even after extra time off.

Step 5: Play the Championship Series and World Series in current format.

 

Example using 2013 Postseason Qualifiers

All Times Eastern

Wed 9/25:       Final Day of Regular Season

Thu 9/26:         Rest Day for Tie Breakers

Fri 9/27            Gm 1 WC TB(5) @ CLE(4) 4:30

                        Gm 1 WC CIN(5) @ PIT(4) 8:00

Sat 9/28           Gm 2 WC CIN(5) @ PIT(4) 1:00

                        Gm 2 WC TB(5) @ CLE(4) 7:30

                        Gm 1 ALDS DET(3) @ OAK(2) 11:00

Sun 9/29          Gm 3* WC PIT(4) @ CIN (5) 1:00

Gm 1 NLDS LAD(3) @ ATL(2) 4:30

                        Gm 3* WC CLE(4) @ TB(5) 8:00

Mon 9/30         Gm 1 ALDS TB(WC) @ BOS(1) 5:00

                        Gm 1 NLDS PIT(WC) @ STL(1) 7:30

                        Gm 2 ALDS DET(3) @ OAK(2) 10:00

Tue 10/1          Gm 2 ALDS LAD(3) @ ATL(2) 3:30

Gm 2 ALDS TB(WC) @ BOS(1) 6:00

                        Gm 2 NLDS PIT (WC) @ STL(1) 9:00

Wed 10/2        Gm 3 ALDS TB(WC) @ BOS(1) 2:00

                        Gm 3 NLDS PIT(WC) @ STL(1) 5:30

Gm 3 ALDS OAK(2) @ DET(3) 9:00

Thu 10/3          Gm 3 NLDS ATL(2) @ LAD(3) 5:30

Gm 4 ALDS OAK(2) @ DET(3) 9:00

Fri 10/4            Gm 4 NLDS STL(1) @ PIT(WC) 2:00

Gm 4 ALDS BOS(1) @ TB(WC) 5:30

                        Gm 5* ALDS OAK(2) @ DET(3) 9:00

Sat 10/5           Gm 5* ALDS BOS(1) @ TB(WC) 5:30

Gm 4 NLDS ATL(2) @ LAD(3) 9:00

Sun 10/6          Gm 5* NLDS STL(1) @ PIT(WC) 6:30

                        Gm 5* NLDS ATL(2) @ LAD(3) 9:00

Mon 10/7         Gm 6* ALDS TB(WC)  @ BOS(1) 6:30

                        Gm 6* ALDS DET(3) @ OAK(2) 10:00

Tue 10/8          Gm 6* NLDS LAD(3) @ ATL(2) 4:30

Gm 6* NLDS PIT(WC) @ STL(1) 8:00

Wed 10/9        Gm 7* ALDS TB(WC) @ BOS(1) 6:30

                        Gm 7* ALDS DET(3) @ OAK(2) 10:00

Thu 10/10        Gm 7* NLDS PIT(WC) @ STL(1) 4:30

                        Gm 7* NLDS LAD(3) @ ATL(2) 8:00

Fri 10/11          Gm 1 ALCS

Example Team Schedules for Comparison

 

Date    TB(5)                           STL(1)                         OAK(2)                       LAD(3)

9/27     @ CLE(4) 4:30           Off                              Off                              Off

9/28     @ CLE(4) 7:30           Off                              vs DET(3) 11:00         Off

9/29     vs CLE(4) 8:00*         Off                              Off                              @ ATL(2) 4:30

9/30     @ BOS(1) 5:00           vs PIT(WC) 7:30         vs DET(3) 10:00         Off

10/1     @ BOS(1) 6:00           vs PIT(WC) 1:00         Off                              @ ATL(2) 3:30

10/2     @ BOS(1) 3:00           vs PIT(WC) 5:30         @ DET(3) 9:00           Off

10/3     Off                              Off                              @ DET(3) 9:00           vs ATL(2) 5:30

10/4     vs BOS(1) 5:30           @ PIT(WC) 2:00        @ DET(3) 9:00*         Off

10/5     vs BOS(1) 5:30*         Off                              Off                              vs ATL(2) 9:00

10/6     Off                             @ PIT(WC) 6:30*      Off                              vs ATL(2) 9:00*

10/7     @ BOS(1) 6:30*         Off                              vs DET(3) 10:00*       Off

10/8     Off                              vs PIT(WC) 8:00*       Off                              @ ATL(2) 4:30*

10/9     @ BOS(1) 6:30*         Off                              vs DET(3) 10:00*       Off

10/10   Off                              vs PIT(WC) 4:30*       Off                              @ ATL(2) 8:00*

10/11   ALCS                          Off                              ALCS                          Off

10/12   ALCS                          NLCS                          ALCS                          NLCS

           

In Short

In three ways this proposed system uses the expanded 10 team format as an opportunity to increase the value of the regular season.  First, by making the (4) v. (5) match up a three game series as opposed to a single contest, the proposed system makes those seeds more valuable, especially if the series goes the distance and both contestants play at least a single home playoff game.  Second, mathematically each game of the season has more meaning if there are fewer games.  But lowering the total number of contests to 158 should be just the start of an ongoing trend.  As MLB inevitably expands the postseason even further, small chunks of the regular season should be lobbed off as well.  Ideally the season would be only 136 games, interlaced with a 16 team “cup play” tournament, and followed by an old fashion, Pennant winners only, best-of-nine World Series.  But I digress.  Third, and most importantly, is the value that this proposed system gives to the (1) seed.  Great credit should be given to the participant that holds off opponents over 158 games better than any other team in their league.  The (1) seed in my system receives that credit.  The (2) and (3) seeds also receive a bye, and also only play seven games at most over the course of two weeks.  But the (1) seed gets to rest idle while his future opponent contests a three game series.  If that series goes the distance, then the (WC) seed will play six games in six days in three cities, while the (1) seed plays just three home games.  If the (1) seed advances, the playoffs will be considered fair, and if a (4) or (5) seed advance, it will be considered a baseball miracle.  Either way MLB wins.

Revised Query Letter/Synopsis - Reader's Comments

This is the revised Query Letter/Synopsis I have generally included with my most recent attempts to gain representation.  For those who have completed reading the book and would like to leave comments (favorable or otherwise), do so at the bottom of the post.

Thanks,
Jon B. South

Dear (agent),

            I would like you to represent my 103,000-word science fiction thriller 3G2.

For ten years Eli Gould was certain that only he knew about his incredible powers until one fateful night when everything unraveled, and he quickly learned that it wasn’t a secret at all.

3G2 is a story with just one plot, though features four separate narratives that initially seem unrelated. As the novel progresses each of the storylines fits like a puzzle piece into the greater picture of Eli Gould, his powers, and all that are aware of them.

One story is of Dr. David Ho, a geneticist for the CIA who is quite aware that his career is likely nearing the end, after years without any meaningful assignments.  One morning he gets called into a meeting that not only turns his feelings of inadequacy upside down, but forever changes his life.  Through the doctor’s perspective, the reader learns, with the help of a brilliant researcher named Sanila Abburi, the origin of Eli’s power and the scope of the operation hell bent on neutralizing it.

Another tale follows Moussa Tchamou, a young CIA operative whose ability to elude capture and collect sensitive material has put his services in high demand.  With one initiative ending, and nothing following directly on the heels, Moussa chooses to help a friend out, against his better judgment, and it leads him to Chicago where he soon realizes the gravity of the situation. For most of the story, if not all of it, he is arguably the book’s real super hero.

The point of origin of Eli’s incredible power is explained by taking the reader through a tale of tragedy, desperation and love.  Alice Bloemfeld is held captive at Dachau Camp in the waning days of World War II.  More than eight months after being forcibly impregnated through in vitro fertilization as part of an experiment to test a doctor’s theory of gene dominance, she now must rely on that same Nazi doctor to not only protect her unborn child (Eli’s father) but also herself.

The primary narrative follows a young man with an extraordinary gift he only recently has learned to control, and not knowing the true extent of its capabilities, keeps largely to himself.  Eli Gould remains ignorant of the chain of events unfolding around him, distracted by the beauty and affection of Maura Kenny, a potential love interest. All semblances of normalcy crumble as he, as well as Maura, discover that not only is his secret out, but that his life may be in danger.

Aside from being a science fiction and suspense novel, 3G2 is also a work of historical fiction, a romantic comedy incorporating popular culture, and a brief exploration into the science of evolution, among other things.  But, most of all, it is a story of normal people, save maybe one character, and the behavior they exhibit under extraordinary circumstances.

After researching the type of projects that you enjoy representing, I feel confident that this type of story is right up your alley.  I have the entire manuscript, as well as a more detailed one page synopsis ready for your request, and will be looking forward to hearing from you in the future.

Thanks, Jon B. South

 

 

 

Debut Novel From Author Jon B. South

This is the query I have begun to send out to agents in hopes of getting my first novel published, as I complete the final edits with input from beta readers:

 

I am a first time author who has recently finished a 101,000 word science/historical fiction thriller titled 3G2. 

 

This adult novel explores the nature of a man living in contemporary society with exceptional superhuman capabilities, the origins of his power, and the forces hell bent on eliminating the threat he poses to society.

 

Eli Gould is an attorney living in Chicago who learned one afternoon ten years ago that he possessed an incredible power.  Since that day he has learned the skills necessary to be seemingly invincible under even the most dire circumstances,  but he doesn't know about a campaign older than the Cold War to eliminate the threat his power poses until late one night when those waging it manage to nearly kill him. 

 

By the end of this mystery thriller, which jumps between 1944-45 at Camp Dachau and 2004 in Chicago, DC, Atlanta and Budapest, the actions that Eli takes will make the reader debate whether he is good or bad, and the actions that normal people take to protect him might change the reader's opinion about which character is the real superhuman.

 

3G2 is part of a trilogy, made somewhat obvious by various inferences throughout the book, in addition to 3G1 and 3G3 (to be released in that order), which are both in the preliminary stages of production.

 

This novel has not been seen by any other agents, and I have yet to receive a copyright certificate.

 

There is no attachment to this e-mail.  The manuscript will be sent upon request.

 

Thank you for your consideration,

Jon B. South

3G2: The First Edits

This post is specifically for those lucky few who have been given the first draft of my full length novel "3G2" for comments and edits.  Please leave any comments regarding the novel in the comments section below this post.  If you have scanned the book with your comments or edits written on the pages, then that can be e-mailed to jonbsouth@gmail.com

Thank you for being a part of this project!

Conservatives Contradict with Marriage Views

Marriage is a funny thing.  It's especially funny when you try and imagine all the millions of people in this country who are basically living as if they are married without ever actually getting married.  The reason for this ambiguity is because marriage, like many things, has become an institution of government.  Besides what the talking heads will tell you about who defines marriage, the fact of the matter is that the government defines marriage, which is why we are involved in this whole quandary about who can get married to whom.

The contradiction arises out of the non-stop banter from the right wing about what government should control.  According to many prominent Republicans government should have no control over our guns and should give up the right to tax our income.  They are adamant about these intrusions into our personal affairs but yet are completely mum when it comes to government intrusions into our sex lives.  In the same vein of abortion rights, the truth is that Conservatives are not for smaller government unless the government is up to something they don't agree with. 

Gun Control: Big Government; Abortion Control: Righteousness; Higher Taxes: Big Government; Institutionalized Marriage: Tradition.

See the contradiction?

If Republicans, Tea Baggers, or whatever these morons representing morons call themselves nowadays really wanted to make an argument that wasn't mired in hypocrisy, they would advocate for the absence of government from the social construct of marriage altogether.

There is no reason for government to be involved in marriage anyway.  There would be no issue today concerning who can and cannot get married if all the benefits of being married were available to any pair or group of partners who are making a life together, regardless of how their relationship is defined.

And to call marriage traditional anyhow is a complete crock of shit.  For tens and tens of thousands of years before any semblance of monogamy existed, male and female humans banged multiple partners in territorial bands much like apes do today. 

The reasons for this behavior: Pro-creating was essential to a population struggling to survive and; Men died at much younger ages than women, resulting in grave sexual disparities (a big part of the reason the species has evolved a fertility rate that favors male children, even though women maintain a consistent 51% proportion of the world populous).

But it wasn't just polygamy that was the norm, many people also got it on with same sex partners in between their soirees among the opposite sex. 
Even among some of the most endangered modern species, there exists homosexual behavior.  Although it is hard to objectively categorize animal sexualities because they all seem to be pansexual, it can be said that certain animals of each species tend to prefer homosexual behavior. 


Now that's tradition!

Save the Planet? Save the Humans!

Save the Planet! My grammar school teacher implored us before delving into epically boring instruction regarding reducing, reusing and recycling.  That was the 80s, and for more than two decades after that lesson I believed that by being green I was helping to save our beloved planet earth.  Eventually, though, I learned that it was not the earth which needed saving, it was us.

The earth, regardless of what your Sunday School teacher taught you, was not placed in the sun's orbit for humans alone.  As hard as it may be for the millions of narcissists that inhabit this planet to believe, the planet was here for billions of years before we arrived and, barring some monumental advances in technology, will be here for several billion years more after we are long gone.  Humanity poses no risk whatsoever to the survival or long term health of this planet.  We are nothing but a virus, temporarily perturbing our host, but bound to be a forgotten memory shortly after our demise.

Now, environmentalists, don't fret.  My self-centeredness may seem to come at the expense of the movement for environmentalism, but, quite the opposite, it is the best argument for preserving the natural wonder of our planet, considering that our survival as humans is 100% reliant on maintaining the environment. 

Being a pessimist at heart I realize that it is only a matter of when, not if, this planet will no longer be able to support our species.  No one wants to go back to living in the horrible pre-Industrial Revolution era, except the Amish, and that is exactly what it would take to reverse the systematic destruction of this planet being carried out by the human species.  But through changes in behavior and advances in technology we can lengthen the duration of our stay in this ecosystem before we turn it over to cockroaches and rodents.

 

Remember, the planet doesn't need saving and it was (or is) terribly ignorant and narcissistic of you to believe humans would be capable of saving it if it did.  We need saving.  We are killing ourselves (and millions of wondrous creatures at the same time) and we are the only ones who can save us from ourselves.  Don't worry about the planet.  Be Green to Save the Humans!

I'm Racist, You're Racist, Everybody's Racist!

Now, don't get all up in arms, telling me about all the black friends you have (or white, if you're black) or how your nanny was Hispanic or whatever.  By definition, the fact that you categorize people based on race, which, if you were raised in, well, the world, you do, makes you racist.  Here you have taken a thing which actually does not exist, being that the categories of races used in common vernacular are social constructs which may be easily usurped by modern convention, and utilized it to form predispositions about others based purely on appearance.

I don't mean to imply that because you're a big time racist you also actively discriminate based on race.  There are probably more than a billion racists in the world who work every day towards the elimination of race based discrimination.  This doesn't take away from the fact that they're all quite racist, even more so I'm sure, because they are so heavily involved in race related issues. 

For example, if a white woman on a bus keeps an eye on a black man sitting nearby because she fears he may snatch her iPhone, she is no more racist than he is for paying her no mind because he assumes she will sit quietly and keep to herself until her stop.  Regardless of the consequences of these inferences, the fact that they are made based almost exclusively on racial appearance makes both parties equally racist.

Right now you may be asking yourself, "If everyone is racist then why do we still have to talk about race?"

Personally, I choose not to talk about race with people who are unwilling to admit their inherent racism because that conversation is pointless.  It is only when you admit that you're racist that you will finally be able to fully comprehend how much race based discrimination still continues on in every aspect of culture and civilization.  Only then does the conversation about race have any meaning and we can finally begin the multi-generational journey towards a truly post-racial civilization. 

Either that or a compulsory globe-wide inter-breeding program.