Big weekend in both races

The playoff system has had its critics. But it's also had its exciting finishes year after year as well.

I like the race for the top three spots, but when i comes to the actual playoff system, I've got some problems with it. I've probably already complained enough about it a guest on here, but there should never be a tie in any kind of playoffs!

I agree with most people here that it's good to have a playoff system, but I also can't stand the playoff format, including the ridiculous name! On top of having ties, I don't like the home-field system. Higher-seeded teams usually get an advantage by getting an extra home game, but giving them EVERY home game seems extreme, especially in Japan, where they don't have to worry about the travel distances as much.
Having the playoff system means a lot right now, as the Giants have already clinched first, but in the CL we still have an amazing race for 3rd. On that note, however, does a team who doesn't even have a winning record deserve to qualify for the post-season?

I don't think home field advantage is as big a deal in baseball as it is in other sports, but it doesn't seem fair for the fans to not get to have a home playoff game, but I guess they can travel easier to see their team over there. To me, giving the first place team a free game 1 win is about as bad as ties, especially when they get a bye for the whole first round. It doesn't bother me that a team with a losing record will make it, that is just result of a six team division, with one vastly superior team, beating up on everyone. The name is probably the best part of the playoff system to me, who doesn't like a good climax?

I do kind of agree on the need to have at least a .500 winning percentage to qualify. That doesn't seem like such an unreasonable qualification.

Regarding home team advantage, this has everything to do with revenue and incentive to finish higher. The home team takes the box office proceeds and doesn't share them. That's why such wildly false attendance records were common. (If the gate had to be split, something much more accurate would have been the norm.) So finishing higher in the season has a very real advantage to the home team financially.

The Tigers will most likely finish under .500, so I don't see a need for this to qualify, haha. However, if a team like that were to magically knock off the Giants, I'm sure NPB would whip up some new rules for next season.

Maybe they can let the Lions take the 3rd spot in the CL if they finish over .500 and the other teams do not.

Hey, that's actually a very interesting idea. I like it. I don't think the Central League teams would appreciate being pounded to oblivion and not having a representative in the Nippon Series, though.

I hope and pray that we don't see yet another Giants-Dragons-Tigers Climax postseason in the Central. It's getting rather boring every year watching the same 3 teams so step your game up Yakult and or Hiroshima and give me a reason to actually go to the stadiums and see some postseason ball.

As for the Pacific, I am officially rooting for Rakuten the rest of the season seeing as Seibu totally dropped the ball over the last 2 months and are basically out.

I'm really surprised Rakuten took 2 out of 3 against Seibu. I thought Rakuten was going to choke, but surprisingly they beat up on Seibu pitching. I'm hoping Rakuten can pass the Hawks so that the fans up north get rewarded with post-season baseball.