There has been criticism of Major League Baseball\'s playoff format this month, particularly the time given to the No. 1 seed in each league.
Spencer Strider, though, isn\'t willing to blame the extra rest for the Atlanta Braves\' loss to the Philadelphia Phillies in the NLDS.
\"The people trying to use the playoff format to make an excuse for the results they don\'t like are not confronting the real issue,\" Strider said. \"You\'re in control of your focus, your competitiveness, your energy. If having five days means you can\'t make the adjustment, you have nobody to blame but yourself.\"
The Braves wrapped up the regular season on Oct. 1, but didn\'t play their first playoff game until Oct. 7.
Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts was willing to put some of the blame on the extended layoff.
\"I don\'t think that five days is ideal, but that\'s the playoff structure,\" Roberts said. \"The world\'s not perfect. A couple-day break would have been nice. But five\'s a little ...\"
Via The Athletic
