Players Want 7-Game Division Series

From Phil Rogers (hat-tip to No Maas):

Among those [changes wanted by the players union], Weiner said, is a desire to extend the first round of the playoffs to a best-of-seven format while reducing the number of days off between the end of the regular season and the beginning of the World Series.

"Everybody's in agreement that the postseason schedule needs some adjustment," Weiner said.

Commissioner Bud Selig and owners made adjustments in the postseason schedule three years ago at the request of Fox television.

....

Some of the time could be filled by making the first round best-of-seven, matching the format used in later rounds. Players want to do that, looking to prevent powerful teams from being as vulnerable to upsets.

"There is a lot of sentiment for a seven-game division series," Weiner said. "I think a properly constructed postseason schedule could accommodate three seven-game series but still have it extend over a shorter period of time than what happened this year."

At the end of the article Rogers tells us that Bud Selig said that addition playoff games would only work if they shortened the regular season, something that owners aren't in favor of doing.

While I really don't have a problem with the current 5-game division series, I wouldn't mind a 7-game first round either. It works in other leagues. What about you?