MLB talks resume Sunday; Scherzer favors playoff ‘ghost win’

By RONALD BLUM
AP Baseball Writer

NEW YORK (AP) — Max Scherzer favors a radical reworking of the playoffs, one that would have the higher seed in the first round of an expanded postseason start a best-of-five series with a 1-0 lead. Major League Baseball and locked-out players, who resume talks Sunday, both would expand the postseason from 10 teams. The union prefers 12 but Scherzer said players would consider 14 if clubs would agree to the “ghost win” format. MLB’s 14-team plan calls for the division winner with the best regular-season record in each league to get a bye. The two other division winners would choose their opponents.