Scioscia not big on World Series changes

The news that Major League Baseball will start the World Series on a Wednesday this season and has scheduled Game 7 for Nov. 1, didn't exactly make manager Mike Scioscia stand up and cheer. Scioscia said MLB needs to look at somehow condensing the schedule instead of risking the chance that the game's championship series is played in some brutally cold Midwest or East Coast city so close to winter.

"We keep pushing that envelope," Scioscia said. "I hope we can come up with something satisfactory even if it means cutting out six to eight games during the season, or stacking some (day-night) doubleheaders so the gates are still there and the season can be done in a timely manner. Then when you get to the playoffs, you can have the high quality of play you're looking for."

With the World Series now starting four days later than usual, it might also mean the first round is set to be expanded from five games to seven. As of now, no announcement on that change has been made.

"Three rounds of seven games, that's an incredible grind," Scioscia said. "It will really take a deep club. I know it doesn't sound like a lot by just adding two games but there's just the time element. That would be a big step."