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The Spokesman-Review Newspaper
Spokane, Washington  Est. May 19, 1883

MLB playoffs may see 10 teams

Ryan Braun has signed with the Brewers through 2020. (Associated Press)

Baseball Commissioner Bud Selig expects the playoffs to expand from eight teams to 10 for the 2012 season.

Selig went public last fall with his support for expanded playoffs, and the matter is subject to collective bargaining with the players’ association.

“I would say we’re moving to expanding the playoffs, but there’s a myriad of details to work out,” Selig said Thursday at his annual meeting with the Associated Press Sports Editors. “Ten is a fair number.”

Selig said scheduling is the major issue of discussion, including how many games the new wild-card round will be. The two wild cards in each league would meet, and the winners would advance to the following round against division winners.

“The more we’ve talked about it, I think we’re moving inexorably to that,” he said.

Pension expanded

Players who appeared in the major leagues for less than four years from 1947-79 will receive payments of up to $10,000 in each of the next two years under an agreement between Major League Baseball and the players’ association.

At least 904 players will receive money under the agreement, according to Dan Foster, chief executive officer of the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association. The size of each payment will depend on quarters of service.

The payments will be funded mostly from money paid from the luxury tax assessed each year on high-spending teams. Of the $209.8 million in tax money raised since 2003, $192.2 million has been contributed by the New York Yankees.

Extension for Braun

The more Ryan Braun traveled to various cities during his time in the majors, the more he recognized just how much he loved Milwaukee.

Braun signed a $105 million, five-year contract extension that adds to a seven-year deal he signed in May 2008, meaning the Brewers are committed to pay the young slugger $145.5 million through 2020.

Braun has been picked to start each of the last three All-Star Games and is one of five players to hit at least 125 homers and post a .300 batting average over his first four seasons, joining Joe DiMaggio, Chuck Klein, Albert Pujols and Ted Williams.