Sportswriter Dayn Perry, a regular contributor to FOXSports.com, contends that the extra round of playoffs generated by the creation of wild-card berths in each league weakens the playoff pool and allows teams such as the St. Louis Cardinals to reach the World Series after finishing 83-78 during the regular season. In a recent column, he makes the point that allowing teams to reach the postseason without winning a division title "cheapens the notion of a championship and devalues the regular season." He believes the gains of having more drama in September playoff races are compromised by having "undesirable" teams win pennants in October. A wild-card team has played in each of the last five World Series, winning three, so Perry has a point. Winning a World Series has more to do about getting hot in October than being the best team from April through September. Let's face it, though, the wild card is here to stay. Reportedly MLB is looking at changing the number of home games the higher seed has in the first round, in order to give the favored club better odds. If we assume the wild card isn't going away, then the best option is changing the first round to a best-of-seven series. A two-game losing streak by a favored team won't be a season-breaker, and the team with the better pitching staff is likely to prevail. That's a more sensible solution, considering the home team has won only three more games than the road team over the last two postseasons. After all, good teams win on the road, but the better team is more likely to win if it takes four victories to advance instead of three.