It is assumed that each league's best team wins the pennant. While that assumption is sometimes wrong, it is still a safe assumption most of the time. Mantle, Ruth, Ford, Gibson, Reynolds, and Ruffing set their records against pennant winners. They didn't play "wild card" opponents or mediocre division winners. How would the 2005 San Diego Padres, National League Western Division Champions, have fared against the 2005 Chicago White Sox in the World Series?
The playoffs generate tremendous revenues, which means that if any changes are made, the changes will result in even more playoff series, not less, which will continue to decrease the significance of World Series records. It is still possible for fans to remember World Series winners but with the passage of time, it is virtually impossible to recall division winners, much less "wild card" winners.
Even casual fans remember that the Yankees have won the most World Series, that Don Larsen has pitched the World Series' only perfect game, that Brooklyn finally won it all in 1955, and that the Red Sox went 86 years without winning the World Series. But how many fans remember more recent events, such as the fact that the all time batting average leader in the Division Series is Fernando Vina (.404), that Chipper Jones broke a tie with Juan Gonzalez, Bernie Williams, and Jim Thome when he hit his ninth career Division Series home run in this year's playoffs, and that Andy Pettitte has allowed the most lifetime hits among pitchers who have appeared in the Division Series?
Yes, Bernie Williams has hit the most "postseason" home runs, John Smoltz has won the most "postseason" games, and Tom Glavine has the most "postseason" losses, but Barry Bonds has hit .245 in nine "postseason" series, yet he has a .471 World Series batting average, which is the highest lifetime batting average in World Series history. Who is confused? How about most of the fans. No, make that those who blend all the records after the regular season ends together.
References:
http://www.nytimes.com/packages/html/spo...
http://www.baseball-reference.com/postse...
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