The schedule change is a good one because it emphasizes division rivalries. For example, the Yankees and Red Sox are scheduled to meet 19 times in 2001, compared to just 12 times this season. Unfortunately, the entire premise of the wild card goes out the window with an unbalanced schedule. That one final playoff spot should in theory go to the best non-division winning team in each league. But if several teams in a tough division keep knocking each other off, there's a good chance a weaker team in an easier division will wind up with the best record.
Baseball needs to figure out which races are more important.
If the division races are to be the focus, make teams win their divisions to make the playoffs. If baseball wants the four best teams in the playoffs, then give every team an equal chance and have them play the same schedule. It would give the good teams incentive to keep playing hard for an entire season and it would keep the focus on winning the division. Pennant races, not wild-card chases. That's my definition of September excitement.