OT: MLB Realignment

[RUChet]

MLB Commish Manfred discussed a radical idea to realign along geographic lines if MLB adds 2 teams to get to 32.

I am in favor.

potentially 8 4-team divisions.

imagine a 4 team division if Boston, NY, NY, Philly. It would be so intense!

or Chicago, Chicago, Mil, Minny?

Or Det, Cle, Cincy, Pitt?

 

[Leonard23]

Hate it. No need for expansion or realignment. There's not enough talent for 30 teams, so adding 2 more will make it even worse.

 

[rureadyforsomefootball]

No F'n way. Is attendance down? No. Are owners making money? Yes. Don't F*ck with the best sport ever!

 

[Zak57]

Would be an awful decision.

 

[knightfan7]

One of the biggest long time rivalries is Cubs - Cards. Fans of both teams would want them together.

 

[newell138]

One of the things people love about baseball is the tradition. Bad idea

 

[DJ Spanky]

No more new teams, no realignment.

 

[yesrutgers01]

It still blows my mind thinking about Houston being in the AL and Milwaukee being in the NL...

I hate those divisions mentioned above.

 

[RUChet]

Hate it. No need for expansion or realignment. There's not enough talent for 30 teams, so adding 2 more will make it even worse.

If they get more Japanese and Cuban players then there is enough talent for 32 teams.

but they could realign without expansion too in 6 5-team divisions.

 

[Shoreagle]

It's a truly stupid idea. Which means MLB is definitely going to do it.

 

[MADHAT1]

This is from an AI scenario, with a few changes by me
New MLB divisions

East Coast

• AL> New York Mets, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies
• NL> Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays

South/Midwest

• AL>Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins
• NL>Atlanta Braves, Nashville expansion team, Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays

Central

• AL>Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers, Houston Astros, Colorado Rockies
• NL>Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs Milwaukee Brewers,, St. Louis Cardinals

West Coast/Mountain

• AL>Seattle Mariners, Las Vegas Athletics , Arizona Diamondback, Salt Lake City expansion team
• NL >Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants

 

[Anon1751632159]

So the Braves will win their division 92 years in a row ???

 

[cioffineverrana43]

Pods!

 

[megadrone]

I have not liked any of these proposals but at this point the leagues are practically meaningless, divisions are almost meaningless so you could realign or just have 1-30 in one grouping and the top 2 make the playoffs.

 

[DJ Spanky]

I have not liked any of these proposals but at this point the leagues are practically meaningless, divisions are almost meaningless so you could realign or just have 1-30 in one grouping and the top 2 make the playoffs.

Completely agree. I thought interleague play was a bad idea exactly for that reason. In a sense it's made the World Series and the All-Star Game less meaningful.

 

[MADHAT1]

Completely agree. I thought interleague play was a bad idea exactly for that reason. In a sense it's made the World Series and the All-Star Game less meaningful.

I say four 8 team divisions ( NL 2 >AL 2) , based on geography, and end interleague play .
All star game would be the winner of AL division match-up vrs the winner of the NL match ups
A weekend affir with a Friday night came for one leagues elimination game and other elimination Saturday afternoon.
Sunday would be the winning all star team in AL vs NL's winner.
All Star weekend would be a moneymaker for MLB .
But I'm sure four 8 team divisions would go against MLB's desire to pad the playoffs with teams > more playoff games at a higher price then regular season fare means more money for all.

 

[24Babybull]

They already got rid of the Leagues with NL DH & Interleague play...that ship has sailed. Now it's just a matter of making it official & moving teams around.

Pretty sure the next 2 expansion teams are - Portland & Nashville

 

[HeavenUniversity]

They have already altered divisions over the years and had teams switch leagues. I would rather see realignment than that nonsense ghost runner.

 

[RUChet]

They already got rid of the Leagues with NL DH & Interleague play...that ship has sailed. Now it's just a matter of making it official & moving teams around.

Pretty sure the next 2 expansion teams are - Portland & Nashville

It does seem crazy that NC has no mlb team. State is over 10M and growing fast. Charlotte or /Durham would be good places for a team but agree on Nashville They are definitely getting one. Portland maybe......Other candidates could be San Antonio, Austin, or Salt Lake City

 

[BIGRUBIGDBIGredmachine]

This is from an AI scenario, with a few changes by me
New MLB divisions

East Coast

• AL> New York Mets, New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Philadelphia Phillies
• NL> Baltimore Orioles, Washington Nationals, Pittsburgh Pirates, Toronto Blue Jays

South/Midwest

• AL>Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers, Minnesota Twins
• NL>Atlanta Braves, Nashville expansion team, Miami Marlins, Tampa Bay Rays

Central

• AL>Kansas City Royals, Texas Rangers, Houston Astros, Colorado Rockies
• NL>Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs Milwaukee Brewers,, St. Louis Cardinals

West Coast/Mountain

• AL>Seattle Mariners, Las Vegas Athletics , Arizona Diamondback, Salt Lake City expansion team
• NL >Los Angeles Dodgers, Los Angeles Angels, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants

BigRedMachine says hell no, we won't go to A.L.

 

[HeavenUniversity]

It does seem crazy that NC has no mlb team. State is over 10M and growing fast. Charlotte or /Durham would be good places for a team but agree on Nashville They are definitely getting one. Portland maybe......Other candidates could be San Antonio, Austin, or Salt Lake City

Still wouldn’t be surprised to see the Devil Rays end up in Orlando. Group there already set up with a TON of money ready.—Salt Lake City has already said they will give $900 million to a MLB team.—Las Vegas situation seems to be dragging.

 

[RUChet]

My guess is we posters are on average on the older side so not surprised 75% voter no here.

But mlb is looking for ways to attract younger viewers as there has been a decline in young fan attendance and viewership. i remember as a youth listening to games on the radio while doing other activities.

wonder how many under 18 yr olds watch or listen to games anymore…..

I love the game and since there is so much inter league play already and universal DH, the alignment of teams into new divisions really doesn’t change much except it’ll cut down on travel and possibly create more regional rivalries

 

[Anon1751632159]

Issue is the salary cap or lack there of

4 of the top 5/6 payrolls can’t be in same division
The Braves division would be a joke
Teams leading divisions have horrible bullpens and diluting pitching staffs even more would be terrible , don’t add teams just move Tampa and the marlins Nashville and Montreal/Charolette.

The only way you might get a “semi” hard cap is to enforce a salary minimum.
Players feel a cap would just stop Mets Phillies Yankees dodgers padres and Sox from spending money
The crappy pirates rays marlins A’s owners would still spend nothing and cash in on tv deals

 

[OntheBanks]

My guess is we posters are on average on the older side so not surprised 75% voter no here.

But mlb is looking for ways to attract younger viewers as there has been a decline in young fan attendance and viewership. i remember as a youth listening to games on the radio while doing other activities.

wonder how many under 18 yr olds watch or listen to games anymore…..

I love the game and since there is so much inter league play already and universal DH, the alignment of teams into new divisions really doesn’t change much except it’ll cut down on travel and possibly create more regional rivalries

I haven't watched an inning in this century. I liked baseball when there were no Playoffs & wildcards. Just the winner of the National vs the winner of the American leagues after 154 games. When pitchers would have complete games.

 

[TheREALRutgers1976]

It's always about money, and TV money at that. I'd think the realignment along geographical lines makes sense for fans watching in a given time zone. Who stays up late on the east coast to watch a Mets-Dodgers game, or even a Yankees-Mariners game? An NFL-model schedule makes sense with most of the games within the 4 team division in your league and the same regional division in the other league with a small number of games vs. another region.

To do that successfully, expansion to 32 teams would make it work better. Where will the new teams be? In the east, perhaps a team in Charlotte or Ralleigh in NC or maybe Nashville. Would they want to return to Montreal? Out west, the most likely places would be Portland or Salt Lake City. This alignment assumes one expansion team in the east, one in the west, but if both were in the same part of the country, that would require an adjustment. Yes, I see the Cubs/Cards would be split up, but I'm not sure I see a way around it. right now.

East: Mets, Yanks, Boston, Philly, Baltimore, Washington, Pittsburgh, Nashville/Montreal/Charlotte

Central: Minny, Milwaukee, Cubs, Chisox, Toronto, Detroit, Cincinnati, Cleveland

South: Atlanta, Tampa, Miami, Texas, Houston, St. Louis, KC, Colorado

West: San Diego, Angels, Dodgers, Giants, Seattle, Arizona, Las Vegas A's, Portland/SLC.