MLB Realignment

[Lyellfinch]

Apparently owners and players are discussing moving a team from the National league to the American league so that each one has 15. This would mean there would almost certainly be an inter-league game on an almost daily basis instead of a few times a year like it is now. In addition they are thinking of removing divisions and giving playoff spots to the top 5 teams in each league.

 

What do you guys think of this? I'm intrigued but I haven't thought about the cons much. I feel like it's truer to the days when pennants were decided by whichever team had the leagues best record.

[ORS]

If this comes to fruition, I like it. I like the idea of no divisions and a balanced schedule - with interleague spread out throughout the season.

 

However, I see no need for a 5th playoff team if these things happen. The whole point of a 5th playoff team right now, IMO, is that they are trying to rectify the situation where a team finishes 3rd in its division with a better record than a division winner from another division. If there are no divisions and the schedule is balanced, the top 4 teams is fair enough.

[Palodios]

When talking about these kinds of things, I always emphasize the need for parity. More interleague games is fine, but the league needs to find a better solution to interleague issues. I'm tired of AL pitchers getting injured at the plate, and it can be painful to see NL teams try to field the DH position with their utility guy.

 

The other big issue is that the MLB likes to create "marque matchups", but at the same time that gives better teams unfair schedules where the Sox play the Phillies every year, and the Yankees play the Mets. FTS

[jacksonianmarch]

If this comes to fruition, I like it. I like the idea of no divisions and a balanced schedule - with interleague spread out throughout the season.

 

However, I see no need for a 5th playoff team if these things happen. The whole point of a 5th playoff team right now, IMO, is that they are trying to rectify the situation where a team finishes 3rd in its division with a better record than a division winner from another division. If there are no divisions and the schedule is balanced, the top 4 teams is fair enough.

 

I agree wholeheartedly. I think the point of having the divisions is to reign in the markets from all aspects of the country for the playoffs. But it destroys parity in the game. I have personally become bored with the 18-19 games per yr vs the sox. Why do the AL Central teams get to feast on the s*** of the division 18-19 times while we get them what, 8-9 times? I'd love to face KC or Cleveland more times than the sox. Only 4 teams are needed, even out the entire playing schedule. Make it so every team plays every team if you are going to do the interleague thing. And then even out the rest of the games vs the league. It is the only way to do the right thing here. And think about it, how amazing is it that the Yankees and sox have essentially been perennial playoff teams while having to go through the toughest division in baseball on a yearly basis?

[Palodios]

I agree wholeheartedly. I think the point of having the divisions is to reign in the markets from all aspects of the country for the playoffs. But it destroys parity in the game. I have personally become bored with the 18-19 games per yr vs the sox. Why do the AL Central teams get to feast on the s*** of the division 18-19 times while we get them what' date=' 8-9 times? I'd love to face KC or Cleveland more times than the sox. Only 4 teams are needed, even out the entire playing schedule. Make it so every team plays every team if you are going to do the interleague thing. And then even out the rest of the games vs the league. It is the only way to do the right thing here. And think about it, how amazing is it that the Yankees and sox have essentially been perennial playoff teams while having to go through the toughest division in baseball on a yearly basis?[/quote']

 

But doesn't this destroy the purpose of creating more opportunity in the MLB? Instead of having 9 teams fighting for 2 spots in the AL, now there will essentially be 13 teams fighting for 2 spots, and the teams at the bottom will lose their fanbases early.

[Dojji]

2 expansion teams in Montreal (AL) and out on the west coast (Vancouver? Portland? Salt Lake?) and we aren't having this conversation

 

AL East:

 

Boston

Baltimore

TB

Montreal

NYY

 

AL Central

 

Toronto

Detroit

Cleveland

Chi WS

KC

Minn

 

West:

LAA

Texas

Oakland

Seattle

Vancouver/Portland/another Western city

 

It's been about 13 years since our last expansion, I'd say we're about due to look at growing the league again.

[Will617]

Expanding the league doesn't solve the basic problem of the fact that the AL East is still 3-4 teams fighting for one spot, and then the losers fighting for the Wild Card.

I think that's also what they want to do with the 5th team - they don't want, say, the AL Central to end up with no teams in the playoffs.

[ORS]

2 expansion teams in Montreal (AL) and out on the west coast (Vancouver? Portland? Salt Lake?) and we aren't having this conversation

 

AL East:

 

Boston

Baltimore

TB

Montreal

NYY

 

AL Central

 

Toronto

Detroit

Cleveland

Chi WS

KC

Minn

 

West:

LAA

Texas

Oakland

Seattle

Vancouver/Portland/another Western city

 

It's been about 13 years since our last expansion, I'd say we're about due to look at growing the league again.

I'd prefer contraction/relocation to expansion. Some current markets don't/can't support a MLB team as it is right now.

[MDF3530]

2 expansion teams in Montreal (AL) and out on the west coast (Vancouver? Portland? Salt Lake?) and we aren't having this conversation

 

AL East:

 

Boston

Baltimore

TB

Montreal

NYY

 

AL Central

 

Toronto

Detroit

Cleveland

Chi WS

KC

Minn

 

West:

LAA

Texas

Oakland

Seattle

Vancouver/Portland/another Western city

 

It's been about 13 years since our last expansion, I'd say we're about due to look at growing the league again.

I think the most likely scenario you'd see would be the Astros going to the AL West.

[SCM33]

I'd prefer contraction/relocation to expansion. Some current markets don't/can't support a MLB team as it is right now.

 

Yup.

 

7 teams right now arent even selling out 50% of their seats.

 

KC is at 49.3

Arizona is 47.1

Baltimore is 45.0

Seattle is 44.3

Florida is 43.9

Cleveland is 43.5

Toronto is 42.5

 

Conversely, only 4 teams selling out 90% or more of their seats. Think about that, only 4 teams out of 30 fill their stadiums.

 

Philadelphia is 104.1

Boston is 101.0

San Fran is 99.4

Minnesota is 98.2

 

After those 4 teams, its a pretty significant drop with the Yankees selling 86.7% of their tickets on a nightly average.

 

Expansion is the worst possible idea for baseball. Montreal should have been contracted, not relocated and the Marlins have been a disgrace for over 10 years. Even in 2003 when the won the world series, they were only selling 44.8% of their seats. Take baseball out of Florida completely. Relocate the Devil Rays, fans in Florida don't deserve a baseball team, they certainly don't care about professional baseball since nobody ever shows up to the games to either team.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

When talking about these kinds of things' date=' I always emphasize the need for parity. More interleague games is fine, but the league needs to find a better solution to interleague issues. I'm tired of AL pitchers getting injured at the plate, and it can be painful to see NL teams try to field the DH position with their utility guy.[/quote']

 

This could have been solved a long time ago if the traditionalist idiots running baseball would just use the DH everywhere. But noooooooooooope.

[Emmz]

Oh good, J_E's here to inform everyone who doesn't agree with him how stupid they are, and how everything's about fairness in sports. How many times have we seen this?

[MDF3530]

Oh good' date=' J_E's here to inform everyone who doesn't agree with him how stupid they are, and how everything's about fairness in sports. How many times have we seen this?[/quote']

I'm going to make a ballpark guess and say 12,426.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Urrite, who needs fairness when you have tradition? People would obviously abandon the sport if they did petty things like use the same rules in both leagues and use the same dimensions for every place. Baseball would lose it's royal place as the American past-time! Oh noez!!1!

 

I enjoy watching people flop around when they try to combat this.

[Emmz]

This guy, he's the Babe Ruth of logical fallacies.

 

I won't tease you too much, I feel bad picking on defectives.

 

I'll just say that the fan definitely have no say in what goes on in professional sports. Nope, no sir, nuh uh. It's not like fans and entertainment are right and boring fairness could ever be wrong. Sieg heil J_E!

[Emmz]

I'm going to make a ballpark guess and say 12' date='426.[/quote']

 

He goes through that number on a daily basis.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

It's not like fans and entertainment are right and boring fairness could ever be wrong.

 

The vast majority of fans are f***ing idiots.

 

Entertainment is entirely subjective. Level playing fields would not affect the game's entertainment value in the least.

 

Fairness (or 'logic', as I prefer to call it) is never a bad thing.

 

God you people need to f***ing let go of this tradition ********. I don't a give a flying f*** what went on in your childhood, and neither would a competent commissioner and owner committee. Grow up.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

"why can't we be friends?"

[Emmz]

The vast majority of fans are f***ing idiots.

 

Entertainment is entirely subjective. Level playing fields would not affect the game's entertainment value in the least.

 

Fairness (or 'logic', as I prefer to call it) is never a bad thing.

 

God you people need to f***ing let go of this tradition ********. I don't a give a flying f*** what went on in your childhood, and neither would a competent commissioner and owner committee. Grow up.

 

You definitely wouldn't know logic if it hit you in the face.

 

And yes it would, if everything were the same, where's the difference? Everything's the same now, oh, no pitchers parks, no hitters parks, everything's a neutral park. ZZZZZZZZ.

 

Fairness=/=Logic (A logical fallacy where you've integrated the word "logic" into the fallacy, bravo, 10/10 J_E, very creative).

[yeszir]

J_E and Emmz, you guys want to be banned? That can absolutely happen.

[jacksonianmarch]

There are markets that would eat up a baseball team. The problem is, there are already teams in those markets. Boston could support a second team. And NY could support a third team. And what about Dallas? And I bet a NJ team would do pretty well also.

[italstallianion]

There are markets that would eat up a baseball team. The problem is' date=' there are already teams in those markets. Boston could support a second team. And NY could support a third team. And what about Dallas? And I bet a NJ team would do pretty well also.[/quote']

 

 

The Yankees might finally have a good fanbase once the Jersey Shore creatures get their own team.

[Emmz]

There are markets that would eat up a baseball team. The problem is' date=' there are already teams in those markets. Boston could support a second team. And NY could support a third team. And what about Dallas? And I bet a NJ team would do pretty well also.[/quote']

 

The Rangers are too close to Dallas, they might has well be the Dallas Rangers.

[Emmz]

The Yankees might finally have a good fanbase once the Jersey Shore creatures get their own team.

 

I think it's the other way around.

[Palodios]

Why are major sport leagues so obsessed with Florida? 2 NHL, 2 MLB, 2 NFL, 1 NBA. Who thought that was a good idea? Do any of those teams ever sell out during the regular season?

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

Why are major sport leagues so obsessed with Florida? 2 NHL' date=' 2 MLB, 2 NFL, 1 NBA. Who thought that was a good idea?[/quote']

 

Actually 2 NBA Orlando Magic

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

You definitely wouldn't know logic if it hit you in the face.

 

Let's see... would 'I know what you are but what am I?' work as a response to this, despite its lack of wit? Yeah, I think so.

 

And yes it would, if everything were the same, where's the difference? Everything's the same now, oh, no pitchers parks, no hitters parks, everything's a neutral park. ZZZZZZZZ.

 

In other words, you think the game is incredibly boring and a waste of time as is, so all these dumb little quirks and gimmicks are necessary to keep you involved. Maybe slamball is a sport you should start following.

 

And where's the difference in basketball? Football? Hockey? They have equal sets of rules, I don't see anyone suggesting that the NFL pass a rule that gives teams freedom to alter their goalposts and field distances. Wow, what an un-fun crowd.

 

If people enjoy baseball, they enjoy baseball, and they will not abandon the sport just because somebody in charge pulled his head out of his ass and put everyone on a level playing field. The very few people that would spurn the game because everyone was put on a level playing field just don't have opinions worth considering.

 

Fairness=/=Logic (A logical fallacy where you've integrated the word "logic" into the fallacy, bravo, 10/10 J_E, very creative).

 

The same set of rules across an entire sport (a.k.a. fairness) is perfectly logical. Otherwise there is absolutely zero reason to play the game.

 

You will never be able to formulate a valid argument (omg I haz fun tho!! is not valid) as to why the opposite is true. Never. It's impossible. I'm right, you're wrong as s*** and so is everyone who agrees with this trash. Stop talking.

 

J_E and Emmz' date=' you guys want to be banned? That can absolutely happen.[/quote']

 

I haven't done anything banworthy (then again, that hasn't stopped you before).

[jacksonianmarch]

typically responding when the admin tells you to stop, then slighting the admin after continuing to fan the flames is not adviseable. I wont tell you to stop, but I have a feeling a vacation is in the works for you

[italstallianion]

Why are major sport leagues so obsessed with Florida? 2 NHL' date=' 2 MLB, 2 NFL, 1 NBA. Who thought that was a good idea? Do any of those teams ever sell out during the regular season?[/quote']

 

Actually 2 NBA Orlando Magic

 

 

And 3 NFL. Buccaneers, Dolphins, and Jaguars.

[Palodios]

Why are major sport leagues so obsessed with Florida?