MLB Realignment

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

typically responding when the admin tells you to stop' date=' 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[/quote']

I repeat, I haven't done anything banworthy. I came in and voiced opinion, and you-know-who followed me in and started their usual trolling/baiting spree. I carried on the baseball discussion in a reasonable manner.

 

But if he wants to give me a vacation, so be it.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Why are major sport leagues so obsessed with Florida?

Well, virtually everyone involved with baseball says that expanding into Florida was a huge mistake for them, so there's that.

[jacksonianmarch]

Because there is a large population there in nice weather all year round. The problem is, with nice weather all the time and being full of transplants or the elderly, they dont really have the wear-with-all to stick to one team. If the Marlins go belly-up, then the fans in Miami could just hit the beach or bang some dirty sluts.

[jacksonianmarch]

I repeat' date=' I haven't done anything banworthy. I came in and voiced opinion, and you-know-who followed me in and started her usual trolling/baiting spree.[/quote']

 

I am just a casual observer. I dont hold the ban-hammer nor would I use it at all, but I have a feeling one is coming for you, is all I am saying.

[Palodios]

Because there is a large population there in nice weather all year round. The problem is' date=' with nice weather all the time and being full of transplants or the elderly, they dont really have the wear-with-all to stick to one team. If the Marlins go belly-up, then the fans in Miami could just hit the beach or bang some dirty sluts.[/quote']

 

It just seems like the area is heavily oversaturated with sports. Baseball spring training, 9 major sports teams, good college teams, arguably the 5th biggest tennis tournament of the year... and cougar beach volleyball. Seriously, what is the point of having two hockey teams in a state that never sees snow? Even the Dolphins/Rays/Heat don't do that well for attendance.

[Emmz]

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

 

Lol, you come to this site for an hour a day just to make posts that insult like 80% the people who read it, in other words, whoever disagrees with you. I'm not hurt, I'll admit to baiting you, but it's only because no one likes you, and there's a good chance you'll respond with one of your posts where you pretend to be intelligent and cutting by "dissecting" the argument and get yourself banned. You're just some no-lifer who listens to too much thrash metal and thinks he's a rebel by being socially inept.

 

I wouldn't even think to give you your chops if you would ever post in a civil manner, but your first instinct is to not only disagree, but tell people they're idiots if they disagree with you. This is primitive behavior.

 

I don't regret it if I get banned or not, I didn't insult anyone in this post.

[Emmz]

Those don't work on m..... *drooling... snaps out of it*... me buddy.

[SoxFanForsyth]

If this happens and there is constantly 1 interleague series going on, they will need to either do away with the DH, or institute the DH in the NL. I vote that they institute it into the NL. I'm so tired of watching s***** pitchers try to hit a 96 mph fastball. Oh wait, they don't. All they do is lay down bunts. It's incredibly boring and it's insanely easier to pitch in the NL. 2 outs and runners on 2nd and 3rd in a 1 run game, 8th hitter up? Oh, I'll just pitch around you and throw to the pitcher. It's ridiculous.

 

What needs to happen is for two of the s***** NL teams that play in a small market and has zero success (Astros, Pirates) to be removed from the league. By expanding to two more teams, all you're doing is diluting the talent and whatever division these teams go to, it will be 16-18 more games every year that are easy wins for the better teams. Then you can go to the 14 team AL and 14 team NL and remove the divisions, but at least you won't have IL games being played every night.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

I agree Forsyth the NL needs to have DH.

[SoxFanForsyth]

Because there is a large population there in nice weather all year round. The problem is' date=' with nice weather all the time and being full of transplants or the elderly, they dont really have the wear-with-all to stick to one team. If the Marlins go belly-up, then the fans in Miami could just hit the beach or bang some dirty sluts.[/quote']

 

Not to mention they are retirement villages, and all of the true fans that stick with a team through thick and thin already have their allegiances elsewhere (i.e. Yankees, Red Sox). So teams don't do well there.

[Youk Of The Nation]

They would never dissolve teams with an extended history, though. The Pirates have been around basically since the beginning, and the Astros have been around for a very long time. The only way they could get rid of teams would be to dissolve any of the 90s expansion teams, but the problems start there too. The Rockies and Diamondbacks are popular teams, Colorado by itself draws big crowds. The Rays are a highly competitive team with some young talent and would be obviously reluctant to go. That leaves basically the Marlins. The only other option would seem to be maybe the Nationals, but even they have a lot going in Strasburg and Harper and would probably fight a dissolution.

[italstallianion]

I agree Forsyth the NL needs to have DH.

 

 

In my opinion it just needs to be consistent. Whether the NL has the DH, or the AL pitchers bat (I'd prefer the former) but it has to be consistent. That makes it easier to compare statistics and negotiate FA salaries. And it also makes it easier to gauge fantasy baseball player value.

[SoxFanForsyth]

They would never dissolve teams with an extended history' date=' though. The Pirates have been around basically since the beginning, and the Astros have been around for a very long time. The only way they could get rid of teams would be to dissolve any of the 90s expansion teams, but the problems start there too. The Rockies and Diamondbacks are popular teams, Colorado by itself draws big crowds. The Rays are a highly competitive team with some young talent and would be obviously reluctant to go. That leaves basically the Marlins. The only other option would seem to be maybe the Nationals, but even they have a lot going in Strasburg and Harper and would probably fight a dissolution.[/quote']

 

I agree with that. Dissolving the Pirates and Astros would be solely because they are terrible right now and have been, but doesn't take into account their farm system or future of the team. Going into 2 15 team leagues would really kill the Cubs/Cards, Cards/Reds, Giants/Dodgers, Yanks/Sox rivalries because those aren't the teams you're constantly battling for the top spot in the division, so theres no longer going to be any hatred. Which would suck.

 

I say leave it like it is, it's worked fine in the past. The WC addresses the lack of symmetry in the divisions just fine.

[SoxFanForsyth]

In my opinion it just needs to be consistent. Whether the NL has the DH' date=' or the AL pitchers bat (I'd prefer the former) but it has to be consistent. That makes it easier to compare statistics and negotiate FA salaries. And it also makes it easier to gauge fantasy baseball player value. [/quote']

 

They would almost have to go with the DH. You add jobs by adding the DH. You piss away jobs if you retract it. Ortiz can still hit 40 HR (apparently) and drive in 110-120, but he's a horrible 1st baseman. Vlad can't play the OF for crap, but he can still rip. As players start to break down, their defense goes first, so why not keep their offense in the game?

 

Now that the steroid era is over, and it's becoming the "years of the pitcher", the last thing that needs to happen is for the MLB to do something to reduce the offense even more. They need to create more offense, which means adding the DH to the NL.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

In my opinion it just needs to be consistent. Whether the NL has the DH' date=' or the AL pitchers bat (I'd prefer the former) but it has to be consistent. That makes it easier to compare statistics and negotiate FA salaries. And it also makes it easier to gauge fantasy baseball player value. [/quote']

 

DH please. I don't want pitchers batting because they can't hit, increases the risk of more injury and having a DH makes it more competitive.

[Lyellfinch]

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've heard unsubstantiated reports that after the realignment they plan to have two more expansion teams bringing the total to 32, 16 in each league.

[italstallianion]

DH please. I don't want pitchers batting because they can't hit' date=' increases the risk of more injury [b']and having a DH makes it more competitive[/b].

 

 

I don't really see how that's true, since it's all or nothing, either they both have it or they both don't. I don't see how both leagues having the DH makes it any more competitive than both leagues not having it.

[Emmz]

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=9873701

 

This is why I would miss pitchers hitting.

[SoxFanForsyth]

I don't really see how that's true' date=' since it's all or nothing, either they both have it or they both don't. I don't see how both leagues having the DH makes it any more competitive than both leagues not having it.[/quote']

 

It's basically putting more or less emphasis on the pitcher, that's all. With the DH, there's more emphasis on offense. Without it, there's more emphasis on pitching.

 

MLB thrives on homeruns and all things offense. Surely the financial minds will realize this and institute the DH.

[SoxFanForsyth]

http://mlb.mlb.com/video/play.jsp?content_id=15641137

 

This is why I'd miss the DH.

[italstallianion]

It's basically putting more or less emphasis on the pitcher, that's all. With the DH, there's more emphasis on offense. Without it, there's more emphasis on pitching.

 

MLB thrives on homeruns and all things offense. Surely the financial minds will realize this and institute the DH.

 

 

Perhaps, but that doesn't make a point about it being competitive. Competitive is related to being even/close (not a blowout), not related to being offensive based.

[Emmz]

I could go either way on the DH rule for the NL, it doesn't really make that much a difference to me, I sort of like the way things are right now. What they ought to fix is instant replays. Honestly, pitchers don't hurt themselves hitting, most baseball injuries occur out in the field, I can't find figures, but I don't see the big deal with pitchers hitting. It provides different challenges that also lead to different strategies, and sometimes more fun. I like the DH and the pitcher hitting, so tbh, I'm hoping they keep it like it is.

[RedSoxfanforlife305]

Perhaps' date=' but that doesn't make a point about it being competitive. Competitive is related to being even/close (not a blowout), not related to being offensive based.[/quote']

 

I didn't mean to make it out that way. Perhaps "competitive" wasn't the word I should have used.

[Six4Three]

Selig said recently that he could see the DH being removed from the AL relatively soon. Of course, Selig would probably be gone before it happened. There would need to be a fair amount of notice or else several AL teams would be stuck with some grossly overpaid pinch hitters. (A-Rod during the last few years of his deal). Removing it would keep salaries, length of contracts, and ticket prices in check but many AL fans wouldn't show up to see NL style ball. I say remove the DH if for no other reason than to keep the game more athletic.

 

I'd love to see fewer teams but I don't think it will happen. The Marlins have a new stadium so they won't be contracted. The Rangers, as mentioned previously, are in metro Dallas already. The Rays just need to move 30 minutes north to Tampa to solve their attendance problem. Pittsburgh is a great sports town, the problem is the Pirates front office. New York/New Jersey/Hartford/Boston could NEVER convert their current fans over to a new team.

[TeddyBallGame9]

I used to hate the DH but when an AL team plays in a NL park, I sure miss it. Didn't think I'd ever say that!

[Divinity]

The players would never agree to the removal of the DH, its replacing a $10,000,000 position into a extra relief pitcher slot.

[RedSox_Ruszkowski]

i think this idea really helps out the al east, but in a whole it would kind of kill rivalry in baseball. division games mean so much more with the thought of losing/gaining ground within your division. the only "rivalry" games will be the longstanding ones of the past. as of now, the AL playoff teams would come out of the east and central. maybe in time it could make sense, but as of now i'm not for it. i like my games to have some meaning. maybe it's just me, but i'm old school. if it's not broke, don't fix it!

[RedSox_Ruszkowski]

Because there is a large population there in nice weather all year round. The problem is' date=' with nice weather all the time and being full of transplants or the elderly, they dont really have the wear-with-all to stick to one team. If the Marlins go belly-up, then the fans in Miami could just hit the beach or bang some dirty sluts.[/quote']

 

i hate to say it, but FL's weather isn't great all year long. i live in tampa. during the majority of the summer ( baseball season) it rains EVERY DAY!! during the hours of 4-7 you can expect at least a half hour of rain, if not more. and the fans here are the biggest band-wagon pieces of trash i have ever seen!

[Lionbush]

I've always found it odd the way they divisions are structured.

 

I guess being in the uk and watching football (round ball type) I'm just used to seeing divisions consisting of 20+ teams. The one with best record and top of the league wins the trophy.

 

I understand the history of the American/National leagues etc, but why are they further split into East/Centraal/West? Is it historical to do with the geographical elements when travel was difficult or something else totally different?

[Palodios]

I've always found it odd the way they divisions are structured.

 

I guess being in the uk and watching football (round ball type) I'm just used to seeing divisions consisting of 20+ teams. The one with best record and top of the league wins the trophy.

 

I understand the history of the American/National leagues etc, but why are they further split into East/Centraal/West? Is it historical to do with the geographical elements when travel was difficult or something else totally different?

 

Baseball plays significantly more games than football. Divisional foes play eachother 18 times in a year,(not sure how AL West/NL Central play against eachother) , 4-8 games against league foes, and 0-6 games against teams outside of their league. Playing more games against teams close-by cuts out significant amount of travel(and dealing with time zone differences for the players/fans), creates rivalries, and determines playoff teams.