Astros to Move to American League

[Gringo]

Have I missed something here? They moved the Brewers to the NL for numbers parity, right? So why an NL>AL shift back?

[Gringo]

And that idiotic sloped center field "hill", is going to destroy someone's knee some day. Allowing ballparks to have all kinds of random field size configurations is unusual enough for a major sport, but to actually allow for a surface level change seems ridiculous, and dangerous, not to mention embarrassingly contrived.

 

There should be a rule that mandates a level playing surface. Seems pretty reasonable, no?

[Laser Show]

And that idiotic sloped center field "hill", is going to destroy someone's knee some day. Allowing ballparks to have all kinds of random field size configurations is unusual enough for a major sport, but to actually allow for a surface level change seems ridiculous, and dangerous, not to mention embarrassingly contrived.

 

There should be a rule that mandates a level playing surface. Seems pretty reasonable, no?

 

I agree, I'm surprised a knee, calf, achilles, or whatever hasn't been destroyed yet. I'm not saying all dimensions need to be alike, but players having a chance to run into brick walls hidden by ivy (Wrigley) or up a hill (Minute Maid) or whatever needs to go. It's a terrible idea. Get these silly obstructions off the fields.

[Jacoby_Ellsbury]

Allowing ballparks to have all kinds of random field size configurations is unusual enough for a major sport' date=' but to actually allow for a surface level change seems ridiculous, and dangerous, not to mention embarrassingly contrived.[/quote']

 

Lol, usually when I bring something like this up, retards tell me to stop trying to push the 'fun' out of the sport.

[Laser Show]

Lol' date=' usually when I bring something like this up, retards tell me to stop trying to push the 'fun' out of the sport.[/quote']

 

Different dimensions are perfectly fine, but things like having bullpens in foul territory, where catchers have their backs to the action, is a recipe for disaster. People have been killed by line drives, it's only a matter of time before a big league catcher bites it.

[Gringo]

Lol' date=' usually when I bring something like this up, retards tell me to stop trying to push the 'fun' out of the sport.[/quote']

 

Mind you, I'm in favor of random outfield measurements...it's a quirk unique to baseball, and Fenway in particular. But the incline in Houston is just f*cking stupid. And dangerous. They have a distinct enough looking ballpark already, they don't need the gimmickry of a goddamn hill in centerfield.

[a700hitter]

Mind you' date=' I'm in favor of random outfield measurements...it's a quirk unique to baseball, and Fenway in particular. But the incline in Houston is just f*cking stupid. And dangerous. They have a distinct enough looking ballpark already, they don't need the gimmickry of a goddamn hill in centerfield.[/quote']I don't get the hill thing either. Why not put a fish pond or creek in the outfield? It would be entertaining to see Carlos Lee diving in to a fish pond to catch a ball.

[SCM33]

Have I missed something here? They moved the Brewers to the NL for numbers parity' date=' right? So why an NL>AL shift back?[/quote']

 

They moved the Brewers to the NL bc of interleague play and with the addition of the Tampa Bay Rays and Diamondbacks, it created an odd number of teams in each league which made scheduling almsot impossible.

 

In March 1995, two new franchises—the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays—were awarded by Major League Baseball, to begin play in 1998. It was decided to add one new team to each league. However, it soon became clear that it would be impractical to have an odd number of teams per league: baseball would either have to give teams many more off-days than in the past, or interleague play would have to be extended year-round, or both. In order for MLB officials to continue the existing schedule, where teams play almost every day and where interleague play is limited to a few days per year, both leagues would need to carry an even number of teams. The decision was made to have one existing club switch leagues.[3]

 

-from wiki

 

The move back, I dont understand. Wont this create schedule conflicts?

[Jasonbay44]

It sounds to me like there is going to be interleague year round, which is whatever. I wouldn't mind it.

[Laser Show]

I don't get the hill thing either. Why not put a fish pond or creek in the outfield? It would be entertaining to see Carlos Lee diving in to a fish pond to catch a ball.

 

[Gringo]

I don't get the hill thing either. Why not put a fish pond or creek in the outfield? It would be entertaining to see Carlos Lee diving in to a fish pond to catch a ball.

 

Or they could release a hyena every third inning, that's an interesting gimmick.

[Gringo]

A good Astros-Rangers rivalry could develop from this....but now we have to send Ellsbury out to that damn CF hill every year....I guarantee some player is gonna blow his knee out while running down a ball on that hill.

[Laser Show]

A good Astros-Rangers rivalry could develop from this....but now we have to send Ellsbury out to that damn CF hill every year....I guarantee some player is gonna blow his knee out while running down a ball on that hill.

 

We could play Lackey in CF in Houston, maybe he'll destroy his knees and have to retire.

[ORS]

Love this move. Houston is the closest city with a Major League team to me, so now I'll get a Sox road-trip every year instead of every 6 years. Score.

[Laser Show]

We need some Sox - D'Backs games!

[MDF3530]

Have I missed something here? They moved the Brewers to the NL for numbers parity' date=' right? So why an NL>AL shift back?[/quote']Supposedly yes, but really it was so Bud Selig (then in a dual role as 'acting commissioner' and owner of the Brewers) could line his pockets a little more with the cash of Cubs fans heading up I-94.

[MDF3530]

To tell the truth, I'd be in favor of MLB getting rid of the AL and NL altogether and going with geographically-aligned conferences and divisions like the NBA and NHL.

 

Here's how I'd see it:

 

Eastern Conference:

 

Northeast Division:

 

Yankees

Mets

Red Sox

Phillies

Blue Jays

 

Southeast Division:

 

Nationals

Orioles

Marlins

Rays

Braves

 

Central Division:

 

Tigers

Guardians

Reds

Brewers

Pirates

 

Western Conference:

 

Midwest Division:

 

Cubs

White Sox

Cardinals

Royals

Twins

 

Southwest Division:

 

Astros

Rangers

Padres

Rockies

Diamondbacks

 

Pacific Division:

 

Angels

Dodgers

Giants

A's

Mariners

 

The problem is it would require a commissioner with a functioning brain to pull something like this off.

[Gringo]

I like your work there, but we'd be mired in the Division of Death with that group. It's tough enough already without the Phillies and the Met$.....

[Laser Show]

we should just go back to 2 - 2 division leagues. Or even 2 - single division leagues.

[MDF3530]

I like your work there' date=' but we'd be mired in the Division of Death with that group. It's tough enough already without the Phillies and the Met$.....[/quote']

I know, but it was the best I could come up with.

 

Oh, and the DH would be mandatory league-wide.