We want to catch Tampa but if not - we want the Yankees to catch Tampa

[bobo52]

There are 4 WC teams but the WC1 will probably be the division winner in the West.  Remember one of the WC teams is the division winner with the worst record - and that division winner is the #1 seed regardless of record.  

Interestingly in the National League - that was the Dodgers last year and might be them again this year.  They simply want to get into the playoffs and then trot out Yamamoto, Snell, Skubal and Ohtani and clean up on you.  

With WC1 being Houston right now - the Yankees and Sox are #2 and #3 and would play each other.  

Right now we play the Yankees and all 3 games are in Yankee Stadium.  

If we catch the Yankees - we still play them but get them in Fenway.

If the Yankees catch Tampa - we probably get Tampa.  If we catch both the Yankees and Tampa - we can rest in the WC round as those 2 teams play each other.  

Added bonus to the scenario where the Yankees catch Tampa is that we dont play the Yankees until the ALCS.

Id rather face the Yankees later since I think they are the toughest team in the AL.  Give somebody else the chance to beat them so that we might not even play them and/or we have a longer playoff run. 

 

[JoeBrady]

Catching the Rays is very unlikely, but would be huge.  That would give us the best record in the AL and make us a nominal favorite to go to the WS.

But catching the NYY would be pretty big as well.

[UtahSox]

I agree. But it would be nice to somehow get on the other side of the bracket away from the AL East teams.
 

I think baseball should either expand to 8 playoff teams and play a best of five opening series orrrrrrr favor more total record versus division champion. (my preferred)

 

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, UtahSox said:

I agree. But it would be nice to somehow get on the other side of the bracket away from the AL East teams.
 

I think baseball should either expand to 8 playoff teams and play a best of five opening series orrrrrrr favor more total record versus division champion. (my preferred)

 

I'd guess that's in the plans.  As soon as LV and TB are settled in new stadiums, add two teams to make it an even 32.  Four divisions, four WC teams, maybe cut back on regular season games and expand the playoffs.  That could be an excellent bargaining chip for both sides for the new CBA.  More revenue can put out a lot of fires.

[bobo52]

Quote

I'd guess that's in the plans.  As soon as LV and TB are settled in new stadiums, add two teams to make it an even 32.  Four divisions, four WC teams, maybe cut back on regular season games and expand the playoffs.  That could be an excellent bargaining chip for both sides for the new CBA.  More revenue can put out a lot of fires.

Id love to see the playoffs expanded, the regular season shortened and the playoffs starting in early to mid September.  Games being played in 40-50 degree weather in NY and Boston at night in late October are a problem.  Eliminate 20 regular season games since the regular season dent mean as much anyways when 8 teams make the playoffs.  Then ave the playoffs Start September 8-10 and end by October 15.  

[JoeBrady]

6 hours ago, bobo52 said:

Id love to see the playoffs expanded, the regular season shortened and the playoffs starting in early to mid September.  Games being played in 40-50 degree weather in NY and Boston at night in late October are a problem.  Eliminate 20 regular season games since the regular season dent mean as much anyways when 8 teams make the playoffs.  Then ave the playoffs Start September 8-10 and end by October 15.  

I used to have Yankee season tickets, and chopped them up between friends.  You've never seen anything more unpopular than an early-April, Tuesday night against KC.  People wouldn't even bother to ask about some of those games.  Take 6 off the last week of September and 6 off the first week of April.  Add another week of playoff games.

[moonslav59]

To be honest, I'd rather see MLB shrink to 28 teams (4 divisions of 7.) It won't ever happen, but baseball would be better with 28.

32 teams does make for an easier playoff format, with 4 division winners and 4 WC per league, but I hope they don't hand the division winners the home field.

I might prefer 4 divisions of 8 over 8 divisions of 4, but that won't happen. If no teams switch leagues, maybe the 8 divisions might look like this:

AL

BOS, NYY, BAL, TOR

DET, CLE, CWS, MIN

TBR, KCR, HOU, TEX

SEA, SAC, LAA, LV

NL

NYM, PHI, WSH PIT

ATL, MIA, NC, STL

CIN, MIL, CHC, COL

SFG, LAD, SDP, AZ

I'd swap a few NL-AL teams into this:

AL

BOS, NYY, BAL, WSH

MIA, TBR, HOU, TEX

TOR, CLE, DET, CIN

SEA, LAA, LV, SAC

NL

NYM, PHI, PIT, NC

ATL, STL, KCR, COL

CHC, CWS, MIL, MIN

SFG, LAD, SDP, AZ

Go total Geographic:

TOR, BOS, NYY, NYM

PHI, PIT, WSH, BAL

NC, ATL, TBR, MIA

DET, CLE, CIN, INDY

MIN, MIL, CWS, CHC

KCR, STL, TEX, HOU

SEA, SFG, LV, COL

LAD, LAA, SDP, AZ

Wouldn't 4 divisions of 8 make things neater?

TOR, BOS, NYY, NYM, PHI, PIT, BAL, WSH

NC, ATL, TBR, MIA, KCR, STL, TEX, HOU

DET, CLE, CIN, CHC, CWS, MIL, MIN, COL

LV, AZ, SEA, SFG, SAC, LAD, LAA, SDP

[UtahSox]

1 hour ago, moonslav59 said:

To be honest, I'd rather see MLB shrink to 28 teams (4 divisions of 7.) It won't ever happen, but baseball would be better with 28.

32 teams does make for an easier playoff format, with 4 division winners and 4 WC per league, but I hope they don't hand the division winners the home field.

I might prefer 4 divisions of 8 over 8 divisions of 4, but that won't happen. If no teams switch leagues, maybe the 8 divisions might look like this:

AL

BOS, NYY, BAL, TOR

DET, CLE, CWS, MIN

TBR, KCR, HOU, TEX

SEA, SAC, LAA, LV

NL

NYM, PHI, WSH PIT

ATL, MIA, NC, STL

CIN, MIL, CHC, COL

SFG, LAD, SDP, AZ

I'd swap a few NL-AL teams into this:

AL

BOS, NYY, BAL, WSH

MIA, TBR, HOU, TEX

TOR, CLE, DET, CIN

SEA, LAA, LV, SAC

NL

NYM, PHI, PIT, NC

ATL, STL, KCR, COL

CHC, CWS, MIL, MIN

SFG, LAD, SDP, AZ

Go total Geographic:

TOR, BOS, NYY, NYM

PHI, PIT, WSH, BAL

NC, ATL, TBR, MIA

DET, CLE, CIN, INDY

MIN, MIL, CWS, CHC

KCR, STL, TEX, HOU

SEA, SFG, LV, COL

LAD, LAA, SDP, AZ

Wouldn't 4 divisions of 8 make things neater?

TOR, BOS, NYY, NYM, PHI, PIT, BAL, WSH

NC, ATL, TBR, MIA, KCR, STL, TEX, HOU

DET, CLE, CIN, CHC, CWS, MIL, MIN, COL

LV, AZ, SEA, SFG, SAC, LAD, LAA, SDP

A couple thoughts.

1. Nashville & SLC are the MLB teams for expansion. 99.6% sure. 
2. I would do 4 divisions of 8 teams so that we don’t get such lopsided divisions. 

AL East: Bos, NYY, Tor, Bal,Wh Sox, Cle, Det, Minn

AL West: LAA, Sea, LV, SLC, AZ, KC, Hou, Tex

NL East: NYM, Phi, Pit, Wash, Atl, Nash, Mia, TBR

NL West: Cubs, Mil, St Lou, Cin, SDP, LAD, SFG, Col

 

[moonslav59]

7 minutes ago, UtahSox said:

 Nashville & SLC are the MLB teams for expansion. 99.6% sure. 

Why?

With Oak out, I'd think Sacramento is in.

SLC? I'd think North Carolina (Charlotte is #21 metro area and NC is baseball country), San Antonio (23rd) between SA and Austin (25t) Maybe, even Indianapolis (33rd) would be better.

Nashville #34

Raleigh #40 (CHar-Raleigh?)

Memphis and OKL City are bigger than SLC.

[UtahSox]

5 hours ago, moonslav59 said:

Why?

With Oak out, I'd think Sacramento is in.

SLC? I'd think North Carolina (Charlotte is #21 metro area and NC is baseball country), San Antonio (23rd) between SA and Austin (25t) Maybe, even Indianapolis (33rd) would be better.

Nashville #34

Raleigh #40 (CHar-Raleigh?)

Memphis and OKL City are bigger than SLC.

Why SLC? I’m not positive. But I think it’s happening, It’s all but been assured. Here is what I know. 

Population: 2.8m people within a 60 minute drive of SLC. The population #’s don’t look good when comparing to other cities because there are many well ran municipalities close to SLC that have remained independent. From what I’ve learned is rather unique to SLC.
Politics & Economics: Utah has Massive corporate growth and backing, its been nicknamed the “Silicone slopes”. Utah loves sports, state already has Mobilized and approved financing in place, like a 3b project for MLB stadium. State of Utah has young population with explosive growth. The politics are pro business. 

follow the $$: I have a personal relationship with extremely close business connections to Miller family the leaders of “Big League Utah” they will be be the team owners. And let’s just say they have gotten extremely conservative with cash the last 2-3 years. They were the former owners of the Utah Jazz. They have bought up land surrounding the proposed site. The idea is to emulate the Braves set up in SLC. They are moving forward as if it’s happening. 
 

look at how they came to market in NHL with the Utah Mammoth, you will see the blueprint and why for a smaller market Utah is a serious player for MLB. 

 

[notin]

20 hours ago, UtahSox said:

I agree. But it would be nice to somehow get on the other side of the bracket away from the AL East teams.
 

I think baseball should either expand to 8 playoff teams and play a best of five opening series orrrrrrr favor more total record versus division champion. (my preferred)

 

How about getting rid of divisions altogether and ranking postseason solely by record?  Why is the AL West leader getting home games when they might finish under .500?  The 4th AL Wild Card team might finish with a better record and  - especially if it’s Toronto - got that better record against a tougher schedule.  Clearly they are the better team that is only being penalized by geography…

[5GoldGlovesOF,75]

45 minutes ago, notin said:

How about getting rid of divisions altogether and ranking postseason solely by record?  Why is the AL West leader getting home games when they might finish under .500?  The 4th AL Wild Card team might finish with a better record and  - especially if it’s Toronto - got that better record against a tougher schedule.  Clearly they are the better team that is only being penalized by geography…

And the current format also forces embarrassing scenarios like two opposing teams trying to lose their final regular season game against each other because the winner then has to go play an entire first-round playoff series in the Bronx, NY instead of at any AL Central club's city.

Imagine: to start that fateful deciding showdown if the Red Sox called up a 32-year old minor league pitcher who had an 0-9 record with a 7 ERA in AAA vs. a Tigers team who really didn't want to take advantage of batting practice for one more day? 

What would fans of both teams think?

[JoeBrady]

9 hours ago, UtahSox said:

Why SLC? I’m not positive.

That was a pretty impressive analysis.  Thanks.  Knowing nothing about SLC, how does the alcohol thing work?  Can they sell at the stadium?  Can they advertise gambling?

[JoeBrady]

1 hour ago, notin said:

Why is the AL West leader getting home games when they might finish under .500?

IMO, they shouldn't.  Teams should need motivation to finish with the best record they can.  It makes no difference in this case, but if the ALW winner and the RS were tied, then the ALW winner should need to consider playing everyone in the last week instead of resting everyone.

[moonslav59]

12 hours ago, UtahSox said:

Why SLC? I’m not positive. But I think it’s happening, It’s all but been assured. Here is what I know. 

Population: 2.8m people within a 60 minute drive of SLC. The population #’s don’t look good when comparing to other cities because there are many well ran municipalities close to SLC that have remained independent. From what I’ve learned is rather unique to SLC.
Politics & Economics: Utah has Massive corporate growth and backing, its been nicknamed the “Silicone slopes”. Utah loves sports, state already has Mobilized and approved financing in place, like a 3b project for MLB stadium. State of Utah has young population with explosive growth. The politics are pro business. 

follow the $$: I have a personal relationship with extremely close business connections to Miller family the leaders of “Big League Utah” they will be be the team owners. And let’s just say they have gotten extremely conservative with cash the last 2-3 years. They were the former owners of the Utah Jazz. They have bought up land surrounding the proposed site. The idea is to emulate the Braves set up in SLC. They are moving forward as if it’s happening. 
 

look at how they came to market in NHL with the Utah Mammoth, you will see the blueprint and why for a smaller market Utah is a serious player for MLB. 

 

Metropolitan areas and populations count nearby suburbs, towns and cities. There are at least 5-6 other areas with mor epeople within driving distance.

San Antonio and Austin are huge. They are and hour and 20 mins apart. Both could support a team, but you could put the park 40 mins between them. Not ideal, I know, but either alone is better than SLC.

[moonslav59]

2.8 M live within 60 mins of SA and 2.3M within 60 of Austin.

Put the stadium 40 mins to each and we're nearing 4-5M total with 60 mins.

[moonslav59]

3 hours ago, notin said:

How about getting rid of divisions altogether and ranking postseason solely by record?  Why is the AL West leader getting home games when they might finish under .500?  The 4th AL Wild Card team might finish with a better record and  - especially if it’s Toronto - got that better record against a tougher schedule.  Clearly they are the better team that is only being penalized by geography…

Agreed.

two 15 team divisions.

3 games ve other league (3 x 15=45)

8 games x 14 in own league (14 x 8=112)

157 total. Rotate an extra game vs other league making 5 teams a 4 game series or 2 H and 2A.

[mvp 78]

I want the Yankees to catch an STD.