The Pointless Realignment Outpost

[Magnus]

The Red Hat, Blue Hat, Black Hat division version of Major League Baseball, inspired by an earlier post.

Red Hat Division:

6. CIN 7. PHI 8. WSH 9. MIN 10. CLE (North)

1. LAA 2. HOU 3. TEX 4. STL 5. ATL (South)

Black Hat Division:

1. BAL 2. CHX 3. TOR 5. NYM 6. PIT (North)

4. FLA 7. ARZ 8. COL 9. SFG 10. KCR (South)

Blue Hat Division:

1. MIL 2. NYY 3. TB 5. DET 7. BOS (East)

6. LAD 4. SD 8. OAK 9. SEA 10. CHC (West)

Each team plays 72 games against its 'hat' league (9 opps, 8 g).

THEN (20 games/team)

Red5-Blue5 4x

Blue5-Black5 4x

Black5-Red5 4x

THEN (20 games/team)

Red-Black (other 5)4x

Blue-Red (other 5)4x

Black-Blue (other 5)4x

The same pattern then repeats for the other 10 teams that each team has not faced, making for a total of 80 inter-divisional games. The season is now 152 games long.

------------

POST-SEASON v.1

------------

MLB DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

The top 2 teams in the Red, Blue and Black divisions (winners of North and South) automatically qualify for the first post-season series, to crown the individual division winners. The next best 2 teams in the whole league also qualify as wild cards.

MLB SEMIFINALS SERIES

The remaining four teams are seeded 1-4 based on regular season record. The #1 seed plays the #4 (wild card), and #2 plays #3.

MLB CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

The remaining two teams play for the MLB championship.

------------

POST-SEASON v.2

------------

Top 4 teams in each division qualify. All 12 teams are seeded 1-12 on season records.

ROUND 1 - MLB KNOCKOUT SERIES:

Seeds 5-12 play 3 games; first at lower seed's park.

ROUND 2 - MLB QUARTERFINAL SERIES:

Seed 1v8, Seed 2v7, Seed 3v6, Seed 4v5 (7 GAMES)

ROUND 3 - MLB SEMIFINAL SERIES: (7 GAMES)

ROUND 4 - MLB FINALS SERIES: (7 GAMES)

-------------------------------------

*New MLB Season Structure*

***SPRING TRAINING*** BEGINS MAR. 1 (10 GAMES IN DIVISION)

--REGULAR SEASON-- BEGINS MAR. 11

(all the dates you see indicate when that stretch of games is completed)

8 DIV MAR. 21

4 OP1 4 OP2 APR. 1

8 DIV APR 11

4 OP1 4 OP2 APR 21

8 DIV MAY 1

4 OP1 4 OP2 MAY 11

8 DIV MAY 21

4 OP1 4 OP2 MAY 31

8 DIV JUN 10

4 OP1 JUN 20

--ALL-STAR BREAK-- JUN 21 - JUN 25

8 DIV JUL 5

4 OP1 4 OP2 (8) JUL 15

8 DIV JUL 25

4 OP1 4 OP2 AUG 5

8 DIV AUG 15

4 OP1 4 OP2 AUG 25

4 OP2 SEP 1

8 DIV SEP 11

4 OP1 4 OP2 SEP 21

8 DIV OCT 1

--POST-SEASON--

ROUND 1 ELIMINATION SERIES OCT 5

ROUND 2 QUARTERFINAL SERIES OCT 13

ROUND 3 SEMIFINAL SERIES OCT 21

ROUND 4 MLB FINALS SERIES OCT 28

*****OFF-SEASON*****

[McCall]

The Red Hat, Blue Hat, Black Hat division version of Major League Baseball, inspired by an earlier post.

Red Hat Division:

6. CIN 7. PHI 8. WSH 9. MIN 10. CLE (North)

1. LAA 2. HOU 3. TEX 4. STL 5. ATL (South)

Black Hat Division:

1. BAL 2. CHX 3. TOR 5. NYM 6. PIT (North)

4. FLA 7. ARZ 8. COL 9. SFG 10. LAD (South)

Blue Hat Division:

1. MIL 2. NYY 3. TB 5. DET 7. BOS (East)

6. KCR 4. SD 8. OAK 9. SEA 10. CHC (West)

Each team plays 72 games against its 'hat' league (9 opps, 8 g).

THEN (20 games/team)

Red5-Blue5 4x

Blue5-Black5 4x

Black5-Red5 4x

THEN (20 games/team)

Red-Black (other 5)4x

Blue-Red (other 5)4x

Black-Blue (other 5)4x

The same pattern then repeats for the other 10 teams that each team has not faced, making for a total of 80 inter-divisional games. The season is now 152 games long.

------------

POST-SEASON v.1

------------

MLB DIVISION CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

The top 2 teams in the Red, Blue and Black divisions (winners of North and South) automatically qualify for the first post-season series, to crown the individual division winners. The next best 2 teams in the whole league also qualify as wild cards.

MLB SEMIFINALS SERIES

The remaining four teams are seeded 1-4 based on regular season record. The #1 seed plays the #4 (wild card), and #2 plays #3.

MLB CHAMPIONSHIP SERIES

The remaining two teams play for the MLB championship.

------------

POST-SEASON v.2

------------

Top 4 teams in each division qualify. All 12 teams are seeded 1-12 on season records.

ROUND 1 - MLB KNOCKOUT SERIES:

Seeds 5-12 play 3 games; first at lower seed's park.

ROUND 2 - MLB QUARTERFINAL SERIES:

Seed 1v8, Seed 2v7, Seed 3v6, Seed 4v5 (7 GAMES)

ROUND 3 - MLB SEMIFINAL SERIES: (7 GAMES)

ROUND 4 - MLB FINALS SERIES: (7 GAMES)

-------------------------------------

*New MLB Season Structure*

***SPRING TRAINING*** BEGINS MAR. 1 (10 GAMES IN DIVISION)

--REGULAR SEASON-- BEGINS MAR. 11

8 DIV MAR. 21

4 OP1 4 OP2 APR. 1

8 DIV APR 11

4 OP1 4 OP2 APR 21

8 DIV MAY 1

4 OP1 4 OP2 MAY 11

8 DIV MAY 21

4 OP1 4 OP2 MAY 31

8 DIV JUN 10

4 OP1 JUN 20

--ALL-STAR BREAK-- JUN 21 - JUN 25

8 DIV JUL 5

4 OP1 4 OP2 (8) JUL 15

8 DIV JUL 25

4 OP1 4 OP2 AUG 5

8 DIV AUG 15

4 OP1 4 OP2 AUG 25

4 OP2 SEP 1

8 DIV SEP 11

4 OP1 4 OP2 SEP 21

8 DIV OCT 1

--POST-SEASON--

ROUND 1 ELIMINATION SERIES OCT 5

ROUND 2 QUARTERFINAL SERIES OCT 13

ROUND 3 SEMIFINAL SERIES OCT 21

ROUND 4 MLB FINALS SERIES OCT 28

*****OFF-SEASON*****

Without having read through all the breakdown stuff, why exactly are the Dodgers, one of the teams with the longest use of blue caps, in the black cap when they've never even used a black cap?

[Magnus]

Must have missed that. Swap them for the Royals, I guess.

[Saintsfan]

Here is a wacky NHL all star inspired thought. Why not have a league where your draft the conferences and divisions each year? Have a commisioner for each conference and draft which teams they get each year, then they can align the divisions themselves? Actually it's all sounding a bit WWE now I write it, but for a minority sport (maybe even MSL) could it work?

[Magnus]

Here is a wacky NHL all star inspired thought. Why not have a league where your draft the conferences and divisions each year? Have a commissioner for each conference and draft which teams they get each year, then they can align the divisions themselves? Actually it's all sounding a bit WWE now I write it, but for a minority sport (maybe even MSL) could it work?

It does sound wacky for one of the Big Four in North America to think about doing this due to travel considerations, but considering the Leafs were in the West for a long time, I don't think it's out of the question.

Edited February 1, 2011 by Magnus

[loogodude90]

Here is a wacky NHL all star inspired thought. Why not have a league where your draft the conferences and divisions each year? Have a commisioner for each conference and draft which teams they get each year, then they can align the divisions themselves? Actually it's all sounding a bit WWE now I write it, but for a minority sport (maybe even MSL) could it work?

Hmm. Don't you think that would ruin regional rivalries (and rivalries in general) then? I kind of like having the same teams in each division each season.

[Saintsfan]

Here is a wacky NHL all star inspired thought. Why not have a league where your draft the conferences and divisions each year? Have a commisioner for each conference and draft which teams they get each year, then they can align the divisions themselves? Actually it's all sounding a bit WWE now I write it, but for a minority sport (maybe even MSL) could it work?

Hmm. Don't you think that would ruin regional rivalries (and rivalries in general) then? I kind of like having the same teams in each division each season.

Well I dunno, depends on the scrupples of each 'commisioner'. But if it were say the NFL doing this (and like I say I am not actually recommending this for a big 4 sport) then if someone drafted say the New York Jets early, then the other commisioner might have to make a decision about say drafting the Patriots in order to scupper that rivalry or leaving the Patriots in order to pack his own league with rivalries. It would be an interesting way to build rivalry between conferences.

[BBTV]

Get real - it would be FOX and CBS doing the drafting.

Seriously.

And it would never ever ever ever ever work.

[Saintsfan]

Get real - it would be FOX and CBS doing the drafting.

Seriously.

And it would never ever ever ever ever work.

Don't suppose Fox or CBS would go near any league that would actually do this. But it could be an interesting route for a minority league, looking to create an identity and some news coverage, to go down.

[Magnus]

Here's my take on it with the NHL.

Teams play 72 games in the regular season.

| 32 divisional games | 20 in-conference | 20 opp. conference |

Contenders' Conference (2012):

Top 12 make the 1-16 playoff bracket as 1-12 seeds.

Bottom 3 are relegated to Pretenders' Conference the following season.

West: Van, Sjs, Lak**, Ana**, Col.

Central: Chi, Mtl, Bos, Det, Pit.

East: Phi, Nyr**, Wsh, Tbl, Car.

Pretenders' Conference (2012): Division winners and one wild-card become seeds 13-16 in the bracket.

West: Edm, Cgy, Min, Dal, Phx.

Central: Stl, Clb, Nsh, Atl, Fla.

East: Tor, Ott, Buf, Njd, Nyi.

Playoff seeds:

1. Van 2. Chi. 3. Phi 4. Sjs 5. Det 6. Col 7. Pit 8. Mtl

9. Bos 10. Wsh 11. Tbl 12. Car.

---------------------------------------------

13. Phx* 14. Nsh* 15. Buf* 16. Dal.

*Promoted to Contenders' Conference the following season.

*If the 16th-seed wins the Cup Final, it will be promoted to the Contenders Conference, replacing the 15th-seed.*

Round 1:

1.Van 4 Dal 0 | 2.Chi 4 Buf 1 | 3.Phi 4 Nsh 2 | 4.Sjs 4 Phx 3 |

5.Det 4 Car 0 | 6.Col 4 Tbl 3 | 7.Pit 4 Wsh 3 | 8.Mtl 4 Bos 3 |

Round 2:

Van 4 Mtl 1| Chi 4 Pit 3| Phi 4 Col 3| Sjs 4 Det 3|

Round 3:

Van 4 Sjs 3 | Phi 3 Chi 4

Round 4:

Van 3 Chi 4

Further to this, the following season, 15 of 16 playoff teams will form the next season's Contenders' Conference. The rest will form the Pretenders' Conference.

So the next year's conferences would be:

Contenders:

West: Van, Col, Chi, Sjs, Phx

North: Buf, Phi, Det, Mtl, Bos

South: Nsh, Car,Tbl, Wsh, Pit

Pretenders:

West: Edm, Cgy, Dal, Lak, Ana.

Central: Stl, Clb, Min, Atl, Fla.

East: Tor, Ott, Nyr, Njd, Nyi.

It's essentially a promotion and relegation system this way. Teams have to perform well to get into the Contenders' Conference by winning their Pretenders' division (or becoming the 16th seed). The three worst teams in the Contenders' Conference, by contrast, have proven themselves unworthy, and are 'demoted'.

[The_Admiral]

Dynamite way to sell tickets to half the league in a league that relies on selling tickets, call them the opposite of contenders.

[TxRangersFan]

Another one of my wacky ideas... NHL realignment that would ensure an annual US vs. Canada match-up in the Stanley Cup Final. Top 4 Canadian teams advance into Canadian Bracket. Top 12 U.S. teams advance into U.S. bracket (division champs seeded 1-4, 8 best remaining teams seeded 5-12). And if the Coyotes move to Canada, the whole plan becomes unworkable, I know.

[Still MIGHTY]

So every American team is at a competitive disadvantage when it comes to winning the Stanley Cup?

Yeah, I don't think so.

Canada doesn't NEED a yearly participant. They EARN it just like everybody else.

[Magnus]

So every American team is at a competitive disadvantage when it comes to winning the Stanley Cup?

Yeah, I don't think so.

Canada doesn't NEED a yearly participant. They EARN it just like everybody else.

Most NHL teams have a majority/plurality of Canadian players, so it doesn't really matter in that respect. Also, giving them two rounds off would be disastrous for the Canadian teams unless they were one-off eliminations. Injuries would abound for the teams given byes because they would be rusty after 2 weeks off. Whichever Canadian team made it through would get thumped by its opponent in the Final.

However, if you kept the divisions as is and took the top 3 from each, I think that would be a fair system. I would also put Pitt in the Central, move Nashville to the Southeast, and move Philly to the Northeast.

Edited February 6, 2011 by Magnus

[The_Admiral]

So every American team is at a competitive disadvantage when it comes to winning the Stanley Cup?

Yeah, I don't think so.

Canada doesn't NEED a yearly participant. They EARN it just like everybody else.

I think TxRangers has said before that his realignment proposals are intentionally absurd. His avatar is that aborted Chargers mascot, so I think he likes to traffic in absurdity like I do.

[neo_prankster]

More minor league alignment ideas.

Alignment A

Western Conference

Pacific

Alaska Aces

Bakersfield Condors

Las Vegas Wranglers

San Diego Gulls

Tacoma Sabercats

Northwest

Colorado Gold Kings

Idaho Steelheads

Manitoba Moose

Omaha Ak-Sar-Ben Knights

Utah Grizzlies

Southwest

Houston Aeros

New Mexico Scorpions

Oklahoma City Blazers

Phoenix Roadrunners

Wichita Thunder

Eastern Conference

Central

Chicago Wolves

Cleveland Barons

Grand Rapids Griffins

Fort Wayne Komets

Milwaukee Admirals

Northeast

Adirondack Phantoms

Connecticut Whale

Hamilton Bulldogs

Providence Bruins

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Southeast

Charlotte Checkers

Gwinnett Gladiators

New Orleans Brass

Orlando Solar Bears

Richmond Renegades

Alignment B

Western Conference

Northwest

Alaska Aces

Colorado Gold Kings

Idaho Steelheads

Tacoma Sabercats

Utah Grizzlies

Southwest

Bakersfield Condors

Las Vegas Wranglers

New Mexico Scorpions

Phoenix Roadrunners

San Diego Gulls

Central

Houston Aeros

Manitoba Moose

Oklahoma City Blazers

Quad City Mallards

Wichita Thunder

Eastern Conference

Northeast

Chicago Wolves

Cleveland Barons

Fort Wayne Komets

Grand Rapids Griffins

Milwaukee Admirals

Atlantic

Adirondack Phantoms

Connecticut Whale

Hamilton Bulldogs

Providence Bruins

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Southeast

Charlotte Checkers

Gwinnett Gladiators

New Orleans Brass

Orlando Solar Bears

Richmond Renegades

Alignment C

Western Conference

Pacific

Alaska Aces

Bakersfield Condors

Las Vegas Wranglers

San Diego Gulls

Tacoma Sabercats

Central

Colorado Gold Kings

New Mexico Scorpions

Oklahoma City Blazers

Utah Grizzlies

Wichita Thunder

Midwest

Chicago Wolves

Fort Wayne Komets

Manitoba Moose

Milwaukee Admirals

Quad City Mallards

Eastern Conference

Northeast

Adirondack Phantoms

Connecticut Whale

Grand Rapids Griffins

Hamilton Bulldogs

Providence Bruins

Atlantic

Chesapeake Ice Breakers

Cincinnati Cyclones

Cleveland Barons

Richmond Renegades

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Southeast

Charlotte Checkers

Gwinnett Gladiators

Houston Aeros

New Orleans Brass

Orlando Solar Bears

Alignment D

Western Conference

Northwest

Alaska Aces

Colorado Gold Kings

Idaho Steelheads

Tacoma Sabercats

Utah Grizzlies

Southwest

Bakersfield Condors

Las Vegas Wranglers

New Mexico Scorpions

Phoenix Roadrunners

San Diego Gulls

Central

Chicago Wolves

Grand Rapids Griffins

Fort Wayne Komets

Manitoba Moose

Milwaukee Admirals

Eastern Conference

Northeast

Cincinnati Cyclones

Cleveland Barons

Hamilton Bulldogs

Portland Pirates

Springfield Falcons

Atlantic

Albany River Rats

Adirondack Phantoms

Connecticut Whale

Providence Bruins

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Southeast

Charlotte Checkers

Houston Aeros

New Orleans Brass

Orlando Solar Bears

Richmond Renegades

Alignment E

Western Conference

Northwest

Alaska Aces

Colorado Gold Kings

Idaho Steelheads

Tacoma Sabercats

Utah Grizzlies

Southwest

Bakersfield Condors

Las Vegas Wranglers

New Mexico Scorpions

Phoenix Roadrunners

San Diego Gulls

Central

Houston Aeros

Manitoba Moose

Oklahoma City Blazers

Quad City Mallards

Wichita Thunder

Eastern Conference

Northeast

Adirondack Phantoms

Connecticut Whale

Hamilton Bulldogs

Providence Bruins

Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins

Midwest

Chicago Wolves

Cleveland Barons

Grand Rapids Griffins

Fort Wayne Komets

Milwaukee Admirals

Southeast

Charlotte Checkers

Gwinnett Gladiators

New Orleans Brass

Orlando Solar Bears

Richmond Renegades

Edited February 9, 2011 by neo_prankster

[Magnus]

[JH42XCC]

NFL Minor League (NFL affiliate in parentheses)

Liberty Conference (AFC)

East

• Syracuse, N.Y. (Buffalo Bills)
  
• Palm Beach, Fla. (Miami Dolphins)
  
• Hartford, Conn. (New England Patriots)
  
• Hudson Valley, N.Y. (New York Jets)
  

North

• Annapolis, Md. (Baltimore Ravens)
  
• Columbus, Ohio (Cincinnati Bengals)
  
• Akron, Ohio (Cleveland Browns)
  
• Morgantown, W.Va. (Pittsburgh Steelers)
  

South

• San Antonio, Texas (Houston Texans)
  
• Louisville, Ky. (Indianapolis Colts)
  
• Tallahassee, Fla. (Jacksonville Jaguars)
  
• Memphis, Tenn. (Tennessee Titans)
  

West

• Colorado Springs, Colo. (Denver Broncos)
  
• Wichita, Kan. (Kansas City Chiefs)
  
• Reno, Nev. (Oakland Raiders)
  
• Las Vegas, Nev. (San Diego Chargers)
  

Freedom Conference (NFC)

East

• Little Rock, Ark. (Dallas Cowboys)
  
• Piscataway, N.J. (New York Giants)
  
• Lehigh Valley, Penn. (Philadelphia Eagles)
  
• Richmond, Va. (Washington Redskins)
  

North

• Champaign-Urbana, Ill. (Chicago Bears)
  
• Lansing, Mich. (Detroit Lions)
  
• Madison, Wis. (Green Bay Packers)
  
• Ames, Iowa (Minnesota Vikings)
  

South

• Birmingham, Ala. (Atlanta Falcons)
  
• Raleigh-Durham, N.C. (Carolina Panthers)
  
• Shreveport, La. (New Orleans Saints)
  
• Orlando, Fla. (Tampa Bay Buccaneers)
  

West

• Tucson, Ariz. (Arizona Cardinals)
  
• San Jose, Calif. (San Francisco 49ers)
  
• Portland, Ore. (Seattle Seahawks)
  
• Columbia, Mo. (St. Louis Rams)
  

[McCall]

Without commenting on the uniforms, which I'm just going to assume have no bearing and are just there to illustrate the team itself, why so many conference switches? Why are the Jets and Giants in the same division now? The only way these amount of switches would occur is if they went to an Eastern/Western geographical conferences... but that's not what you did. It's like you just switched teams for the hell of it.

[JH42XCC]

Without commenting on the uniforms, which I'm just going to assume have no bearing and are just there to illustrate the team itself, why so many conference switches? Why are the Jets and Giants in the same division now? The only way these amount of switches would occur is if they went to an Eastern/Western geographical conferences... but that's not what you did. It's like you just switched teams for the hell of it.

This realignment idea... just plain TRBL (Turrible)!