MLB Division Levels

[Bleujayone]

In light of the fact that MLB is probably not going to institute a salary cap nor any serious revenue sharing any time soon, and because some markets will never see the play-offs much less a World Series, I borrowed an idea from our cousins across the pond, and divided up MLB so it more resembled the system used for pro soccer in the UK. It's never going to happen, but it's an alternate universe to watching the same handful of teams beat the crap out of the same smaller teams for eight months.

Premier Division

New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox, Atlanta Braves, Los Angeles Dodgers, Houston Astros, Anaheim Angels, Chicago White Sox, St. Louis Cardinals, Oakland Athletics, Minnesota Twins

Division 1

New York Mets, Chicago Cubs, Baltimore Orioles, Toronto Blue Jays, Florida Marlins, San Francisco Giants, Seatle Mariners, Texas Rangers, San Diego Padres, Cleveland Indians, Arizona Diamondbacks, Washington Nationals

Division 2

Kansas City Royals, Colorado Rockies, Pittsburgh Pirates, Detroit Tigers, Philadelpia Phillies, Milwaukee Brewers, Cincinnati Reds, Tampa Bay Rays *Buffalo Bison, *Charlotte Knights, *Columbus Clippers, *Portland Beavers

*Promoted From Division 3

Division 3 (AAA)

Division 4 (AA)

Division 5 (A), Rookie, Independent

...............................................................

No Inter-Divisional games.

Division 1 & 2 would each send their best 2 teams to play against the best 4 teams of the Premiere Division for the playoffs and the World Series.

Teams may trade players across divisions, but free agents can only be signed from other teams within the same division. (Example; if a Div.1 team does well and wins the World Series, the team cannot be raided by the Premiere League teams via free agency- they have to compensate that team for something)

A team that finishes consistently well can be promoted to a higher division, a team that performs poorly can be demoted.

All-Star game would be between one team of Premiere All-Stars versus a team of Division 1 & 2 all stars.

Division 3 Teams may apply for promotion to Division 2 if they can consitently field a team that can compete at that level.

Division 3, 4, & five teams can freely sign and trade players among themselves.

All players at Levels 3, 4, & 5 can be "loaned" out to any upper level team in exchange for another player. Whatever team receives a lower level player must pay that player a higher scale based on whatever level they are loaned out to. (Example; a Premiere team has a player they want to rehab, they send him down to a 3,4, or 5 level team in exchange for a healthy player, and funds to aquire new players.

[gosioux76]

You're right in that it will never happen.

But I love it nontheless. I'm a big fan of the promotion/relegation system. It gives fans of even bad teams somethign to cheer for and makes a long season interesting to the end.

One of the many catches with baseball, though, is the minor league franchises affiliations with big league clubs would have to end for any system like this to be worthwhile.

It's fun to think about, though.

[Cyclopsis Joe]

I can see it now, my braves finishing dead last every year.

"Oh..I made myself sad."

[jkrdevil]

That would kill the sport and the small market teams in the lower division. It make them almost a minor league. It takes any sliver of hope away from their fans. It will make the current "gap" between the teams even worse.

The relegation system will never work in North America. People want to root for the top level teams. They are not gong to pay top dollar money (whatever that is for whatever area) to go see a team who is in the lower division.

Overall, I think the luxury tax is working. Sure you have a big spender in the Yankees, but they seem to hurt themselves a lot with the signings. If a small market team hires good management and shows some type of commitment to trying to win, the team will win.

[Jigga]

That would kill the sport and the small market teams in the lower division. It make them almost a minor league. It takes any sliver of hope away from their fans. It will make the current "gap" between the teams even worse.

The relegation system will never work in North America. People want to root for the top level teams. They are not gong to pay top dollar money (whatever that is for whatever area) to go see a team who is in the lower division.

Overall, I think the luxury tax is working. Sure you have a big spender in the Yankees, but they seem to hurt themselves a lot with the signings. If a small market team hires good management and shows some type of commitment to trying to win, the team will win.

I agree that it would never work, but it's always fun to play pretend. Would relegation/promotion be automatic after a certain period? I mean the Devil Rays have pretty much been a AAA team since they began anyway.

*Begin Sarcasm*

People get all bent out of shape when someone wants to "Americanize" Europe's game, where's the outrage when someone tries to "Europenate" America's Pastime? Huh?

*End Sarcasm*

The Luxury Tax is working to a point, not only because it curbs spending but because New York (both teams), Boston, Los Angeles, etc. are lining the pockets (and damn near subsidizing the baseball ops) of Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay, and Kansas City. The Yankees are the most poorly managed team in Major League Baseball. The money just bails them out. As much as the fans hate it, the "small market" owners love it.

[NJTank]

The Marlins in 2003 and the White Sox in 2005 show teams with samller brudgets taht pick players and build smartly have a chance.