MLB Re-Align

[cmm]

If memory serves, in 1998, MLB wanted the AL to have a team in Florida (Tampa Bay), and they promised the D'Backs owners they could be in the NL, which meant someone had to change leagues to get to 16/14 instead of 15/15. Also, I believe the Royals were given the choice to switch leagues instead of the Brewers because Selig was the commish and Milwaukee's owner, and thought it would look bad if he didn't give another team a chance to switch first. The Royals stayed put, which let Bud put his team in the NL, which is what he wanted in the first place. And part of the reason why a team's owner shouldn't also be the commissioner.

I'm very much against proposals like this, that disband the National and American Leagues (it works for the NFL, and it works for MLB...and besides, 6 Mets-Yankees games a year are more than enough). That being said, I think Ruth-Williams or Robinson-Williams would be a better name for the "northeast" division. Boston and Philadelphia have too much baseball history to be in a division named after two guys who are most known for their time in NY (no offense meant towards Blue Jays fans, especially since they have won the same number of World Series as my Mets).

[McCall]

If memory serves, in 1998, MLB wanted the AL to have a team in Florida (Tampa Bay), and they promised the D'Backs owners they could be in the NL, which meant someone had to change leagues to get to 16/14 instead of 15/15. Also, I believe the Royals were given the choice to switch leagues instead of the Brewers because Selig was the commish and Milwaukee's owner, and thought it would look bad if he didn't give another team a chance to switch first. The Royals stayed put, which let Bud put his team in the NL, which is what he wanted in the first place. And part of the reason why a team's owner shouldn't also be the commissioner.

I'm very much against proposals like this, that disband the National and American Leagues (it works for the NFL, and it works for MLB...and besides, 6 Mets-Yankees games a year are more than enough). That being said, I think Ruth-Williams or Robinson-Williams would be a better name for the "northeast" division. Boston and Philadelphia have too much baseball history to be in a division named after two guys who are most known for their time in NY (no offense meant towards Blue Jays fans, especially since they have won the same number of World Series as my Mets).

That's basically what it was. Arizona claimed that since Phoenix had the Giants' Triple-A team for so long, they were considered a National League team and so were promised an NL spot. Which is what caused the Texas Rangers to be stuck in the AL West with no man's land between them and the rest of the divison.

[xyzzyva]

I have a rather innovative solution for realignment:

American League

Athletics

Baltimore Orioles

Boston Red Sox

Chicago White Sox

Cleveland Indians

Detroit Tigers

Kansas City Royals

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Minnesota Twins

New York Yankees

Seattle Mariners

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Texas Rangers

Toronto Blue Jays

National League

Atlanta Braves

Arizona Diamondbacks

Chicago Cubs

Cincinnati Reds

Colorado Rockies

Houston Astros

Los Angeles Dodgers

Miami Marlins

Milwaukee Brewers

New York Mets

Philadelphia Phillies

Pittsburgh Pirates

Saint Louis Cardinals

San Diego Padres

San Francisco Giants

Washington Senators

Top four teams in each league make the playoffs.

AL teams play 12 games (6 home, 6 away) against each other.

NL teams play 9 to 12 games against each other.

Each team plays 6 games (3 home, 3 away) against interleague rival.

AL uses designated hitter, NL does not.

Playoffs remain the same, except possibly for a best-of-seven Division series (though it might need a new name).

[McCall]

I have a rather innovative solution for realignment:

American League

Athletics

Baltimore Orioles

Boston Red Sox

Chicago White Sox

Cleveland Indians

Detroit Tigers

Kansas City Royals

Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim

Minnesota Twins

New York Yankees

Seattle Mariners

Tampa Bay Devil Rays

Texas Rangers

Toronto Blue Jays

National League

Atlanta Braves

Arizona Diamondbacks

Chicago Cubs

Cincinnati Reds

Colorado Rockies

Houston Astros

Los Angeles Dodgers

Miami Marlins

Milwaukee Brewers

New York Mets

Philadelphia Phillies

Pittsburgh Pirates

Saint Louis Cardinals

San Diego Padres

San Francisco Giants

Washington Senators

Top four teams in each league make the playoffs.

AL teams play 12 games (6 home, 6 away) against each other.

NL teams play 9 to 12 games against each other.

Each team plays 6 games (3 home, 3 away) against interleague rival.

AL uses designated hitter, NL does not.

Playoffs remain the same, except possibly for a best-of-seven Division series (though it might need a new name).

Absolutely Not.

[maz]

Pittsburgh and Cincinnati must remain in the same division at all times. To have two of the oldest and most stories franchises in baseball in the same division {Not to mention the two cities are bitter rivals in the NFL and College sports} is something that should not be tampered with. I doesnt hurt to put is with Philly either. Its good to show them that even as a sucky team, we can still beat them.

[HedleyLamarr]

Pittsburgh and Cincinnati must remain in the same division at all times. To have two of the oldest and most stories franchises in baseball in the same division {Not to mention the two cities are bitter rivals in the NFL and College sports} is something that should not be tampered with. I doesnt hurt to put is with Philly either. Its good to show them that even as a sucky team, we can still beat them.

Cincinnati and Pittsburgh have only been in the same division since 1994. Hardly a "must"....

[McCall]

Pittsburgh and Cincinnati must remain in the same division at all times. To have two of the oldest and most stories franchises in baseball in the same division {Not to mention the two cities are bitter rivals in the NFL and College sports} is something that should not be tampered with. I doesnt hurt to put is with Philly either. Its good to show them that even as a sucky team, we can still beat them.

Cincinnati and Pittsburgh have only been in the same division since 1994. Hardly a "must"....

Exactly. And they're really not much of a rivalry, either... except for battling for last place. Kiddin. Though, both should, obviously, never be moved from the National League.

[njmeadowlanders]

I'll say what I always do when the subject comes up:

2 divisions in each league. It's like it used to be, only the 2 teams with the 3rd and 4th best league record (regardless of division) get the wild card spots.

NL East: ATL CHC STL NYM PHI PIT FLA WAS

NL West: SF SD LA COL AZ HOU MIL CIN

(NL: I tried to keep Chicago/St. Louis together in the division they used to be in, Cincinnati get shafted, but what're you gonna do? I moved Atlanta back to the NL East b/c though they were in the west, Arizona and Colorado now exist...)

AL East: DET BOS NYY TB TOR CLE BAL

AL West: KC MIN LAA TEX SEA OAK CHW

(AL: CHW is swapped for what would be Milwaukee since TB should be in the east geographically...)

[Epiphanic]

That's one realignment plan that's not incredibly stupid. Simple and effective.

[BaltimoreFan]

I'd like to see one of the NL teams move to the AL. I know it would mess everything up due to interleague play. But this is the 21st century, we should be able to create a schedule that could space the interleauge matchups throughout the entire season. 6 divisions of 5 teams would work out nicely. I'm sure it could also help make the schedules even again also.

[amfleisch]

AL

east

nyy

bos

tor

tb

bal

central

cle

kc

minn

chw

det

west

laa

sea

tex

oak

col

NL

east

nym

atl

phil

wash

flo

central

chc

stl

mil

cin

pitt

west

hou

sd

lad

ari

sf

move the rockies to the AL west since they havent done anything in the NL, and having a dh could help them. houston moves to the NL west since all the other central teams fit so well. one interleague series at a time so you could have all 30 teams playing on any given night.

[The_Admiral]

I've tried to break up the leagues into four divisions, with the eight charter teams and eight expansion teams, but it gets to be tricky business when you ponder whether Los Angeles is an expansion or the Dodgers are a charter, and whether New York is a charter or the Mets are an expansion. I tried doing this for a while, then got frazzled and just gave up. The idea of keeping the teams that have battled it out in the National League for over 110 years together appealed to me, but the logistics were too much to overcome.

[McCall]

I'd like to see one of the NL teams move to the AL. I know it would mess everything up due to interleague play. But this is the 21st century, we should be able to create a schedule that could space the interleauge matchups throughout the entire season. 6 divisions of 5 teams would work out nicely. I'm sure it could also help make the schedules even again also.

AL

east

nyy

bos

tor

tb

bal

central

cle

kc

minn

chw

det

west

laa

sea

tex

oak

col

NL

east

nym

atl

phil

wash

flo

central

chc

stl

mil

cin

pitt

west

hou

sd

lad

ari

sf

move the rockies to the AL west since they havent done anything in the NL, and having a dh could help them. houston moves to the NL west since all the other central teams fit so well. one interleague series at a time so you could have all 30 teams playing on any given night.

Never ever, EVER, suggest baseball have interleague play throughout the season like the other sports (nothing against those other sports, btw.). It's one of the most storied traditions of baseball. It truly makes the World Series more exciting because it's two teams who never (or now due to interleague play, MAY NOT) play each other during the regular season. In Major League Baseball, the National League and American League are still almost considered seperate leagues, like they were before the merged together. The NL still holds more to the tradition of the original game. And while the AL does as well, it modified a bit, with things like the DH.

So the leagues need to remain seperate. Interleague play is alright for a few series' during the May and June periods of the season, but that's it. It's one of the traditions of baseball, and that's what makes baseball the greatness it is. The respect for tradition.

[HedleyLamarr]

Interleague play is alright for a few series' during the May and June periods of the season, but that's it. It's one of the traditions of baseball, and that's what makes baseball the greatness it is. The respect for tradition.

How is Interleague play alright in May or June, but not during August and September? The games count the same.

Interleague Play is great, I'd just change it to make it equitable across the board. Instead of having 2 rival series and 2-4 randomized opponents, have each team play every team in the other league. Most fans would gladly give up some division games for Interleague games. Teams play a 3-game series against each team: half the league comes to your place, and you travel to the other half.

[Telemundo219]

I'll say what I always do when the subject comes up:

2 divisions in each league. It's like it used to be, only the 2 teams with the 3rd and 4th best league record (regardless of division) get the wild card spots.

NL East: ATL CHC STL NYM PHI PIT FLA WAS

NL West: SF SD LA COL AZ HOU MIL CIN

(NL: I tried to keep Chicago/St. Louis together in the division they used to be in, Cincinnati get shafted, but what're you gonna do? I moved Atlanta back to the NL East b/c though they were in the west, Arizona and Colorado now exist...)

AL East: DET BOS NYY TB TOR CLE BAL

AL West: KC MIN LAA TEX SEA OAK CHW

(AL: CHW is swapped for what would be Milwaukee since TB should be in the east geographically...)

That's one realignment plan that's not incredibly stupid. Simple and effective.

I minus that especially when you have St.Louis in the East and the Reds in the West (teams can have rivalries and not be in the same division (Pats and Colts, Suns/Mavs/Spurs, Bulls and Knicks) you get the point).

[HedleyLamarr]

I'll say what I always do when the subject comes up:

2 divisions in each league. It's like it used to be, only the 2 teams with the 3rd and 4th best league record (regardless of division) get the wild card spots.

NL East: ATL CHC STL NYM PHI PIT FLA WAS

NL West: SF SD LA COL AZ HOU MIL CIN

(NL: I tried to keep Chicago/St. Louis together in the division they used to be in, Cincinnati get shafted, but what're you gonna do? I moved Atlanta back to the NL East b/c though they were in the west, Arizona and Colorado now exist...)

AL East: DET BOS NYY TB TOR CLE BAL

AL West: KC MIN LAA TEX SEA OAK CHW

(AL: CHW is swapped for what would be Milwaukee since TB should be in the east geographically...)

That's one realignment plan that's not incredibly stupid. Simple and effective.

I minus that especially when you have St.Louis in the East and the Reds in the West (teams can have rivalries and not be in the same division (Pats and Colts, Suns/Mavs/Spurs, Bulls and Knicks) you get the point).

Well, back in the day, there were balanced schedules, so each team played 12 games against the other division, and 12-13 games in your division, so rivalries could be established between any teams in one league.

It sucks that the Braves and Dodgers don't get to play more, their rivalry was gettin' good before that pesky third division was created.....

[njmeadowlanders]

I minus that especially when you have St.Louis in the East and the Reds in the West (teams can have rivalries and not be in the same division (Pats and Colts, Suns/Mavs/Spurs, Bulls and Knicks) you get the point).

Well the thing is, none of those rivalries go all-the-way back like the Cubs and Cardinals do. They've never not been in the same league/division. Ever. Before divisions, they were both in the NL. With the advent of divisional play, they were both in the East. With the expansion era, they're both in the central. Before MJ, Bulls/Knicks wasn't that big, Suns/Mavs/Spurs may be big now, but thats only recently, same with Colts/Pats--they were in teh AFC East together from the merger through 2001--and only after they were in separate divisions did the rivalry become what it is currently.

Having the Cubs and Cardinals in separate divisions would be like Boston and the Yankees in separate divisions. Someone had to suffer as a result, and since Cincinnati WAS in the West when it was two-divisions per league, I put them back there.

[BaltimoreFan]

Never ever, EVER, suggest baseball have interleague play throughout the season like the other sports (nothing against those other sports, btw.). It's one of the most storied traditions of baseball. It truly makes the World Series more exciting because it's two teams who never (or now due to interleague play, MAY NOT) play each other during the regular season. In Major League Baseball, the National League and American League are still almost considered seperate leagues, like they were before the merged together. The NL still holds more to the tradition of the original game. And while the AL does as well, it modified a bit, with things like the DH.

So the leagues need to remain seperate. Interleague play is alright for a few series' during the May and June periods of the season, but that's it. It's one of the traditions of baseball, and that's what makes baseball the greatness it is. The respect for tradition.

I'm not suggesting that every team plays each other. What I'm proposing is that they play the exact same amount as now, but just don't spread it out instead of playing it in June. Say what you will about tradition but it's messing everything up right now. Thinking about it my plan would work out quite nicely. Here's how I'd do it:

AL East------NL East

New York----New York

Boston-------Atlanta

Toronto------Philadelphia

Baltimore----Washington

Tampa Bay--Florida

AL Central----NL Central

Chicago-------Chicago

Cleveland-----Cincinnati

Detriot---------Pittsburgh

Minnesota-----Milwaukee

Kansas City---St. Louis

AL West-------NL West

Los Angeles---Los Angeles

Oakland-------San Francisco

Seattle--------San Diego

Texas---------Houston

Colorado-----Arizona

I've counted that the Orioles play 6 interleague series. So I'm assuming it that is the norm (but I don't know since the leagues are uneven). If that is the case, each team would play their "geographical" rival (the teams next to each other are rivals) one series a year alternating home and away. Then each division would match up and play each team from another division (alternating each year). So once every three years you?d play your geographical rival twice. Every 6 years each team will have played in every team home and away. It?s pretty ridiculous to think that there has been a decade of interleague play and the Orioles have yet to play at Wrigley Field. Plus with divisional opponents will have even schedules (with the exception of 3 games). It?s so simple, I don?t know why MLB doesn?t do it. I?m sure we could find a way to make it work. Tradition is great, but the game has to move forward also. In this case tradition is holding the game back.

[TBGKon]

Never ever, EVER, suggest baseball have interleague play throughout the season like the other sports (nothing against those other sports, btw.). It's one of the most storied traditions of baseball. It truly makes the World Series more exciting because it's two teams who never (or now due to interleague play, MAY NOT) play each other during the regular season. In Major League Baseball, the National League and American League are still almost considered seperate leagues, like they were before the merged together. The NL still holds more to the tradition of the original game. And while the AL does as well, it modified a bit, with things like the DH.

So the leagues need to remain seperate. Interleague play is alright for a few series' during the May and June periods of the season, but that's it. It's one of the traditions of baseball, and that's what makes baseball the greatness it is. The respect for tradition.

I'm not suggesting that every team plays each other. What I'm proposing is that they play the exact same amount as now, but just don't spread it out instead of playing it in June. Say what you will about tradition but it's messing everything up right now. Thinking about it my plan would work out quite nicely. Here's how I'd do it:

AL East------NL East

New York----New York

Boston-------Atlanta

Toronto------Philadelphia

Baltimore----Washington

Tampa Bay--Florida

AL Central----NL Central

Chicago-------Chicago

Cleveland-----Cincinnati

Detriot---------Pittsburgh

Minnesota-----Milwaukee

Kansas City---St. Louis

AL West-------NL West

Los Angeles---Los Angeles

Oakland-------San Francisco

Seattle--------San Diego

Texas---------Houston

Colorado-----Arizona

I've counted that the Orioles play 6 interleague series. So I'm assuming it that is the norm (but I don't know since the leagues are uneven). If that is the case, each team would play their "geographical" rival (the teams next to each other are rivals) one series a year alternating home and away. Then each division would match up and play each team from another division (alternating each year). So once every three years you?d play your geographical rival twice. Every 6 years each team will have played in every team home and away. It?s pretty ridiculous to think that there has been a decade of interleague play and the Orioles have yet to play at Wrigley Field. Plus with divisional opponents will have even schedules (with the exception of 3 games). It?s so simple, I don?t know why MLB doesn?t do it. I?m sure we could find a way to make it work. Tradition is great, but the game has to move forward also. In this case tradition is holding the game back.

I like the effort, but the only problem is that each league needs to have even numbers of teams, otherwise there would be at least 1 Interleague series going on at a time or 2 teams would be playing at all.

[BB61]

I've got a better idea. In fact, this is may even blow you all away into your washing machines.

Ready?

Why don't we... keep it the way it's been since 1998, because it's worked out pretty well and stop trying to re-invent the wheel.

G'night everyone!