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Jun 15, 2011 - As you've no doubt heard, there's been some loose talk lately about realigning Major League Baseball to create two 15-team leagues. This would lead to all sorts of prickly questions, but the first that must be answered is fundamental: Which National League team (or teams) will switch to the American League.
Assuming that the existing divisions remain, there are two obvious possibilities: the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Houston Astros.
The Diamondbacks, because 1) they would slide nicely into the four-team American League West, and 2) because Arizona doesn't observe Daylight Savings Time, which means none of the D'backs road games would start later than 7:10 or 7:15pm, local time.
The Astros, because 1) they would play the Rangers plenty of times every season, and 2) they're currently one of six teams in the bloated National League Central.
The downside of moving the Astros is that they would play a number of road games with 9:05pm starts, Houston time. But that's going to happen regardless, because if the Diamondbacks change leagues the Astros will have to take their place in the National League West.
Again, all of this assumes the divisions are retained, along with unbalanced schedules that have extra games against divisional foes. If the divisions are eliminated and/or the schedules are balanced, the time-zone issues go away.
Of course, there's another issue: Nobody wants to move. Astros owner -- for the moment, anyway -- Drayton McLane doesn't want to move. And the Diamondbacks were supposed to move a few years after their creation, but pitched such a fit that MLB didn't make them move. Could these dynamics change? Sure. But the resistance to change is often both emotional and powerful. Which is just another reason to think any sort of meaningful realignment is unlikely.
Still, what do you think? Of the two most obvious candidates, which should join the American League?
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Comments
Why not the Brewers?
They were an American League team. Move them back.
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by deshawn zombie on Jun 15, 2011 1:29 PM EDT reply actions
No way
Brewers fans prefer the NL. The rivalry with the Cubs is far greater than any they had with the ChiSox. The whole idea is stupid anyway. They should be looking to eliminate interleague play not have more of it.
http://pinetarandbrickbats.blogspot.com/2011/06/15-team-leagues-no.html
by Dan Berman on Jun 15, 2011 8:12 PM EDT up reply actions
I agree. They're also the team that Bud will have the most pull with.
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by J-Doug on Jun 17, 2011 1:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Why not send the Brewers back?
I always mistake them for still being in the American League, so their move would calm my addled psyche.
by alcatrazzledazzle on Jun 15, 2011 1:29 PM EDT reply actions
Brewers
put the Brewers back in AL Central, move the Twinkies to the AL West. That would be interesting for awhile.
by Chad MacNeil on Jun 15, 2011 1:43 PM EDT reply actions
Twins
You couldn’t really move the Twins back to the West, with the Brewers in the AL Central, because Minnesota has a general rivalry with Wisconsin (which is why the Twins and Brewers play 6 times a year, as it is). Maybe Kansas City, although they could pitch a fit about it, as well.
But Uncle Bud would never make the Brewers give up their sweet spot in the NL Central, which gives them the regular attendance draws of the Cardinals, Cubs, and Reds. Who thinks they’d like to trade those draws for the Royals, White Sox, and Indians? Ha.
by frightwig on Jun 15, 2011 2:18 PM EDT up reply actions
Brewers are my first choice to send back
If it’s between Houston and Arizona, I’d send Arizona. Let Texas have one team in each league, and then move Houston back to the NL West.
__________________________________________________
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by Russ on Jun 15, 2011 1:56 PM EDT reply actions
You want interesting for awhile?
Send the Braves or the Phillies to the AL East. lol
by Still Royal on Jun 15, 2011 1:57 PM EDT reply actions
Just to continue the sheepling
Clearly the Brewers. I like the historical aspect of the Brewers being an AL team. MLB is the only sport quaint enough to have somewhat meaningful league distinctions. And for what it’s worth (certainly not much coming from me), I like it. Plus, if we move the Brewers back, it allows us to more easily forget the Bud Selig administration.
by FullMarks55 on Jun 15, 2011 2:08 PM EDT reply actions
Washington Nationals
They hate that they came from the Expos (NL), but love their ties to the Senators (AL). Why not let them embrace their shunning of the last 40 years?
Of course, this wouldn’t work very well if divisions were maintained.
Best Season Ever.
by Wes on Jun 15, 2011 2:09 PM EDT reply actions
15 teams per league? Why not 16?
Why isn’t anyone talking about the obvious solution, which is to add two teams? With two leagues of 16 teams apiece, each team could play 14 games against each in-division rival, 8 against each of the other teams in its league, and 6 against each team in one division of the other league. For fun, to the extent interleague play is “fun,” each year, each team could play the teams in a different division of the other league.
And wouldn’t this be appealing economically, to both players and owners? Baseball seems to be doing fine as a business. Two new teams would give the players union more members, and enable current owners to split the franchise fees paid by the newbie owners.
by Andy Day on Jun 15, 2011 2:19 PM EDT reply actions
Nice but...
Where will these new teams play? In new stadiums built with taxpayer money (because that’s the only kind that are built these days)?
by roneBOFH on Jun 15, 2011 2:26 PM EDT up reply actions
Just looking at Metro Areas more populous than Milwaukee
Nashville, TN
Providence, RI
Orlando, FL
San Antonio, TX
Sacramento, CA
Portland, OR
by StolenMonkey86 on Jun 15, 2011 2:40 PM EDT up reply actions
If you consider top radio markets in the US
These are bigger than Milwaukee
Austin
Columbus
Orlando
Las Vegas
San Antonio
Sacramento
Charlotte
Portland
Puerto Rico
by StolenMonkey86 on Jun 15, 2011 2:49 PM EDT up reply actions
Expansion possibilities
I think Portland, Nashville, and maybe Charlotte are the only cities on your lists that might get serious consideration for expansion. I don’t know if any of them are eager and ready to build a MLB ballpark.
I like the idea of a team in Portland, since it’s my home, but the city just gave up AAA baseball to bring in Major League Soccer, and there didn’t seem to be a huge outcry about the loss. And I’d tend to doubt that the Oregon legislature could approve something like $300M to build a ballpark right now, anyway, in this economy and with no local or state sales taxes (the usual way of raising the dough).
by frightwig on Jun 15, 2011 3:11 PM EDT up reply actions
I’m not sure if it would work, but my mind is immediately drawn to Vancouver and Montreal.
"Lee pitches...Renteria hits a high drive, deep left-center field, David Murphy going back, he's on the warning track—it is...go-one!"
by El Person on Jun 15, 2011 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions
Montreal failed
Jeff Mathis Batting Average Watch: .198
by ryanfea on Jun 16, 2011 12:32 AM EDT up reply actions
Montreal was killed
It didn’t fail. It lasted with good attendance for 25 years.
The fire sale after the heart-breaking 1994 season killed the team.
Nevertheless, no government is going to pony up the cash for a new stadium now.
by Laurie Nyveen on Jun 16, 2011 3:47 AM EDT up reply actions
Jeff Loria also managed to not get a deal for TV or English-language radio going into the 2000 season, per Wikipedia.
by StolenMonkey86 on Jun 16, 2011 9:44 AM EDT up reply actions
Third team in New York
They could play in a mix of Yankee Stadium and CitiField – whichever team is out of town – until they build a new field.
by po8crg on Jun 15, 2011 3:51 PM EDT up reply actions
Mexico City (AL Central) and Las Vegas (AL West)
Move Kansas City to the AL West and everyone is happy. The only snag is the Vegas has a AAA team, but that stadium could be used and retrofitted for MLB, and the AAA team could move to another region, and people don’t get upset about MiLB re-alignment.
I don’t know why Mexico City isn’t getting more discussion, its one of the largest metro areas in North America, and has the potential to instantly add a large number of Mexican viewers.
by Fiesta on Jun 15, 2011 4:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Actually, now I'm thinking about it like this
AL East: Red Sox, Yankees, Orioles, Blue Jays
AL West: Angels, A’s, Mariners, Rangers (no change)
AL South: Rays, Mexico City, Royals, Nashville (to keep the Rays traveling in Central Time)
AL North: Twins, White Sox, Tigers, Indians
NL East: Braves, Mets, Phillies, Nats
NL West: Rockies, Dodgers, Padres, Giants
NL South: Marlins, Astros, D-Backs, Reds (I’d prefer St Louis, but the Cards/Cubs rival is classic)
NL North: Cubs, Brewers, Cards, Pirates
Playoffs: 4 Division winners (top 2 records get byes), 2 Wild Cards per division. First round of playoffs only 3 games long, 2nd round 5, championship 7.
Doesn’t move any NL teams to the AL, keeps travel times close, expands into new large metro areas. Win-win-win?
by Fiesta on Jun 15, 2011 4:51 PM EDT up reply actions
I like this set-up
NL East – Mets, Phillies, Pirates, Nationals
NL North – Cubs, Brewers, Reds, Cardinals
NL South – Marlins, Braves, Astros, Rockies
NL West – Dodgers, Giants, Padres, Diamondbacks
AL East – Yankees, Red Sox, Orioles, Blue Jays
AL North – Indians, White Sox, Twins, Tigers
AL South – Royals, Rangers, Rays, Charlotte
AL West – Mariners, Angels, A’s, Portland
Obviously it assumes Portland and Charlotte expansion teams, but this could be done any number of ways, and would work just as well with Nashville/Mexico City and some minor tweaks.
What I like best is I kept the Cubs, Cards, and Brewers together.
And I think it could stick with just division winners making the playoffs, no need for extra wild cards. The biggest reason for the 2nd wild card being discussed now (aside from extra playoff money) is it increases the importance of winning the division. The four four-team division setup does that without diluting the playoff pool (yes, I’m aware it will likely dilute it in other ways if any of the divisions is particularly weak, but still).
Ow! My oblique!
by Cantankerous on Jun 15, 2011 9:29 PM EDT up reply actions
Mexico City unlikely
The elevation at Mexico City’s airport is 7,316 feet. They would need a humidor for their humidor.
I certainly hope MLB expands into Mexico during my lifetime, but that won’t happen until long after the Mexican government regains control of domestic security. If that comes to pass, I think the most likely candidate for a team is Monterrey (current metro population of about 4 million).
All that said, there might only be a decade or so wait for Havana…
Carriage Return
by CarterHayes on Jun 16, 2011 1:05 AM EDT up reply actions
I agree
15 in each league is just plain dumb. I actually like 4, eight-team leagues. Realign the whole things and eliminate interleague play.
http://pinetarandbrickbats.blogspot.com/2011/04/how-about-radical-realignment.html
by Dan Berman on Jun 15, 2011 8:14 PM EDT up reply actions
Quit screwing around with onesy-twosies
Radical realignment:
AL West: Seattle-SF-Oakland-LA-Anaheim
NL Southwest: SD-Arizona-Colorado-Texas-Houston
AL Midwest: Minnesota-Kansas City-St. Louis-Cubs-White Sox
NL North: Milwaukee-Detroit-Toronto-Cleveland-Cincinnati
NL Southeast: Baltimore-Washington-Atlanta-Florida-Tampa
AL Northeast: Pittsburgh-Philadelphia-Yankees-Mets-Boston
by roneBOFH on Jun 15, 2011 2:25 PM EDT reply actions
Winner
Representin' the West Side of Mulberry!
by SeanDubbs on Jun 15, 2011 2:30 PM EDT up reply actions
Yes more of this
Except in this scenario there’s no reason to keep the AL and NL distinction. 6 division winners + 4 wild cards ceded in a standard bracket (I’d prefer only 2 but whatever). Play for the championship. Go.
by mkd on Jun 15, 2011 2:34 PM EDT up reply actions
No
I like the National League, thanks.
"Lee pitches...Renteria hits a high drive, deep left-center field, David Murphy going back, he's on the warning track—it is...go-one!"
by El Person on Jun 15, 2011 3:20 PM EDT up reply actions
The baby elephant in the room is ...
… what is the future for the Tampa franchise?
They can’t continue to play in Tampa given the poor level of fan support. Ownership has already started cutting back on marketing and promotions as the payroll sinks. (“Tampa Bay Rays Owners Show Signs Of Bailing:”http://blogs.forbes.com/mikeozanian/2011/04/13/tampa-bay-rays-owners-show-signs-of-bailing/")
Seems to me that the Tampa question needs to be considered in the realignment discussions.
"Most all good Americans hate the Yankees. It is a value we cherish and pass on to our children like decency and democracy and the importance of a good breakfast." - William B. Mead
by Steve Nelson on Jun 15, 2011 2:38 PM EDT reply actions
I was wondering this as well
Wouldn’t be overly surprised if they moved. Their stadium proposal has died, so either they get sold, or relocated. Their fate should be decided before the re-alignment does.
Dear Lakers,
When I said to hurry up and hire a coach already, I didn't mean to hire Mike Brown.
by Td1984 on Jun 15, 2011 5:28 PM EDT up reply actions
SD Padres
They would benefit from the use of a DH the most.
Go Fo Broke!
by eknpdx on Jun 15, 2011 3:16 PM EDT reply actions
My plan
Move Pittsburgh to the AL East, move Tampa to the AL Central and move Kansas City to the AL West.
by roons11 on Jun 15, 2011 3:27 PM EDT reply actions
Because...
…low budget Pittsburgh would ever be competitive in the AL East?
by bobulated on Jun 15, 2011 3:45 PM EDT up reply actions
You really hate Pittsburgh, don’t you?
by StolenMonkey86 on Jun 16, 2011 9:45 AM EDT up reply actions
Brewers
Lets just bring back the Brewers, they were once an AL team, lets bring them back.
by rdubmu on Jun 15, 2011 3:47 PM EDT reply actions
I suggest a ranking system
in which they would all be assigned a number from a computer and maybe some learned people. The top two would play a game at the end of the season, the others can slug it out for no apparent reason except pride.
OH WAIT THAT WOULD BE STUPID.
Unlike this cat, my love for the LAA will never die.
by NathanielS on Jun 15, 2011 3:52 PM EDT reply actions
Make realignment based on size of the market when possible
DIv 1 East- Mets, Yankees, Phils, Boston, Washington
Div 2 East- Bal, Atl, Florida, Tampa, Pitt
Div 1 Central- White Sox, Cubs, Detroit, Tor, Mil
Div 2 Central- Cleveland, St. Louis, Cin, KC, MIn
Div 1 West- Hou, Tex, Ari, Col, Sea
Div 2 West- Sf, SD, Anaheim, La, Oak
A deadline has a wonderful way of concentrating the mind.-Professor James Moriarty
Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not to his own facts.- Former Sen. Daniel Patrick Moynihan
by Blame-everyone-else on Jun 15, 2011 7:09 PM EDT reply actions
Mexico City is too dangerous
I certainly don’t want my team going into drug war-infested Mexico.
I say we need the following changes. Move Tampa to Orlando or Charlotte, straight off the bat, although that’s sort of unrelated to this discussion.
Add two teams to the AL. One in Las Vegas, one in Portland. Vegas joins the AL Central and Portland to the AL West.
Done and done.
by switchhittingmachine on Jun 15, 2011 7:27 PM EDT reply actions
It depends
If they keep divisions… Houston. It would keep everyone else in their current division, and it would match the Texas teams for easier travel.
If they went to 15 teams with no divisions, then I think it should be Arizona or Colorado. Either one is fine, because it would equal each league by time zones—7 east, 4 central, 4 mtn/pacific.
Personally, I think no divisions is the way to go. It would seed the playoff teams in the right order, and I think that’s very important when they add another playoff team. Make it top 5 of 15, and seed them right. I think in time fans would get used it. Right now there’s too much fear of change.
by NoDivisions on Jun 15, 2011 8:26 PM EDT reply actions
Moving D'backs makes sense
Assuming Houston shifted to the NL West, both leagues’ western divisions would comprise three Pacific Coast teams, one from the interior (D’backs/Rockies) and one from the state of Texas (Rangers/Astros). A good “mirror” setup for interleague play in a three-division, 15-team league plan.
by vp19 on Jun 16, 2011 6:25 PM EDT reply actions
How to fix everything and make everyone happy
Put San Diego in the AL West, where they can develop a mutually beneficial rivalry with their closest neighbor in Orange County (rather than playing second fiddle to Dodgers-Giants) and play only Pacific time zone teams in division. Move the Rangers to the AL Central with the other AL Central time zone teams. Keep the Astros in the NL Central playing existing rivals and Central time zone teams. Keep the two Mountain time zone teams together (AZ & CO) in the NL West. Everybody wins.
If you’re scoring at home:
AL West
SD
LAA
OAK
SEA
AL Central
TEX
KC
MIN
CWS
DET
CLE
NL West
SF
LAD
CO
AZ
AL East, NL Central, NL East are unchanged.
by Pete13 on Jun 17, 2011 3:01 AM EDT reply actions
ORIOLES
Please get the Orioles out of the AL East please. As a fan of the team, I’d like to know what hope feels like. Put Baltimore in the NL Central. I never thought I’d be jealous of Pirates fans…
by mdsportz21 on Jun 19, 2011 11:15 PM EDT reply actions
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