Time for MLB to do a little rearranging...

BigRedMachine

...to make things fair.

Six divisions in baseball. Four of them have five teams, but one has four and the other has six.

If you're going to give the division winners a pass to the playoffs, shouldn't each division have the same amount of teams??

The NL Central has 5 teams at .500 or better, the AL West has 1.

I think it's time to move the Astros to the American League West.

Fair enough?

cwazzy

Unfortunately it wouldn't work. MLB has 30 teams: 14 in the AL and 16 in the NL. If the Astros were moved to the AL there would be an odd number of teams in each league. This would mean that 1 team in each league would be idle at any given time (unless they worked out a complicated interleague schedule). Ideally, for me anyway, MLB would cut 2 teams and take us back to a 28 team league, w/ 14 teams in each league. I would probably even take it back to a two division league, instead of 3.

Chris

BigRedMachine

I guess I see what you mean. Is that why teams have moved in the past?? Additions of teams like the Marlins and Rays? It wasn't long ago the Brewers were in the AL. But now that they have interleague play, it's at least possible.

It just doesn't seem right to award a playoff spot to a team that wins the division, when one team has to beat 3 teams to get the pass, another has to beat 5.

The NFL has it right now that they realigned a several years ago. At least there are four teams in EVERY division.

Of course, if the team I rooted for was in the division with four teams, I wouldn't be complaining.

cwazzy

I know what you mean. I'm a Cardinals fan so having the division w/ 6 teams sucks at times. I wouldn't mind have 2 leagues with no divisions. The playoffs would then be the top 4 teams in each league. But I'm sure there is a reason to have the different divisions. I just can't think of one at the moment.

Chris

lsutigers1973

<< <i>But I'm sure there is a reason to have the different divisions. I just can't think of one at the moment. >>



It would diminsh the "importance" of historically signigicant division rivalries (Yankees/Red Sox, Cardinals/Cubs). Baseball is all about history and stats.

cwazzy

That is true. But those rivalries would still exist, albeit in a slightly less important way.

Chris

estang

I like your post & agree it is unfair to the NL Central to have 6 teams. Moving Houston to AL West would create two team in Texas in the same league & division, which wouldn't be optimal.

While I understand the imbalance 15 teams per league would create, I think it wouldn't be a bad idea to have a team off for for a 2 or 3 game period of time -- kind of like a "bye" week in football -- gives the teams a bit more rest -- even if it meant sitting out a 3 game weekend series once a year.

There's way too many interleague games in my opinion right now. Minnesota only plays 2 games in Fenway for the entire year, which is ridiculous -- and they already played them.

Perhaps another alternative would be to move Arizona or Colorado into the AL West and move Houston to the NL West...

Your idea has merit!

I don't foresee MLB contracting two teams. Rather they would be more likely to create two more markets when the economy turns around. Perhaps Mexico City and Las Vegas or Nashville. They could then create six 4 team divisions and have two wild cards in each league. Perhaps creating a bye for the #1 and #2 teams in each league as a reward. Kind of like NFL. Move the season back to 154 games and create more playoffs, which would generate more fan interest and post-season TV money.

AL East: Baltimore, Boston, New York, Toronto
AL North: Minnesota, Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit
AL South: Tampa Bay, Texas, Nashville, Arizona
AL West: Seattle, Los Angeles, Oakland, Kansas City

NL East: Philadelphia, New York, Washington, Cincinnati
NL North: Pittsburgh, Milwaukee, St. Louis, Chicago
NL South: Atlanta, Florida, Houston, Mexico City
NL West: Los Angeles, San Diego, Colorado, San Francisco

#1 & #2 seeds get byes
#3 hosts #6
#4 hosts #5
#1 playing highest seed left
#2 plays 2nd highest seed left

WinPitcher

The reason we have the 14 and 16 team setup is because they had problems scheduling.

For a while it was 15 in each league.

The Brewers moved from the AL to the NL to allieviate that problem.


Steve

Robb

Divide the divisions within the two leagues based on payroll.

Barndog

I'm all for one big AL and one big NL (make it 15 teams each). Play a balanced schedule. Top four make the playoffs.

(this is the best way for the Red Sox not to have to play the Rays so much! )

dirtmonkey

<< <i>Baseball is all about history and stats. >>



Was... One could claim those aren't as important considering the past 10 years or so.

joestalin

I think the real question should be:

Does New York need two crappy teams?

JS

grote15

I think the real question should be:

Does New York need two crappy teams?

JS

No, the real question is how can someone root for Philly in one sport and despise them in another? Oh, that's right, that must be a bandwagon fan...nevermind...