Realignment

[BrewCrewBlueDevil]

With the DH and everyone playing everyone in 2023, what are your thoughts on a total MLB realignment?  Teams would play teams closer to home and MLB would be divided east/west. 

American League

East: Marlins, Rays, Braves, Nationals, Orioles 

Northeast: Red Sox, Yankees, Mets, Phillies, Pirates 

Great Lakes East: Blue Jays, Tigers, Cardinals, Reds, Guardians

National League 

West: Mariners, Giants, A's, Dodgers, Angels 

South: Padres, Diamond Backs, Rangers, Rockies, Astros 

Midwest: Twins, Brewers, White Sox, Cubs, Royals 

As a baseball fan a Chicago or New York series is kind of exciting.

 

[mtsportsfan]

  On 7/23/2022 at 9:36 PM, BrewCrewBlueDevil said:

With the DH and everyone playing everyone in 2023, what are your thoughts on a total MLB realignment?  Teams would play teams closer to home and MLB would be divided east/west. 

American League

East: Marlins, Rays, Braves, Nationals, Orioles 

Northeast: Red Sox, Yankees, Mets, Phillies, Pirates 

Great Lakes East: Blue Jays, Tigers, Cardinals, Reds, Guardians

National League 

West: Mariners, Giants, A's, Dodgers, Angels 

South: Padres, Diamond Backs, Rangers, Rockies, Astros 

Midwest: Twins, Brewers, White Sox, Cubs, Royals 

As a baseball fan a Chicago or New York series is kind of exciting.

 

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I could see it ,  but wouldn't you swap out the white Sox for the cardinals. The cardinals  are and have been a rival for the cubs forever. I would assume that it would be more of a balanced schedule so the cubs and white Sox would still play each other aplenty.

[igor67]

I'm sure Pittsburg wouldn't like that setup

[jerichoholicninja]

  On 7/23/2022 at 9:36 PM, BrewCrewBlueDevil said:

 

As a baseball fan a Chicago or New York series is kind of exciting.

 

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Why? They already play each other every year and would never play each other in the World Series.

[Brock Beauchamp]

I'm of the opinion MLB should expand to 32 and eight four team divisions should be created.

[Brewcrew82]

  On 7/24/2022 at 12:13 AM, Brock Beauchamp said:

I'm of the opinion MLB should expand to 32 and eight four team divisions should be created.

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They need to make the Montreal Expos happen. Baseball won't be whole for me until they're back. Then, put the other team in Vegas, and realign the divisions a la. the NFL. 

[nate82]

  On 7/24/2022 at 12:43 AM, Brewcrew82 said:

They need to make the Montreal Expos happen. Baseball won't be whole for me until they're back. Then, put the other team in Vegas, and realign the divisions a la. the NFL. 

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Expansion is all hanging on the stadium situations in Oakland and Tampa Bay.  Oakland looks like they are staying so that leaves Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay probably leaves for Nashville or Charlotte.  That leaves Montreal as an expansion team and Las Vegas.  Don’t count out Jacksonville as a spot for the Rays to move to also.  

[Brock Beauchamp]

  On 7/24/2022 at 12:43 AM, Brewcrew82 said:

They need to make the Montreal Expos happen. Baseball won't be whole for me until they're back. Then, put the other team in Vegas, and realign the divisions a la. the NFL. 

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Agreed on the Expos, don’t really care where they put the other team but Carolina makes a lot of sense. Huge population, no close MLB teams. 

[Brewcrew82]

  On 7/24/2022 at 12:58 AM, nate82 said:

Expansion is all hanging on the stadium situations in Oakland and Tampa Bay.  Oakland looks like they are staying so that leaves Tampa Bay.

Tampa Bay probably leaves for Nashville or Charlotte.  That leaves Montreal as an expansion team and Las Vegas.  Don’t count out Jacksonville as a spot for the Rays to move to also.  

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It's crazy to me how a market such as Tampa Bay is on the verge of relocation. That's what happens when you combine crappy ownership with a terrible location. 

[Brewcrew82]

  On 7/24/2022 at 12:59 AM, Brock Beauchamp said:

Agreed on the Expos, don’t really care where they put the other team but Carolina makes a lot of sense. Huge population, no close MLB teams. 

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Yeah, I could see Charlotte getting a team. Though, I suspect when push comes to shove it'll end up being Vegas for financial/gambling interest reasons. Also, if you're going to add a team from the East such as Montreal, it makes sense to add a team from the West as well for geographic balance. 

[Brock Beauchamp]

  On 7/24/2022 at 1:02 AM, Brewcrew82 said:

Yeah, I could see Charlotte getting a team. Though, I suspect when push comes to shove it'll end up being Vegas for financial/gambling interest reasons. 

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Very possible. Personally, as a long time SoCal resident that had a lot of family in Vegas, I don’t think it’s a good MLB town. The entire city is transplants, it’s not a very large metro area, and it’s too ****** hot, may as well build a permanent dome. 

[nate82]

  On 7/24/2022 at 1:05 AM, Brock Beauchamp said:

Very possible. Personally, as a long time SoCal resident that had a lot of family in Vegas, I don’t think it’s a good MLB town. The entire city is transplants, it’s not a very large metro area, and it’s too ****** hot, may as well build a permanent dome. 

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It is usually cooler than Phoenix.

[Brock Beauchamp]

  On 7/24/2022 at 1:09 AM, nate82 said:

It is usually cooler than Phoenix.

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Don’t get me started on my opinion of Phoenix, either. ?

[nate82]

  On 7/24/2022 at 1:12 AM, Brock Beauchamp said:

Don’t get me started on my opinion of Phoenix, either. ?

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I love living in Phoenix.  Best is from October to April.

[Ulice Payne]

Realigning MLB is a nice pastime when I'm bored.  When there's nothing else to do, and not enough mental energy to proactively start something of consequence, I'll often draw the outline of the US & start re-dividing baseball.

Here's a proposal of eight four-team divisions.

Assuming two new expansion teams, one on the east coast and the other on the west coast.

 

Div 1.  Angels, Dodgers, Padres, Diamondbacks

Div 2. Mariners, Giants, A's, New West Coast Team (Las Vegas or Portland?)

Div 3. Cubs, White Sox, Cardinals, Royals

Div 4. Braves, Reds, Rays, Marlins

Div 5. Rangers, Astros, Rockies, New East Coast Team (Charlotte or Nashville?)

Div 6. Twins, Brewers, Guardians, Tigers

Div 7.  Blue Jays, Red Sox, Yankees, Mets

Div 8. Orioles, Nationals, Phillies, Pirates

 

Did my best to respect time zones and minimize travel.   

Also my intent to preserve existing rivalries, i. e. Cubs/Cardinals, Yankees/Red Sox, Guardians/Tigers, etc.

Hoping this would create new rivalries.  The crosstown teams in New York, Chicago, and LA just seem too obvious.  Also, I have to think that Giants/A's, Orioles/Nationals,  and Royals/Cardinals could be good, along with potential in-state rivalries in Texas, Florida, and Pennsylvania.

Would have liked to get pairs like Dodgers/Giants, Reds/Guardians in the same division, but the geography is what it is.

The new team in Charlotte/Nashville gets hosed a bit, as they have to travel across 2 time zones to get to Colorado, but I think that's the only division that's not in two or less time zones.  The placement of the Rockies is really one of the most difficult parts of realignment.  This could be solved if the two expansion teams were in Portland and Las Vegas; with Las Vegas joining Colorado & the Texas teams, and Portland joining the Mariners, Giants, and A's.

Not too worried about preserving two leagues in this plan, especially since we're putting city-sharing teams in divisions together. 

I would have liked to have kept Milwaukee with the Chicago teams, but again; the geography.  Brewers lose the Cubs and Cardinals in this plan, but I don't think that's so bad.  The Cubs and Cardinals are chiefly rivals with each other, and Milwaukee is a secondary rival to both those teams.  There's a lot of history with the Twins, Tigers, and Cleveland; and Brewers fans could do very well re-learning to despise teams in other northern cities. 

[rickh150]

Does more harm than good… I like current rivalries, AL/NL set up. Just let be. Change is not always for the better.

[jw5511986]

  On 7/24/2022 at 12:13 AM, Brock Beauchamp said:

I'm of the opinion MLB should expand to 32 and eight four team divisions should be created.

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I can't imagine they do any realignment before prospective expansion. Eight divisions of 4 just makes too much sense.

 

[jw5511986]

  On 7/24/2022 at 2:37 AM, Ulice Payne said:

Realigning MLB is a nice pastime when I'm bored.  When there's nothing else to do, and not enough mental energy to proactively start something of consequence, I'll often draw the outline of the US & start re-dividing baseball.

Here's a proposal of eight four-team divisions.

Assuming two new expansion teams, one on the east coast and the other on the west coast.

 

Div 1.  Angels, Dodgers, Padres, Diamondbacks

Div 2. Mariners, Giants, A's, New West Coast Team (Las Vegas or Portland?)

Div 3. Cubs, White Sox, Cardinals, Royals

Div 4. Braves, Reds, Rays, Marlins

Div 5. Rangers, Astros, Rockies, New East Coast Team (Charlotte or Nashville?)

Div 6. Twins, Brewers, Guardians, Tigers

Div 7.  Blue Jays, Red Sox, Yankees, Mets

Div 8. Orioles, Nationals, Phillies, Pirates

 

Did my best to respect time zones and minimize travel.   

Also my intent to preserve existing rivalries, i. e. Cubs/Cardinals, Yankees/Red Sox, Guardians/Tigers, etc.

Hoping this would create new rivalries.  The crosstown teams in New York, Chicago, and LA just seem too obvious.  Also, I have to think that Giants/A's, Orioles/Nationals,  and Royals/Cardinals could be good, along with potential in-state rivalries in Texas, Florida, and Pennsylvania.

Would have liked to get pairs like Dodgers/Giants, Reds/Guardians in the same division, but the geography is what it is.

The new team in Charlotte/Nashville gets hosed a bit, as they have to travel across 2 time zones to get to Colorado, but I think that's the only division that's not in two or less time zones.  The placement of the Rockies is really one of the most difficult parts of realignment.  This could be solved if the two expansion teams were in Portland and Las Vegas; with Las Vegas joining Colorado & the Texas teams, and Portland joining the Mariners, Giants, and A's.

Not too worried about preserving two leagues in this plan, especially since we're putting city-sharing teams in divisions together. 

I would have liked to have kept Milwaukee with the Chicago teams, but again; the geography.  Brewers lose the Cubs and Cardinals in this plan, but I don't think that's so bad.  The Cubs and Cardinals are chiefly rivals with each other, and Milwaukee is a secondary rival to both those teams.  There's a lot of history with the Twins, Tigers, and Cleveland; and Brewers fans could do very well re-learning to despise teams in other northern cities. 

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My breakdown has always been something like:

Div 1: SEA, Oak, SF, LV

Div 2: LAD, LAA, SD, AZ

Div 3: Tex, Hou, Col, KC

Div 4: Min, MKE, CHC, CHW

Div 5: Det, Cin, Cle, Tor

Div 6: TB, Miami, Atl, STL

Div 7: Bal, PHI, Pitt, Wash

Div 8: NYY, NYM, Bos, Montreal

 

Ideally I'd move TB to Montreal though and place a new team (either Nashville or Charlotte) into Div 6.

[torts]

  On 7/23/2022 at 10:27 PM, igor67 said:

I'm sure Pittsburg wouldn't like that setup

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I meann, they don't seem to care about the setup today, so... 

[Robocaller]

my thought there is no need for a realignment.

[stoutdude04]

2 leagues - play everyone in your league 7 times and the other 15 4 times. 158 game season.

Top 2 get the bye and the next 4 the wild cards series 3 games.

[nate82]

I was thinking about this today and I think it would be best to redo the realignment.  Here is what I would like to see if realignment were to happen.

 

American League:

East

• Boston Red Sox
• New York Yankees
• New York Mets
• Philadelphia Phillies
• Toronto Blue Jays

North East

• Pittsburgh Pirates
• Baltimore Orioles
• Washington Nationals
• Cleveland Guardians
• Cincinnati Reds

South

• Atlanta Braves
• Miami Rays
• Carolina (Marlins)
• Texas Rangers
• Houston Astros

 

National League:

North

• Detroit Tigers
• Chicago Cubs
• Chicago White Sox
• St. Louis Cardinals
• Nashville (A's)

Midwest

• Milwaukee Brewers
• Minnesota Twins
• Arizona Diamondbacks
• Kansas City Royals
• Colorado Rockies

West

• Los Angeles Angels
• Los Angeles Dodgers
• San Francisco Giants
• San Diego Padres
• Seattle Mariners

[brewmann04]

Have to leagues the Rich and the Not So rich leagues 

[SomewhereInTime]

  On 7/23/2022 at 10:27 PM, igor67 said:

I'm sure Pittsburg wouldn't like that setup

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Well they'd go from never winning the division to never winning the division, is the streak up to 30 years without a division title yet?

[JosephC]

I think they would have to start with something like this-

A League = Yankees, Mets, Dodgers, Angels, Cubs, White Sox

B League = Phillies, Rangers, Giants, Braves, Astros, Red Sox

C League = Nationals, Diamondbacks, Mariners, Twins, Tigers, Blue Jays

D League = Rockies, Marlins, Guardians, Cardinals, Padres, Orioles

E League = Pirates, Royals, Rays, A's, Brewers, Reds

Do that for just 2 years, then demote the E League to AAA status, that way the Yankees and Mets do not have to waste national TV contract money on completely irrelevant markets like Cincinnati and Milwaukee.

Then take what's left and go with this-

American League East = Yankees, White Sox, Tigers, Blue Jays, Marlins, Orioles

American League West = Angels, Rangers, Astros, Mariners, Twins, Guardians

National League East = Red Sox, Mets, Cubs, Phillies, Braves, Nationals

National League West = Dodgers, Giants, Diamondbacks, Rockies, Cardinals, Padres

Red Sox had to get flipped to the National League because it holds the potential for a Yankees/Red Sox World Series which is the only thing that matters because it's what TV execs want the most.

Top 8 teams in each League go to the playoffs.  Bracket nerds can have their fun with the mini 16-team bracket format.

This folks, is MLB, MLBPA and TVs wet dream right here.