Realignment

So, it looks like realignment may be in the works. With there being 16 National League teams and 14 American League teams, looks like someone is getting moved from the NL to the AL. Possible candidates seem to be the Astros, the Diamondbacks (no!!!!), and the Rockies. They're also talking about getting rid of the divisions. Anybody have any thoughts on this?

Great news. If you are a Jays supporter like me you'll see that as a much fairer system than the current one where there are too many of the best AL teams in one division.

Not sure how you persuade the Yanks and the Red Sox (to name but two) that they're better off playing more games against the A's and the White Sox rather than against each other, so eliminating regional divisions is a big ask.

teassoc wrote:Great news. If you are a Jays supporter like me you'll see that as a much fairer system than the current one where there are too many of the best AL teams in one division.

But if you're not in a division with the Red Sox and Yankees and it's just conference standings you'll still finish below them regardless.

The Mangler US_UK wrote:So, it looks like realignment may be in the works. With there being 16 National League teams and 14 American League teams, looks like someone is getting moved from the NL to the AL. Possible candidates seem to be the Astros, the Diamondbacks (no!!!!), and the Rockies. They're also talking about getting rid of the divisions. Anybody have any thoughts on this?

Any likely move will probably be the Astros in to the AL West. Both Texas and Houston have been lobbying for this. Texas are in the Central time zone, their 3 division rivals play in the Pacific zone, two hours behind. The Rangers have 30 games on the West coast this year, most of which have a first pitch at 7.05, thats after 9 in Texas. As compensation Texas would like to see an interstate rival that it will face 19 (maybe less with a balanced schedule) times a season where all games would be at a good time for radio and tv.

Doing away with divisions and having just the two leagues with a balanced schedule for all with the top six going to the playoffs is a better way forward IMO.

But, if there is a balanced schedule (if they play each other the same amount of times), how can the top 5/6 advance? The regular season wouldn't matter that much.

I like getting rid of the divisions but increasing the amount of playoff teams is terrible. Although I'm against it, if any team is going to switch leagues it has to be the Brewers. but I'd prefer keeping the amount of playoff teams is and ending interleague play.

Manning-to-Manningham wrote:

teassoc wrote:Great news. If you are a Jays supporter like me you'll see that as a much fairer system than the current one where there are too many of the best AL teams in one division.

But if you're not in a division with the Red Sox and Yankees and it's just conference standings you'll still finish below them regardless.

Probably but with 5 or 6 in the play-offs they have a much better chance of reaching it than they do right now.

Came across this on google http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/non_aviation/read.main/2192980/

Manning-to-Manningham wrote:Came across this on google http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/non_aviation/read.main/2192980/

Red Sox and Yanks wont be split up. It doesn't make sense that that example would create divisions containing rivals yet split up the Sox and Yankees. Better to keep the Mets with Phills and Braves and let the Sox with Yanks and O's.

TheBigPhilbowski wrote:I like getting rid of the divisions but increasing the amount of playoff teams is terrible. Although I'm against it, if any team is going to switch leagues it has to be the Brewers. but I'd prefer keeping the amount of playoff teams is and ending interleague play.

If the Brewers were to switch, who would go West? In order to have balance?

I'd prefer that no team switches. But the Brewers came from the American League. An odd number of teams requires interleague play throughout the season. This whole thing stinks to high heaven. The top in each league should go right to the World Series.

TheBigPhilbowski wrote:I'd prefer that no team switches. But the Brewers came from the American League. An odd number of teams requires interleague play throughout the season. This whole thing stinks to high heaven. The top in each league should go right to the World Series.

I understand where your coming from but cant see a time again where the top team in each league will automatically play for the WS by virtue of being the best team in their league. The playoffs with 4 teams, maybe 6 in future, are here to stay.

Re; Interleague play. Here is another factor, for those who dont like it may not go away with a balanced league. If you have 14 teams per league and you play 162 games per season it wont divide evenly. As 13 ≠ 162 = 12.4 where as if you played your 13 rivals 12 times (6 home-6 road) you get 156 games with the space for just 6 interleague games. An improvement on the interleague situation (less is more) and a fair schedule for all, IMO. But would the teams go for playing their old interleague rival/s less?
In the end nothing will probably change and this agument will raise its head again in years to come.

HHealer wrote:
Any likely move will probably be the Astros in to the AL West. Both Texas and Houston have been lobbying for this. Texas are in the Central time zone, their 3 division rivals play in the Pacific zone, two hours behind. The Rangers have 30 games on the West coast this year, most of which have a first pitch at 7.05, thats after 9 in Texas. As compensation Texas would like to see an interstate rival that it will face 19 (maybe less with a balanced schedule) times a season where all games would be at a good time for radio and tv.

Looks like the Rangers got their wish with their fellow Texans coming to the AL West in 2013.
With 15 teams each, it looks like we will have one interleague game on each day through-out the season. Bud Selig also announced that from next year, the playoffs will see 10 teams. thats the 3 division winners and 2 wild-cards. The wild-cards will play a one game matchup to see who progresses to the now familar playoff format.

i'm in two minds about the wildcard increase

the end of the season last year would have been a bit boring if there had been 2 wildcard teams however it does make winning the division to be more important. for example how many times recently have we seen two teams from the AL east be basically guaranteed a playoff place, one from winning the division and one from the wildcard so the emphasis on winning the division is lower. with this system it will force teams to go for the division win to avoid the lottery of a one game wildcard playoff.

To be honest i don't like the idea of the 2 wildcard 1 off match. In my opinion it's just seems like change for changes sake.

Not sure about getting rid of the divisions either, in theory this should be a good, but in practice you could get most of the play off teams from what used to be one division, and with the team i follow all this will mean is more teams finnishing above us.

I DO however like the evening out of the schedule, this in my opinion should lead to a levelling out of teams, and should provide more intrest, as for example if your in the AL east, your always behind the 8 ball with how many times you face the yankees/Red soxs where as less games against them should raise the compertivness.