MLB Expansion

[tabascojet]

people outside of florida think it is a fan problem for baseball. it isnt. tropicana is terrible venue in an even worse location. marlins park was a terrible location from the get go too. loria has fucked that fanbase so many times i hope he is forced to sell but with the new stadium i doubt the franchise is moving anywhere.

 

[HammerDown]

Nashville would support the hell out of a baseball team!

 

[calsnowskier]

I almost posted a thread on this topic a few days back.

I am not sure the finances support expansion at this time, but I think with the influx of Cuban and Asian players over the last few years, the talent pool is there. 32 is also a MUCH better number than 30, but it would kill the WC, and I have become a big fan of the WC (creates more races than just the division).

Also, at the time this thread was created, there was a lot of discussion of how re-alignment would happen with eight 4-team divisions, and it just didnt work well. Too many rivalries get broken up (I think Philly/Mets was a casualty) and spreading out the traditional powerhouse draws was an issue (going off of memory as this discussion was 2 years ago).

 

[obxyankeefan]

I almost posted a thread on this topic a few days back.

I am not sure the finances support expansion at this time, but I think with the influx of Cuban and Asian players over the last few years, the talent pool is there. 32 is also a MUCH better number than 30, but it would kill the WC, and I have become a big fan of the WC (creates more races than just the division).

Also, at the time this thread was created, there was a lot of discussion of how re-alignment would happen with eight 4-team divisions, and it just didnt work well. Too many rivalries get broken up (I think Philly/Mets was a casualty) and spreading out the traditional powerhouse draws was an issue (going off of memory as this discussion was 2 years ago).

Two eight team divisions? No interleague games and six against the teams in the other division plus 16 against your division. 160 game schedule. Going off the top of my head, so IDK what to do about the WC/Playoff picture.

 

[obxyankeefan]

Norfolk? really?

Why not Rodanthe or Corolla? You could save a lot of gas.

The Hampton Roads area is the largest area in America without a "Major" sports team. Harbor Park was built to be able to expand it to a MLB ready stadium in under a year. The issues with it are the city leaders cannot agree about anything and the road system since most ways into Norfolk include crossing a bridge tunnel.

I have lived in Michigan for a number of years now, but when I did live down there I worked in Norfolk and lived equal distance between the Va Bch oceanfront and the OBX, so gas was never an issue in my suggestion.

 

[calsnowskier]

Two eight team divisions? No interleague games and six against the teams in the other division plus 16 against your division. 160 game schedule. Going off the top of my head, so IDK what to do about the WC/Playoff picture.

4 8-team divisions would include a WC structure, but then it would be too much like the NBA where there isnt much benefit to winning the division anymore (outside of seeding, of course). I certainly like the idea of ending inter-league, though

Maybe go to the NFL structure...

4 Div winners, 2 WC

Top 2 Div winners get bye, WC plays a 3-game series AT the bottom 2 div winners (no home games for WCs in this round).

The prob with this format is that time off hurts hitters in baseball. Their timing gets completely screwed. This is why I am a proponent of the 1-game playoff for the WC teams in the current format.

I am becoming more and more "OK" with the idea of shortening the regular season. Not anything dramatic, but I am pen to the idea of dropping a week or so now that the playoffs are going so long. Also, more off-days during the season makes makeups easier and fewer cross-country trips for coastal teams without an off-day. Seattle has a tough travel schedule every year. Is it really hard to fathom why they dont have a lot of success? Their players are worn-the-eff-out.

 

[HammerDown]

Eliminate interleague and shorten the season? Absolute yes! from me. They could start the season on time but play, say, 12 less games. Spread those off-days around throughout the season. The league could even look at which days of the week drive less revenue and schedule accordingly.

Very smart people at MLB know what the answer is but they're always looking at the bottom line right now.

 

[obxyankeefan]

I feel about divisions like you do about the DH.

Once again just sprouting off the top of my head. Two divisions per league with the division winners seeded 1 & 2 and two WCs. In the first round have the division winners only need 3 wins to advance while the WCs need four.

 

[calsnowskier]

I feel about divisions like you do about the DH.

Once again just sprouting off the top of my head. Two divisions per league with the division winners seeded 1 & 2 and two WCs. In the first round have the division winners only need 3 wins to advance while the WCs need four.

Interesting take on the 3 vs 4 to take the series. I have never thought of that before. I am not sure how I feel about some team winning a series, 3-3. That sounds too much like hockey.

In the current format, I have always been in favor of the #1 seed getting a 4-1 HFA over the WC winner. I think that adds enough of an advantage.

 

[calsnowskier]

Eliminate interleague and shorten the season? Absolute yes! from me. They could start the season on time but play, say, 12 less games. Spread those off-days around throughout the season. The league could even look at which days of the week drive less revenue and schedule accordingly.

Very smart people at MLB know what the answer is but they're always looking at the bottom line right now.

There is nothing wrong with the league looking at the bottom line. That is why MLB exists, after-all.

Shortening the season I think makes some sense from a fan's perspective (see my other posts on the subject), but I am not sure it makes sense from a $$ perspective. You know the players are not going to reduce their salaries 10% to accommodate the fewer games/lost gate.

 

[tducey]

Don't know about expansion but would love baseball back in Montreal, maybe if the Rays move?

 

[ducky]

I'd rather live in Mexico City than Boston and I'm far from alone.

Because it's a corrupt, filthy, rat-infested toilet that lacks basic infrastructure and is populated by some of the most lawless people in America maybe?

You can't have it both ways.

Mexico City is WAY more corrupt, way more filthy, way more rat invested of a toilet that lacks way more infrastructure and is populated with way more lawless people than anything New Orleans has to offer.

 

[Sgt Brutus]

They won't shorten the season

= lost money