Commissioner Rob Manfred: Expansion to 32 Teams Inevitable

[UVA_Guy81]

I like that better than mine...keeps most of the old rivalries intact... and the teams that switch leagues are expansion-era clubs who don't have 100 year histories with any rivals

I also figured that Colorado would fit better in the AL and with 3 out of the 4 parks in the proposed division being hitter friendly.
I figured the same with moving Tampa Bay to the NL since they're more of a pitching oriented team anyways, that they'd fit right in. Also it'd be easier for them to form rivalries with Atlanta and Miami since they're a lot closer than any of the teams in the AL East.

 

[Used 2 B Hu]

Also it'd be easier for them to form rivalries with Atlanta and Miami since they're a lot closer than any of the teams in the AL East.

True. Seems they only got slotted in the AL because Florida/Miami was already in the NL.

It always bugged me growing up that we had 1/4 of the country's population in the Southeast, but only one horrible baseball team for so long.

 

[Cedrique]

I'll take a shot, except I'll use Nashville and Portland as two expansion teams, along with a few other changes.

AL East - Toronto, Boston, New York Yankees, Baltimore
AL North - Detroit, Cleveland, Chicago White Sox, Minnesota
AL South - Kansas City, Texas, Houston, Colorado
AL West - Seattle, Portland, Oakland, LA Angels of Anaheim

NL East - New York Mets, Philadelphia, Washington, Pittsburgh
NL North - Milwaukee, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati, St. Louis
NL South - Nashville, Atlanta, Miami, Tampa Bay
NL West - San Francisco, Arizona, San Diego, Los Angeles Dodgers

I think I like this one the best, although I'm sure some pitchers in the AL wouldn't be happy about the Rockies having a DH

 

[tabascojet]

I like that better than mine...keeps most of the old rivalries intact... and the teams that switch leagues are expansion-era clubs who don't have 100 year histories with any rivals

except the one team that gets to keep none.......blatant discrimination and good day sir

 

[Mondo Jay]

There are about six people living between Minnesota and Washington state, and one of them is that pothead @Mondo Jay. There's no way to support a team up there.

Not fair. I would show up if someone reminded me. Unless there was something cool on TV.

Man.

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Toronto, Detroit and Cleveland need to be in the same division. Those 3 are just too close in proximity to not take advantage of. I guess Chicago would be the natural fourth there, unless...

I don't think the MLB can expand at this point and not include Montreal. There has been too much progress made in that regard and with the modern media and financial landscape the issues of 15 years ago aren't relevant today. In that case, I think any AL expansion team would have to be in Montreal and that team would likely be put in a division with Toronto in order to take advantage of the natural rivalry between those cities in a way they never did with the original club.

 

[Rex Racer]

I agree with the poster on pg 1 that said we have too many teams as it is. The talent (especially pitching) is diluted there is probably a half dozen cities that would barely miss their team if it was contracted.

Now I realize that chopping 4 or 6 teams isn't going to happen (hell, dropping 2 isn't going to happen), but I would advocate for Tampa to get moved to Montreal at the very least.

 

[johnson]

Here's one stab at keeping most of the current divisions together:

AL Northeast:
Toronto
Boston
New York
Detroit

AL Midwest:
Minnesota
Chicago Sox
Kansas City
Cleveland

AL West:
Seattle
Oakland
Anaheimgeles
Vegas

AL South:
Houston
Texas
Tampa
Baltimore

NL Northeast:
Philadelphia
New York
Milwaukee
Pittsburgh

NL Midwest:
Cincinnati
Colorado
St. Louis
Chicago Cubs

NL West:
San Francisco
Los Angeles
San Diego
Arizona

NL South:
Washington
Atlanta
Miami
Charlotte

Pretty good stab at it. I like what you've done with the NL. As a Dbacks fan, I think you made the right call moving Colorado out of the division. In the AL, I don't like Detroit in the East. I think it makes sense geographically, but I'd keep Baltimore (def agree moving Tampa), keep Detroit in the Central, and maybe move KC to the South.

 

[johnson]

Toronto, Detroit and Cleveland need to be in the same division. Those 3 are just too close in proximity to not take advantage of. I guess Chicago would be the natural fourth there, unless...

I don't think the MLB can expand at this point and not include Montreal. There has been too much progress made in that regard and with the modern media and financial landscape the issues of 15 years ago aren't relevant today. In that case, I think any AL expansion team would have to be in Montreal and that team would likely be put in a division with Toronto in order to take advantage of the natural rivalry between those cities in a way they never did with the original club.

Canada needs another team.

I remember Buffalo was lobbying for a team back in the day and built their current minor league stadium in hopes of getting a spot (it's huge for the minors, but a bit small for majors). Would make sense to put a team there geographically (short travel times to DET, TOR, CLE, PIT, CIN, NY) and I think the fans would embrace a new team (not that the Bills and Sabres haven't given them countless glory in the past two decades to occupy themselves)

 

[Bloody Brian Burke]

Canada needs another team.

I remember Buffalo was lobbying for a team back in the day and built their current minor league stadium in hopes of getting a spot (it's huge for the minors, but a bit small for majors). Would make sense to put a team there geographically (short travel times to DET, TOR, CLE, PIT, CIN, NY) and I think the fans would embrace a new team (not that the Bills and Sabres haven't given them countless glory in the past two decades to occupy themselves)

Yeah, Buffalo's a tough one because of the population flight. Economically, the city has a chance to grow in the next decade+ but at this point the city is just lucky that Terry Pegula came in to save the Sabres and Bills.

Maybe 20 years down the road they'll have a shot if everything swings their way for the first time in half a century.

 

[Fountain City Blues]

I would be pretty surprised if the Royals were spared from future divisional realignment. The only reason the Brewers are in the NL Central right now is because ownership was adamant about staying in the AL. Their ties to the AL Central, while relatively convenient for them travel wise, are pretty shallow.

I'd be personally surprised if they aren't moved to some concoction of the AL South. Assuming Tampa stays in Tampa and the AL, I'd have the AL South look like this.

AL South
KC
Houston
Texas
Tampa

As for everyone else, this is really just guesswork until the A's and Rays get their stadium problems in order.

AL East
Yankees
Red Sox
Blue Jays
Orioles

AL Central
White Sox
Tigers
Twins
Indians

AL West
Angels
A's
Mariners
Portland/Vancouver/Monterrey/Mexico City

NL West
Padres
Dodgers
Giants
D-Backs

Pretty straightforward- Colorado sticks out like a sore thumb compared to the other teams in the division- even the Diamondbacks.

Afterwards, there ended up being several awkward alignments without moving the Astros back to the NL.

NL South
Washington
Atlanta
Miami
Colorado (the ugly [Think Jerry Jones' Cowboys) duckling of the group for now.

I didn't want to separate the Reds from the Cardinals and Cubs, but I found other scenarios like separating the Nationals and Braves to be troublesome.

NL East
New York Mets
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates
...
Montreal Expos? Charlotte?

NL Central
Cardinals
Cubs
Brewers
Reds