MLB Discussing Realignment: Marlins to AL a Possibility

[Party]

For all practical purposes, the players' association has held veto power in baseball's structure for years, and so as the realignment discussion goes forward, it's worth noting that it's the union that is viewed as the driving force behind the idea of two 15-team leagues. Realignment can't happen without approval from the players, and the players want this to happen.

Sources familiar with the discussions to date say the talks are serious, and while one executive believes the odds of change are less than 50-50, another says this is the type of discussion that can gather momentum and become a reality. "It's really important that the players are behind this," he said.

There are details to work out, of course. Some on the ownership side would favor a division-less structure -- that is to say, 15 teams in each league looking to survive to get to the postseason, in a structure similar to what was in place before 1969 -- but some players indicated on Saturday night that the only internal discussions they've had center around three divisions of five teams in each league.

There would be compelling reasons for either structure -- with divisions, or without. With three divisions of five teams in each league, rivalries would be fostered, with the Giants and Dodgers still contending for the NL West crown, the Cubs and Cardinals banging heads for the NL Central. The three division winners would be the top three seeds in the playoffs, with two wild-card teams facing off in a short series to advance.

But some executives like the structure without divisions, feeling that it would be fairer for the Blue Jays, Orioles and Jays, in particular, who every year have to try to climb over the sport's two financial monsters, the Yankees and the Red Sox. It's possible that the Jays or Rays or Orioles would have the third-best record in the AL in a three-division structure and still not make the playoffs.

http://insider.espn.go.com/mlb/blog?...26id%3d6653525

The rest is Insider.

[emkayseven]

It's possible that the Jays or Rays or Orioles would have the third-best record in the AL in a three-division structure and still not make the playoffs.

Unless I'm missing something how is that possible? The two wild cards can't come from the same division?

[Party]

And there is the question of which team would switch leagues. Major League Baseball is in a position to attempt to dictate to incoming Astros owner Jim Crane that a switch of leagues is mandatory. The Marlins could be another candidate, a source suggested.

-From the Insider portion

This would allow for the prophecy from Back to the Future to be fulfilled.
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Unless I'm missing something how is that possible? The two wild cards can't come from the same division?

Talking about the current format.
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By Evan Brunell

As Major League Baseball continues to discuss possible realignment, one idea that has come up is going to a league with 15 teams per league, reports ESPN's Buster Olney.

Currently, the National League has 16 teams and the AL 14 for scheduling purposes. Should baseball go to two 15-team leagues, that would likely require interleague play every day of the season. Given baseball likes to treat interleague play as an event, that could dilute the appeal of interleague play to the point it would no longer be a moneymaker. However, there is still real resistance to the idea which has not been presented to owners yet, although the player's union is reportedly open to it.

"I'd still say the odds of it happening are less than 50-50," the source said.

CBSSports.com's Danny Knobler says that players are open to it because they are not happy about AL West teams having a 25 percent chance of making the playoffs, the NL Central just 18 percent and the rest all at 20 percent.

To switch to a 15-team alignment, one team from the NL would have to move to the AL. According to Olney, two highly-ranked executives think the Astros could receive the call in order to tap into a rivalry with the Texas Rangers. Picking the Astros would also allow baseball to remove one team from the NL Central and slot Houston into the AL West, which would address the issue of playoff percentages.

The Astros, to no surprise, are not interested in switching divisions, a source close to new owner Jim Crane told CultureMap.

"Jim is a businessman first, but he's also a traditionalist in many ways," the source said. "He's a pitcher [in college] and he loves the National League game. He grew up in St. Louis. This is not something he's looking for. This group certainly didn't buy the team with the intention of it becoming an American League franchise."

Yeah, but Crane doesn't wield the power... Selig does. He hasn't been formally approved as new owner yet after purchasing the team from Drayton McLane, so Selig could make a move a condition of purchase. However, the source also countered that.
"You don't spend $680 million on something and have a third-party come in an dictate new terms after the agreement's been ironed out," the source added. "Even Major League Baseball. These are extremely complicated deals. A lot of work goes into them. They are not something you can just go in and change in that significant of a manner."

The only time a team has changed leagues is when Selig's own Brewers -- owned by the family at the time -- switched leagues from the AL to NL. Selig's main excuse was that Milwaukee was a "National League town" because of the Braves (who had previously played in Milwaukee). That's not the case in Houston.

For more baseball news, rumors and analysis, follow @cbssportsmlb on Twitter or subscribe to the RSS feed.

http://eye-on-baseball.blogs.cbsspor...97882/29964472

[emkayseven]

Yes but the second wild card is a reality. Next year, there will be two wild cards. So if the current structure was kept there's no reason the Jays couldn't have the 3rd best record in the league behind Yankees and Rays, say, and make the playoffs.

I'd be more of a fan of this, with the exception of 12 playoff teams: http://espn.go.com/blog/the-gms-offi...ic-realignment

Geographic realignment is something I've touted for years as I do not like megaleagues with no divisions. I think that's arcane. The current divisions make no sense. We should not have a rivalry with a team from Philadelphia. Getting rid of AL/NL is likely never going to happen but since Bud unified everything the DH is the only thing differentiating them. What I would do is something like this:

-A decision on the DH one way or another. Unify the rule.
-One six division league with 5 teams in each division.
-Top team from each division makes it, two wild cards

1) Atlantic Division: Atlanta, Baltimore, Florida, Tampa Bay, Washington.
2) Central Division: Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City, Minnesota, St. Louis.
3) Pacific Division: Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland, San Diego, San Francisco.
4) Western Division: Arizona, Colorado, Houston, Seattle, Texas.
5) Great Lakes Division: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee, Toronto.
6) Northeast Division: Boston, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh.

The rivalries with that would be great. The Western Division rivalries are weak but it's only because there are no natural rivals for Colorado and Seattle.

[Party]

MLB would never let that Northeast division happen.

I would love it though.

[emkayseven]

The thing is though, with two wild cards that division works. And with one league and a balanced schedule, you wouldn't have those teams beating up on each other 18 times a year. The ratings would be through the roof. Pittsburgh would finally get people to that awesome ballpark.
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and if they went to 10 playoff teams and 4 wild cards then it would REALLY work. Those geographical alignments just make sense for interest and attendance's sake as well as travel.

It makes no sense to me that there's talk of doing away with divisions and not with leagues. The leagues are not different with the exception of the DH.

One thing I forgot to add is that rosters need to expand to 26 or 27.

[Madman81]

Yes but the second wild card is a reality. Next year, there will be two wild cards. So if the current structure was kept there's no reason the Jays couldn't have the 3rd best record in the league behind Yankees and Rays, say, and make the playoffs.

I'd be more of a fan of this, with the exception of 12 playoff teams: http://espn.go.com/blog/the-gms-offi...ic-realignment

Geographic realignment is something I've touted for years as I do not like megaleagues with no divisions. I think that's arcane. The current divisions make no sense. We should not have a rivalry with a team from Philadelphia. Getting rid of AL/NL is likely never going to happen but since Bud unified everything the DH is the only thing differentiating them. What I would do is something like this:

-A decision on the DH one way or another. Unify the rule.
-One six division league with 5 teams in each division.
-Top team from each division makes it, two wild cards

1) Atlantic Division: Atlanta, Baltimore, Florida, Tampa Bay, Washington.
2) Central Division: Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Kansas City, Minnesota, St. Louis.
3) Pacific Division: Los Angeles Angels, Los Angeles Dodgers, Oakland, San Diego, San Francisco.
4) Western Division: Arizona, Colorado, Houston, Seattle, Texas.
5) Great Lakes Division: Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee, Toronto.
6) Northeast Division: Boston, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh.

The rivalries with that would be great. The Western Division rivalries are weak but it's only because there are no natural rivals for Colorado and Seattle.

Jim Bowden agrees on geographical divisions but not on all your teams. For the record, he is an assclown.

http://espn.go.com/blog/the-gms-offi...ic-realignment

[emkayseven]

I know, I quoted that article a few posts up. That's how this topic got started.

[Madman81]

Missed it, only skimmed the post.

[emkayseven]

Missin': Skimpossible
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I'll kill myself now

[THE_REAL_MIBS]

The Diamondbacks moving to the American League West from the National League West is another plan being discussed by MLB and the players' association

"We would do whatever's best for baseball," Diamondbacks president Derrick Hall told USA Today. "Most would say us or the Astros would be best candidates (to shift leagues)."

Skipper doubts Astros move is imminent

[Fish Tank Frenzy]

I really hope its not the Marlins that moves to the AL. As much as I hate the DH and AL baseball, I think that MLB should unify the leagues like someone else mentioned earlier, I dont remember if it was mk7 or MW. There is zero chance IMO that if it gets unified that it would be the NL rules. The players association would not have any part of eliminating the DH.

[emkayseven]

It was me, but I don't have a problem of it being AL rules. I love the mental aspect of the game involved with pinch hitting, double switches, etc. but I also fucking hate watching pitchers hit, the hole at the bottom of the lineup, and that pitchers don't hit anywhere else besides in the majors. Seems ridiculous now.

[Party]

Assuming the divisions are kept, Arizona makes the most sense. From a TV perspective it's a bad move for the second largest state in the country to have constant 9 pm start times. Moving the Marlins would just push another central time into the AL West. The divisions will probably survive because of the start time factor involved with a balanced schedule. Hell, it's why we have divisions now.

[THE_REAL_MIBS]

Assuming the divisions are kept, Arizona makes the most sense. From a TV perspective it's a bad move for the second largest state in the country to have constant 9 pm start times. Moving the Marlins would just push another central time into the AL West. The divisions will probably survive because of the start time factor involved with a balanced schedule. Hell, it's why we have divisions now.

I agree that Arizona moving to the AL West makes the most sense if we're keeping divisions but Houston will probably still change divisions. Houston would probably leave the 6 team NL Central and go to the NL West. It would either be them of the Cardinals and, with the Cardinals-Cubs rivalry, no way MLB would want to do that. The Rangers being in the west just sets the precedent.