Should MLB Have Realignment?

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  • Majingir
    Moderator
    • Apr 2005
    • 47621

    #1

    Should MLB Have Realignment?

    What do people think of MLB possibly doing this sometime in the near future? NFL had new divisions just over 10 years ago. NBA as well just over 10 years ago got new divisions and NHL got new divisions this past season. MLB on the other hand has had the same "East,Central,West" format since 94.

    I know realigning stuff would ruin traditions, but at the same time, look at the positives it'd have. We could see much more matchups like Dodgers-Angels,Yankees-Mets,Cubs-White Sox and so on. Matchups like that would mean more rivalry games throughout the season which would lead to higher tv ratings and higher attendance(not that ratings or attendance is a problem now,but if you can improve on something that's already good,why not?)

    And of course doing so could eliminate the DH or P batting as well.

    Realignment could happen like Eastern and Western conference(where the 10 central teams just get split up between either conference so that it's still an even 15-15). And schedules would be FAIR!

    Schedule would be something like:
    4 series(2 home,2 away,totals 56 games) vs own division

    2 series(1 home,1 away,totals 60 games) vs other 2 divisions in conference

    1 series(45 games total) vs each opposing conference team(1 season you play 8 road series and 7 home series,next season you play 8 home and 7 road)

    That totals 161 games
    Like I said, I know people are used to seeing things the way they currently are,but sooner or later MLB has to change things up and I could see this being one of the things they do. Makes schedules much more even(instead of having certain teams playing specific teams in interleague while others don't,which makes it unfair for those teams who do(or don't)), and it adds to the rivalries(yes,seeing Yankees-Mets,Cubs-White Sox and stuff just 2 or so series a year is special,but "modernizing" the format would lead to much more series between them which as proven by NFL,NBA,NHL, improves attendance/tv ratings)
  • DrJones
    All Star
    • Mar 2003
    • 9109

    #2
    Re: Should MLB Have Realignment?

    Nope. Plenty of existing rivalries, and interleague takes care of intra-city/state matchups. We can all live without 18 Mets/Yankees games per year. I would've preferred the Astros stay in the NL West (moving the D-Backs to the AL instead), but that's nitpicking.

    I don't foresee any division realignment at all unless expansion or relocation is involved.
    Originally posted by Thrash13
    Dr. Jones was right in stating that. We should have believed him.
    Originally posted by slickdtc
    DrJones brings the stinky cheese is what we've all learned from this debacle.
    Originally posted by Kipnis22
    yes your fantasy world when your proven wrong about 95% of your post

    Comment

    • SPTO
      binging
      • Feb 2003
      • 68046

      #3
      Re: Should MLB Have Realignment?

      I don't think there should be realignment. I just want to see a return to the Balanced Schedule though I don't know if that's possible with the interleague games.
      Member of the Official OS Bills Backers Club

      "Baseball is the most important thing that doesn't matter at all" - Robert B. Parker

      Comment

      • Chaos81
        Hall Of Fame
        • Mar 2004
        • 17150

        #4
        Re: Should MLB Have Realignment?

        I'm good with what we have, although I would look forward to that Mariners/D-Backs/Rockies/Royals/Twins division.

        Comment

        • jasontoddwhitt
          MVP
          • May 2003
          • 8095

          #5
          Re: Should MLB Have Realignment?

          I like it just the way it is personally. I can remember the last time "radical realignment" came up when the Diamondbacks and Devil Rays were fixing to enter the league. It was based on geography and seemed like a decent idea at the time. But it completely destroyed the idea of the AL and the NL (course Bud then came up with interleague play) and fans hated it. Once the fans started barking, then the non-committal owners started coming out against it.

          In the end, the compromise became the Tigers switching from the AL East to AL Central and the Brewers switching from the AL Central to NL Central.

          AL East
          Baltimore Orioles
          Boston Red Sox
          Montreal Expos
          New York Mets
          New York Yankees
          Philadelphia Phillies
          Toronto Blue Jays

          AL Midwest
          Atlanta Braves
          Cincinnati Reds
          Cleveland Indians
          Detroit Tigers
          Florida Marlins
          Pittsburgh Pirates
          Tampa Bay Devil Rays

          NL Central
          Chicago Cubs
          Chicago White Sox
          Houston Astros
          Kansas City Royals
          Milwaukee Brewers
          Minnesota Twins
          St. Louis Cardinals
          Texas Rangers

          NL West
          Anaheim Angels
          Arizona Diamondbacks
          Colorado Rockies
          Los Angeles Dodgers
          Oakland A's
          San Diego Padres
          San Francisco Giants
          Seattle Mariners
          Time Warp Baseball (OOTP 25)

          Comment

          • simgamer0005
            MVP
            • Feb 2010
            • 1772

            #6
            Re: Should MLB Have Realignment?

            Originally posted by SPTO
            I don't think there should be realignment. I just want to see a return to the Balanced Schedule though I don't know if that's possible with the interleague games.
            Go back to 1993. Each league has 2 divisions. NO inter league games. Balanced schedules. The winners of each division play go directly to the ALCS / NLCS. If there was a tie for the best record in one division, have a one game playoff. It worked, it was fun, there were no wildcards, it wasn't gimmicky. NO extended crazy wildcard scenarios.

            Comment

            • Perfect Zero
              1B, OF
              • Jun 2005
              • 4012

              #7
              Re: Should MLB Have Realignment?

              Well, I guess it could finally kill of the American and National Leagues. It wouldn't surprise me if Selig or a protege of his killed them off, although if we saw something like this I would like to see the names of the Leagues retired.

              Comparing Baseball's alignment with the other three sports though is off though. The NHL absorbed the WHA and the NBA absorbed the ABA, but they only took a limited number of teams in and killed off those leagues. The NFL took the AFL and had made the conferences based on them, but they were part of the NFL proper after Super Bowl III. It's important to know that until 1998 (or the start of interleague play), the American League and National League were separate entities with their own organization. There is a reason why the teams are split like they are.

              To tell you the truth, I doubt that the new teams would form rivalries like a number of revisionists would like. When Houston moved to the American League, a number of people thought that Texas and Houston would become rivals. That's part of the reason why the two teams' owners created the "Silver Boot" trophy. However, it was always contrived and it didn't really mean anything when the two teams meet. Even with Oakland winning out the past two years, many Rangers fans really don't care extra about games against the Athletics. If you want to see a big game around here against a specific team, it's the Angles and the Yankees. And let's be honest: If I'm Tampa and want to increase attendance, would subtracting the Yankees and Red Sox for the Pirates and Marlins (for example) really draw fans?

              I think that the real answer to increasing interest and attendance is to create a more balanced schedule and possibly evening out the divisions. Something to the tune of:

              Spoiler


              But long story short, changing for the sake of change will not improve the game. If the next Commissioner wants to change things for the better, there are other ways to do it.
              Rangers - Cowboys - Aggies - Stars - Mavericks

              Comment

              • simgamer0005
                MVP
                • Feb 2010
                • 1772

                #8
                Re: Should MLB Have Realignment?

                Originally posted by Perfect Zero
                Eastern Division
                Boston Red Sox
                Toronto Blue Jays
                New York Yankees
                Cleveland Indians
                Detroit Tigers
                Baltimore Orioles
                Milwaukee Brewers
                Tampa Bay Rays
                The only change to this I would make is to put the Milwaukee Brewers in the AL East, because they were in the AL East in the 1990s, even before Tampa Bay Rays came into the league, but then unless you keep the Astros in the AL as they are this year, you would have more teams in the Eastern Division.

                Western Division
                Chicago White Sox
                Minnesota Twins
                Kansas City Royals
                Texas Rangers
                Oakland Athletics
                California Angels
                Seattle Mariners
                If there were balanced schedules with this setup, I do think it would be important to have the same amount of teams in each division of a league. But if one league had 7 teams in each division and the other league had 8 teams in each division, I think that could work too. It depends whether there are 30 teams or 32 teams in MLB. In 1993 each of the 4 divisions had 7 teams.

                The whole point of having a balanced schedules is you don't need additional playoff rounds. The regular season determines who is division champion like it did in the early 90s. After 162 games, you knew who the best team was in the division and that team went through to the AL/NL CS. If there is a tie for first place, they'd play a one game playoff, and they were more exciting than the forced one game playoffs of today between wildcard teams because both teams had the exact same record and it was for the division pennant.

                Comment

                • Perfect Zero
                  1B, OF
                  • Jun 2005
                  • 4012

                  #9
                  Re: Should MLB Have Realignment?

                  Originally posted by simgamer0005
                  The whole point of having a balanced schedules is you don't need additional playoff rounds. The regular season determines who is division champion like it did in the early 90s. After 162 games, you knew who the best team was in the division and that team went through to the AL/NL CS. If there is a tie for first place, they'd play a one game playoff, and they were more exciting than the forced one game playoffs of today between wildcard teams because both teams had the exact same record and it was for the division pennant.
                  I'm trying to be somewhat realistic. Owners aren't going to give up revenue by getting rid of playoff games.
                  Rangers - Cowboys - Aggies - Stars - Mavericks

                  Comment

                  • fugazi
                    MVP
                    • Apr 2003
                    • 3749

                    #10
                    Re: Should MLB Have Realignment?

                    mentioned this before lol...

                    2 divisions per league

                    division champs get bye

                    #2 from Division A plays #3 from Division B, and vice versa (best of 5)

                    Winner plays Division Champ in League Semis.


                    That would give 6 playoff teams per league, 3 Division rounds, plus World Series.
                    Australian Rules Football...just sayin'

                    Comment

                    • KMRblue1027
                      MVP
                      • Oct 2011
                      • 1029

                      #11
                      Re: Should MLB Have Realignment?

                      I think I bye may hurt in Baseball. I feel like pitchers would get screwed up taking a week off.
                      PSN: KMRBlue1027

                      PS4 Games:
                      Battlefield 4
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                      Destiny

                      Comment

                      • kehlis
                        Moderator
                        • Jul 2008
                        • 27738

                        #12
                        Re: Should MLB Have Realignment?

                        Originally posted by fugazi
                        mentioned this before lol...

                        2 divisions per league

                        division champs get bye

                        #2 from Division A plays #3 from Division B, and vice versa (best of 5)

                        Winner plays Division Champ in League Semis.


                        That would give 6 playoff teams per league, 3 Division rounds, plus World Series.

                        Can't have a bye in baseball.

                        Comment

                        • fugazi
                          MVP
                          • Apr 2003
                          • 3749

                          #13
                          Re: Should MLB Have Realignment?

                          why on earth not?

                          We've seen teams have huge layovers while waiting for another series to finish...

                          If the division rounds were best of 5, you could play all 5 games in 5 days. Who cares if it's taxing...that's the price you pay for not winning the division.

                          Best of 3 would be fine, all played at the higher-seed's home field. then best of 5 for League Semis, best of 7 for LCS...
                          Australian Rules Football...just sayin'

                          Comment

                          • kehlis
                            Moderator
                            • Jul 2008
                            • 27738

                            #14
                            Re: Should MLB Have Realignment?

                            Originally posted by fugazi
                            why on earth not?

                            We've seen teams have huge layovers while waiting for another series to finish...
                            Well,

                            Just to scratch the surface of why, starting pitching.

                            Pitchers are on a strict routine. What do you do with them during the off week? There are no minor league game to throw in, and no pitching simulated games or bullpens is not anywhere near pitching in a game situation.

                            At best, you would have one pitcher throwing on his normal day.


                            Yes, we have seen long layoffs before, but never long enough to throw an entire staff out of their routine.


                            I assure you, if your proposal was made to teams, it would be shot down by 30 teams.


                            There is a reason they play 162 games and never have more than one day off. Why would that all of a sudden change for the postseason?

                            Comment

                            • THE DANOSAUR
                              Rookie
                              • Apr 2014
                              • 12

                              #15
                              Re: Should MLB Have Realignment?

                              Alignment is nice how it is, I love how you have one inter league series going on at all times.
                              What I'd like to see is a consolidation of the two leagues for the playoffs, with the two best teams being the two top seeds regardless of league, and the 4 wild cards getting seeds 7, 8, 9, and 10. Would definitely ensure the ALCS and NLCS never steal the spotlight again
                              Imagine America's collective boner over a Yanks-Sox world series, and the heart attack it would give Selig!!

                              ...in fact, there's your best reason right there.

                              Comment

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