Jim Bowden: What if I were The Commish?

[satxcubfan]

If Nats GM Jim Bowden was MLB’s commissioner for a day, here are the five changes he’d make:

 

LINK

 

Pretty interesting comments made by Bowden... discuss?

[goonys evil twin]

Replace designated hitters with designated drivers?

[daske17]

I think the idea of eliminating the American & National Leagues is interesting, but poses a problem for the postseason. There needs to be some division so as to match up opposition: NBA West/East, NFL/AFL, etc.

 

And I disagree with his assertion that the DH makes the game more boring. Most fans would rather see a David Ortiz change the game with one swing than Tony Larussa micro-manage his bullpen. Yes, the NL has more strategy involved, but it doesn't make it more "exciting."

[Big Fergie J]

I thought for certain this thread was a joke &/or from The Dugout.

 

Jim Bowden as Commish...... :lol: :lol:

 

For sure he would extend beer sales until the game was over, even extra innings.

[Jon]

4-year contracts for everyone!

[erik316wttn]

I agree with everything except number 3. Keep the leagues.

 

And draft picks ought to be able to be traded. Although the way he says it is kinda dumb. What I want is a player to be able to be traded for Draft Picks. Arod could be traded for players, prospects, and a 2nd round pick, perhaps.

 

Every other sport lets you trade picks. Why not MLB?

[Banedon]

Um...a lot of that would require a lot more than just "being commish". Would that kind of realignment require approval from all/most of the teams? And I Know that salary caps would require union approval, which they won't get.

[Derwood]

I think his realignment idea IS like the NBA. He said geographic divisions, which I would assume would fall under conferences. I think he's just trying to get rid of the idea of interleague play and have everyone play everyone every year

[erik316wttn]

I think his realignment idea IS like the NBA. He said geographic divisions, which I would assume would fall under conferences. I think he's just trying to get rid of the idea of interleague play and have everyone play everyone every year

 

Not something I would be altogether opposed to.

[oldstyle81]

i like the idea for 3

 

it would be nice to go to boston, texas ect instead of playing the pirates, reds ect 12-20 times a year

[erik316wttn]

i like the idea for 3

 

it would be nice to go to boston, texas ect instead of playing the pirates, reds ect 12-20 times a year

 

I don't think abolishing the leagues is necessary, but it would be nice to have one series against each AL team each year. Interleague could be year-round.

[Outshined_One]

i like the idea for 3

 

it would be nice to go to boston, texas ect instead of playing the pirates, reds ect 12-20 times a year

 

I don't think abolishing the leagues is necessary, but it would be nice to have one series against each AL team each year. Interleague could be year-round.

 

My biggest problem with the interleague play thing has been the whole made up rivalries thing, where the Cubs play the White Sox six times, the Royals play the Cardinals six times, the Padres play the Mariners six times, and so on. I know, baseball loves to pretend there's some measure of parity coming into each season. But let's face it, that's just a load of garbage.

 

I'd rather see a balancing out of the interleague schedule within each division if at all possible.

 

That won't happen considering the amount of cash some of those games bring in, but the novelty is likely wearing off at this point in plenty of places.

[ChiCubsFan]

i like the idea for 3

 

it would be nice to go to boston, texas ect instead of playing the pirates, reds ect 12-20 times a year

 

I don't think abolishing the leagues is necessary, but it would be nice to have one series against each AL team each year. Interleague could be year-round.

 

I think he just meant abolishing the current leagues. I think it sounds like a great idea. Obviously there would still need to be leagues so they can have the same playoff format, all star game, etc. I wouldn't mind having the Cubs and Sox in the same division. Then it would be a REAL rivalry.

[erik316wttn]

i like the idea for 3

 

it would be nice to go to boston, texas ect instead of playing the pirates, reds ect 12-20 times a year

 

I don't think abolishing the leagues is necessary, but it would be nice to have one series against each AL team each year. Interleague could be year-round.

 

I think he just meant abolishing the current leagues. I think it sounds like a great idea. Obviously there would still need to be leagues so they can have the same playoff format, all star game, etc. I wouldn't mind having the Cubs and Sox in the same division. Then it would be a REAL rivalry.

 

I wouldn't be against flipping one or two teams around, but I doubt the league would go for a complete reallignment. Even if you tried it geographically, you're still kinda funky...

 

Seattle

SAn Fran

Oakland

Dodgers

Angels

 

Padres

Rockies

Rangers

Astros

Diamondbacks

 

Braves

Marlins

D-Rays

Cincinatti?

Kansas City?

 

Cubs

Brewers

Twins

White Sox

Cardinals

 

Mets

Yankees

Red Sox

Blue Jays

Detroit

 

Baltimore

Washington

Philllies

Pirates

Cleveland

 

Is about the best I can do

[satxcubfan]

I'd swap Cincy and KC with Balt and Wash in your proposal.

[Shilzzz]

#3 is an interesting idea. not the abolishment of the leagues so much as the complete realignment of divisions. maybe an east/west or north/south nba-like league set up would be better. imagine a division like chicago, chicago, st. louis, milwaukee and minnesota!

 

maybe a real tough division like that would get hendry fired... :wink:

 

(the seattle, san fransisco, oakland, los angeles, los angeles one proposed would be interesting also)

[BigSlick]

#3 is an interesting idea. not the abolishment of the leagues so much as the complete realignment of divisions. maybe an east/west or north/south nba-like league set up would be better. imagine a division like chicago, chicago, st. louis, milwaukee and minnesota!

 

maybe a real tough division like that would get hendry fired... :wink:

 

(the seattle, san fransisco, oakland, los angeles, los angeles one proposed would be interesting also)

 

The mets, yankees, red sox, toronto, detroit division needs to send detroit for baltimore.

 

Imagine that division, christ the race would be interesting.

Please don't ruin over a hundred years of the National and American Leagues in favor of a Western Conference and Eastern Conference. It'd never go over anyway, not in the most traditional sport of the four. I think it was Faye Vincent who tried to move the Cardinals and Cubs to the NL West and lost his job for it. I don't care for the DH, but it's fine in the AL. Keeps the leagues separate. In fact, I'd like them to go back to AL and NL umpires.

[Shilzzz]

so things should always be done out of tradition, and never to be improved upon?

[Derwood]

I think trading draft picks is a monumentally stupid idea. As soon as you create a scenario where the Yankees could end up with the #1 draft pick after winning the AL East you have a big problem.

[Fro]

A geographic reallignment works really well until you have to split up all the Midwest teams.

 

You can do Southeast/Northeast/Southwest/West pretty easily.

But would that be an improvement on leagues that have more or less been in place from the get-go?

[Proven Veteran]

I think they should get rid of divisions and just have the 4 best records in the league make the playoffs.

[Derwood]

I think they should get rid of divisions and just have the 4 best records in the league make the playoffs.

 

People have argued this for the NBA as well. Take the 16 best records in the league instead of the top 8 from each division. That would keep sub-.500 teams out of the playoffs

[CuseCubFan69]

I think they should get rid of divisions and just have the 4 best records in the league make the playoffs.

 

I agree with you and add 2 teams to make it 16 in each so you don't have conflicts in the schedule. Gotta add jobs....means more Americans workin.