Astros to the AL? Elimination of divisions?

[d_money]

I have no problem with the Astros moving to the AL - it makes sense, just don't know why it hasn't been done already. Although, having 2 15 leagues with no divisions I don't agree with.

 

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=6651634

[OleMissCub]

There's a mathematical reason that six 5 team divisions wouldn't work because of scheduling or something.

 

But ya, I've thought for a while that it's stupid that we have six teams in our division and the AL West has four. So the logical solution to me was just to move the Astros to the west because of the rivalry, etc.

[SouthSideRyan]

There's nothing math-related about it, it's just that there'd have to be interleague year round.

[erik316wttn]

There's nothing math-related about it, it's just that there'd have to be interleague year round.

 

Exactly. I don't see an issue with this. For one, I love interleague play and would love to see it year-round.

 

The Astros in the AL West makes sense. That's why it won't happen.

 

Put me on record as being totally against the elimination of divisions, though. Those should stay. Otherwise this is just a ploy for baseball to keep the Yankees and Red Sox in the playoffs every year now that the Rays are good.

[NCCubFan]

Nah, it will be the Florida Marlins that switch to the AL, then change their name from Florida to Miami. That sets up the Cubs' 2015 World Championship as revealed in BTTF2. :D

[erik316wttn]

Nah, it will be the Florida Marlins that switch to the AL, then change their name from Florida to Miami. That sets up the Cubs' 2015 World Championship as revealed in BTTF2. :D

 

The prophesy has been foretold!

[Proven Veteran]

I love it. Get rid of divisions.

[rocket]

move astros to al west. keep all the divisions. have interleague all year, but make it like the nfl, where one nl division faces teams from only 1 al division all year. no more geographic rivals. do a home and away series against each team from the other league's division, a home and away from each team in your league that's not in your division, and 3 home and 3 away series' for the teams in your division.

 

30 interleague games + 60 non-division league games + 72 divsion games = 162 games. each team in your division has the same exact schedule.

 

why can't this work? am i missing something?

[SouthSideRyan]

move astros to al west. keep all the divisions. have interleague all year, but make it like the nfl, where one nl division faces teams from only 1 al division all year. no more geographic rivals. do a home and away series against each team from the other league's division, a home and away from each team in your league that's not in your division, and 3 home and 3 away series' for the teams in your division.

 

30 interleague games + 60 non-division league games + 72 divsion games = 162 games. each team in your division has the same exact schedule.

 

why can't this work? am i missing something?

 

I'm not real excited facing 5 AL teams as often as the other 10 NL teams as long as the wild card is around.

[rocket]

move astros to al west. keep all the divisions. have interleague all year, but make it like the nfl, where one nl division faces teams from only 1 al division all year. no more geographic rivals. do a home and away series against each team from the other league's division, a home and away from each team in your league that's not in your division, and 3 home and 3 away series' for the teams in your division.

 

30 interleague games + 60 non-division league games + 72 divsion games = 162 games. each team in your division has the same exact schedule.

 

why can't this work? am i missing something?

 

I'm not real excited facing 5 AL teams as often as the other 10 NL teams as long as the wild card is around.

 

it's probably impossible to come up with the perfect schedule. but my line of thinking is that every 3 years, you'll get to see every team in your home park. and i like that it makes every team in a division play the same schedule.

 

if you're going to do interleague play, then make it as fair as you can. otherwise, scrap it.

[erik316wttn]

I like Rocket's idea.

[Northside Blues]

move astros to al west. keep all the divisions. have interleague all year, but make it like the nfl, where one nl division faces teams from only 1 al division all year. no more geographic rivals. do a home and away series against each team from the other league's division, a home and away from each team in your league that's not in your division, and 3 home and 3 away series' for the teams in your division.

 

30 interleague games + 60 non-division league games + 72 divsion games = 162 games. each team in your division has the same exact schedule.

 

why can't this work? am i missing something?

 

I'm not real excited facing 5 AL teams as often as the other 10 NL teams as long as the wild card is around.

 

This. I guess that's the best solution if you want 15 in each. I'd rather scrap divisions and interleague and just have 14/16 with top four moving on. Simple. H

 

ere's one based on the NFL's system.

 

move the brewers back

 

NL1 - New York, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia

NL2 - Atlanta, Florida, Washington

NL3 - Cincinnati, St Louis, Chicago

NL4 - Houston, Arizona, Colorado

NL5 - San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles

 

AL1 - New York, Detroit, Boston

AL2 - Toronto, Tampa, Detroit

AL3 - Milwaukee, Cleveland, Chicago

AL4 - Texas, Minnesota, Kansas City

AL5 - Seattle, Anaheim, Oakland

 

As far as scheduling goes

 

18 games vs 1 interleague division (3 H, 3 A, 3 Teams)

96 games vs intraleague nondivision (4 H, 4 A, 12 teams)

48 games vs intraleague division (12 H, 12 A, 2 teams)

 

Then have the top division winners and one wild card go to the playoffs, giving you six teams. Have the top two records get a bye, have the third best team host the wild card, fourth and fifth play each other. then do best of 3, best of 5, best of 7, best of 7.

 

Pros

- Creates and promotes rivalries (and clustered rivalries) due to directly only competing with two teams (granted the system may never pass w/o splitting up Boston and New York.

- Even weak teams always have a chance because they are only competing with two other teams, usually close by.

- Still a wild card

- One more playoff round for $$$$

 

Cons

- Drastically unbalanced schedule for the 1 wild card spot.

- weak teams always have a chance.

- One more playoff round

- playoff byes

- too radically different from current situation

 

Not saying it's the best or even a good solution, it's just one modeled on the NFL's. I

[Little Slide Rooter]

Problem is too many teams and not enough real talent to go arond.

[MSG T]

move astros to al west. keep all the divisions. have interleague all year, but make it like the nfl, where one nl division faces teams from only 1 al division all year. no more geographic rivals. do a home and away series against each team from the other league's division, a home and away from each team in your league that's not in your division, and 3 home and 3 away series' for the teams in your division.

 

30 interleague games + 60 non-division league games + 72 divsion games = 162 games. each team in your division has the same exact schedule.

 

why can't this work? am i missing something?

 

I'm not real excited facing 5 AL teams as often as the other 10 NL teams as long as the wild card is around.

 

This. I guess that's the best solution if you want 15 in each. I'd rather scrap divisions and interleague and just have 14/16 with top four moving on. Simple. H

 

ere's one based on the NFL's system.

 

move the brewers back

 

NL1 - New York, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia

NL2 - Atlanta, Florida, Washington

NL3 - Cincinnati, St Louis, Chicago

NL4 - Houston, Arizona, Colorado

NL5 - San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles

 

AL1 - New York, Detroit, Boston

AL2 - Toronto, Tampa, Detroit

AL3 - Milwaukee, Cleveland, Chicago

AL4 - Texas, Minnesota, Kansas City

AL5 - Seattle, Anaheim, Oakland

 

As far as scheduling goes

 

18 games vs 1 interleague division (3 H, 3 A, 3 Teams)

96 games vs intraleague nondivision (4 H, 4 A, 12 teams)

48 games vs intraleague division (12 H, 12 A, 2 teams)

 

Then have the top division winners and one wild card go to the playoffs, giving you six teams. Have the top two records get a bye, have the third best team host the wild card, fourth and fifth play each other. then do best of 3, best of 5, best of 7, best of 7.

 

Pros

- Creates and promotes rivalries (and clustered rivalries) due to directly only competing with two teams (granted the system may never pass w/o splitting up Boston and New York.

- Even weak teams always have a chance because they are only competing with two other teams, usually close by.

- Still a wild card

- One more playoff round for $$$$

 

Cons

- Drastically unbalanced schedule for the 1 wild card spot.

- weak teams always have a chance.

- One more playoff round

- playoff byes

- too radically different from current situation

 

Not saying it's the best or even a good solution, it's just one modeled on the NFL's. I

 

 

I actually like it except for one thing. Instead of 12/12 against each team in the division, do 6/6 and just eliminate the other 24 games. That would let you start the season slightly later and leave room for playoffs to start earlier. Other than that change, I think I like your idea as much as any of the others I've seen, or the current scheduling.

 

I will fully admit to not liking the 162 game schedule, and if they make changes, I'd love it if they shortened the season.

[rawaction]

move astros to al west. keep all the divisions. have interleague all year, but make it like the nfl, where one nl division faces teams from only 1 al division all year. no more geographic rivals. do a home and away series against each team from the other league's division, a home and away from each team in your league that's not in your division, and 3 home and 3 away series' for the teams in your division.

 

30 interleague games + 60 non-division league games + 72 divsion games = 162 games. each team in your division has the same exact schedule.

 

why can't this work? am i missing something?

 

I'm not real excited facing 5 AL teams as often as the other 10 NL teams as long as the wild card is around.

 

it's probably impossible to come up with the perfect schedule. but my line of thinking is that every 3 years, you'll get to see every team in your home park. and i like that it makes every team in a division play the same schedule.

 

if you're going to do interleague play, then make it as fair as you can. otherwise, scrap it.

 

I like this idea. I don't like playing say the Oakland As the same number of times the Cubs play the Mets, but it probably is the best way to do things so everyone in the division plays the same schedule. If you're going to keep IL play, at least make it interesting and like you said every team gets to see every team in their home park in a 3-year span. No reason the IL play has been going around for 15 years and the Cubs just went to Boston for the first time this year.

[CubsInNC]

move astros to al west. keep all the divisions. have interleague all year, but make it like the nfl, where one nl division faces teams from only 1 al division all year. no more geographic rivals. do a home and away series against each team from the other league's division, a home and away from each team in your league that's not in your division, and 3 home and 3 away series' for the teams in your division.

 

30 interleague games + 60 non-division league games + 72 divsion games = 162 games. each team in your division has the same exact schedule.

 

why can't this work? am i missing something?

 

I'm not real excited facing 5 AL teams as often as the other 10 NL teams as long as the wild card is around.

 

This. I guess that's the best solution if you want 15 in each. I'd rather scrap divisions and interleague and just have 14/16 with top four moving on. Simple. H

 

ere's one based on the NFL's system.

 

move the brewers back

 

NL1 - New York, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia

NL2 - Atlanta, Florida, Washington

NL3 - Cincinnati, St Louis, Chicago

NL4 - Houston, Arizona, Colorado

NL5 - San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles

 

AL1 - New York, Detroit, Boston

AL2 - Toronto, Tampa, Detroit

AL3 - Milwaukee, Cleveland, Chicago

AL4 - Texas, Minnesota, Kansas City

AL5 - Seattle, Anaheim, Oakland

 

As far as scheduling goes

 

18 games vs 1 interleague division (3 H, 3 A, 3 Teams)

96 games vs intraleague nondivision (4 H, 4 A, 12 teams)

48 games vs intraleague division (12 H, 12 A, 2 teams)

 

Then have the top division winners and one wild card go to the playoffs, giving you six teams. Have the top two records get a bye, have the third best team host the wild card, fourth and fifth play each other. then do best of 3, best of 5, best of 7, best of 7.

 

Pros

- Creates and promotes rivalries (and clustered rivalries) due to directly only competing with two teams (granted the system may never pass w/o splitting up Boston and New York.

- Even weak teams always have a chance because they are only competing with two other teams, usually close by.

- Still a wild card

- One more playoff round for $$$$

 

Cons

- Drastically unbalanced schedule for the 1 wild card spot.

- weak teams always have a chance.

- One more playoff round

- playoff byes

- too radically different from current situation

 

Not saying it's the best or even a good solution, it's just one modeled on the NFL's. I

 

Not sure Detroit's going to care to play 312 games a year either. I'd guess that would be a Con, that the MLBPA would never allow that. But, another pro, no Orioles, so when a washed up Cub prospect fizzles out here, they're out of the league.

[NCCubFan]

It would be fun to watch the Tigers vs. Tigers games, though.

[bcl412]

move astros to al west. keep all the divisions. have interleague all year, but make it like the nfl, where one nl division faces teams from only 1 al division all year. no more geographic rivals. do a home and away series against each team from the other league's division, a home and away from each team in your league that's not in your division, and 3 home and 3 away series' for the teams in your division.

 

30 interleague games + 60 non-division league games + 72 divsion games = 162 games. each team in your division has the same exact schedule.

 

why can't this work? am i missing something?

 

I'm not real excited facing 5 AL teams as often as the other 10 NL teams as long as the wild card is around.

 

This. I guess that's the best solution if you want 15 in each. I'd rather scrap divisions and interleague and just have 14/16 with top four moving on. Simple. H

 

ere's one based on the NFL's system.

 

move the brewers back

 

NL1 - New York, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia

NL2 - Atlanta, Florida, Washington

NL3 - Cincinnati, St Louis, Chicago

NL4 - Houston, Arizona, Colorado

NL5 - San Francisco, San Diego, Los Angeles

 

AL1 - New York, Detroit, Boston

AL2 - Toronto, Tampa, Detroit

AL3 - Milwaukee, Cleveland, Chicago

AL4 - Texas, Minnesota, Kansas City

AL5 - Seattle, Anaheim, Oakland

 

As far as scheduling goes

 

18 games vs 1 interleague division (3 H, 3 A, 3 Teams)

96 games vs intraleague nondivision (4 H, 4 A, 12 teams)

48 games vs intraleague division (12 H, 12 A, 2 teams)

 

Then have the top division winners and one wild card go to the playoffs, giving you six teams. Have the top two records get a bye, have the third best team host the wild card, fourth and fifth play each other. then do best of 3, best of 5, best of 7, best of 7.

 

Pros

- Creates and promotes rivalries (and clustered rivalries) due to directly only competing with two teams (granted the system may never pass w/o splitting up Boston and New York.

- Even weak teams always have a chance because they are only competing with two other teams, usually close by.

- Still a wild card

- One more playoff round for $$$$

 

Cons

- Drastically unbalanced schedule for the 1 wild card spot.

- weak teams always have a chance.

- One more playoff round

- playoff byes

- too radically different from current situation

 

Not saying it's the best or even a good solution, it's just one modeled on the NFL's. I

 

The problem I personally have with this is I feel the MLB season is too long to just be competing against 2 teams.

[Dallas Green]

I kind of like it, and as a season ticket holder it's a plus to get Bos, NYY, Sox, Rays, every year.

[hardcorecubfan]

I like the idea, but they did mention of the commentary that travel would increase between east coast and west. I remember in the 70's they wanted to realign based on local regions based on less travel to save energy.

 

 

The other issue I liked was move to a 154 game season.

[Garwilly]

I kind of like it, and as a season ticket holder it's a plus to get Bos, NYY, Sox, Rays, every year.

 

Which idea/proposal has anything close to that?

[davearm2]

I kind of like it, and as a season ticket holder it's a plus to get Bos, NYY, Sox, Rays, every year.

 

Which idea/proposal has anything close to that?

Didn't you get the memo? The Cubs are moving to the AL.

[Dallas Green]

I kind of like it, and as a season ticket holder it's a plus to get Bos, NYY, Sox, Rays, every year.

 

Which idea/proposal has anything close to that?

Didn't you get the memo? The Cubs are moving to the AL.

 

Didnt they discuss 2 15 team leagues that would have inter-league throughout season?

[Guest]

Interleague throughout the season doesn't mean that the Cubs would play every AL team each year.

[jersey cubs fan]

it's really just about the same number of games as they do now.

 

I'd like to see some sort of NFL styled "play against your standings counterpoint". You can hype up a meeting of last year's WS participants in April. Have the LCS teams play each other around the same time. Hide the worst vs worst matchup for opening weekend.

 

I'm glad to see this is at least a possibility.