tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23241716.post5986995660572611021..comments2023-07-09T11:23:36.355-04:00Comments on On Baseball & The Reds: Pinto's Radical Realignmentjinazhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/07697776280178146413noreply@blogger.comBlogger10125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23241716.post-50405623937693447982009-02-09T13:11:00.000-05:002009-02-09T13:11:00.000-05:00They're not, as Ken observed above almost two year...They're not, as Ken observed above almost two years ago. :) -jjinazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07697776280178146413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23241716.post-65679353135114428172009-02-07T19:08:00.000-05:002009-02-07T19:08:00.000-05:00Since when are Philadelphia and Washington DC in N...Since when are Philadelphia and Washington DC in New England?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23241716.post-16251827235237026412007-05-13T22:15:00.000-04:002007-05-13T22:15:00.000-04:00I wonder if teams like Miami or Tampa would actual...I wonder if teams like Miami or Tampa would actually lobby to be <B>in</B> the Boston/NY division. They could use the extra gate, and both organizations have shown themselves to be craven enough to (publicly) place revenue over competitive advantage.<BR/><BR/>It would wreak havoc on league-specific roto leagues. And my long-standing shunning for All Things American League.Chris at Redleg Nationhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03474147423587094139noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23241716.post-50715655229841755162007-05-10T17:28:00.000-04:002007-05-10T17:28:00.000-04:002 quick thoughts1) The New England Division is too...2 quick thoughts<BR/><BR/>1) The New England Division is too tough ... Boston, Phillies, NYN, NYA.<BR/><BR/><BR/>2) NYN and NYA would never live with it being called the New England division!!!Unknownhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03526796566602278577noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23241716.post-20713661197466146962007-05-10T16:34:00.000-04:002007-05-10T16:34:00.000-04:00Nice discussion folks! A few quick comments:- I'm...Nice discussion folks! A few quick comments:<BR/><BR/>- I'm pretty skeptical about adding a team on the other side of the world, as the travel would be a nightmare. And there don't seem to be any good options among US cities.<BR/><BR/>- It's been pretty clear that allowing more teams to make the playoffs via the current alignment has been a great thing from the perspective of the fans (it's more fun to root for a team that can realistically make the playoffs) and the owners/players (more playoff appearances = more $$$$).<BR/><BR/>That said, 4-team divisions seems like too few to me as well, as it would be too easy to get weak divisions and thus weak teams into the playoffs. That's why I like the 5 divisions + 5 wild card plan proposed by Pinto.<BR/><BR/>-I understand the sentiment of having the whole division a DH or no-DH league. But that would mean either reducing the number of teams with a DH to 12 (2 divisions), or increasing it to 18 (3 divisions). Players would freak out about the former (2 fewer high-paid jobs), and I shutter to think of the DH increasing in number in the latter scenario! :)<BR/><BR/>-STL is sort of a wild card, and could reasonably go in either the rocky mountain, midwest, or maybe even the eastern league as I've defined them here. I didn't want to break up the CHN/STL rivalry, which is why I put them in the midwest. But your idea makes sense too--intrastate battles do make good rivalries, and revitalizing the MIN/MIL rivalry would be a good thing. I'd probably try to leave it to the those three teams to decide. :)<BR/>-jjinazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07697776280178146413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23241716.post-56264566545972380622007-05-10T16:09:00.000-04:002007-05-10T16:09:00.000-04:00Fun stuff. I agree that the league distinction ha...Fun stuff. I agree that the league distinction has really lost its meaning at this point. Which is too bad, but nothing can be done about it now. May as well embrace progress rather than cling to a historical artifact. Also:<BR/><BR/>- I'd like to see all teams within a Division have the same DH rule (I of course prefer no DH). Just for consistency's sake. <BR/> <BR/>- I'd swap MN and StL and call the Midwestern Div. the Great Lakes Div. MN is closer geographically and culturally to Mil, Chicago, etc. You'd also get the "show me state" rivalry in the same division. <BR/> <BR/>- Minor point, but I'd call the Yankees' division the Northeast, since only Boston is truly in New England.kenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02385427610608539056noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23241716.post-47317319468106721012007-05-10T11:27:00.000-04:002007-05-10T11:27:00.000-04:00To CG: I don't like four or even five-team divisi...To CG: I don't like four or even five-team divisions. Not enough competition. It should be HARD to make the playoffs!<BR/><BR/>Call me old school.Shawn Weaverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11294100750661226344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23241716.post-10668657431064812192007-05-10T11:26:00.000-04:002007-05-10T11:26:00.000-04:00It's an interesting idea, and one that deserves di...It's an interesting idea, and one that deserves discussion. My own favorite variation involves adding two teams (perhaps international teams, like Tokyo and Seoul) and making four 8-team leagues or conferences. You play within your own league (22 games vs., just like the old days) until the postseason.Shawn Weaverhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/11294100750661226344noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23241716.post-63928236976472654592007-05-10T10:17:00.000-04:002007-05-10T10:17:00.000-04:00I'm not sure that adding two teams is less radical...I'm not sure that adding two teams is less radical than what Pinto suggested. All economic indicators I've seen are that the markets for MLB teams are pretty much saturated. Remember how much trouble MLB had finding a place for the Nationals? <BR/><BR/>Portland would be a nice market size, but the politics are not friendly to adding a new professional team. Vegas seems problematic whenever it comes up (though I think it could work), while places like Charlotte, Buffalo, and San Antonio are pretty small. -jjinazhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07697776280178146413noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-23241716.post-81628588177804893342007-05-10T09:47:00.000-04:002007-05-10T09:47:00.000-04:00Absolutely, positively too radical. Dissolution of...Absolutely, positively too radical. Dissolution of separate leagues will never happen. A more sensible solution would be to expand MLB by two teams and with some geographic jerryrigging, you can come up with 2 leagues of 4 divisions with 4 teams each. Then shorten the season schedule to 156 games comprised of 36 intra-division games (2 home and away 3-game series with each team), 72 intra-league games (1 home and away 3-game series with each team) and 48 inter-league games (1 series per season with every team alternating home & away every other year). Fill in the missing season games by expanding the first round of playoffs to 7 games (advantage for good teams) and use strict seeding throughout the post-season based solely on record. It could work! (I have a detailed proposal awaiting MLB when they ask for it)Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com