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MLB Considering Expansion, Realignment, Shortening Schedule


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#1 DJ MC

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Posted 17 October 2017 - 12:40 PM

http://mlb.nbcsports...al-realignment/

 

Tracy Ringolsby of Baseball America wrote yesterday about a “growing consensus” within baseball that expansion and realignment are inevitable. The likely expansion cities: Portland and Montreal. The 32-team league would then undergo a radical realignment that would also involve reducing the season from 162 to 156 games while expanding the playoffs to 12 teams.


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#2 NewMarketSean

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Posted 17 October 2017 - 01:10 PM

Sounds good to me, but 12 teams in the playoffs are too much. Make it 10 teams like now, but instead of a play-in game make that its own best of 3 series while the 3 division winners get an extended rest period.


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#3 Mackus

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Posted 17 October 2017 - 01:27 PM

I don't want more teams, but there is something great about the NFL's symmetry with 2 leagues each with 4 divisions of 4 teams.  That symmetry would be the only reason I'd not be completely against expansion.

 

I'm also opposed to major playoff expansion, but 12/32 is a number that works as well in the NFL so it could work just fine in MLB.



#4 RShack

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Posted 17 October 2017 - 02:26 PM

I'm also opposed to major playoff expansion, but 12/32 is a number that works as well in the NFL so it could work just fine in MLB.

 

Sure... if you want the regular season to mean even less... and for the postseason to be even more watered down with even more teams that don't belong there...


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#5 BSLMikeLowe

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Posted 17 October 2017 - 02:34 PM

The Oregonian reports "there is a legitimate ownership group in Portland that has the necessary financing along with support for a stadium," which is news to me. Can't think of who it might be as far as locals. Paul Allen would be prohibited from owning an MLB franchise in any city other than Seattle, per NFL rules. And Phil Knight's role in sports apparel would seem to rule him out, especially with MLB's pending switch to UA as their official outfitter.

 

​EDIT: I didn't know this either, probably because I didn't live here at the time, but in 2003 when Portland threw its hat in the ring to get the Expos the state approved a $150 million grant to build a MLB stadium. Apparently there's no expiration on that, so the money is still there for it. That said, given that the weather in April and even May are typically dreary here, MLB would probably require a retractable roof on any stadium. So $150 million is likely just a drop in the bucket, and I have haven't heard a peep as to where the rest of the money would come from.



#6 Mike in STL

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Posted 17 October 2017 - 02:49 PM

No to expansion teams. Yes to a shorter regular season. No to playoff expansion. 


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#7 NewMarketSean

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Posted 17 October 2017 - 03:00 PM

I do like that there are less teams in the playoffs. It makes the regular season mean something.

 

I wonder if Vancouver, BC would ever be in the running for a MLB team.


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#8 Nigel Tufnel

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Posted 17 October 2017 - 03:42 PM

I said this in the other thread, but two eight-team divisions and four wild card teams per league would work better, I think.  You would have two 1-game wild card matchups per league, with each winner playing a division winner in the ALDS.

 

You can have four divisions per league in the NFL, because each playoff series is only one game.  In MLB, you would have the best teams in each league sitting out for too long.



#9 BSLMikeLowe

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Posted 17 October 2017 - 03:48 PM

I should also add...

 

Count me as a very enthusiastic supporter of anything that means I could see the O's in person here instead of going up to Seattle.



#10 MDtransplant757

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Posted 17 October 2017 - 03:52 PM

I do like that there are less teams in the playoffs. It makes the regular season mean something.

 

I wonder if Vancouver, BC would ever be in the running for a MLB team.

 

No. They're to close to Seattle, and MLB doesn't want MASN 2.0 happening. Thats why i figured that Portland is out too. 



#11 Nigel Tufnel

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Posted 17 October 2017 - 03:52 PM

Oh, I actually read the proposal.  It's four eight team divisions, with no leagues at all, and eight wild card teams.  Eliminating the leagues seems kind of unnecessary.



#12 MDtransplant757

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Posted 17 October 2017 - 03:53 PM

I'd put a team in Vegas and a team in Montreal. If not Vegas than probably Austin/San Antonio. 



#13 Nigel Tufnel

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Posted 17 October 2017 - 03:54 PM

I'd put a team in Brooklyn because it would screw over the Yankees.



#14 MDtransplant757

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Posted 17 October 2017 - 03:54 PM

Oh, I actually read the proposal.  It's four eight team divisions, with no leagues at all, and eight wild card teams.  Eliminating the leagues seems kind of unnecessary.

 

Keep the leagues. Playoffs should either look like the NFL's or the NBA/NHL model. Personally, I prefer the latter. 



#15 MDtransplant757

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Posted 17 October 2017 - 03:54 PM

I'd put a team in Brooklyn because it would screw over the Yankees.

 

Would never happen due to both NY teams TV rights and other things like that. 



#16 Nigel Tufnel

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Posted 17 October 2017 - 03:55 PM

Would never happen due to both NY teams TV rights and other things like that. 

 

Hey, I can dream!



#17 BSLMikeLowe

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Posted 17 October 2017 - 04:01 PM

No. They're to close to Seattle, and MLB doesn't want MASN 2.0 happening. Thats why i figured that Portland is out too. 

 

While I'm sure the Mariners owner will object to another team in the Pacific NW, there really is no comparison between that and O's/Nats, at least as far as Portland goes. It's part of their territory, but the M's get very little traction down here. It's too far a trip for anyone down here to want to buy ticket packages, and I don't imagine their televised games pull ratings down here....and as long as Portland cable providers still carry ROOT Sports NW, I really doubt the Mariners could make a case that they'd lose much money.



#18 SportsGuy

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Posted 17 October 2017 - 04:14 PM

I would rather see contraction than expansion.

But I have no issue with playoff expansion.

If you do expand, adding playoff teams makes sense.

I’m all about a shorter season...wish it would go down even more games. I think every sport, besides the NFL, would benefit from fewer games. I think the quality of what you watch would go up.

#19 MDtransplant757

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Posted 17 October 2017 - 04:21 PM

While I'm sure the Mariners owner will object to another team in the Pacific NW, there really is no comparison between that and O's/Nats, at least as far as Portland goes. It's part of their territory, but the M's get very little traction down here. It's too far a trip for anyone down here to want to buy ticket packages, and I don't imagine their televised games pull ratings down here....and as long as Portland cable providers still carry ROOT Sports NW, I really doubt the Mariners could make a case that they'd lose much money.

 

That's an interesting argument, but I'd argue that the Mariners will fight it tooth and nail because the size of the audience dictates advertising prices. Dad (who worked in baseball for years) said he doubt it would never happen due to market size in portland and the Mariners not wanting any competition in the area. This is the biggest reason why Vancouver will never get a team. 



#20 BSLMikeLowe

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Posted 17 October 2017 - 04:35 PM

That's an interesting argument, but I'd argue that the Mariners will fight it tooth and nail because the size of the audience dictates advertising prices. Dad (who worked in baseball for years) said he doubt it would never happen due to market size in portland and the Mariners not wanting any competition in the area. This is the biggest reason why Vancouver will never get a team. 

 

The Mariners can fight, but much like Angelos did they only get 1 out of 30 votes when it comes down to it. And while I'm sure MLB would like this to be unanimous, I think they only need a minimum of 75% of franchises (23) to vote in favor. And given that John Stanton has only owned them for a little over a year, he may not have built enough alliances yet to form a voting bloc.

 

As for Portland being too small, it is currently the 4th largest metro area without an MLB team in its market, behind Charlotte, Orlando and San Antonio. However, the difference between the largest of those (Charlotte) and Portland is less than 50,000 people. Not really that big a difference.






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