03-13-2010, 10:57 AM
I disagree, and hope they dont expand any further. Talent is already spread thin, and there are plenty of teams who cant seemingly compete. The Royals and the Pirates of two prime examples. If you expand any further, you could have a lot more who cant compete.
If you do, you need to find cities which will actually go to watch baseball. Florida is not a baseball state, and they usually draw flies no matter how good they do.
Portland, Nashville, Memphis, Charlotte, OKC, Columbus, Birmingham, New Orleans are all somewhat big cities, but are they baseball cities? There are minor league teams there, and they draw fans, so logic would say that they could potentially also draw fans at the major league level. Don't forget that minor league baseball tickets are much cheaper than major league tickets.
Id rather see them get rid of six teams, before adding two.
Start with the teams that cant draw. Despite recent success that would include the Ray and Marlins (again, Florida is a football state, not so much a baseball state). Add in the Nationals and Pirates who are always at the bottom of the barrel in attendance. and wins. The Royals (despite being a more historic team) should also be in that discussion. That leaves one team to add into the mix.
The 15 teams that draw the lowest attendance mark in 2009 are (from lowest attendance on up) Oakland,<b> Florida, Pittsburgh</b>, Cincinnati, <b>Kansas City</b>, Cleveland, <b>Washington</b>, <b>Tampa Bay</b>, Toronto, Baltimore, San Diego, Arizona, Seattle, Texas, White Sox.
As you can see, the five teams I already named are among the lowest draws. If you cant win, and cant draw you should go. The only team you can argue to keep from those five are the Rays. But again, they cant draw fans.
The sixth team to be eliminated could be any of those other teams. Once you get rid of the six, make the players on those teams (as well as minor league players) free agents or have a draft of sorts, expand the rosters a little bit up from the 25 man (maybe use the Allstar game roster size)
Realign the divisions, and play baseball with 24 teams. Redo the schedule, keeping the 162 game schedule. Keep the three divisions and wildcard, with four teams per division. Play one series against every team from the American League (three home or three away) That takes 36 games out of the mix and leaves you with 126 games. Play one series home and away with the other eight teams in your league outside of your division. That takes 48 more games out, leaving 78 games for divisional play or 26 games per team in your division. That would be good for eight separate series per team in your division. Four home and four on the road.
If you do, you need to find cities which will actually go to watch baseball. Florida is not a baseball state, and they usually draw flies no matter how good they do.
Portland, Nashville, Memphis, Charlotte, OKC, Columbus, Birmingham, New Orleans are all somewhat big cities, but are they baseball cities? There are minor league teams there, and they draw fans, so logic would say that they could potentially also draw fans at the major league level. Don't forget that minor league baseball tickets are much cheaper than major league tickets.
Id rather see them get rid of six teams, before adding two.
Start with the teams that cant draw. Despite recent success that would include the Ray and Marlins (again, Florida is a football state, not so much a baseball state). Add in the Nationals and Pirates who are always at the bottom of the barrel in attendance. and wins. The Royals (despite being a more historic team) should also be in that discussion. That leaves one team to add into the mix.
The 15 teams that draw the lowest attendance mark in 2009 are (from lowest attendance on up) Oakland,<b> Florida, Pittsburgh</b>, Cincinnati, <b>Kansas City</b>, Cleveland, <b>Washington</b>, <b>Tampa Bay</b>, Toronto, Baltimore, San Diego, Arizona, Seattle, Texas, White Sox.
As you can see, the five teams I already named are among the lowest draws. If you cant win, and cant draw you should go. The only team you can argue to keep from those five are the Rays. But again, they cant draw fans.
The sixth team to be eliminated could be any of those other teams. Once you get rid of the six, make the players on those teams (as well as minor league players) free agents or have a draft of sorts, expand the rosters a little bit up from the 25 man (maybe use the Allstar game roster size)
Realign the divisions, and play baseball with 24 teams. Redo the schedule, keeping the 162 game schedule. Keep the three divisions and wildcard, with four teams per division. Play one series against every team from the American League (three home or three away) That takes 36 games out of the mix and leaves you with 126 games. Play one series home and away with the other eight teams in your league outside of your division. That takes 48 more games out, leaving 78 games for divisional play or 26 games per team in your division. That would be good for eight separate series per team in your division. Four home and four on the road.