Re-Aligning baseball divisions?

Let me first state that I am a traditionalist. I loved the old hockey alignment when I was a kid. (who didn't love the Patrick division?) I resisted the addition of another baseball wildcard spot. I don't want March Madness expanded to include more teams. Hockey was better when there was fighting. I despise the DH and much prefer the strategy of NL baseball. There are too many basketball teams. And hockey teams.

But with the Astros moving to the AL it is what it is. Everyday there is an inter league game so I really think it's time the DH situation was finally dealt with. The union and quite frankly the fans will never allow the AL to remove the DH so it's time the NL adopts the same position. Umps and front office issues aside, I think the leagues at this point should be combined and regional, natural and time-zone reasonable divisions might as well be implemented.

Lance's New MLB

Northeast Division

Red Sox
Mets
Yanks
Phils
Pirates
Indians

Great Lakes Division

Brewers
Cubs
ChiSox
Twins
BlueJays
Tigers

Southern Division

Miami
Tampa
Braves
Orioles
Nationals
Reds

Pacific Division

Padres
Dodgers
Angles
A's
Giants
Mariners

Mid-West Division

Astros
Texans
Cards
D-Backs
Rockies
Royals





What do you all think of my re-alignment? 5 divisional winners plus top three second place teams make the 8 team playoffs. Only my southern division I think looks weird (reds). Feel free to "re-draw" or "re-name" it as you think would look better!!

Oh, also I would like a return to a stronger division schedule with a NFL style rotating cross-divisional schedule. So each division would play each other a greater amount and each division would play another designated one, with the "odd division" rotating and the games being split.
'

Sorry, you lost me when you said adopt the DH

I was just thinking about realigning the divisions myself yesterday. I'm not sure I like 5 divisions and you can't put the Reds, Nationals, and Os in a division called the Southern division

Call the Southern the "Mid-Atlantic" and you win.

A few thoughts...

Call the southern the southeastern
Swap the Jays and the Indians (despite the lake issue, the Jays belong in the North East and the Indians are also on the lake)
Subtle re-naming of the Rangers I see.

not enough time to elaborate on why at the moment , but i definitely do not like the idea of eliminating he 2 leagues with equal number of teams/divisions and i hate the idea of an odd number of divisions overall even more....though i don't see it happening anytime soon , i really think the next change should only be incorporated if the league expands by 2 teams and goes to 8 4-team divisions ...

MrMet said:

Sorry, you lost me when you said adopt the DH

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+1

Zan said:

+1

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I know I know! But it's inevitable at this point.

The only way I will recognize the DH for all teams is if the Giants are contracted.

Lancemountain said:

Great Lakes Division

Brewers
Cubs
ChiSox
Twins
BlueJays
Tigers

Mid-West Division

Astros
Texans
Cards
D-Backs
Rockies
Royals

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Nope.

Can't have the Cardinals and the Cubs in a different division.

That would be like having the Yankees and Red Sox in different divisions.

And who in the Hell are the Texans?!?!?!?

Lol.

Super Mario said:

Nope.

Can't have the Cardinals and the Cubs in a different division.

That would be like having the Yankees and Red Sox in different divisions.

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Actually that's not true. Cards/cubs is pretty important to cards/cubs fans. Yankees-Red Sox transcends baseball

Super Mario said:

And who in the Hell are the Texans?!?!?!?

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Texans live in Texas, which is clearly what I was trying to type

So flip-flopping the Indians and Jays, renaming the South

Northeast Division

Red Sox
Mets
Yanks
Phils
Pirates
Blue Jays

Great Lakes Division

Brewers
Cubs
ChiSox
Twins
Indians
Tigers

Mid-Atlantic Division

Miami
Tampa
Braves
Orioles
Nationals
Reds

Pacific Division

Padres
Dodgers
Angles
A's
Giants
Mariners

Mid-West Division

Astros
Texans
Cards
D-Backs
Rockies
Royals


And to the poster that didn't like 5 divisions- I didn't at first but then once I typed out that Pacific and now that I'm looking at it, The Great Lakes and NorthEast division---I just can't bear to break the 6 team divisions up. They look so great.

From just a standpoint of where you seeded teams , the Reds look out of place in that division and the Mid-West I'm not sure I can get into those teams being lumped together.

Overall I don't like an uneven division count , but from your structure those issues mentioned above could use some tweaking IMO

Ryan

Zan said:

+1

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+2

Lancemountain said:

So flip-flopping the Indians and Jays, renaming the South

Northeast Division

Red Sox
Mets
Yanks
Phils
Pirates
Blue Jays

Great Lakes Division

Brewers
Cubs
ChiSox
Twins
Indians
Tigers

Mid-Atlantic Division

Miami
Tampa
Braves
Orioles
Nationals
Reds

Pacific Division

Padres
Dodgers
Angles
A's
Giants
Mariners

Mid-West Division

Astros
Texans
Cards
D-Backs
Rockies
Royals


And to the poster that didn't like 5 divisions- I didn't at first but then once I typed out that Pacific and now that I'm looking at it, The Great Lakes and NorthEast division---I just can't bear to break the 6 team divisions up. They look so great.

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When I started reading the division titles, this popped up in my mind: NWA- old wrestling territories [MENTION=3127]Super Mario[/MENTION]. Dont know why but it did.

The Reds would fit better in the Mid-West. It would be hard to break up the Cards-Cubs, Reds-Cards, Reds-Cubs as this has been a three way rivalry for years. Plus the fans travel well for away games to these ballparks, so I dont see MLB breaking that up.

As far as the DH goes, only AL pitchers like it because they dont have to bat. NL pitchers like it because when a pitcher is up to bat, it's almost an automatic out and can boost strike out stats and reduced number of pitches to the batter. I like DH but it's where it belongs in the AL.

Fordman

Lancemountain said:

Actually that's not true. Cards/cubs is pretty important to cards/cubs fans. Yankees-Red Sox transcends baseball

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ESPN might suggest this but it is not true. Cards/Cubs are on par with any other rivalry.

George_Calfas said:

ESPN might suggest this but it is not true. Cards/Cubs are on par with any other rivalry.

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Like [MENTION=9350]fordman[/MENTION] said, the fans all travel so well throughout the Midwest. Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Chicago and St. Louis. Cardinals vs Cubs fans are 50/50 in each ballpark. It's serious business.

I'm trying to get my wife to go to a Cardinals/Cubs game in September at Wrigley. We went last year to see it before the renovations, and I'd like to go after the bleachers are done.

It does remind me of the old pro wrestling territories very much.