Possible realignment plan for 2020?

[SoxSpeed22]

https://www.yahoo.com/sports/a-possi...231511095.html

Bob Nightengale is reporting that the league is looking at a June or July return to baseball. The season would use 3 division re-alignment based solely on geography, in order to minimize travel. All the teams would be playing strictly within the division. This could be a tough division for the White Sox with the Cardinals, Brewers, Twins, Braves and Reds all in the same division.

[voodoochile]

Not great, but if it brings back live sports, I'll take it.

[Tommy John]

Cubs and Sox in the same division should be interesting. Also, I will make a not very bold at all prediction-if it is a success, Manfred will "casually" float the idea of this realignment becoming permanent.

[thomas35forever]

Personally, I hope we wouldn't have this realignment beyond this virus, but if it goes well, I can see it happening permanently. Manfred's getting his wish.

[XplodingScorbord]

Wouldn’t it make more sense with Atlanta in the East and Pittsburgh in the central?

[voodoochile]

They won't be able to use this as a test scenario for attendance because these games will be played in empty stadiums and judging TV ratings at a time people are desperate for ANY live sports will be tough to do.

[ChiTownTrojan]

Wouldn’t it make more sense with Atlanta in the East and Pittsburgh in the central?

Yeah it seems like that has to be a mistake.

[Moses_Scurry]

I guess I don't understand why there only needs to be three divisions. Couldn't they cut down on travel even more if they had more divisions?

[Chez]

I guess I don't understand why there only needs to be three divisions. Couldn't they cut down on travel even more if they had more divisions?

Under this plan, a team would only play games against teams in its division. 100 games against 4 or 5 teams would cut down travel, but would get old fast. Swap out the Braves for the Pirates and let's go!!

[whitesox5187]

Cubs and Sox in the same division should be interesting. Also, I will make a not very bold at all prediction-if it is a success, Manfred will "casually" float the idea of this realignment becoming permanent.

That's my concern too. I think MLB wants to move away from leagues, which I am not a fan of.

[Hitmen77]

Cubs and Sox in the same division should be interesting. Also, I will make a not very bold at all prediction-if it is a success, Manfred will "casually" float the idea of this realignment becoming permanent.

That's my concern too. I think MLB wants to move away from leagues, which I am not a fan of.

Yep, I was thinking the same thing. This may be a nice "trojan horse" way for Manfred to make his radical realignment dream come true. I absolutely hate the idea of abolishing the AL and NL in favor of an NBA-style alignment.

That being said, if they can wall this off to 2020 and if it allows MLB to safely resume play this year, I'm fine with this as a temporary approach.

[ThirdGen]

The Pittsburgh Atlanta thing is weird, as they are the only two teams switching divisions. But technically, Atlanta is west of Pittsburgh (and Cleveland and Detroit for that matter, and roughly even with Cincinnati), so if they are doing this strictly based on geography it makes sense. They may be going strictly 100% by geography to avoid owners complaining about the competitive balance of the divisions if they start making arbitrary reassignments. It at least makes more sense than the old 70s-80s NL divisions where Cinci and Atlanta were in the West while the Cubs and St Louis were in the East.

[voodoochile]

The Pittsburgh Atlanta thing is weird, as they are the only two teams switching divisions. But technically, Atlanta is west of Pittsburgh (and Cleveland and Detroit for that matter, and roughly even with Cincinnati), so if they are doing this strictly based on geography it makes sense. They may be going strictly 100% by geography to avoid owners complaining about the competitive balance of the divisions if they start making arbitrary reassignments. It at least makes more sense than the old 70s-80s NL divisions where Cinci and Atlanta were in the West while the Cubs and St Louis were in the East.

Look at rivalries. They want Pittsburgh in same division with Philly, though it might make more sense to put them in with Cleveland to be honest.

[Kobo]

I kind of like what is being proposed. Would really increase focus on rivalries and would make things a little more exciting.

In regards to the future of baseball, haven't the players been pushing for the DH to be in both leagues? If that ends up happening then there isn't really a need for Leagues anymore.

[LITTLE NELL]

This could be a sign of things to come except I would prefer 4 divisions of 8 teams which would need 2 expansion teams.
I would change the the name from league to conferences, Eastern and Western Conference works for me with Division names from east to west, Atlantic, Mideast, Midwest and Pacific. I wouldn't want the Sox and Cubs in the same division, one would be in the Mideast and the other in the Midwest.

EASTERN CONFERENCE

ATLANTIC DIVISION.....
EXPOS...RED SOX..YANKEES...METS...PHILLIES....NATS...ORIOLES.. .MARLINS

MIDEAST DIVISION...
WHITE SOX...BRAVES...TIGERS...INDIANS...RAYS....REDS...
PIRATES...JAYS

************************************************** **********************************
WESTERN CONFERENCE

MIDWEST DIVISION
CUBS...BREWERS...TWINS....ROYALS...CARDS ...ASTROS...RANGERS
ROCKIES

PACIFIC DIVISION
MARINERS...ATHLETICS...GIANTS...DODGERS. ..ANGELS...PADRES
DIAMONDBACKS....PORTLAND