AL West and NL Central: Imbalanced and Unfair
by Brent Beck
on Jul 30, 2008 11:24 AM EDT
Hey D'Backs fans, I wrote an article that I posted on Red Reporter about the uneven division sizes in Major League Baseball, a dilemma which effects NL Central fans the most by putting us at a disadvantage at the start of every season (in comparison to every other team in Major League Baseball). In my mind its an outrage but I would love for you guys to check it out, drop a vote in, or even make a comment! I would love to hear the perspective of any Diamond Back fan on this matter because in my opinion, the only way to fix this imbalance and make it fair for the teams and fans in the NL Central is to move the Diamond Backs to the AL West.
Thanks!
AL West and NL Central: Imbalanced and Unfair
by Brent Beck
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I don’t follow…moving the D-Backs is the ONLY way to change this? What about putting Milwaukee back in the AL? The NL Central became crowded when the Brewers jumped from the AL in 1997. Why not fix the problem by sending them back? They already have a long history in the AL and a move back would allow them to renew their historical rivalries. To me, that makes more sense than transplanting a new team to the AL and making them start over from scratch. An I’m sure if you looked at it with some creativity, you could make cases for moving several other teams to the AL as well.
I understand, the team you follow is in a close race with two other excellent baseball teams and you’re anxious that they might not make the playoffs. That can make anyone nervous. But instead of calling for another realignment, why not sit back and enjoy the competition? Realignment, if it happens, won’t occur before October. And in the meantime you’re letting a small issue get in the way of a lot of good, meaningful baseball.
"We...probed them all the way through. They're completely meat." — Terry Bisson
by Scrbl on Jul 30, 2008 11:59 AM EDT 0 recs
"I" had better live with it?
I do not think so.
Will Hope Prevail?
by unnamedDBacksfan on Jul 30, 2008 12:12 PM EDT 0 recs
Here's an idea
put a better team on the field and stop whining.
And welcome!
Knock off the hippie crap, strap on a helmet, and start shooting. This is baseball, Diamondbacks, I want you to storm that beach like it's Normandy!
by soco on Jul 30, 2008 12:21 PM EDT 0 recs
+1
ever the diplomat….
Will Hope Prevail?
by unnamedDBacksfan on
Jul 30, 2008 12:39 PM EDT
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I'm a Sour Patch Kid
First I’m sour, then I’m sweet.
Knock off the hippie crap, strap on a helmet, and start shooting. This is baseball, Diamondbacks, I want you to storm that beach like it's Normandy!
by soco on
Jul 30, 2008 12:43 PM EDT
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That was him being polite actually
I swear, I am a little proud. ;)
Isn't it enough to know I ruined a pony making a gift for you?
by mrssoco on
Jul 30, 2008 3:29 PM EDT
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I hate when people make an issue of this...
They have to do it this way so that teams can play 2 series every week. If you split the AL and NL with 15 teams each you either need to have a team in each league have byes (which only drastically extends the season length) or have interleague games every week (which will take away from rivaled league competition. Complain all you want but this is not even a remote issue for MLB so trying to figure out a way to “fix it” is just ridiculous to begin with.
And as soco said earlier, worry about fielding a better team, not a worse division (the DBacks apparently haven’t heard that philosophy yet this season).
by thetomcat87 on Jul 30, 2008 12:54 PM EDT 0 recs
Poor aruguments to a minor issue.
I think that the wildcard pretty much negates the entire issue and renders your arguments void.
That said, I don’t like that the AL has 2 fewer teams and I think it reasonable that MLB look at expansion again in a few years. Portland and Las Vegas could both slide into the AL West and Texas could move into the AL Central.
At 2×16 you could also do 4 divisions and eliminate the wildcard. OR you could get all kinds of silly and do for 4 divisions, keep the wildcard, and add a playoff bye for the #1 seed team. While you’re at the last one, you’d probably need to shorten the regular season by 1 or 2 series or move the start back to March 15.
Fire Bob Melvin
by nihil67 on Jul 30, 2008 1:39 PM EDT 0 recs
Someone has thought of this before..
;)
So...time for another drink then?
by Wimb on
Jul 30, 2008 5:08 PM EDT
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:-)
As had been pointed out, the scheduling issues that would cause far more problems than it would resolve, especially to address a fractional [3.3%] imbalance in the percentage chance of making the playoffs. In addition, if any team is moved to the AL West, shouldn’t it be one of the teams in the NL Central, since that’s the division that’s overstuffed?
by Jim McLennan on Jul 30, 2008 2:15 PM EDT 0 recs
C'mon now...
The Pittsburgh Pirates never have a 16.6% chance of winning the division. Just use some of their percentage points.
You can't spell Arezone Diemondbecks without about four E's.
by "BS,L"yon on Jul 30, 2008 3:11 PM EDT 0 recs
Impossible
The fact is, there has to be uneven leagues. Currently, there are four usual weekly schedule alighnments:
-Monday-Wednesday series, take Thursday off, Friday-Sunday series
-take Monday off, Tuesday-Thursday series, Friday-Sunday series
-Monday-Thursday series, Friday-Sunday series
-Monday-Tuesday series, Wednesday-Thursday series, Friday-Sunday series
If there were uneven alignments, then teams would have off-days on Friday, Saturday, or Sunday, which are the days with biggest draws at the ballparks. The MLB would lose lots of money by having only 28 teams play on weekends, rather than 30. Also, the season would be stretched out.
I agree 100% with soco. Teams don’t get cheated by their division because of the wild card.
by LucaMaz3 on Jul 30, 2008 3:16 PM EDT 0 recs
There is also Mon-Wed series and Thursday-Sunday series (such as the DBacks are currenly in).
by Bcawz on
Jul 31, 2008 9:46 AM EDT
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And in the unlikely event
This takes place, if any team should be booted out of the NL, shouldn’t it be one which – oh, I dunno – is on pace for its eighth straight losing season, rather than the one which has three division titles and a World Series in the past decade?
We’re outdrawing the Reds this year too…
by Jim McLennan on Jul 30, 2008 4:11 PM EDT 0 recs
You could make the argument
That the Reds are one of the NL teams that would have the most to gain from the DH too. You could extend Griffey’s career by 5 more years or get Dunn out of the outfield.
Fire Bob Melvin
by nihil67 on
Jul 30, 2008 4:14 PM EDT
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But I am pretty sure...
...the Reds outrank us as the oldest professional baseball team.
by Red Reign on
Jul 31, 2008 10:41 AM EDT
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Live with it.
The Cardinals and Cubs seem to make it work. Why can’t you?
formerly Seton Hall Snake Pit. The newer simpler version.
by AJforAZ on Jul 30, 2008 4:45 PM EDT 0 recs
Brewers playing teams in the western part of the country doesn't make much sense,
but neither does the Rams playing in the NFC West.
The team that continues to disappoint, the Arizona Diamondbacks.
by srdmad on Jul 30, 2008 5:24 PM EDT 0 recs
Isnt it nice
to have a topic we can all see eye to eye on?
by Counsellmember on Jul 31, 2008 10:30 AM EDT 0 recs
it was all so quick and violent
he never saw it coming
formerly Seton Hall Snake Pit. The newer simpler version.
by AJforAZ on
Aug 1, 2008 9:24 PM EDT
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Like a freight train
of Snakepitters.
Mark Reynolds: back to turning me gay.
by DbacksSkins on
Aug 2, 2008 7:05 PM EDT
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Honestly...
I’m not sure what response he expected. “Oh, sure, we’d love to switch leagues just for the sake of six other teams we rarely see?”
by Azreous on
Aug 2, 2008 9:31 PM EDT
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No way
As others have pointed out, there need to be even numbers in each league for the sake of scheduling.
Also, I am quite happy being in the NL. I would hate for my home team to be an AL team. That would just stink. The DBacks are built as an NL team and I hope they stay that way.
If there ever was to be a change, I think they should send Milwaukee back to the AL. They played there before, why not again?
by SongBird on Aug 2, 2008 3:02 AM EDT 0 recs
As much as it's a lame idea
Be constructive :/ It’s still nice to have questions and such from outsiders!
When I first started following baseball I did wonder why the divisions were imbalanced.
If they ever did decide to try and change things, the only possible way I can see of making it ‘fair’ would be to rotate the teams in each division within the NL and AL. For example having the D-Backs in the NL Central for one year and moving the Cards out into the West. etc etc. Sadly I could see such a scheme having so many scheduling/travelling issues that it would be a nightmare.
So...time for another drink then?
by Wimb on
Aug 5, 2008 10:19 AM EDT
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No.
The only real solution will be expansion, with MLB expanding to 32 teams in 8 4-team divisions, like the NFL.
Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers: Filling the dubious shoes left open by Barry Bonds and the Giants.
by DbacksSkins on
Aug 5, 2008 12:04 PM EDT
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So...
Where would you put the teams? Which two cities would you ADD to the current 30?
by Jim McLennan on
Aug 5, 2008 12:31 PM EDT
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Oh....
I’m so glad you asked! This is actually a discussion I began at RR, and I’m wondering if it’s worth a FanPost.
I said that my frontrunners were San Juan and New Orleans, but I also offered Nashville, Montreal, and Vancouver. Portland was suggested, and Oklahoma City would probably be implicit….
Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers: Filling the dubious shoes left open by Barry Bonds and the Giants.
by DbacksSkins on
Aug 5, 2008 12:49 PM EDT
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If anything contraction would seem more relevant
Does Florida really need 2 teams? both struggle for attendence as it is, obviously I wasn’t around at the time of the last expansion but why was Tampa given a franchise?
Everytime someone mentions expansion I hear Las Vegas mentioned might be nice for tourism purposes. New Orleans would be a feel good story for sure. However If you wanted to be radical why not give Peuto Rico a team?
Short of that move the Dodgers to Alaska just so I can see Manny being Manny whilst freezing his arse off ;)
So...time for another drink then?
by Wimb on
Aug 5, 2008 1:09 PM EDT
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I would add a couple to that list
Las Vegas, Charlotte, and Salt Lake City.
I would probably take Montreal off. They already had their chance. Not sure how high on Vancouver I’d be either.
I like the idea of San Juan, Nashville (or Memphis), and Portland.
Fire Bob Melvin
by nihil67 on
Aug 5, 2008 1:40 PM EDT
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I removed Charlotte from my list
because of the shitstorm that Peter Angelos already caused over the Expos relocating to DC.
Manny Ramirez and the Dodgers: Filling the dubious shoes left open by Barry Bonds and the Giants.
by DbacksSkins on
Aug 5, 2008 1:42 PM EDT
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Why?
Charlotte is about 450 miles away from Baltimore.
The Braves would actually have the biggest geographical beef at about 250 miles... but that's still a long way.Fire Bob Melvin
by nihil67 on
Aug 5, 2008 8:16 PM EDT
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