Pro Sports Blogging

I am taking a break today to report a huge change that is being discussed which could alter the dynamic of Major League Baseball.

There are reports from Major League Baseball that they are considering moving a National League team to the American League allowing each league to have 15 teams.  This would create the scenario of each division having 5 teams each, which is fair and balanced.  There is speculation that Houston would be that team to move to the American League creating a Rangers-Astros Texas rivalry.  This would be great, however, Major League Baseball is going one step further proposing dissolution of all divisions.  It would be just 15 NL teams and 15 AL.  The top 5 from each 15 team league would make the playoffs.

Where Would Baseball be without Divisional Rivalries like the Yankees and Red Sox

Divisional rivalries would disapear.  Sure we would see Yankees-Red Sox as a large rivalry but we would  see these teams play far less frequently each year.  This would allow for a more diverse balance of National League teams playing each National League team more – and AL vs. AL.  For example, we would see Yankees playing the Angels just as often as the Red Sox while far less of Giants-Dodgers (currently division rivals play 18 games head-to-head).  This may create a more balanced schedule but less of an attachment to baseball as rivalries is what keeps baseball interesting.

Below is the current alignment, an alignment with just moving Houston, and a dream alignment which could make baseball interesting

Current Alignment

Simple Re-Alignment

The only change here was moving Houston from the NL Central to the AL West.  If only one team is moved this is the most logical move as the AL West has 4 teams while the NL Central has 6 teams and adding a state of Texas rivalry would probably help baseball. Then again, MLB has always been very strict about keeping teams in the same city in separate leagues (Chicago Cubs and White Sox, NY Mets and Yankees) but there was a time when the NY Giants and Brooklyn Dodgers played in the same city as the NY Yankees. This of course would be Houston and Dallas, which are less than proximate to one another across a very large state.

Proposed Re-Alignment with no divisions

This would move Houston to the American league like in the simple re-alignment scenario but it would take away divisions and lump teams into just two leagues with no divisions (as it was prior to 1969).  Yes, this would create less monotony of teams playing divisional opponents over and over again.  However, those divisional rivalries would disappear.

New Scenario #1

This allows for a whole new ballgame with rivalries.  Old rivalries such as Giants-Dodgers and Yankees-Red Sox are kept intact but new rivalries are created.  For example, both New York teams will be in the same division.  In another both Chicago teams, another division will host the Ohio rivalry of Cincinnati and Cleveland.  A new rivalry created is Washington and Baltimore.  It is not seen as a rivalry now but it could make baseball near the nation’s capital very interesting (a mere 40 miles separate the two).  As well, the NL West becomes the California division with Seattle and the NL West becomes the division for the Southwest with Texas, Houston, Arizona, Colorado, and San Diego.

Not everyone will be crazy about this alignment because some people want to keep New York teams in separate leagues.  This way, if a New York resident is a fan of the Diamondbacks they would rarely see the Diamondbacks in person because there would be no New York team in the National League anymore.   However, creating more rivalries in each division may be just what baseball needs.  If you keep the alignment the same except push the New York and Chicago teams into separate leagues you could end up with another interesting scenario.

New Scenario #2

This still keeps things interesting as a new rivalry is born with Tampa Bay and Florida.

The executives within Major League Baseball need to be careful. No matter what decision they make with realignment, those changes will alter rivalries, playoff outcomes and fan interest.  If they break up biggest traditional rivalries the interest in the sport may drop – or increase based on region.  If they can come up with a realignment that holds true to divisional rivalries and also incite new rivalries they should jump at the opportunity.  Yes, realignment should be done but removing divisions altogether is not a move in the right direction.

About the Author Subscribe to author's RSS feed
Written by Matthew Hesse
Matthew Hesse is currently located in Tucson, Arizona and he graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelors in Business Management in 2009. Graduated from Tiffin University with a Masters in Business Administration with a focus in Sports Management in 2011. Recent intern with the Pro Exposure Basketball Showcase and Greene Sports Management. Fan of Arizona Diamondbacks, Arizona Cardinals, Phoenix Suns, and the University of Arizona Athletics.