Word trickled out this week that the notion of realigning the major leagues had surfaced as part of the ongoing labor talks between baseball’s owners and players. The goal is to balance the number of teams in each league, which currently stands at 14 in the American and 16 in the National.
One plan cited involves moving one team from the NL to the AL, eliminating the divisions, and creating five playoff spots in each circuit.
Much to my surprise, I find myself disliking this construct. Despite my traditionalist leanings – can’t we please get rid of the DH already?!? – I have come to appreciate the divisional setup and the wild card because it leaves fans in many cities with hope far longer than would otherwise be the case. So here are two alternatives, humbly submitted for your approval.
- If the goal is simply to balance the two leagues, let’s move Houston into the AL West, where it will join its in-state rival Rangers, and be done with it.
- But if we really want to inject some excitement into the game, let’s take this opportunity to bake in the “natural rivalries” that supposedly led to the institution of interleague play, and thus to the implementation of playing schedules that are not identical from team to team. (Talk about competitive imbalance!)
Herewith, my proposal (click on image above): two leagues of equal numbers, three divisions of five teams each, one wild card. Teams play six series of three games each against their division rivals, and three series of three games each against everyone else. This results in a schedule of 162 games, just as it is today, but with no need for interleague play (the rivalries having been ‘divisionalized’) and the restoration of identical competition for all.
What sayest thou?
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