(07-15-2015 03:18 PM)jskwrite Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 01:16 PM)NJ2MDTerp Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 12:33 PM)jskwrite Wrote:  since I know longer work in baseball I can comment...

If I was MLB and I was thinking of two new teams - I'd go to 2 divisions again in 2 leagues - two division winners and next best team in league get a bye, next two best records play in a play-in game. Balance the schedules by division - now that there are 16 teams in each league, cut back interleague play to the way it was done before (mid-season, everyone does it at once). Also, last 14 or so days of the season are all games within the division.

As far as markets, I'd highly recommend markets in the US only (Mexican currency is not stable, Montreal won't get the stadium they require, "Chivas" style Caribbean team won't work - didn't work with Expos experiment.

I'd recommend markets that are not saturated with other pro sports teams that just "don't have baseball". I'd also recommend expanding into areas that already have teams within the region (if the teams wave their rights, which happened with Orioles/Nationals so it's not unheard of).

Where I would rank them:
Austin/San Antonio.
Las Vegas (since baseball gambling is only for complete degenerates :) )
Northern New Jersey/Long Island/Stamford-New Haven (obviously some payments required to mets/yankees or phillies or red sox)
Nashville or Memphis
Inland Empire, Calfornia (i.e. Riverside, San Bernadino)
Montreal
Portland, OR
Omaha (small market but would support a team) - through ABQ in the small market but would support team category
Salt Lake City

Stay away from "dead" markets (markets with a lot of transplants who already have team alliances):
Orlando
"Carolina"

You know DC was once considered a dead market, but the Nats have been accepted by the locals. And the O's are thriving in Baltimore.

I think Raleigh, NC would be a good location along with Norfolk, VA. In the central zone, I like Memphis and San Antonio. As for the west, I'd consider Vancouver and Las Vegas.

Norfolk is compelling. I think Louisville KY could be a decent market too.

DC is a super rich metro area. They didn't have the recession everyone else did in 2007-8 (I'll let others speculate the "political reasons"). The Nats have a beautiful stadium in a pretty awful area (transportation-wise). MLB spent a lot of money to get them going there. I don't think MLB would have made that commitment in a city without the prestige of the capital city. The nats have been helped a ton by an influx of amazing young/exciting talent (Strasburgh, Harper, both Zimmermans) and the merchandising (Nats stuff has been in the top half of sales since they moved).

Edit: Nats also have a tremendous boast from having other markets in driving distance. At one point the Nats actually tried to stop Phillies fans from buying tickets (when the Phillies were in their sellout streak). Fans from Boston to Baltimore go down to see Nats games. In a market like Raleigh, you wouldn't get that. The only fairly local team is the Braves (even that isn't that close) and they have trouble selling their own games - until they get the new stadium they sort of "ghosted" into existence (don't get me started on that mess).

Side note: Nats have the best luxury boxes and suites in all of MLB. I've been in most of them... by far the Nats win that.

You realize DC is 4 hours from Raleigh, Atlanta is 8....

I don't know why people think Atlanta is close to NC and the triangle... DC and Baltimore are far closer

(07-15-2015 11:22 AM)brista21 Wrote:  

(07-14-2015 10:49 PM)goofus Wrote:  My initial thought was they should add 2 west coast teams because no team in the central time zone wants to play in the west division. But that problem could also be solved by realigning into divisions based on time zones and getting rid of NL and AL.

west division-8
SD, LAD, LAA, SF, Oak, Sea, Ariz, Col

Central division-8
Tex, Hou, KC, STL, Minn, Mil, CHC, CHW

American division-7
Det, Cle, Tor, NYY, Bos, Balt, Tampa

National Division-7
Cincy, Pitt, Philly, NYM, Wash, Atl, Mia

This lineup could easily handle any east coast additions.

Every team then could play every team in its division 12 to 15 tines and everybody else 3 times.

Then have 4 division winners and 8 wildcard teams.

Although I'm a semi-purist who prefers to leave the leagues as they are, I'd say that's not half bad.

If they did expand to 32, I would venture that they would go to 4 divisions of 8, but along the league structures they have now. So let's say Montreal and Austin were awarded AL and NL franchises respectively (just for arguments sake). I'd say you have the setup like this:
AL West: LAA, Oakland, Seattle, Houston, Texas, Kansas City, ChiSox, Minnesota
AL East: Montreal, Toronto, Boston, NYY, Baltimore, Detroit, Cleveland, Tampa Bay
NL West: LAD, SD, SF, Colorado, Arizona, Austin, St. Louis, Milwaukee
NL East: ChiCubs, Cincy, Pittsburgh, Philly, NYM, Washington, Miami, Atlanta

That being said, in that setup St. Louis and Milwaukee would be pissed and there really is no good way to divide the leagues that would avoid that sans for geographical divisions. If they went with a pure eastern expansion it might work better. Say Montreal to the AL and a Raleigh-Durham or Charlotte area team to the NL. Then:
AL West and AL East are as above.
NL West: LAD, SD, SF, Colorado, Arizona, St. Louis, Milwaukee, ChiCubs
NL East: Cincy, Pittsburgh, Philly, NYM, Washington, Carolina, Atlanta, Miami

Anything to get the Cards out of our division I am for it. They are too dominate.

(07-15-2015 03:37 PM)NBPirate Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 03:18 PM)jskwrite Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 01:16 PM)NJ2MDTerp Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 12:33 PM)jskwrite Wrote:  since I know longer work in baseball I can comment...

If I was MLB and I was thinking of two new teams - I'd go to 2 divisions again in 2 leagues - two division winners and next best team in league get a bye, next two best records play in a play-in game. Balance the schedules by division - now that there are 16 teams in each league, cut back interleague play to the way it was done before (mid-season, everyone does it at once). Also, last 14 or so days of the season are all games within the division.

As far as markets, I'd highly recommend markets in the US only (Mexican currency is not stable, Montreal won't get the stadium they require, "Chivas" style Caribbean team won't work - didn't work with Expos experiment.

I'd recommend markets that are not saturated with other pro sports teams that just "don't have baseball". I'd also recommend expanding into areas that already have teams within the region (if the teams wave their rights, which happened with Orioles/Nationals so it's not unheard of).

Where I would rank them:
Austin/San Antonio.
Las Vegas (since baseball gambling is only for complete degenerates :) )
Northern New Jersey/Long Island/Stamford-New Haven (obviously some payments required to mets/yankees or phillies or red sox)
Nashville or Memphis
Inland Empire, Calfornia (i.e. Riverside, San Bernadino)
Montreal
Portland, OR
Omaha (small market but would support a team) - through ABQ in the small market but would support team category
Salt Lake City

Stay away from "dead" markets (markets with a lot of transplants who already have team alliances):
Orlando
"Carolina"

You know DC was once considered a dead market, but the Nats have been accepted by the locals. And the O's are thriving in Baltimore.

I think Raleigh, NC would be a good location along with Norfolk, VA. In the central zone, I like Memphis and San Antonio. As for the west, I'd consider Vancouver and Las Vegas.

Norfolk is compelling. I think Louisville KY could be a decent market too.

DC is a super rich metro area. They didn't have the recession everyone else did in 2007-8 (I'll let others speculate the "political reasons"). The Nats have a beautiful stadium in a pretty awful area (transportation-wise). MLB spent a lot of money to get them going there. I don't think MLB would have made that commitment in a city without the prestige of the capital city. The nats have been helped a ton by an influx of amazing young/exciting talent (Strasburgh, Harper, both Zimmermans) and the merchandising (Nats stuff has been in the top half of sales since they moved).

Edit: Nats also have a tremendous boast from having other markets in driving distance. At one point the Nats actually tried to stop Phillies fans from buying tickets (when the Phillies were in their sellout streak). Fans from Boston to Baltimore go down to see Nats games. In a market like Raleigh, you wouldn't get that. The only fairly local team is the Braves (even that isn't that close) and they have trouble selling their own games - until they get the new stadium they sort of "ghosted" into existence (don't get me started on that mess).

Side note: Nats have the best luxury boxes and suites in all of MLB. I've been in most of them... by far the Nats win that.

You realize DC is 4 hours from Raleigh, Atlanta is 8....

I don't know why people think Atlanta is close to NC and the triangle... DC and Baltimore are far closer

You riding a moped? Raleigh is 2-2.5 hours from Charlotte depending on how fast you drive. Atlanta is 4 hours from Charlotte.

Doesn't change your point that DC is closer to Raleigh than Atlanta is, but it isn't 8 hours, unless you're just building in time for ****** ATL traffic, but then you have to build in time for ****** DC traffic too.

(07-15-2015 03:18 PM)jskwrite Wrote:  Norfolk is compelling. I think Louisville KY could be a decent market too.

Louisville is too small to have an MLB team, and the Reds would absolutely not have any part of allowing a team in Louisville, as they get a significant chunk of their fans from Louisville.

(07-15-2015 03:54 PM)adcorbett Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 03:18 PM)jskwrite Wrote:  Norfolk is compelling. I think Louisville KY could be a decent market too.

Louisville is too small to have an MLB team, and the Reds would absolutely not have any part of allowing a team in Louisville, as they get a significant chunk of their fans from Louisville.

Lots of die hard Reds fans all over Ky., including me Covington

Safeco Field has a retractable roof. Portland would need the same. While Portland boasts probably the best summer weather in the country from July to September (sunny, warm, and green but not too hot with little rain and little humidity), April and May, and even June, have long stretches where the rain/drizzle just doesn't cease and it would be impossible to play without the roof.

Portland could sustain a team in that "environment" and would make an excellent rival for Seattle.

Havana and Caracas.

(07-15-2015 04:25 PM)58-56 Wrote:  Havana and Caracas.

Serious?

(07-15-2015 03:51 PM)Niner National Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 03:37 PM)NBPirate Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 03:18 PM)jskwrite Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 01:16 PM)NJ2MDTerp Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 12:33 PM)jskwrite Wrote:  since I know longer work in baseball I can comment...

If I was MLB and I was thinking of two new teams - I'd go to 2 divisions again in 2 leagues - two division winners and next best team in league get a bye, next two best records play in a play-in game. Balance the schedules by division - now that there are 16 teams in each league, cut back interleague play to the way it was done before (mid-season, everyone does it at once). Also, last 14 or so days of the season are all games within the division.

As far as markets, I'd highly recommend markets in the US only (Mexican currency is not stable, Montreal won't get the stadium they require, "Chivas" style Caribbean team won't work - didn't work with Expos experiment.

I'd recommend markets that are not saturated with other pro sports teams that just "don't have baseball". I'd also recommend expanding into areas that already have teams within the region (if the teams wave their rights, which happened with Orioles/Nationals so it's not unheard of).

Where I would rank them:
Austin/San Antonio.
Las Vegas (since baseball gambling is only for complete degenerates :) )
Northern New Jersey/Long Island/Stamford-New Haven (obviously some payments required to mets/yankees or phillies or red sox)
Nashville or Memphis
Inland Empire, Calfornia (i.e. Riverside, San Bernadino)
Montreal
Portland, OR
Omaha (small market but would support a team) - through ABQ in the small market but would support team category
Salt Lake City

Stay away from "dead" markets (markets with a lot of transplants who already have team alliances):
Orlando
"Carolina"

You know DC was once considered a dead market, but the Nats have been accepted by the locals. And the O's are thriving in Baltimore.

I think Raleigh, NC would be a good location along with Norfolk, VA. In the central zone, I like Memphis and San Antonio. As for the west, I'd consider Vancouver and Las Vegas.

Norfolk is compelling. I think Louisville KY could be a decent market too.

DC is a super rich metro area. They didn't have the recession everyone else did in 2007-8 (I'll let others speculate the "political reasons"). The Nats have a beautiful stadium in a pretty awful area (transportation-wise). MLB spent a lot of money to get them going there. I don't think MLB would have made that commitment in a city without the prestige of the capital city. The nats have been helped a ton by an influx of amazing young/exciting talent (Strasburgh, Harper, both Zimmermans) and the merchandising (Nats stuff has been in the top half of sales since they moved).

Edit: Nats also have a tremendous boast from having other markets in driving distance. At one point the Nats actually tried to stop Phillies fans from buying tickets (when the Phillies were in their sellout streak). Fans from Boston to Baltimore go down to see Nats games. In a market like Raleigh, you wouldn't get that. The only fairly local team is the Braves (even that isn't that close) and they have trouble selling their own games - until they get the new stadium they sort of "ghosted" into existence (don't get me started on that mess).

Side note: Nats have the best luxury boxes and suites in all of MLB. I've been in most of them... by far the Nats win that.

You realize DC is 4 hours from Raleigh, Atlanta is 8....

I don't know why people think Atlanta is close to NC and the triangle... DC and Baltimore are far closer

You riding a moped? Raleigh is 2-2.5 hours from Charlotte depending on how fast you drive. Atlanta is 4 hours from Charlotte.

Doesn't change your point that DC is closer to Raleigh than Atlanta is, but it isn't 8 hours, unless you're just building in time for ****** ATL traffic, but then you have to build in time for ****** DC traffic too.

Bad that I confuse Raleigh and Charlotte's location, right? I don't know... how is the transportation? Getting on public transportation to all the Northeast stadiums but the Phillies is really easy. I know a ton of Red Sox and Yankee fans who flock down to Baltimore to do the inner-harbor + Orioles game and when interleague occurs, same thing with those fans and DC Capital area/tour/stadium. Would Nats fans do the same? I don't know. Orioles fans? Most of the Baltimore folks I know would be more apt to go the 6 hours or so to OBX.

ATL traffic won't have traffic at all to their new stadium (sarcasm).

(07-15-2015 04:36 PM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 04:25 PM)58-56 Wrote:  Havana and Caracas.

Serious?

But think of how much it would help recruiting!

(07-15-2015 03:56 PM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 03:54 PM)adcorbett Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 03:18 PM)jskwrite Wrote:  Norfolk is compelling. I think Louisville KY could be a decent market too.

Louisville is too small to have an MLB team, and the Reds would absolutely not have any part of allowing a team in Louisville, as they get a significant chunk of their fans from Louisville.

Lots of die hard Reds fans all over Ky., including me Covington

I wish Kentucky had a pro-sports team. Basketball wouldn't work because the state is so heavily invested in UK and Louisville, elite programs. Reds probably wouldn't give up the rights, that's true, but I think if somehow they did, Louisville could support the team.

(07-15-2015 04:43 PM)jskwrite Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 03:56 PM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 03:54 PM)adcorbett Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 03:18 PM)jskwrite Wrote:  Norfolk is compelling. I think Louisville KY could be a decent market too.

Louisville is too small to have an MLB team, and the Reds would absolutely not have any part of allowing a team in Louisville, as they get a significant chunk of their fans from Louisville.

Lots of die hard Reds fans all over Ky., including me Covington

I wish Kentucky had a pro-sports team. Basketball wouldn't work because the state is so heavily invested in UK and Louisville, elite programs. Reds probably wouldn't give up the rights, that's true, but I think if somehow they did, Louisville could support the team.

The Kentucky Colonels did fine. They could have moved over with the ABA/NBA merger. John Y. didn't want to pay the price. He should have done like the San Diego owner and taken the %.

(07-15-2015 05:35 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 04:43 PM)jskwrite Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 03:56 PM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 03:54 PM)adcorbett Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 03:18 PM)jskwrite Wrote:  Norfolk is compelling. I think Louisville KY could be a decent market too.

Louisville is too small to have an MLB team, and the Reds would absolutely not have any part of allowing a team in Louisville, as they get a significant chunk of their fans from Louisville.

Lots of die hard Reds fans all over Ky., including me Covington

I wish Kentucky had a pro-sports team. Basketball wouldn't work because the state is so heavily invested in UK and Louisville, elite programs. Reds probably wouldn't give up the rights, that's true, but I think if somehow they did, Louisville could support the team.

The Kentucky Colonels did fine. They could have moved over with the ABA/NBA merger. John Y. didn't want to pay the price. He should have done like the San Diego owner and taken the %.

You mean the Spirits of St. Louis owners. Maybe the best financial deal ever made in sports.

(07-15-2015 11:39 AM)MissouriStateBears Wrote:  

Looking at the US map, the areas that have the most potential for a fan base that doesn't overlap too much of other fanbases are Las Vegas, Salt Lake City and the Carolinas.

Montreal seems to be a lock. Carolinas would be the most logical after that IMO. Now if MLB could switch Houston back to the NL and put either Colorado or Arizona in the AL you would almost have perfect interleague pairings.

AL/NL
Baltimore/Washington
Boston/Philadelphia
Charlotte/Atlanta
Chicago/Chicago
Cleveland/Cincinnati
Detroit/Pittsburgh
Kansas City/St. Louis
Los Angeles/Los Angeles
Minnesota/Milwaukee
New York/New York
Oakland/San Francisco
Seattle/San Diego
Tampa Bay/Miami
Texas/Houston
Toronto/Montreal

AL
East - Baltimore, Boston, New York, Toronto
North - Chicago, Cleveland, Detroit, Minnesota
South - Charlotte, Kansas City, Tampa Bay, Texas
West - Colorado, Los Angeles, Oakland, Seattle

NL
East - New York, Montreal, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh
North - Chicago, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, St. Louis
South - Atlanta, Houston, Miami, Washington
West - Arizona, Los Angeles, San Diego, San Francisco

Not a bad plan, but I would flop Ariz and Col. SD should be paired with Ariz. Sea should be paired with Col.

Col was there first. Ariz came later. Ariz should be forced to the AL.

It seems to me the obvious move would be to relocate the Rays to Montreal. The new expos would fit in great in the AL East. As a huge baseball fan, I have no faith in Tampa embracing the Rays



Jackson

(07-15-2015 05:38 PM)Wedge Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 05:35 PM)bullet Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 04:43 PM)jskwrite Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 03:56 PM)SuperFlyBCat Wrote:  

(07-15-2015 03:54 PM)adcorbett Wrote:  Louisville is too small to have an MLB team, and the Reds would absolutely not have any part of allowing a team in Louisville, as they get a significant chunk of their fans from Louisville.

Lots of die hard Reds fans all over Ky., including me Covington

I wish Kentucky had a pro-sports team. Basketball wouldn't work because the state is so heavily invested in UK and Louisville, elite programs. Reds probably wouldn't give up the rights, that's true, but I think if somehow they did, Louisville could support the team.

The Kentucky Colonels did fine. They could have moved over with the ABA/NBA merger. John Y. didn't want to pay the price. He should have done like the San Diego owner and taken the %.

You mean the Spirits of St. Louis owners. Maybe the best financial deal ever made in sports.

Right. San Diego folded the year before.

Get rid of the designated hitter, and I'll be happy.

(07-15-2015 06:27 PM)jdgaucho Wrote:  Get rid of the designated hitter, and I'll be happy.

Nooooooooo!!

NL baseball is so boring. Pitchers should never bat and I still cant believe people pay money to watch them do it.


People always blast the Trop in Tampa. Its quirky, but for whatever reason, I like it.

(07-15-2015 05:59 PM)Jackson1011 Wrote:  It seems to me the obvious move would be to relocate the Rays to Montreal. The new expos would fit in great in the AL East. As a huge baseball fan, I have no faith in Tampa embracing the Rays



Jackson

If they move to Tampa or Orlando they'll do fine, much better than the Marlins.

(07-14-2015 10:49 PM)PirateTreasureNC Wrote:  I forgot, why did the Expos leave Montreal? Was it a devalued money issue along with stadium deal?


Personally I can't believe NC doesn't have a pro baseball team but only really Charlotte and the RDU area could house one and I am not sure how they would compete with other sports in the area for attendance considering Charlotte has the Panthers and the Hornets... and now Charlotte having a FBS football team. The RDU area has the NHL Hurricanes but also Duke, State, and UNC sports to compete with for money. I heard rumors of either also looking into landing a MLS team.

Considering the player populace in baseball, I am not shocked a city or two south of the border would be entertained for expansion.

Portland would be interesting.... Granted Baseball, does have its season arguably opposite the NBA.

With how well Charlotte and UNC draw for their men's soccer programs (relatively), I've kinda felt like an MLS franchise would do well in Charlotte considering there really isn't much regional competition during the spring and summer. Will keep an eye on how well Atlanta fares.

I wouldn't mind seeing an MLB franchise in Charlotte, though.