Realignment is really being seriously considered among Major League Baseball and the players' association and, according to a highly ranked executive, they are considering going back to the old format in the past with no divisions and have just two leagues with 15 American League teams and 15 National League teams.
The two leagues, which would still retain their historic names, would have five playoff spots within each league. The playoff format should not change.
The simplest form of realignment would be to take one National League team and move it to the American League. What they should do is take their baseball map and split it right down the middle. Have one league be comprised of all eastern teams like New York, Boston and Philly while having the other league have all of the western teams like Arizona, Seattle and Kansas City.
The National League would be better off with the western teams and it would be fitting if the American League had the east.
The Leagues should look like this. Note that the two Chicago teams would not change their position.
National League: Chicago, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Kansas City, Minnesota, Texas, Houston, Colorado, Arizona, Seattle, Oakland, San Diego, San Francisco, Los Angeles Dodgers and Angels
American League: Chicago, Detroit, Toronto, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Miami, Washington, Baltimore, Boston, Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, New York Mets and Yankees
With the new National League, due to the laws of geography, the rivalries in the California and Texas will be instantly forged. Both Northern California and Southern California will be going at it with each other and would attract TV attention.
The Chicago Cubs and the St. Louis Cardinals will still have their historic rivalry intact and Milwaukee and Minnesota will be back in the same league.
The American League would have every baseball fan feel like they're in heaven. New York vs. Boston, Philadelphia vs. Pittsburgh, Tampa Bay vs. Miami, Baltimore vs. Washington, Boston vs, Philadelphia, New York vs. Philadelphia.
The television markets would love having a rivalry going on almost every week.
By having both leagues having 15 teams, interleague baseball would then be expanded from June to all season and that means all of the marquee west vs. east coast showdowns.
The rivalries forged by this realignment strategy would make major league baseball a much better television product again and Major League Baseball would surely benefit from it.
Maggie Grace Luján Fernández Charli Baltimore Denise Richards Jennifer Sky
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