Get rid of the Divisions and Play a Balanced Schedule

[erb8472]

Now that Houston is in the American League it is time to get rid of these divisions and start playing a balanced schedule.

Here is how you can accomplish the balanced schedule:

1 3 game series against home or road against each NL opponent (45 games)

1 4 game series home and road against each AL opponent (120 games)

This is a total of 165 games vs the current 162.

[Bahama O's Fan]

Remake the divisions; instead of AL and NL, have East and West, like the NBA. It cuts down on travel time if you only play the East. You play the same amount of games with each opponent in the East and play no one in the West during the regular season. The top five teams in the East get into the playoffs. You play the West champion in the World Series.

[Mondo Trasho]

It's 13 one way a baker's dozen the other. They have divisions in football, they have them in basketball. Changing things won't make any real difference.

[ExileAngelos]

Don't like this idea at all. First of all there is no way they can add 3 games to the regular season. I'd like to see them go back to 154. The regular season has lost a bit of it's importance and this would allow the season to start a bit later and end a bit sooner.

I would be fine with no iterleague play at all let alone 45 games. Baseball is unique from the rest of the other major sports. In a good way. I want to keep it that way.

[BobDylanBundy]

Remake the divisions; instead of AL and NL' date=' have East and West, like the NBA. It cuts down on travel time if you only play the East. You play the same amount of games with each opponent in the East and play no one in the West during the regular season. The top five teams in the East get into the playoffs. You play the West champion in the World Series.[/quote']

This idea makes a lot of practical sense but doesn't really work with the geography of the current teams. Either you end up with about 18 east league teams and 12 west, or else one of the teams currently in a Central division gets screwed with horrendous travel. Maybe after the Orioles are relocated to Las Vegas there will be a better balance for a split right down the middle.

[OrangeJerseys]

Just say no to inter league games.

[getfoul]

My favorite topic, and I couldn't agree more.

Astros back to the NL. Dbacks or Rockies to the AL. Both leagues equal by time zones- 7 east, 4 central, 4 mtn/pac

Play your 4 former division opponents 11 games over 4 series.

Play your 10 other league opponents 10 games over 3 series.

Play 18 interleague games, including 6 games against the local/regional rival if you have one.

Top 3 teams make the playoffs and are treated like division winners.

4th and 5th best teams play the one-game Play-In as a second chance to make the playoffs.

[Trackmaster]

If they're going to have these absurdly unbalanced schedules, the least they could do is do a better job regionalizing the divisions. There's no reason that we should be playing 20 times a season against teams in Florida and Canada while we never play teams in Washington, Pennsylvania, and Atlanta.

[Spirus]

1 4 game series home and road against each AL opponent (120 games)

Nitpicky, but this is actually 112 games, not 120. There are only 14 opponents since you can't play yourself.

[VeveJones007]

I dislike the unbalanced schedule as much as the next person, but if you hate it, you have to also acknowledge that the Playoffs make the regular season almost meaningless. If you play a balanced schedule of 160+ games, then the champion of each league should go straight to the Series.

[getfoul]

I dislike the unbalanced schedule as much as the next person, but if you hate it, you have to also acknowledge that the Playoffs make the regular season almost meaningless. If you play a balanced schedule of 160+ games, then the champion of each league should go straight to the Series.

I think you're saying that if they had no divisions and a balanced schedule, the 1-seeds should just go to the World Series...or that would be the perception.

I disagree. Fans and teams expect a playoff format at the end of the season. As long as everyone knows going into the season that you're playing for seeding in the postseason, nobody is going to say, "We came in first. We should just be in the World Series".

I may be in the minority, but I think the no division/balanced schedule would work, and fans would get used to it and actually like it.

We saw the NL end with the Braves assured of their Wild Card spot with weeks left in the season. With no divisions, they could have been in contention with the Giants for the 3-spot, and the loser would have had to face the Cardinals.

And now we also have the 7th best AL team over 162 getting a bye, with a very good chance to win the World Series. The Rays and Angels could have been in a great race for the last Wild Card spot.

[Sanfran327]

Don't like this idea at all. First of all there is no way they can add 3 games to the regular season. I'd like to see them go back to 154. The regular season has lost a bit of it's importance and this would allow the season to start a bit later and end a bit sooner.

I would be fine with no iterleague play at all let alone 45 games. Baseball is unique from the rest of the other major sports. In a good way. I want to keep it that way.

Not sure how you can say this given the way the last two regular seasons have ended...

Also, to the poster that recommended and East/West setup: the American League and National League aren't going anywhere unless a decision to add the DH to the NL is made (or take it away from the AL, which won't happen), which would pretty much be the most radical decision that can be made right now. Then you might see an East/West thing, but AL and NL mean too much to the game now and its history. Don't see that happening.

[Morgan423]

Nitpicky, but this is actually 112 games, not 120. There are only 14 opponents since you can't play yourself.

Good point. So the adjustment:

Now that Houston is in the American League it is time to get rid of these divisions and start playing a balanced schedule.

Here is how you can accomplish the balanced schedule:

1 3 game series against home or road against each NL opponent (45 games)

1 4 game series home and road against each AL opponent (112 games)

This is a total of 157 games vs the current 162.

[getfoul]

7th best team over 162 on their way to the World Series.

Eliminate divisions. Play a more balanced schedule. Top 3 go to the playoffs. 4 and 5 seeds play 1-game to make the playoffs.

The Tigers made it fair and square under the current structure, but with 5 of 15 teams from each league making the playoffs (starting next year), the 7th best team over 162 shouldn't make the playoffs just because of being located in the right part of the country, and playing 18-19 games against inferior competition.

Baseball doesn't need divisions.

[Blizzard1090]

7th best team over 162 on their way to the World Series.

Eliminate divisions. Play a more balanced schedule. Top 3 go to the playoffs. 4 and 5 seeds play 1-game to make the playoffs.

The Tigers made it fair and square under the current structure, but with 5 of 15 teams from each league making the playoffs (starting next year), the 7th best team over 162 shouldn't make the playoffs just because of being located in the right part of the country, and playing 18-19 games against inferior competition.

Baseball doesn't need divisions.

I agree with you. I rooted for the Tigers only because they were playing the Yankees but it is not right that they were given home field advantage over the A's,whom in my option were a far superior team in a tougher division.