Jump to content

Bowden: expansion is inevitable..and so is realignment?


Sports Guy

Recommended Posts

9 minutes ago, Frobby said:

I don’t see expansion as being that likely.   

It depends on how they see expansion impacting revenues.  They can't realistically expect to add more games to the season.  And the playoff format is about max'd out unless they want teams with losing records vying for playoff bids.  Revenues from ways to distribute viewing is slicing the same pie and maybe double dipping into the same consumer pockets in ways too.  And that's a constant state of flux with people moving away from cable and facing micro/macro-economic decisions.

I can see expansion being on the table. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, waroriole said:

I can’t see them putting all those heavy payroll teams in one division. I like our division though. 

Why not? It's kind of good for everyone if they're just battling each other in one division instead of spreading their dominance out across multiple divisions. At least that's how I see it. Put em in a division and let em try to out spend each other like goons. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

https://theathletic.com/4159445/2023/02/07/mlb-expansion-geographic-realignment/?source=user_shared_article
 

Some interesting stuff in this article.

Eastern Conference

East Division

Boston Red Sox
New York Mets
New York Yankees
Philadelphia Phillies

North Division

Cincinnati Reds
Cleveland Guardians
Detroit Tigers
Toronto Blue Jays

Mid-Atlantic Division

Baltimore Orioles
Charlotte expansion team
Pittsburgh Pirates
Washington Nationals

Southeast Division

Atlanta Braves
Miami Marlins
Nashville expansion team
Tampa Bay Rays

I think I would make a couple of changes.  I think Toronto should go to the East (Northeast) Division.  Then Pittsburgh should go to the North Division.  Philadelphia should then be in the mid-Atlantic.  I think I could be convinced to swap the Charlotte and Nashville expansion teams.  Although it may work better if it was Charlotte/Nashville/Louisville in the mid-atlantic and New Orleans in the Southeast.

The other divisions, I suppose would be:

Chicago White Sox, Chicago Cubs, St Louis Cardinals, Milwaukee Brewers

Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, Texas Rangers, Minnesota Twins

Seattle Mariners, Colorado Rockies, {Las Vegas} Athletics, San Francisco Giants

Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Anaheim Angels, Arizona Diamondbacks

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

3 hours ago, Sports Guy said:

https://theathletic.com/4159445/2023/02/07/mlb-expansion-geographic-realignment/?source=user_shared_article
 

Some interesting stuff in this article.

Eastern Conference

East Division

Boston Red Sox
New York Mets
New York Yankees
Philadelphia Phillies

North Division

Cincinnati Reds
Cleveland Guardians
Detroit Tigers
Toronto Blue Jays

Mid-Atlantic Division

Baltimore Orioles
Charlotte expansion team
Pittsburgh Pirates
Washington Nationals

Southeast Division

Atlanta Braves
Miami Marlins
Nashville expansion team
Tampa Bay Rays

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

6 minutes ago, wildcard said:

The problem I have with this is Bowden is the source.

Same. If I hear another MLB analyst or writer talk this up then I’ll take it more seriously. Bowden’s track record with MLB rumors is about as good as Jason LaCanfora is with NFL rumors. 

Edited by OsFanSinceThe80s
Link to comment
Share on other sites

It’d be a lot cooler if every team played each other an even amount of times and then every year the divisions are made to reflect the spending power of that team. So divisions with teams with unlimited resources only have one league leader and the rest in that division have to be okay with potential wild card spots. Then teams that don’t spend so much have a chance. Maybe it’s just me but Yankees and Dodgers every single year is just boring and more detrimental to the sport overall than having a handful of behemoth. 
 

I’m aware that it’ll never happen because the logistics would be a nightmare and a lot of teams would find more reason to spend less money, not more…so the players association would never agree to it. But maybe couple it with a complete removal of the salary cap so that the Yankees and Dodgers can each have $600 million pay roll or whatever but the playing field is evened out with a balanced schedule and then in the end they are only really competing against other financial juggernauts to get a good spot in the playoffs. 
 

Probably more trouble than it’s worth, but the “balanced schedule” is a half-measure when you still have to win more games than the others in your division who have the ability to sign stupid contracts and then eat the contract when the player stops being productive. The O’s still won’t be able to win more games than the Yankees unless it’s a fluke because one team will spend money and the other won’t. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

33 minutes ago, OsFanSinceThe80s said:

Same. If I hear another MLB analyst or writer talk this up then I’ll take it more seriously. Bowden’s track record with MLB rumors is about as good as Jason LaCanfora is with NFL rumors. 

This isn’t the first time Manfred has discussed expansion. 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


  • Posts

    • I think there is a better term than "angry" to describe some of the O's. Anger seldom results in anything positive. Now, playing with attitude is another thing. GH is certainly the "King" of attitude on this team, no one is going to beat him. I believe there are several position players that show attitude in different ways. Pitchers?? SP throw 90 or so pitches. They can't afford to display emotions or they would be worn out much earlier. They also can't afford to have the "deer in the headlights" look. Of the O's starters, I believe CP is in that world at present. It's mainly an experience and growth thing.  GR, IMO, has approved significantly in that department over the last year. 
    • On close examination of Kjerstad today (July 7), I hope he is not part of any trade package. This kid is a bull, with power potential that is off the charts.  He runs surprisingly well and that throw to the plate from left was very impressive, if a bit high. I can see him planted in left field for a long time, perhaps in a platoon with Hays the rest of the year, but eventually full time if he proves able to hit southpaws.
    • I like this idea better, but I am curious to what it would take to secure Mason Miller.
    • I totally get it.  It’s a huge risk vs. reward situation, but getting someone like him (if he’s still strong) or Skubal could make a major difference come October for you guys over the next three seasons.
    • IMHO it's not about whether Crochet is an "opener" or a reliever, it's the innings.  He's never thrown more than 65 innings (at college in 2019) in his entire college or pro career and stands at 105.1 today.  Let that sink in.  On top of that, there is Crochet's TJ surgery, where he missed all of 2022 and had multiple stints on the IL in 2023 as he was recovering, tossing a total of 25 IP. Does any of this mean he cannot throw double (130 IP) or triple (195 IP) his prior max?  No one can say for certain, but I'd think any reasonable person would agree that, at the very least, it's a far riskier proposition for someone like Crochet than a pitcher who has been a starter and has thrown 150+ IP before.  So, to recap: The most innings he's ever thrown was 65 IP in college (2019) After throwing 54 innings of relief for the White Sox in 2021, he missed all of 2022 with Tommy John surgery He followed up in 2023 by throwing a total of 25 innings of relief, as he dealt with a couple of IL stints recovering from TJ His first ever pro start came this season and he's been dynamite through 105.1 IP Elias and Sig are well aware of the risks and it will be interesting to see how it all shakes out.
    • Gunnar doing a good job of hitting the ball to all fields.
    • Tell me the cost and I would probably sign up. What about you Qauntrill, Scherzer and Yates and you got to keep all top 4 prospects?
  • Popular Contributors

×
×
  • Create New...