[Amazin69]

Speaking of 2000…here's how things would have looked under 1993 rules.

(I've followed through on the idea that got Fay Vincent fired and moved the Illinois-and-adjacent NL teams to the West. Because you can't split up those rivalries just because the Cubbies don't want to put 9:30 PM CDT games on WGN, and I can't see consigning the Braves to eternal "West Coast" status.)

AL EAST:

Cleveland 90-72
NY Yanks. 87-74
Boston 85-77
Toronto 83-79
Detroit 79-83
Baltimore 74-88
Tampa Bay 69-92

AL WEST:

Chicago Sox 95-67
Oakland 91-70
Seattle 91-71
Anaheim 82-80
KC. 77-85
Texas 71-91
Minnesota 69-93

We gain: Tight multiple-team fights in both divisions, with the Yankees being punished for their wretched September fold. (Or perhaps actually playing harder, if they don't have the divisional cushion to spend.)

We lose: the photo-finish in the actual AL West, but we erase the stain of the A's not bothering to make up that last game because Seattle has the WC, so who cares who wins?

NL EAST:

Atlanta 95-67
NY Mets 94-68
Cincinnati 85-77
Florida 79-82
Houston 72-90
Pittsburgh 69-93
Montreal 67-95
Phillies 65-97

NL WEST:

San Francisco 97-65
St. Louis 95-67
Los Angeles 86-76
Arizona 85-77
Colorado 82-80
San Diego 76-86
Milwaukee 73-89
Chicago Cubs 65-97

We gain: Nail-biting pennant races with everything at stake in both divisions. And a memorable miss by the Mets, instead of my remembering it as "just another year we couldn't beat the Braves".

(I'd honestly forgotten we came so close. Huh.)

We lose: the "drama" of all four post-season teams clinching in mid-September. And Brewers fans being able to point out that they finished in the upper half of the Central.

(You'd think 73-89 wouldn't get you 3rd in a 4-team division. And yet they ended up 3rd out of 6. Huh.)

Simplicity adds sanity and excitement!

ETA: Sorry, I tried adding spacing, but it wouldn't stick. I don't know what to do when you can't use tabs.