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Le Grande Orange · 05-06-2004, 12:32 AM

For a long time I've thought about writing up a schedule for an MLB alignment that had three 5 team divisions in each league. But I can't decide on which alignment of teams in each of the three divisions in each league to use, and I need to know that due to the way I want to implement interleague play.

Thus, I need your opinion!

There are three main options. Two of them were actually under consideration by MLB for the 1998 season's expansion, and the third is my own personal plan.

PLAN A

This was the simplest plan, requiring no switching of teams from the 1997 alignment. Arizona would've been added to the NL West division and Tampa Bay would've been added to the AL West division. The result would have looked like this:

Code:

           American League
East          Central       West
Baltimore     Chicago       Anaheim
Boston        Cleveland     Oakland
Detroit       Kansas City   Seattle
New York      Milwaukee     Tampa Bay
Toronto       Minnesota     Texas

           National League
East          Central       West
Atlanta       Chicago       Arizona
Florida       Cincinnati    Colorado
Montreal      Houston       Los Angeles
New York      Pittsburgh    San Diego
Philadelphia  St. Louis     San Francisco

This plan is my least favourite, since the AL West division looks very odd with Tampa Bay in there, but it at least means no teams would be shifted from their current divisions, nor would any teams have to change leagues.

PLAN B

This was MLB's second plan for three 5 team divisions in each league. Tampa Bay would be added to the AL East and Arizona to the NL West, and Detroit would be shifted from the AL East to the AL Central. Kansas City and Houston would switch leagues, with KC moving to the NL Central and Houston going into the AL West.

The result would look like this:

Code:

           American League
East          Central       West
Baltimore     Chicago       Anaheim
Boston        Cleveland     Houston
New York      Detroit       Oakland
Tampa Bay     Milwaukee     Seattle
Toronto       Minnesota     Texas

           National League
East          Central       West
Atlanta       Chicago       Arizona
Florida       Cincinnati    Colorado
Montreal      Pittsburgh    Los Angeles
New York      Kansas City   San Diego
Philadelphia  St. Louis     San Francisco

This plan is pretty good, and certainly would make my concept for interleague play easier to handle. However, two teams are switching leagues and I'm not particularly fond of that idea.

PLAN C

This plan is entirely my own idea. Tampa Bay is added to the AL East and Arizona to the NL West. Detroit shifts from the AL East to the AL Central, while Kansas City shifts from the AL Central into the AL West. No teams switch divisions in the NL, and no MLB team has to change leagues.

The result looks like this:

Code:

           American League
East          Central       West
Baltimore     Chicago       Anaheim
Boston        Cleveland     Kansas City
New York      Detroit       Oakland
Tampa Bay     Milwaukee     Seattle
Toronto       Minnesota     Texas

           National League
East          Central       West
Atlanta       Chicago       Arizona
Florida       Cincinnati    Colorado
Montreal      Houston       Los Angeles
New York      Pittsburgh    San Diego
Philadelphia  St. Louis     San Francisco

I like this plan the best, since no teams are required to switch leagues, and only two teams in the AL have to change divisions. The only drawback is that this alignment is a bit more difficult to set up the interleague games the way I want.

Anyway, those are the three plans, so vote for your favourite! I need to pick a plan to use as the basis for the schedule, so please give me some guidance!

Feel free to post any comments, or if you have a plan of your own you think is better, post that as well.

05-06-2004, 12:32 AM	#1
Le Grande Orange Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2002 Location: Up There Posts: 15,642	MLB realignment - I need your opinion! For a long time I've thought about writing up a schedule for an MLB alignment that had three 5 team divisions in each league. But I can't decide on which alignment of teams in each of the three divisions in each league to use, and I need to know that due to the way I want to implement interleague play. Thus, I need your opinion! There are three main options. Two of them were actually under consideration by MLB for the 1998 season's expansion, and the third is my own personal plan. PLAN A This was the simplest plan, requiring no switching of teams from the 1997 alignment. Arizona would've been added to the NL West division and Tampa Bay would've been added to the AL West division. The result would have looked like this: Code: American League East Central West Baltimore Chicago Anaheim Boston Cleveland Oakland Detroit Kansas City Seattle New York Milwaukee Tampa Bay Toronto Minnesota Texas National League East Central West Atlanta Chicago Arizona Florida Cincinnati Colorado Montreal Houston Los Angeles New York Pittsburgh San Diego Philadelphia St. Louis San Francisco This plan is my least favourite, since the AL West division looks very odd with Tampa Bay in there, but it at least means no teams would be shifted from their current divisions, nor would any teams have to change leagues. PLAN B This was MLB's second plan for three 5 team divisions in each league. Tampa Bay would be added to the AL East and Arizona to the NL West, and Detroit would be shifted from the AL East to the AL Central. Kansas City and Houston would switch leagues, with KC moving to the NL Central and Houston going into the AL West. The result would look like this: Code: American League East Central West Baltimore Chicago Anaheim Boston Cleveland Houston New York Detroit Oakland Tampa Bay Milwaukee Seattle Toronto Minnesota Texas National League East Central West Atlanta Chicago Arizona Florida Cincinnati Colorado Montreal Pittsburgh Los Angeles New York Kansas City San Diego Philadelphia St. Louis San Francisco This plan is pretty good, and certainly would make my concept for interleague play easier to handle. However, two teams are switching leagues and I'm not particularly fond of that idea. PLAN C This plan is entirely my own idea. Tampa Bay is added to the AL East and Arizona to the NL West. Detroit shifts from the AL East to the AL Central, while Kansas City shifts from the AL Central into the AL West. No teams switch divisions in the NL, and no MLB team has to change leagues. The result looks like this: Code: American League East Central West Baltimore Chicago Anaheim Boston Cleveland Kansas City New York Detroit Oakland Tampa Bay Milwaukee Seattle Toronto Minnesota Texas National League East Central West Atlanta Chicago Arizona Florida Cincinnati Colorado Montreal Houston Los Angeles New York Pittsburgh San Diego Philadelphia St. Louis San Francisco I like this plan the best, since no teams are required to switch leagues, and only two teams in the AL have to change divisions. The only drawback is that this alignment is a bit more difficult to set up the interleague games the way I want. Anyway, those are the three plans, so vote for your favourite! I need to pick a plan to use as the basis for the schedule, so please give me some guidance! Feel free to post any comments, or if you have a plan of your own you think is better, post that as well.