OOTP Developments Forums - View Single Post

GBOV · 06-18-2019, 11:02 AM

So I've been tinkering with a major overhaul to the MLB. Here is the premise:

MLB has a serious geography problem -- The Southern US, and to a lesser extent, the Western US are unrepresented in MLB. The vast majority of the clubs are based in the Northeast, Rustbelt and along the Pacific coast.

In this world, an "antitrust" suit has been filed against MLB by a contingent of unrepresented states, including nearly all of the Southern states, and many western states, and the Country of Canada.

Realizing that the case has merit, and rather than risk the Courts breaking up MLB into several smaller parts, a settlement as been reached between MLB and the suing parties:

MLB agrees to expand to 48 (Yes 48!) teams. However, this expansion cannot take place overnight, otherwise the product will be severely diluted.

So, beginning in 2019, the 18 expansion teams will begin to build their organizations, and ultimately MLB will officially expand beginning with the 2025 season.

To set up the game, I've done the following: created a fictional league of the 18 expansion teams called the MLB Expansion League (MLBEL). To begin with, the MLBEL will have a AAA affiliate and a Rookie league affiliate.

Upon creation of the MLBEL, all players were released and became free agents, then all free agents were deleted (this deletes all fictional players).

Next the MLB and all US Independent Leagues were created into the world. The US Independent Leagues were then all immediately deleted so that their players all populated the Free Agent database (along with the regular MLB free agents). This created a database of over 4000 free agents.

With the 1.1.19 start date, All MLBEL teams begin filling their major league and AAA rosters with the available free agents.

Additionally, an association is formed between MLB and MLBEL (the MLB Association). The MLB and MLBEL will share an amateur draft beginning in 2019, which will consist of 33 rounds. Draft order will be determined by winning percentage.

Beginning in 2020, full A and short A affiliates will be added to the MLBEL.

Beginning in 2021, AA and another Rookie League will be added to the MLBEL

Beginning in 2022, another full A league will be added for the MLBEL.

The MLBEL will play a full season each year of 162 games, and will compete for the "MLBEL Title."

At the conclusion of the 2024 season, the teams from the MLBEL will be merged into MLB, along with their minor league affiliates.

The new expanded MLB will restructure its leagues based on geography. The American and National Leagues will now be known as the Eastern and Western Leagues, each will have 3 divisions of 8 teams. The new playoff structure will see each of the 3 division champs, plus 5 wild cards from each league for a total of 8 teams making the playoffs from each league (round 1 - best of 3, round 2 best of 5, round 3 - best of 7, and World Series - best of 7).

The Designated Hitter will be enabled in both the Western and Eastern Leagues.

The 18 Expansion franchises are the following:

Birmingham Barons
Charleston RiverDogs
Charlotte Knights
Durham Bulls
Jacksonville Suns
Las Vegas Aviators
Louisville Bats
Memphis Chicks
Montreal Expos
Nashville Sounds
New Orleans Zephyrs
Norfolk Tides
Oklahoma City 89ers
Portland Beavers
Richmond Virginians
Salt Lake Bees
San Antonio Missions
Vancouver Canadians

The new leagues and divisions for 2025 will be the following:

Eastern League:

Atlantic Division:
Baltimore Orioles
Washington Nationals
Richmond Virginians
Norfolk Tides
Durham Bulls
Charlotte Knights
Charleston RiverDogs
Jacksonville Suns

South Division:
Nashville Sounds
Memphis Chicks
Birmingham Barons
New Orleans Zephyrs
Tampa Bay Rays
Miami Marlins
Louisville Bats
Atlanta Braves

North Division:
Montreal Expos
Toronto Blue Jays
Boston Red Sox
NY Yankees
NY Mets
Pittsburgh Pirates
Philadelphia Phillies
Cleveland Indians

Western League:

Pacific Division:
Vancouver Canadians
Seattle Mariners
Portland Beavers
Oakland Athletics
San Francisco Giants
LA Angels
LA Dodgers
San Diego Padres

Desert Division:
Colorado Rockies
Houston Astros
Texas Rangers
San Antonio Missions
Oklahoma City 89ers
Salt Lake Bees
Arizona Diamondbacks
Las Vegas Aviators

Central Division:
Minnesota Twins
Milwaukee Brewers
Chicago Cubs
Chicago White Sox
Detroit Tigers
Kansas City Royals
Cincinnati Reds
St. Louis Cardinals

Thoughts?

My major contemplations have been over whether to start building in 2019 and merge in 2025, or begin at an earlier time/era. I think that 6 full seasons of drafting and building is enough to make the 18 expansion teams relatively competitive by the time they join MLB, and also it won't dilute exisiting MLB teams too severely or force some sort of fantasy draft, etc.

I'm also going back and forth on what to do with the DH. As of now, I'm thinking of implementing it across the board.

06-18-2019, 11:02 AM	#1
GBOV Bat Boy Join Date: Jun 2019 Posts: 13	Major MLB Expansion So I've been tinkering with a major overhaul to the MLB. Here is the premise: MLB has a serious geography problem -- The Southern US, and to a lesser extent, the Western US are unrepresented in MLB. The vast majority of the clubs are based in the Northeast, Rustbelt and along the Pacific coast. In this world, an "antitrust" suit has been filed against MLB by a contingent of unrepresented states, including nearly all of the Southern states, and many western states, and the Country of Canada. Realizing that the case has merit, and rather than risk the Courts breaking up MLB into several smaller parts, a settlement as been reached between MLB and the suing parties: MLB agrees to expand to 48 (Yes 48!) teams. However, this expansion cannot take place overnight, otherwise the product will be severely diluted. So, beginning in 2019, the 18 expansion teams will begin to build their organizations, and ultimately MLB will officially expand beginning with the 2025 season. To set up the game, I've done the following: created a fictional league of the 18 expansion teams called the MLB Expansion League (MLBEL). To begin with, the MLBEL will have a AAA affiliate and a Rookie league affiliate. Upon creation of the MLBEL, all players were released and became free agents, then all free agents were deleted (this deletes all fictional players). Next the MLB and all US Independent Leagues were created into the world. The US Independent Leagues were then all immediately deleted so that their players all populated the Free Agent database (along with the regular MLB free agents). This created a database of over 4000 free agents. With the 1.1.19 start date, All MLBEL teams begin filling their major league and AAA rosters with the available free agents. Additionally, an association is formed between MLB and MLBEL (the MLB Association). The MLB and MLBEL will share an amateur draft beginning in 2019, which will consist of 33 rounds. Draft order will be determined by winning percentage. Beginning in 2020, full A and short A affiliates will be added to the MLBEL. Beginning in 2021, AA and another Rookie League will be added to the MLBEL Beginning in 2022, another full A league will be added for the MLBEL. The MLBEL will play a full season each year of 162 games, and will compete for the "MLBEL Title." At the conclusion of the 2024 season, the teams from the MLBEL will be merged into MLB, along with their minor league affiliates. The new expanded MLB will restructure its leagues based on geography. The American and National Leagues will now be known as the Eastern and Western Leagues, each will have 3 divisions of 8 teams. The new playoff structure will see each of the 3 division champs, plus 5 wild cards from each league for a total of 8 teams making the playoffs from each league (round 1 - best of 3, round 2 best of 5, round 3 - best of 7, and World Series - best of 7). The Designated Hitter will be enabled in both the Western and Eastern Leagues. The 18 Expansion franchises are the following: Birmingham Barons Charleston RiverDogs Charlotte Knights Durham Bulls Jacksonville Suns Las Vegas Aviators Louisville Bats Memphis Chicks Montreal Expos Nashville Sounds New Orleans Zephyrs Norfolk Tides Oklahoma City 89ers Portland Beavers Richmond Virginians Salt Lake Bees San Antonio Missions Vancouver Canadians The new leagues and divisions for 2025 will be the following: Eastern League: Atlantic Division: Baltimore Orioles Washington Nationals Richmond Virginians Norfolk Tides Durham Bulls Charlotte Knights Charleston RiverDogs Jacksonville Suns South Division: Nashville Sounds Memphis Chicks Birmingham Barons New Orleans Zephyrs Tampa Bay Rays Miami Marlins Louisville Bats Atlanta Braves North Division: Montreal Expos Toronto Blue Jays Boston Red Sox NY Yankees NY Mets Pittsburgh Pirates Philadelphia Phillies Cleveland Indians Western League: Pacific Division: Vancouver Canadians Seattle Mariners Portland Beavers Oakland Athletics San Francisco Giants LA Angels LA Dodgers San Diego Padres Desert Division: Colorado Rockies Houston Astros Texas Rangers San Antonio Missions Oklahoma City 89ers Salt Lake Bees Arizona Diamondbacks Las Vegas Aviators Central Division: Minnesota Twins Milwaukee Brewers Chicago Cubs Chicago White Sox Detroit Tigers Kansas City Royals Cincinnati Reds St. Louis Cardinals Thoughts? My major contemplations have been over whether to start building in 2019 and merge in 2025, or begin at an earlier time/era. I think that 6 full seasons of drafting and building is enough to make the 18 expansion teams relatively competitive by the time they join MLB, and also it won't dilute exisiting MLB teams too severely or force some sort of fantasy draft, etc. I'm also going back and forth on what to do with the DH. As of now, I'm thinking of implementing it across the board.