My Major League Expansion...

ArcAngel · 09-05-2018, 11:03 AM

Since beginning a new franchise in 2018, and with it being Opening Day 2019, I have decided that in 2020 my league will expand to 32 teams.

I am going to go with a 2S/4D/4T setup, and the division names will be "non-traditional" as shown in the graphic, with 3 of them coming from NFL history.

The Montreal Expos are for sure in, but - I am having trouble deciding on what the 32nd team will be in the "Dixie" division.

I thought about bringing back the St. Louis Browns, but could that city support 2 teams? I know they did at one time, but could 2 teams outside of NY and LA survive in the OOTP world?

Open for suggestions! Stipulations are that the city MUST be in the Southern USA, and it must not be a relocated current franchise, nor a current minor league city.

ShaneCarson · 09-05-2018, 11:12 AM

New Orleans, Austin, San Antonio make the most sense.

David Watts · 09-05-2018, 11:12 AM

Based on that division, Memphis, New Orleans or Oklahoma City.

Kind of wish you could get Detroit and Toronto in same division.

ThatSeventiesGuy · 09-05-2018, 11:16 AM

What they've said. Also, Charlotte or Nashville.

Still, I'd love to see the Browns make a comeback. It would never happen in real life, but this ain't real life, so...

itsmb8 · 09-05-2018, 12:15 PM

Move the Nashville Sounds to the MLB and create a new minor league team.

Or move Tampa into that division and create a Carolina Pilots team to put into the Coastal division.

If you do one of these two, ive got uniforms for you

ArcAngel · 09-05-2018, 03:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ShaneCarson

New Orleans, Austin, San Antonio make the most sense.

New Orleans is out based on it being a current MiLB city. I like San Antonio over Austin, though.

Quote:

Originally Posted by David Watts

Based on that division, Memphis, New Orleans or Oklahoma City.

Kind of wish you could get Detroit and Toronto in same division.

All are current minor league cities.

I could swap Montreal and Detroit, but then Montreal wouldn't fit the division name.

Quote:

Originally Posted by ThatSeventiesGuy

What they've said. Also, Charlotte or Nashville.

Still, I'd love to see the Browns make a comeback. It would never happen in real life, but this ain't real life, so...

Seriously considering that option.

Quote:

Originally Posted by itsmb8

Move the Nashville Sounds to the MLB and create a new minor league team.

Or move Tampa into that division and create a Carolina Pilots team to put into the Coastal division.

If you do one of these two, ive got uniforms for you

I don't like the idea of "promoting" an MiLB franchise to MLB level. Though not unprecedented, it's still extremely rare, and I'd like to keep the Miami-Tampa division rivalry intact.

While I like the idea of a franchise in the Carolinas, I'm not a fan of the Pilots' brown and blue.

Keep the ideas coming!

Westheim · 09-05-2018, 03:56 PM

I always liked the ring that Chattanooga has.

Chattanooga Lookouts.

Done.

David Watts · 09-05-2018, 03:59 PM

Bring the Browns back, but instead of St. Louis, relocate them to Jackson Mississippi.

itsmb8 · 09-05-2018, 05:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ArcAngel

New Orleans is out based on it being a current MiLB city. I like San Antonio over Austin, though.

All are current minor league cities.

I could swap Montreal and Detroit, but then Montreal wouldn't fit the division name.

Seriously considering that option.

I don't like the idea of "promoting" an MiLB franchise to MLB level. Though not unprecedented, it's still extremely rare, and I'd like to keep the Miami-Tampa division rivalry intact.

While I like the idea of a franchise in the Carolinas, I'm not a fan of the Pilots' brown and blue.

Keep the ideas coming!

Make the pilots the Mariners colors and rebrand the Mariners to the older-school blue and yellow?

Jamee999 · 09-05-2018, 06:56 PM

I've been thinking about this 2S/4D/4T alignment:

AL Lakes: CLE, DET, MON*, TOR
AL East: BOS, NYM, NYY, PHI
AL Atlantic: ATL, BAL, CAR*, WAS
AL South: HOU, MIA, TBR, TEX

NL Central: CHC, CIN, PIT, STL
NL North: CWS, KCR, MIL, MIN
NL Pacific: LAA, LAD, SDP, SFG
NL West: ARI, COL, OAK, SEA

You could also make it a nice 8-team division by merging Lakes/East, Atlantic/South, Central/North, Pacific/West.

mgom27 · 09-05-2018, 07:34 PM

Pittsburgh needs to be with Phil,Washington,Baltimore. Atlanta with Miami and Tampa Bay.

Orioles1966 · 09-06-2018, 10:31 AM

New Orleans Night Owls

or

San Antonio Wranglers

ArcAngel · 09-06-2018, 03:36 PM

Charlotte, Chattanooga, Nashville, New Orleans, San Antonio (after brief consideration) are all out as they are currently minor league cities.

Austin is out because I don't want 3 Texas-based teams in the same division, despite the fact that I have a 4-team California division, but that was done to preserve in-division rivalries.

Thinking about Georgia or South Carolina currently, since the former only has 2 teams, and the latter, 1.

Jamee999 · 09-06-2018, 05:04 PM

I don't think there's a minor league team in Little Rock?

EDIT: Never mind. They're just called Arkansas. Maybe ... Huntsville, AL? Savannah? Wilmington, NC? Is Wichita too far north/west? It's definitely not Dixie.

nutt · 09-06-2018, 05:34 PM

When it comes down to it, you are most likely SOL when you eliminate cities with MiLB teams. The smaller markets won't succeed well, unless you go to Puerto Rico (San Juan) or to another city in Canada (Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Hamilton).

Westheim · 09-06-2018, 05:58 PM

The OP is sure picky. There's a single-A team in City X? So what? Banish them to Biloxi for god's sake...

nutt · 09-06-2018, 06:01 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Westheim

The OP is sure picky. There's a single-A team in City X? So what? Banish them to Biloxi for god's sake...

Did this in my franchise. Moved the Missions to Amarillo (as they actually are supposed to be in 2019, but San Antonio is jumping to AAA), then put a team in San Antonio and imported the Alamodome.

bchevy · 09-06-2018, 06:32 PM

For cities without a team in that region all I can think of offhand is Wichita, Huntsville (although IRL they're getting a team in 2019), Baton Rouge, Tallahassee, and Shreveport. Macon and Savannah don't have teams either but they're pretty small to support a team and also relatively close to Atlanta.

UltimateAverageGuy · 09-06-2018, 11:05 PM

Mets and Yankees in the same division is sacrilege

DustyElbows · 09-06-2018, 11:41 PM

Pretty sure Orlando doesn't have a minor league team (at least in Orlando proper).

09-05-2018, 11:03 AM	#1
ArcAngel All Star Starter Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Bremen OH USA Posts: 1,019	My Major League Expansion... Since beginning a new franchise in 2018, and with it being Opening Day 2019, I have decided that in 2020 my league will expand to 32 teams. I am going to go with a 2S/4D/4T setup, and the division names will be "non-traditional" as shown in the graphic, with 3 of them coming from NFL history. The Montreal Expos are for sure in, but - I am having trouble deciding on what the 32nd team will be in the "Dixie" division. I thought about bringing back the St. Louis Browns, but could that city support 2 teams? I know they did at one time, but could 2 teams outside of NY and LA survive in the OOTP world? Open for suggestions! Stipulations are that the city MUST be in the Southern USA, and it must not be a relocated current franchise, nor a current minor league city. Attached Images __________________ My OOTP Creations thread My OOTP Creations on Photobucket Last edited by ArcAngel; 09-05-2018 at 11:06 AM.

09-05-2018, 11:16 AM	#4
ThatSeventiesGuy Hall Of Famer Join Date: Mar 2013 Location: Midland, MI Posts: 3,424	What they've said. Also, Charlotte or Nashville. Still, I'd love to see the Browns make a comeback. It would never happen in real life, but this ain't real life, so... __________________ https://forums.ootpdevelopments.com/...00&postcount=1

09-05-2018, 12:15 PM	#5
itsmb8 All Star Starter Join Date: Jan 2013 Posts: 1,338	Move the Nashville Sounds to the MLB and create a new minor league team. Or move Tampa into that division and create a Carolina Pilots team to put into the Coastal division. If you do one of these two, ive got uniforms for you Last edited by itsmb8; 09-05-2018 at 12:19 PM.

09-05-2018, 03:56 PM	#7
Westheim Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Germany Posts: 12,904	I always liked the ring that Chattanooga has. Chattanooga Lookouts. Done. __________________ Portland Raccoons, 89 years of excell-.... of baseball: Furballs here! 1983 * 1989 * 1991 * 1992 * 1993 * 1995 * 1996 * 2010 * 2017 * 2018 * 2019 * 2026 * 2028 * 2035 * 2037 * 2044 * 2045 * 2046 * 2047 * 2048 * 2051 * 2054 * 2055 * 2061 1 OSANAI : 2 POWELL : 7 NOMURA \| RAMOS : 8 REECE : 10 BROWN : 15 HALL : 27 FERNANDEZ : 28 CASAS : 31 CARMONA : 32 WEST : 39 TONER : 46 SAITO Resident Mets Cynic - The Mets from 1962 onwards, here.

09-05-2018, 07:34 PM	#11
mgom27 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jul 2006 Posts: 3,529	Pittsburgh needs to be with Phil,Washington,Baltimore. Atlanta with Miami and Tampa Bay. __________________ Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!!

09-05-2018, 11:12 AM	#2
ShaneCarson All Star Reserve Join Date: Oct 2007 Posts: 728	New Orleans, Austin, San Antonio make the most sense.

09-05-2018, 11:12 AM	#3
David Watts Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Looking for a place called Leehofooks Posts: 9,480 Infractions: 0/1 (1)	Based on that division, Memphis, New Orleans or Oklahoma City. Kind of wish you could get Detroit and Toronto in same division.

09-05-2018, 03:59 PM	#8
David Watts Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2002 Location: Looking for a place called Leehofooks Posts: 9,480 Infractions: 0/1 (1)	Bring the Browns back, but instead of St. Louis, relocate them to Jackson Mississippi.

09-05-2018, 06:56 PM	#10
Jamee999 All Star Reserve Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 771	I've been thinking about this 2S/4D/4T alignment: AL Lakes: CLE, DET, MON, TOR AL East: BOS, NYM, NYY, PHI AL Atlantic: ATL, BAL, CAR, WAS AL South: HOU, MIA, TBR, TEX NL Central: CHC, CIN, PIT, STL NL North: CWS, KCR, MIL, MIN NL Pacific: LAA, LAD, SDP, SFG NL West: ARI, COL, OAK, SEA You could also make it a nice 8-team division by merging Lakes/East, Atlantic/South, Central/North, Pacific/West.

09-06-2018, 10:31 AM	#12
Orioles1966 Hall Of Famer Join Date: Jun 2012 Posts: 2,869	New Orleans Night Owls or San Antonio Wranglers

09-06-2018, 03:36 PM	#13
ArcAngel All Star Starter Join Date: Oct 2014 Location: Bremen OH USA Posts: 1,019	Charlotte, Chattanooga, Nashville, New Orleans, San Antonio (after brief consideration) are all out as they are currently minor league cities. Austin is out because I don't want 3 Texas-based teams in the same division, despite the fact that I have a 4-team California division, but that was done to preserve in-division rivalries. Thinking about Georgia or South Carolina currently, since the former only has 2 teams, and the latter, 1. __________________ My OOTP Creations thread My OOTP Creations on Photobucket

09-06-2018, 05:04 PM	#14
Jamee999 All Star Reserve Join Date: Jan 2005 Posts: 771	I don't think there's a minor league team in Little Rock? EDIT: Never mind. They're just called Arkansas. Maybe ... Huntsville, AL? Savannah? Wilmington, NC? Is Wichita too far north/west? It's definitely not Dixie. Last edited by Jamee999; 09-06-2018 at 05:20 PM.

09-06-2018, 05:34 PM	#15
nutt OOTP Roster Team Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: Nashville, TN Posts: 2,142	When it comes down to it, you are most likely SOL when you eliminate cities with MiLB teams. The smaller markets won't succeed well, unless you go to Puerto Rico (San Juan) or to another city in Canada (Calgary, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Hamilton).

09-06-2018, 05:58 PM	#16
Westheim Hall Of Famer Join Date: Apr 2012 Location: Germany Posts: 12,904	The OP is sure picky. There's a single-A team in City X? So what? Banish them to Biloxi for god's sake... __________________ Portland Raccoons, 89 years of excell-.... of baseball: Furballs here! 1983 * 1989 * 1991 * 1992 * 1993 * 1995 * 1996 * 2010 * 2017 * 2018 * 2019 * 2026 * 2028 * 2035 * 2037 * 2044 * 2045 * 2046 * 2047 * 2048 * 2051 * 2054 * 2055 * 2061 1 OSANAI : 2 POWELL : 7 NOMURA \| RAMOS : 8 REECE : 10 BROWN : 15 HALL : 27 FERNANDEZ : 28 CASAS : 31 CARMONA : 32 WEST : 39 TONER : 46 SAITO Resident Mets Cynic - The Mets from 1962 onwards, here.

09-06-2018, 06:32 PM	#18
bchevy Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Jul 2017 Location: Oregon Posts: 258	For cities without a team in that region all I can think of offhand is Wichita, Huntsville (although IRL they're getting a team in 2019), Baton Rouge, Tallahassee, and Shreveport. Macon and Savannah don't have teams either but they're pretty small to support a team and also relatively close to Atlanta. __________________ "I usually take a two-hour nap from one to four." -Yogi Berra Last edited by bchevy; 09-06-2018 at 06:36 PM.

09-06-2018, 11:05 PM	#19
UltimateAverageGuy All Star Reserve Join Date: Jan 2017 Posts: 587	Mets and Yankees in the same division is sacrilege

09-06-2018, 11:41 PM	#20
DustyElbows Minors (Triple A) Join Date: Aug 2016 Posts: 224	Pretty sure Orlando doesn't have a minor league team (at least in Orlando proper).