1969 What If? MLB Promotion/Relegation

[TSmith1969]

The major leagues added four expansion teams in 1969, bringing the total number of teams to 24. What if, instead of starting divisional play and creating the League Championship Series, MLB had split into upper and lower divisions and introduced promotion/relegation? I decided to create an alternate history league in OOTP15 to find out.

Here are the basics
12 teams in Division 1, top 4 make the playoffs, bottom 2 are relegated
12 teams in Division 2, no playoffs, top 2 are promoted
No interleague play between divisions. 154 game balanced schedule
No rookie draft -- all rookies enter as free agents and clubs bid on them

Initial setup:
Division 1 will be made up of the top 6 finishers from the AL and NL in 1968:
AL - Detroit, Baltimore, Cleveland, Boston, NY Yankees, Oakland
NL - St. Louis, San Francisco, Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Pittsburgh

Division 2 - bottom 4 from AL, bottom 4 from NL, 4 expansion teams
AL - Minnesota, Chicago White Sox, California, Washington
NL - Los Angeles, Philadelphia, NY Mets, Houston
Exp - Kansas City, Montreal, San Diego, Seattle

I will quickplay each season and report on things like World Series winners, award winners, player movements, promotion/relegation battles.

First up, 1969!

League setting changes every offseason
1 edit league structure - promoted/relegated teams
2 number of games - 154
3 use balanced schedule
4 customize playoffs - 1,2,3,4 in Div1
5 create schedule

[TSmith1969]

First Division

1 Baltimore
2 Boston
3 NY Yankees
4 Atlanta
-------------------
5 Pittsburgh
6 Detroit
7 St. Louis
8 Oakland
9 Cincinnati
10 San Francisco
-----------------------
11 Cleveland
12 Chicago Cubs

Second Division
Picked for Promotion: Minnesota, NY Mets

The four expansion teams are picked to finish:
4 Seattle
7 Montreal
10 San Diego
12 Kansas City

[TSmith1969]

First Division
In the first season of MLB's new top flight, all six former American League teams finished 1-6, and the former NL teams finished 7-12. The St. Louis Cardinals went from 97-65 in the NL last year to 66-88 in the MLB First Division, as Bob Gibson's record 1.12 ERA ballooned to 4.95. The Orioles ran away with the top flight with dominant pitching, and the Reds and Cardinals were the first teams relegated to the Second Division, and will be replaced in 1970 by the Twins and Dodgers.


1. Baltimore (103-51) won the regular season pennant easily, finishing 13 games ahead of Oakland. The Birds allowed only 524 runs, 100 fewer then the next best team, led by 20-game winners Mike Cueller and Tom Phoebus, league ERA and strikeout leader George Stone (2.25, 181), and league save leader Eddie Watt (33). Boog Powell (.268-44-113) led the third-best offense.

2. Oakland (90-64) was four games out of the playoff spots on July 31, but rode a 38-15 finish into second place. The A's topped the First Division in stolen bases, with five players in double-digit steals, led by Bert Campaneris (55) and Lou Brock, who was traded from St. Louis. The pitching staff was only 6th overall, but featured the best bullpen in the division. The A's were 23-8 in extra innings, and rookie closer Rollie Fingers lead the team with 15 wins to go along with his 25 saves and 2.02 ERA.

3. Detroit (87-67), fresh off their first World Series title in 23 years in 1968. Denny McLain, 31-6, 1.96 the year before, was a huge disappointment (9-17, 4.76) and the and pitching staff was 8th in the league. But the offense ranked 1st in batting and OBP and second in runs, led by 1-2-3 hitters Dick McAuliffe, Bill Freehan, and Norm Cash, who combined for 270 RBIs.

4. Boston (84-70) grabbed the last playoff spot, finishing three games ahead of the Yankees with the most prolific offense. Rico Petrocelli (.329) won the batting title, three points ahead of Pete Rose, and joined Yastrzemski in the 30 HR/100 RBI club.

5. NY Yankees (81-73) -- highest Yankees ERA in seven years, mainly because of Mel Stottlemyre's yearlong slump from 21-12, 2.45, and 1.11 WHIP to 11-14, 4.57, 1.42
6. Cleveland (79-75) -- second best starters ERA, including four with 14+ wins: McDowell, Tiant, Hargan, and Siebert.
7. Atlanta (70-84) -- 35-year-old Hank Aaron (.318-27-78) missed 59 games to injuries but still led Braves in HR and RBI.
8. Chicago Cubs (70-84) -- Breakout year for 32yo Jim Hickman (.286-32-103) who nearly doubled his previous highs in HR and RBI.
9. San Francisco (68-86) -- Willie McCovey (.287-47-117) led league in HR and RBI
10. Pittsburgh (67-87) -- avoided relegation with 7-4 win over Tigers that featured Willie Stargell's 36th HR.
11. St. Louis (66-88) -- RELEGATED -- worst record since 1924, 31 fewer wins than 1968, attendance down 50%.
12. Cincinnati (59-95) -- RELEGATED -- Pete Rose (.326) and Jim Maloney (15-14, 173 K) were only highlights in worst Reds' campaign since 1937.

[TSmith1969]

1. Minnesota (92-82) -- PROMOTED -- Twins will join the top circuit in 1970. Harmon Killebrew led league's most powerful lineup with 43 HR and 1.035 OPS, Tony Oliva led league in total bases, and Rod Carew had a 25-game hitting streak.

2. Los Angeles (86-68) -- PROMOTED -- Best pitching team, led by Claude Osteen (20-9, 3.15), Don Sutton (15-16, 3.05, 202 K), Don Drysdale (12-6, 2.84) and Dave Giusti (14-7, 2.64)

3. NY Mets (83-71) -- second best in runs and runs against, but there would be no Miracle Mets in this 1969. Breakout year for Al Shamsky (.307-26-98)
4. Houston
5. Seattle
6. Montreal
7. California
8. Chicago White Sox
9. San Diego
10. Washington
11. Kansas City
12. Philadelphia

Other Highlights
-- Montreal's Rusty Staub (.317) edged White Sox rookie Gail Hopkins for the batting title by a single point.
-- Houston Astros, led by RBI leader Jimmy Wynn (.260-33-106) took advantage of Second Division opposition to post their first winning season
-- The Seattle Pilots posted the only winning season of the four expansion teams.
-- Dick Kelley, 12-19 in four previous seasons, managed to win 21 games for the 72-82 expansion Padres.
-- 21-year-old rookie Bill Champion won the league ERA title (2.60) for the last place Phillies.
-- Coco Laboy got the first major league hit outside the US in Montreal's April 8 win against the fellow expansion Royals. Expos won 3-1 and finished the season 77-77.

[TSmith1969]

Semifinal Series

Boston def. Baltimore, 3-0
The Boston Red Sox swept first place Baltimore with a dominant pitching performance, allowing just two runs in three games. Steve Carlton, acquired in a trade with St. Louis for his namesake Carlton Fisk, won Game 1 3-1 on a three-run homer by George Scott. Ray Culp edged Dave McNally 3-1 in Game 2, and Dick Ellsworth anchored a 7-hit shutout in Game 3. Rico Petrocelli hit .583 with 2 RBIs.

Detroit def. Oakland, 3-2
The A's and Tigers split the first two games at Tiger Stadium with 9-0 and 9-1 blowouts. Rick Monday homered and drove in four in Oakland's Game 1 win, a four-hit shutout by Chuck Dobson, and Mike Stanley and Jim Northrup combined for five hits, including two homers, and and four RBIs, and Earl Wilson went the distance for Detroit in Game 2. In Game 3, Rick Monday homered again and Rollie Fingers earned a two-inning save and in Game 4, Denny McLain anchored a three-hit shutout in a 1-0 pitcher's duel with Dobson. In the decider, the Tigers turned back a 4-3 deficit with a four-run eighth inning that featured homers by Bill Freehan and Willie Horton.


World Series

Boston def. Detroit, 4-1
Carl Yastrzemski hit .522-3-9 and Reggie Smith hit .286-3-7, as the Red Sox outscored Detroit 35-25 to win their first World Series since 1918.
Game 1 - BOS 7-3 -- Carlton wins, Lyle saves, Yaz 3-5, HR
Game 2 - DET 9-7 -- Culp 0.2, allowed 6 runs in 1st
Game 3 - BOS 3-2 -- Ellsworth 7.1 shutout innings, Reggie Smith 2-run HR in 1st
Game 4 - BOS 11-6 -- Yaz 2 HR, 5 RBI, Freehan 4-5, 2 RBI for DET
Game 5 - BOS 7-5 -- Kaline grand slam in 4th, Mike Andrews 2-4, HR, 3 RBI

Awards
Rookie of the Year -- Rollie Fingers, OAK -- 15-5, 2.02, 25 saves, 1.11 WHIP
Cy Young Award -- Mike Cuellar, BAL -- 20-8, 2.57, 169 K, 1.09 WHIP
MVP -- Rico Petrocelli, BOS -- .329-39-109, 1.063 OPS

[dynaboyj]

I like this idea. What's going to happen with expansion, though?

[TSmith1969]

Originally Posted by dynaboyj

I like this idea. What's going to happen with expansion, though?

I will keep the two tiers roughly equal. Expansion teams will always join the lower division.

In 1977, I will expand the First Division to 14 teams by relegating one and promoting three. In 1993, I will expand the Second Division by two, and in 1998, I will expand the First Division to 16 by again doing the -1+3.

[TSmith1969]

FIRST DIVISION

1. Baltimore (114-40) -- The Orioles won their second straight Commissioner's Trophy (for the best regular season) record, finishing 13 games ahead of the second place Tigers.
2. Detroit (101-53)
3. Oakland (101-53)
4. N.Y. Yankees (84-70)

5. Cleveland
6. Los Angeles
7. Minnesota
8. Chicago Cubs
9. Boston
10. San Francisco

11. RELEGATED -- Pittsburgh
12. RELEGATED -- Atlanta


SECOND DIVISION

1. PROMOTED -- NY Mets
2. PROMOTED -- Cincinnati
Houston
Kansas City
Montreal
California
St. Louis
ChiSox
Milwaukee
Philadelphia
Washington
San Diego


PLAYOFFS
Detroit def. Oakland, 3-2
NY Yankees def. Baltimore, 3-2

WORLD SERIES
NY Yankees def. Detroit, 4-3

The Yankees rallied to win Game 7 at Tiger Stadium, tying the game in the 9th and winning it in the 14th on Tom Tresh's home run.

AWARDS - FIRST DIVISION
MVP - Earl C. Williams, BAL (.337-39-124, 1.054 OPS)
CY - Steve Kline, BAL (31-2, 1.60, 281 K)
ROY - Earl C. Williams, BAL (.337-39-124, 1.054 OPS)

AWARDS - SECOND DIVISION
MVP - Rusty Staub, MON (.329-37-132)
CY - Tom Seaver, NYM (23-7, 2.10, 245 K)
ROY - Gerry Janeski, NYM (22-3, 2.03, 273 K)

[TSmith1969]

FIRST DIVISION

1. Detroit (103-51)
2. N.Y. Yankees (98-56)
3. Oakland (93-61)
4. Baltimore (91-63)

5. Cincinnati
6. NY Mets
7. Minnesota
8. Cleveland
9. Los Angeles
10. San Francisco

11. RELEGATED -- Boston
12. RELEGATED -- ChiCubs


SECOND DIVISION

1. PROMOTED -- Montreal
2. PROMOTED -- Houston
San Diego
California
Philadelphia
Kansas City
St. Louis
Washington
ChiSox
Pittsburgh
Atlanta
Milwaukee


PLAYOFFS
Detroit def. Baltimore, 3-2
NY Yankees def. Oakland, 3-2

WORLD SERIES
Detroit def. NY Yankees , 4-2


AWARDS - FIRST DIVISION
MVP - Sal Bando, OAK (.295-33-94)
CY - Burt Hooton, OAK (18-5, 1.71, 192 K)
ROY - Burt Hooton, OAK (18-5, 1.71, 192 K)

AWARDS - SECOND DIVISION
MVP - Rusty Staub, MON (.349-25-97)
CY - Balor Moore, HOU (17-10, 2.15, 314 K)
ROY - Dave LaRoche, LA (11-5, 1.38, 101 K)
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