Re-organizing MLB and resolving the DH.

From post THURSDAY, MAY 19, 2011 Re-alignment:

Major League Baseball (MLB) intends to increase the number of teams that qualify for the playoffs from 8 to 10...   the key is to eliminate the names American and National.  This would remove the sigma from re-alignment and help to mollify the old fart inclination of the constipated traditionalist thinking ... maybe.  Anyway, it's a good idea...  The important criteria should be geographic and natural rivalries...


There should be four divisions.  Since there are 30 MLB teams, each of these divisions would have 7 or 8 teams.  It's very important to reduce the number of divisions and increase the number of teams in each division from 4-5 to 7-8
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My basic idea was correct but I did not go far enough.

There is a rumor floating around that MLB wants to move Houston from NL to AL to have two 15 team leagues.  Pundits are falling all over themselves condemning this but for the usual incorrect reasons.  The basic problem is they are all trying to maintain the current form.  My idea is to create a new form.

The divisions should be bigger still: three divisions of ten teams.

I found that the bigger the divisions the simpler everything else became.  The key is to eliminate the old names American and National.  That's what causes most of the constipated thinking.  After that everything falls into place.

New divisions:

East:

1. New York Yankees
2. New York Mets
3. Boston Red Sox (Massachusetts)
4. Philadelphia Phillies (Pennsylvania)
5. Pittsburgh Pirates (Pennsylvania)
6. Washington Nationals (District of Columbia)
7. Baltimore Orioles (Maryland)
8. Florida Marlins (Florida)
9. Tampa Bay Rays (Florida)
10. Atlanta Braves (Georgia)

Central:

1. Milwaukee Brewers (Wisconsin)
2. Chicago White Sox (Illinois)
3. Chicago Cubs (Illinois)
4. Cincinnati Reds (Ohio)
5. Cleveland Indians (Ohio)
6. Minnesota Twins
7. Toronto Blue Jays (Canada)
8. Detroit Tigers (Michigan)
9. Kansas City Royals (Missouri)
10. St. Louis Cardinals (Missouri)

West:

1. Seattle Mariners (Washington)
2. Oakland As (California)
3. San Fransisco Giants (California)
4. Los Angeles Dodgers (California)
5. Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim (California)
6. San Diego Padres (California)
7. Arizona Diamondbacks
8. Colorado Rockies
9. Texas Rangers
10. Houston Astros (Texas)

Schedule:

Each team plays all 29 other teams each season.

1. Play the 20 non division teams three games each: 60 games, alternating home field every other season.
2. Play the 9 division opponents 11 games each: 99 games; yes, an odd number, alternating the extra home game every other season.

That's a 159 game regular season schedule, which is symmetrical except for the odd number against division opponents.

Playoffs:

MLB wants ten playoff teams.  Top three from each division plus one wildcard, which is low seed.  Then come up with a decent seeding system for the other nine with the team with the best record of the final two getting home field advantage and not relying on the all star game to determine that.  Boy, is that stupid.

The odd number of games played between all teams is a natural tie breaker in case of a tie.

DH resolution:

My original 2006 radical baseball ideas included replacing the designated hitter (DH) with three designated fielders (DF) and having six batters.  Everyone who bats must field.  My new idea is one DF with eight batters.  This addresses the preferences of the current conferences better known as the American and National Leagues.  The pitcher does not bat but every batter must play the field.  Cool.

If the players object, offer to increase the active roster from 25 to 26.  That would ensure approval by the players as it impacts at least 80% of players who are trying to make an MLB roster or trying to stay on one.

Summary:

I'm sure this will draw the usual small minded moaning and groaning about stupid little issues:
1. What about the all star game?
2. What about the awards?
3. What about the records?
4. Blah, blah, blah.

Grow the heck up.  Wake the heck up.  If this were implemented people would wonder why the old organization had evolved into such a mess in the first place.  This would be a huge improvement and increase revenue, too.  See post FRIDAY, MAY 20, 2011 Re-alignment would make more money for MLB.

Do it.