Should MLB expand to include two more teams? Which cities should get the two teams?

Question

I think it's a little unfair that the NL Central has 6 teams competing for one playoff spot while the AL West only has 4 teams. I understand that they have to have it like this for scheduling purposes, but why wouldn't they go ahead and expand, and add two more teams to the AL? Then they could take the NFL route and have 4 divisions in the AL and 4 divisions in the NL, each with 4 teams. Then you just take away the wild card from the playoffs to keep it at 4 teams in each league. I like how MLB does the playoffs because it's just the top 4 teams from each league get in. Not like hockey or basketball where 16 total teams make it. and the NFL playoffs seem to drag out forever as well. What do you guys think about expanding the AL to include two more teams?

Answer 1

I agree, this isn't fair. From what I know, I'm pretty sure the MLB does have some expansion plans in the works and I'd imagine both teams will end up in the AL based on the numbers. As for which cities, I think that San Antonio is called for, being one of the biggest cities in the country with a very loyal fan base (Spurs), and I think a Southern city like New Orleans, Nashville or Charlotte is due for a team. There should be more of an MLB presence in the South and this would be a good start. That was a solid question and you make some great points that I agree with.

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Answer 2

Expand, no: the talent pool is already dilluted enough. Look at Tampa Bay. They can't compete as it is. If they must do something, shift a team from the NL Central to the AL. The logic of making it four divisions and only the four division winners is flawed as well. The NL West barely had a team above .500 last year while the NL East had 3 above .500

Answer 3

huh? the nfl's playoffs drag on? when the mlb PLAYS MORE PLAYOFF GAMES? that doesn't make sense to me.

however, I think that league should simply place 2 NL teams in the american league (remember the brewers were a AL team for their whole lives until recently).

realiging the league wouldn't be hard..its just that owners will cry about cost of travel and the players will cry about travel fatigue (which is a joke in itself).

but once the owners AND players put the interest of the fans and baseball before their own interest...changes won't ever be made unless it makes both sides money.

Answer 4

Honestly, I wouldn't mind seeing two teams contracted out of baseball. I don't think we need a Marlins or Nationals team that nobody wants to watch, and it's unfair to the players on those teams. Of course some of these low revenue teams could also move to areas with more fans instead of disappearing altogether. But my big gripe about adding teams is it necessitates 50 more players in the big leagues who otherwise wouldn't be there. This waters down the level of talent in the major leagues.

Answer 5

if you are going to expand, dont put the teams in cities that done have minor league teams, that would make minor league teams have to compete for fans and everyone knows that if people had the choice that they would ruther go to a major league game. Put one in New mexico, Nebraska, Iowa, and Las Vegas might work but probley not just because there is to many Clubs (Strippers) and the players would be getting in shootouts every night at the clubs.

Answer 6

There is no real good reason for expansion. I understand your point about the NL Central having more teams so maybe the answer is to realign the divisions (again). Adding two more teams will completely dillute the already weakened player talent pool and there are already enough cities that have low attendance.

Answer 7

No Way two more teams would be bad. Just look at the tallent amoungst all of the teams now, about 10 - 15 teams are rock solid, and the others are very very bad. Not enough people are playing baseball these days, just look at what Sheffield said. Well any way bad idea!

Answer 8

i agree...and i like the 4 divisions of 4 teams rather than a division of 6 teams and 2 divisions of 5 teams...that way it makes it easier to decide who's going to the playoffs and who isn't....

to be honest that's a pretty good idea...however i think it'll be hard to decide who gets the teams.....and it would give more ball players jobs....instead of making a lot of them free agents...but then you have to install farm systems for that team..which may be like 5-6 additional teams...and getting players for that may be a challenge

another difficulty is getting those new teams to be equal to the other existing teams.....i'm not sure how the payroll will be on the new team...but if they are starting out...how are we going to rig the draft picks so they can start w/ a semi-decent team??? because look at the nationals....they have consistently been in the gutter....

another suggestion...although i do like entertaining the idea of yours because i think it's good and that it'll have kinks..but that can eventually be worked out...but another idea is to do the exact opposite...yep...do the opposite of expansion teams...eliminate 2 teams....this'll be tricky to choose which teams get the boot....but the nationals would be a good start....you can choose the 2 worst record national league teams...eliminate them and redistribute the remaining NL teams to match the american league system......


as for cities...i am a spurs fan so i'd like to see an MLB team in San Antonio....and the south in general doesn't have too many teams....tennessee has none....georgia has one....i'd like to see an AL team in Georgia to rival the braves....Charlotte is a good idea....Las Vegas would be another decent idea....and there will be a lot of fun coming up with names for the teams....

Answer 9

htere is a possibility but not for a couple more years and Indy was one of the cites they are interested in...and so is Oklahoma City but that would leave one divsion with 6 teams... when that happens watch for them to realign and have four team in division with 4 divisions in each league and no more wild card but that could be at least 10 years away...ansd there would have to be a new agreement

Answer 10

I might prefer less teams but to answer your question here are a few possibilities.
Las Vegas - Booming population (would need dome)
Indianapolis - (TV rights squeeze with surrounding cities)
Third New York Team - (two votes against)
Mexico City - Huge baseball city (altitude, politics)
Carolina - Doing well in other major sports
Tennessee - Memphis and Nashville
San Antonio / South Texas