Why doesn't MLB move a team from the NL to the AL?

Question

The NL Central has 6 teams, while the AL West has only 4. All the other divisions have 5 teams. What would be your ideal switch if you were the Commissioner?

Answer 1

One word: money, money, money, money... money!

Well, okay, I guess I turned it into five, but you get my point.

If a team were moved from the NL to the AL there would be an odd number of teams in each league (fifteen each). That would make it so that on any given day a team would not be playing a game, and since teams tend to play three game series (with the occasional two or four gamer) that would really mean a team would have three straight days off!

The big area where money comes into all of this is the weekends. Every weekend two teams would not be playing any baseball. Weekends are when teams/league make the most money on selling tickets, tv revenue, etc. Now do you think that the owners would want to miss out on that? I think not.

Before the last expansion added the Diamondbacks and Devil Rays there were fourteen teams in each league, so this was not an issue. Once those teams were added though, the league moved the Brewers to the National League in order to avoid this scheduling problem/money pit.

Answer 2

If the number of teams in a league is odd number, that is very difficult to schedule. Remember it is using round robin, and if each league has 15 teams, there will be 2 teams that will have rest. That is the reason they moved the Brewers to NL Central.

I should say the MLB needs additional 2 teams for the AL. That means 16 teams for each league. Easier scheduling, more options, since 16 and 32 has a power of 2 (logarithm of 16 base 2 is 4 and logarithm of 32 base 2 is 5). Do the math.

Answer 3

Jesus, why does everybody keep asking this question? Each league has to have an even number of teams. When the Diamondbacks and Devil Rays both started in '98 that meant that each league was going to go from 14 to 15. To prevent an odd number of teams in each league, which would create many problems because you need an even number in each league, it was proposed that one AL Central team could move to the NL. Bud Selig had wanted an NL team all along, and being the owner of the Brewers gave him that opportunity. However, to prevent a conflict of interest, him being the commissioner and all, he gave KC the opportunity. They declined, so he moved the Brewers to the NL Central. So, your scenario would never happen. Sorry honey.

Answer 4

It makes no sense to move one team. Then there would always be an interleague game or 2 teams (1 from each league) with 3 or 4 days off between games. You need an even number of teams in each league so that they can each play every day. Right now theres 14 teams in the AL and 16 in the NL. They cant make it 15 and 15 because, like i said, you would either have to have an interleague series all the time or you would have 2 teams that have 3 days off

Answer 5

the MLB league are more confused about teams has between AL and NL because there are many teams on east coasts as the west coast has few teams. Brewers is only team to move from AL to NL league.

Only the league has rights to found the expansion as still looking for more cities in west coast to establish new team as Alaska and Hawaii. They wants to put the team outside the America states. They can't equal the league with 15 teams because NL has 16 teams as only AL has 14 teams.

Remember, AL team still stronger league as NL can't defeat them in All-Star Game in almost a decade.

Answer 6

because of the fact "even form of communities in line with league" is a lot extra significant, and handy, than "stability" is. Now, until eventually now you pursue this everblack thought any further, take a seat and artwork out a smart comprehensive-season schedule, taking care to (a) decrease off days (could in positive condition 162 video games right into a 183-day window), (b) plan no extra beneficial than one doubleheader in line with group, and (c) sidestep having interleague play on extra beneficial than 21 days. bypass forward, try this with 15 communities in line with league. attempt dividing 15 by utilising 2 and getting a splendid, integer consequence. frustrating, huh? transformations of this question could be a lashing offense. BTW, in recent seasons, the Astros gained the NL proper (under the six group alignment) in 1998, 1999, and 2001, and likewise took the NL wildcard in 2004 and 2005. that's 5 playoff appearances interior the previous 10 seasons. evaluate the different NL proper communities in the process that element: Cardinals -- six. Cubs -- 3. Brewers -- 0. Pirates -- 0. Reds -- 0. feels like the Astros are retaining their very own, and their living house branch isn't a lot of an impediment. achievement is a longtime and available threat for the gang.

Answer 7

They shouldn't move any team from either league.It makes sense that the National League has more teams because the A.L. is so dominant with the DH.If there was more AL teams there wouldn't be a need for the NL.The NL has pitchers hitting so they have a less of a chance of winning the World Series.

Answer 8

Actually, the AL West are lucky they have four. The Texas Rangers should clearly be in the Central division, not the West.

Answer 9

Were I kommissar, I'd issue a press release explaining why even numbers of teams per league is the right approach and, while not actually ending the existence of this incessant, bothersome question, at least have that release as a permanent reference available that settles the matter.

Symmetry is overrated, and in this instance, would make things worse. There's already enough interleague play, and the schedule, already a tricky problem to solve annually, would move much closer to "utterly impossible".

I'd also petition Congress to contract the Mountain Time Zone and realign the continent into three zones. I guess getting Canada and Mexico to go along with it could be tricky, but we could always just invade and try to impose our will upon them.

Answer 10

They will, expansion or No Expansion, Houston Astros move to the NL West and the Colorado Rockies move to the American League West, that means every division would have 5 Teams Each.