Let's talk about expansion.

[SJ24]

Pretty evident that MLB is going to expand soon. My guess is they'll add 2 expansion teams- neither of which will be located in America.

I'm thinking Montreal and Mexico City.

The commish recently said it was time to start playing meaningful games in Mexico City, and it could happen as early as 2018.

Mexico City is an enormous market. It is home to 20.4 million people, rivaling the great New York City metro area.

Montreal is a medium-sized market at 4 million that I think would support a team really well.

We would see massive realignment and 8 divisions of 4 teams, in all likelihood.

I think this would be great for the game.

Thoughts?

[Carp]

I really doubt Mexico City will get a team any time soon. I think the most likely city is Las Vegas.

[msstate7]

Slap a coat of paint on Olympic stadium and bring back the expos. Ok, maybe not Olympic stadium, but bring back expos.

[NinersSBChamps]

From a competition standpoint this is a bad idea. They should contract two teams.

Purely from a market side this is a good idea and I think it's going to happen soon. Montreal would be awesome and you know that team would have a great fan base right off the bat.

[NinersSBChamps]

So the Montreal team is going to the eastern division. Las Vegas/Mexico City out west. I'd say cutdown from three divisions back to two. 8 teams per division, division winners make playoffs, and then the next 6 best teams make the playoffs. That's 16 teams making the post season which is a huge increase. Maybe work on the playoff format though.

[cajunrevenge]

Hate the idea of expansion. Is Mexico City even safe enough for for a MLB team? Isn't kidnapping a big thing down there?

[bravesnumberone]

I think Portland/Charlotte would be an option before Mexico City even if they would eat into the Seattle/Atlanta markets. I do think Montreal is getting a team one way or the other, whether it's a new team or the Rays are relocated there and become the new Expos.

I'm kind of with Niners here in that I'd rather see contraction from the competition standpoint, but that's just not going to happen.

Assuming there's an expansion to 32 teams, one would probably go in the NL and the other in the AL. I'd also like to see Houston and Milwaukee switch leagues back to where they were.

[CyYoung31]

Nashville would be an amazing market for a baseball team, but I hope that doesn't happen.

[bravesnumberone]

Also, rather than doing the type of alignment the NFL does, I think it'd be cool to go back to two divisions. (This would never happen)

NL East
Atlanta
Miami
Philadelphia
New York
Washington
Montreal
Pittsburgh
Cincinnati

NL West
Chicago
St. Louis
Milwaukee
Los Angeles
San Francisco
San Diego
Colorado
Arizona

AL East
New York
Boston
Baltimore
Toronto
Tampa Bay
Cleveland
Detroit
Chicago

AL West
Kansas City
Minnesota
Houston
Texas
Los Angeles
Oakland
Seattle
Las Vegas

Like I said, if I had my way, I'd flip Houston and Milwaukee.

The schedule:
12 games against your seven division opponents = 84
6 games each against the other division in your league = 48
A series apiece against a division in the other league = 24
A home series and an away series against a team from the other division in the opposite league = 6 (162)

Get rid of the stupid play-in game.

1 vs. 2 and 1 vs. 2 in the NLDS and go from there.

[msstate7]

Would New Orleans want a team?

[SJ24]

Also, rather than doing the type of alignment the NFL does, I think it'd be cool to go back to two divisions. (This would never happen)

NL East
Atlanta
Miami
Philadelphia
New York
Washington
Montreal
Pittsburgh
Cincinnati

NL West
Chicago
St. Louis
Milwaukee
Los Angeles
San Francisco
San Diego
Colorado
Arizona

AL East
New York
Boston
Baltimore
Toronto
Tampa Bay
Cleveland
Detroit
Chicago

AL West
Kansas City
Minnesota
Houston
Texas
Los Angeles
Oakland
Seattle
Las Vegas

Like I said, if I had my way, I'd flip Houston and Milwaukee.

The schedule:
12 games against your seven division opponents = 84
6 games each against the other division in your league = 48
A series apiece against a division in the other league = 24
A home series and an away series against a team from the other division in the opposite league = 6 (162)

Get rid of the stupid play-in game.

1 vs. 2 and 1 vs. 2 in the NLDS and go from there.

I like the possibility of 8 division races coming down to the wire at the end of the season, although I do like the divisions you have proposed, as they make geographic sense.

[SJ24]

Would New Orleans want a team?

I am not sure New Orleans could support a team. They would have the smallest market of anyone (NO metro population is 1.2 million. Milwaukee is currently lowest at 1.5 million) and it really doesn't do anything for MLB's brand like a Las Vegas would.

Are there are a lot of baseball fans there? I have always figured most Southerners were Braves fans.

[SJ24]

NL East

New York
Philadelphia
Washington
Montreal

NL South

Atlanta
Miami
Tampa
Cincinnati

NL Central

Chicago
Milwaukee
St. Louis
Pittsburgh

NL West

Los Angeles
San Francisco
Arizona
San Diego

AL East

New York
Boston
Toronto
Baltimore

AL South

Houston
Texas
Kansas City
Mexico City/Las Vegas

AL Central

Detroit
Minnesota
Chicago
Cleveland

AL West

Los Angeles
Oakland
Seattle
Colorado

[bravesnumberone]

NL East

New York
Philadelphia
Washington
Montreal

NL South

Atlanta
Miami
Tampa
Cincinnati

NL Central

Chicago
Milwaukee
St. Louis
Pittsburgh

NL West

Los Angeles
San Francisco
Arizona
San Diego

AL East

New York
Boston
Toronto
Baltimore

AL South

Houston
Texas
Kansas City
Mexico City/Las Vegas

AL Central

Detroit
Minnesota
Chicago
Cleveland

AL West

Los Angeles
Oakland
Seattle
Colorado

I think this one would be fine. Only change I'd make is keep Colorado in the NL, move Arizona to the AL. Arizona would go in the AL South and Las Vegas would be in the West.

If we did the NFL format, I'd break down the schedule like this

24 against each division opponent = 72
6 each against the rest of the league = 72
3 each against a division in the opposite league = 12
A home and home with another team in the opposite league = 6

[cajunrevenge]

Would New Orleans want a team?

That would be one heck of a conflict for me.

[msstate7]

That would be one heck of a conflict for me.

Me too.

New Orleans = 3.5 hours
Atlanta = 6.5 hours

[bravesfanforlife88]

With the Pete Rose scandal, I don't see Las Vegas being a viable option anytime soon. Maybe in about 10-15 years after they get to see how the city handles the Raiders and if there is any issues with betting.

I don't see Mexico City as an option for travel purposes....

I wouldn't support a team playing there full time, but I wouldn't mind seeing games played in Puerto Rico/Dominican/ etc..... Or do what we did last year and play at Fort Benning....stuff like that is great for the game IMO

[Southcack77]

With the Pete Rose scandal, I don't see Las Vegas being a viable option anytime soon. Maybe in about 10-15 years after they get to see how the city handles the Raiders and if there is any issues with betting.

I don't see Mexico City as an option for travel purposes....

I wouldn't support a team playing there full time, but I wouldn't mind seeing games played in Puerto Rico/Dominican/ etc..... Or do what we did last year and play at Fort Benning....stuff like that is great for the game IMO

I'm sure safety and security and border issues would be of concern, but Mexico City wouldn't be much of an issue as far a travel time. It's a quicker flight than LA or SF for Atlanta, for example.

[The Chosen One]

Montreal.

Portland is interesting. Everyone saying Vegas but don't think it can happen just because of we know what. Mexico City is interesting. It would definitely be put one of the resort tourist areas where there's better security if they did go that option. What about Vancouver? Or would that be too close to Mariners.

I think the Braves will fight hard to reject Charlotte, Memphis or NOLA if that was even considered.

[SJ24]

I would have no problem with a team in Charlotte. That is a rich, growing metropolitan area (2.4 million) that could support a team. May even HELP the Braves, as it would foster a Southern rivalry the likes of which baseball has never seen.

Could they expand BB&T Ballpark? For my money, that is one of the top 5 stadium locations in all of baseball.

Other American cities that could support a team are Orlando, San Antonio, Vegas, and Portland.

However, I think the powers that be are not that interested in domestic expansion outside of Las Vegas. Vegas is just a unique opportunity from a branding standpoint, and the fundamentals (population, wealth, etc) are just as good as Cincinnati or Kansas City, and only getting better, as Vegas continues to experience relatively tremendous growth.

Will be very interesting to see if MLB decides to go with Vegas or Mexico City.