| Author | Message | ||
     Mr_grumpy |
WHAT??? This slipped out pretty quietly on Thursday. Personally I can't see the point, if it ain't broke why tinker with it. The current system seems to be doing well, MLB has had a resurgence of popularity since the '90s culminating in a cracking World Series. http://mlb.mlb.com/news/article.jsp?ymd=20111117&c ontent_id=25994986&vkey=news_mlb&c_id=mlb What do you all reckon? | ||
| Svh |
With the push to add 2 more playoff teams, aka more $$$ for all involved, there needed to be some realignment to even out the leagues. I guess Houston made the most sense to MLB to change leagues. On a national sports talk show they said there is a rivalry between the Astros and Rangers and MLB wanted to capitalize on that more than once every few years. I don't know if the rivalry thing is true, I don't live around there, but they could have made them play more often without switching leagues if it is true this was part of the reason. Brewers play the Twins every year so it can be done. Overall I think it will be a good move. Unlike the new Miami Marlins logo. | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Lol, yeah I had to put shades on for that! I get what you're saying about evening up the leagues, but if I'm not mistaken the Brewers went the other way in '98 but I can't remember all the details of why & wherefore. | ||
| Badlionsfan |
Brewers went AL when marlins and rockies came into existence in the NL. Astros and brewers were both in NL central, so I'm not sure why they didn't just put them back where they belong. Another thing is with 15 and 15, you're gonna have to have inter-league year round right? | ||
| Mr_grumpy |
Found it on Wiki. In 1994, Major League Baseball adopted a new, expanded playoff system. This change would necessitate a restructuring of each league from two divisions into three. The Brewers were transferred from the old AL East division to the newly created AL Central. (Due to the baseball strike, however, the new-look playoffs and World Series did not materialize that year.) In March 1995, two new franchises—the Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays—were awarded by Major League Baseball, to begin play in 1998. It was decided to add one new team to each league. However, it soon became clear that it would be impractical to have an odd number of teams per league: baseball would either have to give teams many more off-days than in the past, or interleague play would have to be extended year-round, or both. In order for MLB officials to continue the existing schedule, where teams play almost every day and where interleague play is limited to a few days per year, both leagues would need to carry an even number of teams. The decision was made to have one existing club switch leagues.[3] This realignment was widely considered to have great financial benefit to the club moving. However, to avoid the appearance of a conflict of interest, Commissioner (then club owner) Bud Selig decided another team should have the first chance to switch leagues. The Kansas City Royals of the American League's Central Division were asked first, but they decided not to move over to the National League's Central Division.[4] The choice then fell to the Brewers, who, on November 6, 1997, elected to move to the National League's Central Division. At the same time, the Detroit Tigers agreed to move from the AL East to the AL Central (to replace Milwaukee).[4] The Tampa Bay Devil Rays joined the AL East and the Arizona Diamondbacks joined the NL West. Had the Brewers elected not to move to the National League, the Minnesota Twins would have been offered the opportunity next.[5] Milwaukee had formerly been a National League town, having been the home of the Braves for 13 seasons (1953–65). With the Brewers having joined the National League, it was now necessary for their pitchers to take batting practice, because the NL has a no DH rule. So the Brewers were transferred from AL to NL so that both leagues had an even number of teams to reduce interleague play. Now Houston are going the other way to return to where everything would have been 14 years ago, if Milwaukee hadn't changed leagues. There's a distinct lack of foresight here somewhere. I wonder if it's significant that Bud Selig is a former Brewers owner? | ||
| Buellkowski |
I wonder if it's significant that Bud Selig is a former Brewers owner? As a former Milwaukee resident, I can assure you that *everyone* knew the Brewers' flip to NL was Bud's doing. Some old-timers still think of the AL as the "junior" league. | ||
| 46champ |
Well they are the AL is barely 110 years old. | ||
| Gschuette |
I wish they would make up their mind and either adopt the DH in the NL or scrap it in the AL. Also WS home died should be based on regular season record. No all star game BS. |
