2021 MLB Regular Season thread

Nashville has a relatively new MiLB park, right? I think it was built to be readily expandable to MLB specs, the same as the new park in Charlotte.

 

Yes; however, the Sounds ownership group is not involved in the riverfront plan.

Nashville Major League Baseball push could get boost from Oakland A's

 

We have reached call-up season in MLB. Given that the minor-league season just started, this stuff looks a little more blatant than normal.

Last week, it the Royals bringing up Daniel Lynch. Then the Mariners brought up Jarred Kelenic, who really should have been up last season. Now Seattle is calling up its top pitching prospect, Logan Gilbert, to start Thursday's game.

 

I'm all for Nashville getting a team. I like their diversity commitment and their plan.
The Rays would make more sense because they could remain in the AL East. Even though the A's seem to have the more urgent issues with lease timing, moving them to Nashville would almost compel realignment.

 

That would be a problem if the A's go to Montreal as well. Plus, does MLB want to concede all of Canada to the AL?

 

Lots of Montreal fans want a slot in the AL East. As an old school Expos fan I'm not in favour of it. One of the rationales is that summer weekends would bring out of town Jays/Yanks/Sox fans. I'm not big on a business plan that relies on out of town fans. I'm also not big on obnoxiously drunk out of town fans.

 

Does the league distinction matter anymore? Why would this be a problem?

 

I don't think it matters much, but I see no upside in being in the same division as two of the richest teams in MLB.

I didnt call it a problem, but as a preference I would prefer to be back in the NLE.

 

They should do the total reboot. Scrap leagues. Universal DH. Six divisions. Reduce number of games vs. each division opponent from 19 to 12. See more teams each year.

 

If Montreal and Toronto were in the same league, scheduling road trips for other teams that included both Canadian cities would make more sense. Not so easy if they are in different leagues and only could do that with the few inter-league matchups.

 

As a Jays fan who grew up watching the Expos I'd love to see both teams in the AL East. And while weekend visits from the Jays, Yankees and Red Sox would sell lots of tickets I think it would be the Monday and Tuesday night games against the Orioles, Rays, Tigers, Twins etc. that will determine Montreal's success as a MLB market.

 

If you delete Oakland/Tampa and add Nashville/Montreal, one realignment could be:

West: Seattle, Los Angeles, Houston, Texas, Kansas City
Central: Minnesota, Chicago, Detroit, Cleveland, Nashville
East: Toronto, Montreal, Baltimore, Boston, New York

And I'm with @tapintoamerica. Jettison the 19-game division schedules and play something way more equitable. I realize ESPN would dirty its diapers over losing 19 Red Sox-Yankees matchups, but the rest of the country will celebrate.

Here's one possible 160-game schedule:

10 games against 4 division teams: 40
6 games against 10 league teams: 60
4 games against 15 interleague teams: 60

Plus, go to an NHL-style league standing, where the top four-five-six teams in winning percentage make it, no matter which division they're in.