Manfred realignment discussion

[PadsFS07]

Will the blasphemy ever end?


https://www.foxnews.com/sports/mlbs-rob ... torch-idea

Talent is already watered down enough. A team in Nashville would gut stl

Why would a Nashville team hurt St Louis?

I'm all for it. I don't get the watered-down argument. Divisions need to be 4 8-team divisions though.

[ramfandan]

Will the blasphemy ever end?


https://www.foxnews.com/sports/mlbs-rob ... torch-idea

Talent is already watered down enough. A team in Nashville would gut stl

Why would a Nashville team hurt St Louis?

I'm all for it. I don't get the watered-down argument. Divisions need to be 4 8-team divisions though.

I have a few thoughts on how a Nashville team may affect St. Louis.
Note: Decades long Cardinal fan who lives 2 hours from Nashville.
1) Cardinal fans from Little Rock, Ark. would be about half hour closer to Nashv than St. Louis so Cardd lose some of Ark fanbase.
Southern Illinois and SW Kentucky area too.
In summer, fans that could travel to either would most likely pick Nashville. Downtown Broadway St. country bars . Also in June, they have huge Country Music Fest 4 days 95,000 people.
Also in August, baseball fans could take in pro football game Titans.In Sept. fans could see NFL football AND MLB game on same weekend. No longer true in St. Louis since Rams left. Brand new FL New Nissan stadium will open in 2027. Combine that with a new baseball stadium and big draw. Grand Ole Opry is in Nashville too.
Fans who have a similar driving distance IMO would find Nashville as much more inviting for things to do.
This is very long term but Nashville pro team may be smart to align with Memphis for Triple A team. So locals in that area would switch allegiance to their home state team and much closer too.. 200 miles ..a 3 hour drive. So bye bye Memphis Redbirds fans.
A Nashville team would shrink Cards fanbase resulting in more attendance loss.
Just a few examples.

[sikeston bulldog2]

I think he’s blinded by the light. I for one, am intrigued.

[BrummerStealsHome]

I think he’s blinded by the light. I for one, am intrigued.

He's wrapped up like a [ablution].

This carnival barker of a commish can't be gone soon enough.

[ScotchMIrish]

There are a few annual teams at the bottom of attendance. If Nashville wants a team they should try to attract one of those. As it currently stands we only see NL teams from the East and West once a year in St Louis.

No expansion. Relocate yes but no additional teams.

[Absolut]

Will the blasphemy ever end?


https://www.foxnews.com/sports/mlbs-rob ... torch-idea

Talent is already watered down enough. A team in Nashville would gut stl

Why would a Nashville team hurt St Louis?

I'm all for it. I don't get the watered-down argument. Divisions need to be 4 8-team divisions though.

See ramdandan below. He hit the highlights.

Re water down, 2 more teams is 26 more pitchers and 26 more players. Pick some talent from every team and float them to the new teams, call up talent from AAA to plug all the holes. Talent watered down…

[rockondlouie]

Manfraud is a scumbag, ruining the game w/his idiotic rule changes.

H E L L NO to realignment you D B A G

[PadsFS07]

See ramdandan below. He hit the highlights.

Re water down, 2 more teams is 26 more pitchers and 26 more players. Pick some talent from every team and float them to the new teams, call up talent from AAA to plug all the holes. Talent watered down…

My point is that there are more players (and people) in the world playing baseball than ever before. Those AAAA players used to be in the majors. It's been 30 years since an expansion. MLB just had an article about how baseball participation is at an all-time high, even in the US (obviously in terms of total numbers). Likewise, there is almost 2 billion more people worldwide just in general.

[PadsFS07]

Here's how I would handle 4-team divisions:
AL

- New York Yanks
- Baltimore
- Toronto
- Boston

- Chicago Sox
- Detroit
- Minnesota
- Cleveland

- Houston
- Texas
- Kansas City
- Colorado

- Seattle
- LA Angels
- Las Vegas As
- Portland*

NL

- New York Mets
- Washington
- Philadelphia
- Pittsburgh

- Atlanta
- Tampa (Orlando?)
- Miami
- Nashville*

- LA Dodgers
- San Francisco
- Arizona
- San Diego

- Milwaukee
- Chicago Cubs
- Cincinnati
- St. Louis

This only involves switching Colorado to the AL and Tampa to the NL.

If Charlotte gets a team instead of Portland, it really messes up things. Maybe you could slide Colorado to the AL West, Nashville to the AL Texas/KC division, and put Charlotte with Atlanta's division.

[Absolut]

See ramdandan below. He hit the highlights.

Re water down, 2 more teams is 26 more pitchers and 26 more players. Pick some talent from every team and float them to the new teams, call up talent from AAA to plug all the holes. Talent watered down…

My point is that there are more players (and people) in the world playing baseball than ever before. Those AAAA players used to be in the majors. It's been 30 years since an expansion. MLB just had an article about how baseball participation is at an all-time high, even in the US (obviously in terms of total numbers). Likewise, there is almost 2 billion more people worldwide just in general.

[jw0595]

During the Manfred era there has been one constant: If he's for it, it's bad for baseball. He can't be gone soon enough.

[ClassicO]

If the owners are agreed (and why wouldn't they) to add 2 teams they can offer the players association 52 additional major league salaries while they are trying to get them to accept a salary cap.

There's a business expression that "reality always wins." If folks on this board had their way, there'd still be 8 teams in two leagues. The reality is 1) they have good baseball cities that want a team, and 2) they want to go international (e.g., Mexico, likely Monterrey).

Nashville won't be denied. Dave Dombroski has been leading a group to assemble a team, and is reportedly set to step down from the Phillies to join them. He moved to Nashville in 2020 to work with Music City Baseball LLC.

Mexico brings in a large new market. Monterrey has a well-established team and fan base, the country's largest baseball stadium (which was built to be expanded), and is not far from western MLB cities, especially if they have geographical realignment. And it's only 1700 feet in altitude and safe for Mexico.

[PadsFS07]

I have a few thoughts on how a Nashville team may affect St. Louis.
Note: Decades long Cardinal fan who lives 2 hours from Nashville.
1) Cardinal fans from Little Rock, Ark. would be about half hour closer to Nashv than St. Louis so Cardd lose some of Ark fanbase.
Southern Illinois and SW Kentucky area too.
In summer, fans that could travel to either would most likely pick Nashville. Downtown Broadway St. country bars . Also in June, they have huge Country Music Fest 4 days 95,000 people.
Also in August, baseball fans could take in pro football game Titans.In Sept. fans could see NFL football AND MLB game on same weekend. No longer true in St. Louis since Rams left. Brand new FL New Nissan stadium will open in 2027. Combine that with a new baseball stadium and big draw. Grand Ole Opry is in Nashville too.
Fans who have a similar driving distance IMO would find Nashville as much more inviting for things to do.
This is very long term but Nashville pro team may be smart to align with Memphis for Triple A team. So locals in that area would switch allegiance to their home state team and much closer too.. 200 miles ..a 3 hour drive. So bye bye Memphis Redbirds fans.
A Nashville team would shrink Cards fanbase resulting in more attendance loss.
Just a few examples.

You are ironically making the case for Nashville to get a team. (Nashville also doesn't have as good of a zoo, an arch, a world-famous brewery, a Six Flags, etc) It may be a slight hit to St. Louis, but likely worse for Atlanta if at all.

Fans aren't going to arbitrarily chose to go to a new team because it's an hour closer of a drive. The Cardinals lost Louisville back in 1998 or so, but managed to survive. The vast majority of attendance is from the metro area.

Maybe Memphis goes to Nashville, but we get Indianapolis from Pittsburgh? I think it's more likely that Nashville would bump Knoxville up from AA and take the Cubs affiliate there instead.

It's more likely that Charlotte and Portland get teams anyway, with Vegas and Orlando getting the relocated teams.

[The Nard]

Main point is: will such a move “save” baseball, and improve the viewership, both on tv and at the parks? Doubtful.

And it’s getting to be a more economic thing; most families may save up to go to a weekend game, once, maybe twice, a year. And you may no longer follow your preferred team on tv. Fix that, Mighty Manfred, and you’ll be doing good.

[12xu]

Will the blasphemy ever end?


https://www.foxnews.com/sports/mlbs-rob ... torch-idea

Talent is already watered down enough. A team in Nashville would gut stl

Why would a Nashville team hurt St Louis?

I'm all for it. I don't get the watered-down argument. Divisions need to be 4 8-team divisions though.

I don't like Manfred's idea at all. There should NEVER be 16 teams make the playoffs in MLB. That is ridiculous.

Concerning Nashville - Atlanta (250m) and Cincinnati (275m) are both closer to Nashville than St. Louis (300m).

[PadsFS07]

Main point is: will such a move “save” baseball, and improve the viewership, both on tv and at the parks? Doubtful.

And it’s getting to be a more economic thing; most families may save up to go to a weekend game, once, maybe twice, a year. And you may no longer follow your preferred team on tv. Fix that, Mighty Manfred, and you’ll be doing good.

Revenue hit a record level in 2024 and has been increasing every year prior for a long time.

This would absolutely increase the sports revenue. Which is all they care about. Likely by $600M a year which is a little below the average revenue generated per team.