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Melville wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 21:52 pm

woofy25 wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 21:32 pm

Melville wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 14:13 pm

WeeVikes wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 12:40 pm

Melville wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 10:41 am

HorseTrader wrote: ↑22 Feb 2026 07:52 am So the Pirates, Cards entire central becomes a minor league. That's how it will be see and treated. Very good players will move to your super league which will be seen as the Major League Baseball. The rest will be viewed as minor league teams.

Total revenue sharing with some sort of floor and ceiling is in my mind the only real solution. First problem is solving the broadcast situation in a long term manner.

My solution solves that issue - and all others.

Fascinating plan.

Would you see the “Wealth Teams” winning a lions share of WS?

No more or no less than the current set-up.
If anything, it would motivate teams in the hunt to invest more in their roster every year before the summer deadline.
No cap.
No floor.
No downside for players.
Upside for all 30 teams.
Upside for all fans.
And almost certain to drive attendance and all other revenue streams.

Your solution encourages teams to spend less. Thus, the players association would take a hard pass.

It gives every team motivation to spend more - equally true for the top 5 in each league and the bottom 10.
Every team in baseball would have the exact same chance of reaching the post-season: 40%.
It is quite simply brilliant.
No cap.
No floor.
And every team with equal opportunity to play post-season games.
And every fan of every team with the exact same chance of seeing their team reach the playoffs.
Everyone wins - with zero downside for any team, any player, any fan.
Absolutely perfect available solution (short of terminating baseball's anti-trust exemption).
Mine is simply the best solution offered anywhere, anytime, by anyone.

opti mist wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 10:01 am Typical CT thread. OP starts discussion, reasonable exchange of options begins, then bragging Mel jumps on, dominates the discussion, and kills the thread. It's all about him.

Insufferable.

Opti

Melville wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 13:54 pm

opti mist wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 10:01 am Typical CT thread. OP starts discussion, reasonable exchange of options begins, then bragging Mel jumps on, dominates the discussion, and kills the thread. It's all about him.

Insufferable.

Opti

Never about me.
I am always disappointed when others attempt to make it so.
Without exception, I am only and always about the game.
Which is why any topic I deem worthy of my time creates high level of engagement - exactly as we have seen in this thread.
Always happy to provide the genesis of quality conversation.
Let's keep it there.
The ridiculously easy adjustment I have recommend would keep the 2 league, 6 division, 12 post season qualifiers framework which is currently in use - but would equalize opportunity for all teams, allow for and encourage more spending by each team, create new interest and story lines every year thereby driving interest, viewership, and attendance across MLB, improve the value and experience for every fan regardless of market, benefit all owners, and benefit all players.
It is the best possible available solution, period.

woofy25 wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 15:15 pm

Melville wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 13:54 pm

opti mist wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 10:01 am Typical CT thread. OP starts discussion, reasonable exchange of options begins, then bragging Mel jumps on, dominates the discussion, and kills the thread. It's all about him.

Insufferable.

Opti

Never about me.
I am always disappointed when others attempt to make it so.
Without exception, I am only and always about the game.
Which is why any topic I deem worthy of my time creates high level of engagement - exactly as we have seen in this thread.
Always happy to provide the genesis of quality conversation.
Let's keep it there.
The ridiculously easy adjustment I have recommend would keep the 2 league, 6 division, 12 post season qualifiers framework which is currently in use - but would equalize opportunity for all teams, allow for and encourage more spending by each team, create new interest and story lines every year thereby driving interest, viewership, and attendance across MLB, improve the value and experience for every fan regardless of market, benefit all owners, and benefit all players.
It is the best possible available solution, period.

Your proposal would kill the game. Again, teams would spend less. If there is equal opportunity to make the playoffs between two groups, then most owners will choose to spend in the bottom 20. You might see the Dodgers and Yankees spend a ton, and the other 28 fighting to get to 11 or lower. This proposal has wide and deep holes that warrants no consideration.

Melville wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 18:41 pm

woofy25 wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 15:15 pm

Melville wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 13:54 pm

opti mist wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 10:01 am Typical CT thread. OP starts discussion, reasonable exchange of options begins, then bragging Mel jumps on, dominates the discussion, and kills the thread. It's all about him.

Insufferable.

Opti

Never about me.
I am always disappointed when others attempt to make it so.
Without exception, I am only and always about the game.
Which is why any topic I deem worthy of my time creates high level of engagement - exactly as we have seen in this thread.
Always happy to provide the genesis of quality conversation.
Let's keep it there.
The ridiculously easy adjustment I have recommend would keep the 2 league, 6 division, 12 post season qualifiers framework which is currently in use - but would equalize opportunity for all teams, allow for and encourage more spending by each team, create new interest and story lines every year thereby driving interest, viewership, and attendance across MLB, improve the value and experience for every fan regardless of market, benefit all owners, and benefit all players.
It is the best possible available solution, period.

Your proposal would kill the game. Again, teams would spend less. If there is equal opportunity to make the playoffs between two groups, then most owners will choose to spend in the bottom 20. You might see the Dodgers and Yankees spend a ton, and the other 28 fighting to get to 11 or lower. This proposal has wide and deep holes that warrants no consideration.

Incorrect.
It would barely impact the top spending teams - other than incentivize them to spend more.
The Blue Jays and Red Sox routinely spend near the top - because they are competing with the Yankees and because their market size gives them the revenue to do so.
Under the current system there is zero incentive to spend less and under my perfect proposal that would remain every bit as true.
Same is true of the Mets, Phillies, and Braves - who are already all in the same division, already big market teams, and already traditional big spenders.
Of course, that is also the case out west with the Dodgers and San Diego - with the Giants also regularly a big spender.
They would want to continue that, can easily afford to, and would have zero incentive to spend less.
FACT is, most of the top 10 teams in spending WANT to be in the same division as other top spenders.
There is no scenario in which Boston and Toronto would want to separate from the Yankees and none in which San Diego and the Giants would want to move away from a division with the Dodgers.
That is the reality.
Every team would have an incentive to spend more, every team would have the same shot at joining the post season, and every fan in the nation would benefit.
It is quite simply the obvious and correct solution which would be ridiculously easy to implement and would be supported by all intelligent players and owners.

woofy25 wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 20:23 pm

Melville wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 18:41 pm

woofy25 wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 15:15 pm

Melville wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 13:54 pm

opti mist wrote: ↑23 Feb 2026 10:01 am Typical CT thread. OP starts discussion, reasonable exchange of options begins, then bragging Mel jumps on, dominates the discussion, and kills the thread. It's all about him.

Insufferable.

Opti

Never about me.
I am always disappointed when others attempt to make it so.
Without exception, I am only and always about the game.
Which is why any topic I deem worthy of my time creates high level of engagement - exactly as we have seen in this thread.
Always happy to provide the genesis of quality conversation.
Let's keep it there.
The ridiculously easy adjustment I have recommend would keep the 2 league, 6 division, 12 post season qualifiers framework which is currently in use - but would equalize opportunity for all teams, allow for and encourage more spending by each team, create new interest and story lines every year thereby driving interest, viewership, and attendance across MLB, improve the value and experience for every fan regardless of market, benefit all owners, and benefit all players.
It is the best possible available solution, period.

Your proposal would kill the game. Again, teams would spend less. If there is equal opportunity to make the playoffs between two groups, then most owners will choose to spend in the bottom 20. You might see the Dodgers and Yankees spend a ton, and the other 28 fighting to get to 11 or lower. This proposal has wide and deep holes that warrants no consideration.

Incorrect.
It would barely impact the top spending teams - other than incentivize them to spend more.
The Blue Jays and Red Sox routinely spend near the top - because they are competing with the Yankees and because their market size gives them the revenue to do so.
Under the current system there is zero incentive to spend less and under my perfect proposal that would remain every bit as true.
Same is true of the Mets, Phillies, and Braves - who are already all in the same division, already big market teams, and already traditional big spenders.
Of course, that is also the case out west with the Dodgers and San Diego - with the Giants also regularly a big spender.
They would want to continue that, can easily afford to, and would have zero incentive to spend less.
FACT is, most of the top 10 teams in spending WANT to be in the same division as other top spenders.
There is no scenario in which Boston and Toronto would want to separate from the Yankees and none in which San Diego and the Giants would want to move away from a division with the Dodgers.
That is the reality.
Every team would have an incentive to spend more, every team would have the same shot at joining the post season, and every fan in the nation would benefit.
It is quite simply the obvious and correct solution which would be ridiculously easy to implement and would be supported by all intelligent players and owners.

The tigers are projected to be 10th this season at $207M, and the giants were 11th at $206M. Boston and Arizona were 12th and 13th at $195 and $194. Do you really think those teams and the teams behind them are going to fight to get into the top 10? The answer, of course, is no