The existing 30 teams reorganized for time zone based alignment:

NL East: NYM PHI WAS PIT CIN ATL MIA
NL West: SEA SF LV LAA LAD SD ARZ COL

AL East: BOS NYY TOR BAL TB CLE DET
AL West: CWS CHI-Cubs MIL MIN KC STL HOU TEX

Both leagues have all eastern time zone East divisions.
NL West is entirely PAC/MTN time and AL West is all on Central time. Having each division on the time zone should ease scheduling and make it easier for fans to watch road games on television.

The only downside is that it falls apart with expansion. If you add 2 western teams I suppose you move the Chicago teams East and that would put the Rockies and the new SLC team in the AL West.

If you add a team in the East and a team in the West then you have to pick one Chicago team to move East.

(08-30-2025 12:20 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  32 with a focus on time zones:

NL West: SEA, SF, LAA, LAD, SD, LV, ARZ, Portland/SLC*

AL West: COL, TEX, HOU, KC, STL, Nashville*, MIN, MIL

NL East: NYM, PHI, WASH, PIT, ATL, MIA, CIN, CHI-Cubs

AL East: BOS, NYY, TOR, BAL, TB, CLE, DET, CWS

NL West is almost exclusively on Pacific time while the AL West is almost exclusively on Central Time. Both East divisions are on Eastern time, except their Chicago teams.

If both Portland and SLC get teams, Portland goes in the NL West and SLC goes to the AL West, taking the place of my Nashville expansion team.

I like this plan except I think you got to keep the Cubs and Cardinals in the same division, so I would flop the Cubs and Nashville.

It does sound like playoff schedule is an important factor in the pending alignment. I like 36 to pause expansion for the next couple decades.

Teams: Carolina (Raleigh), Montreal, Nashville, Portland, San Antonio, Utah
Considered: Austin, Charlotte, Indianapolis, Louisville, New Orleans, Sacramento, San Jose, Vancouver

Standard 2 Conference Model

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Atlantic: Baltimore, Boston, New York, New York, Philadelphia, Washington
Midwest: Cleveland, Detroit, Milwaukee, Montreal, Pittsburgh, Toronto
Southeast: Atlanta, Carolina, Cincinnati, Miami, Nashville, Tampa Bay

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Central: Chicago, Chicago, Houston, Kansas City, Minnesota, St. Louis
Pacific: Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle
Southwest: Arizona, Colorado, Las Vegas, San Antonio, Texas, Utah

New 4 Conference Model
* Playoffs would need to be reconfigured a bit.

EASTERN CONFERENCE
Baltimore, Boston, Montreal, New York, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, Toronto, Washington

NORTHERN CONFERENCE
Chicago, Chicago, Cleveland, Colorado, Detroit, Kansas City, Milwaukee, Minnesota, St. Louis

SOUTHERN CONFERENCE
Atlanta, Carolina, Cincinnati, Houston, Miami, Nashville, San Antonio, Tampa Bay, Texas

WESTERN CONFERENCE
Arizona, Las Vegas, Los Angeles, Los Angeles, Portland, San Diego, San Francisco, Seattle, Utah

(09-21-2025 08:35 AM)goofus Wrote:  

(08-30-2025 12:20 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  32 with a focus on time zones:

NL West: SEA, SF, LAA, LAD, SD, LV, ARZ, Portland/SLC*

AL West: COL, TEX, HOU, KC, STL, Nashville*, MIN, MIL

NL East: NYM, PHI, WASH, PIT, ATL, MIA, CIN, CHI-Cubs

AL East: BOS, NYY, TOR, BAL, TB, CLE, DET, CWS

NL West is almost exclusively on Pacific time while the AL West is almost exclusively on Central Time. Both East divisions are on Eastern time, except their Chicago teams.

If both Portland and SLC get teams, Portland goes in the NL West and SLC goes to the AL West, taking the place of my Nashville expansion team.

I like this plan except I think you got to keep the Cubs and Cardinals in the same division, so I would flop the Cubs and Nashville.

That makes a lot of sense (it also sets up a nice rivalry between ATL & NAS).

This plan also helps out the Cubs because they won’t have to host many Pacific time zone teams and burn their limited number of night games on west coast visitors.

After much deliberation, I think that MLB’s next move should be Portland and SLC—both enter the AL West.

The Rangers join the AL Central.

The Astros return to the NL Central.

Down the road, Nashville and Charlotte can be added to AL East and NL East.

I think this becomes the most tolerable set up for all the league’s teams. Finally we get West Divisions in both leagues that are exclusively MTN/Pac time zones.

(11-08-2025 06:12 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  After much deliberation, I think that MLB’s next move should be Portland and SLC—both enter the AL West.

The Rangers join the AL Central.

The Astros return to the NL Central.

Down the road, Nashville and Charlotte can be added to AL East and NL East.

I think this becomes the most tolerable set up for all the league’s teams. Finally we get West Divisions in both leagues that are exclusively MTN/Pac time zones.

As I consider step 2 of this expansion to 34, I think I’d add both Charlotte and Nashville to the NL and swap the Marlins to the AL East—putting the FL duo together. The NL East becomes a trio of east coast cities (NYM, PHI, WASH) and a southern trio (ATL, CLT, NASH).

AL East: BOS, NYY, BAL, TOR, TB, MIA
AL Central: CLE, DET, CWS, MIN, KC, TEX
AL West: SEA, POR, SLC, LV, LAA

NL East: NYM, PHI, WAS, CLT, ATL, NAS
NL Central: PIT, CIN, CUB, MIL, STL, HOU
NL West: COL, ARZ, SD, LAD, SF

(11-10-2025 09:35 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  

(11-08-2025 06:12 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  After much deliberation, I think that MLB’s next move should be Portland and SLC—both enter the AL West.

The Rangers join the AL Central.

The Astros return to the NL Central.

Down the road, Nashville and Charlotte can be added to AL East and NL East.

I think this becomes the most tolerable set up for all the league’s teams. Finally we get West Divisions in both leagues that are exclusively MTN/Pac time zones.

As I consider step 2 of this expansion to 34, I think I’d add both Charlotte and Nashville to the NL and swap the Marlins to the AL East—putting the FL duo together. The NL East becomes a trio of east coast cities (NYM, PHI, WASH) and a southern trio (ATL, CLT, NASH).

AL East: BOS, NYY, BAL, TOR, TB, MIA
AL Central: CLE, DET, CWS, MIN, KC, TEX
AL West: SEA, POR, SLC, LV, LAA

NL East: NYM, PHI, WAS, CLT, ATL, NAS
NL Central: PIT, CIN, CUB, WIL, STL, HOU
NL West: COL, ARZ, SD, LAD, SF

I just don't like uneven divisions and can't be on board for only that reason. It's been 25ish years since expanding to 30. I can't imagine them going past 32 for a while. I'd pick Nashville and Salt Lake City (Utah). I'm not a huge proponent of Salt Lake City but I understand the appeal and these 2 cities seem to be the furthest along. Smaller divisions work best for MLB. 2x4x4. Assuming AL/NL and not EC/WC.

American League
Central: Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, Minnesota Twins, Texas Rangers
East: Baltimore Orioles, Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Tampa Bay Rays
North: Chicago White Sox, Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers, Toronto Blue Jays
West: Las Vegas Athletics, Los Angeles Angels, Seattle Mariners, Utah Hornets

National League
Central: Chicago Cubs, Colorado Rockies, Milwaukee Brewers, St. Louis Cardinals
East: Atlanta Braves, Miami Marlins, Nashville Stars, Washington Nationals
North: Cincinnati Reds, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Pittsburgh Pirates
West: Arizona Diamondbacks, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants

As far as other cities, I like Carolina (Raleigh) and Portland as next options but I'd consider them for relocations. In particular, I could see the Rays moving to Carolina and the Angels moving to Portland. The Rays have struggled with attendance and success and while the Angels do have a World Series title, they are also increasingly overshadowed by the Dodgers - especially as of late. Both stay in their respective divisions.

I’m not a huge fan of uneven divisions either but in this case I think it makes sense.

Doing 8 4-team divisions splits up a ton of historic rivalries and 4 just seems too small for a division.

Unless you do a lot of swapping between AL and NL, 4 divisions of 8 are also problematic and lead to divisions with teams spread across a few time zones and you still end up splitting rivalries.

Right now Portland and SLC are the two markets with ownership groups & stadium plans in place and who are ponying up a lot of public money so why not add them both, put them against each over as rivals and move the Texas teams to where they are playing most of their divisional road games in their own time zone (and as a bonus, the Astros get to reunite with most of the teams they’ve played historically).

I think baseball would be comfortable sitting like that for a long while, or as an intermediate stage to 34. Baseball has enough wild cards now that the disadvantage of being in a bigger division is less consequential. They could even bake it into tie breaker procedure—giving the nod to the team coming out of the 6 team division over one from 5 with the same record.

(11-11-2025 03:50 PM)Fighting Muskie Wrote:  I’m not a huge fan of uneven divisions either but in this case I think it makes sense.

Doing 8 4-team divisions splits up a ton of historic rivalries and 4 just seems too small for a division.

Unless you do a lot of swapping between AL and NL, 4 divisions of 8 are also problematic and lead to divisions with teams spread across a few time zones and you still end up splitting rivalries.

Right now Portland and SLC are the two markets with ownership groups & stadium plans in place and who are ponying up a lot of public money so why not add them both, put them against each over as rivals and move the Texas teams to where they are playing most of their divisional road games in their own time zone (and as a bonus, the Astros get to reunite with most of the teams they’ve played historically).

I think baseball would be comfortable sitting like that for a long while, or as an intermediate stage to 34. Baseball has enough wild cards now that the disadvantage of being in a bigger division is less consequential. They could even bake it into tie breaker procedure—giving the nod to the team coming out of the 6 team division over one from 5 with the same record.

Going to 34 might be easier with a geographic alignment.

Conference = 16 opponents × 6 games = 96
Non-conference = 17 opponents × 3 games = 51

That only makes 147 games, but you could change a few non-conference series to 4 games to get to whatever number is desired. With 36 teams this format would yield 156 games.

West
San Diego, LA Angels, LA Dodgers, San Francisco, Portland*, Seattle, Las Vegas, Arizona, Utah*, Colorado, Houston, Texas, Kansas City, Saint Louis, Minnesota, Milwaukee, Chicago Cubs

East
Chicago White Sox, Nashville*, Atlanta, Tampa Bay, Miami, Raleigh*, Washington, Baltimore Philadelphia, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Boston, Toronto, Pittsburgh, Cleveland, Cincinnati, Detroit

I think there would be a ton of pushback if baseball did away with AL and NL. No matter how sensical it might be to adopt a geographic model, your older clubs are wedded to that identity, especially the ones who were around when baseball had just 16 teams.

Fondness for Salt Lake City seems odd. I think they may be too small for baseball. Nashville is relatively small. Here are the bottom 7 MLB markets and the cities they are talking about the most.
MSA rank (indicates candidate)
23 St. Louis 2.812 million
26 (Portland) 2.538 million
28 Pittsburgh 2.430 million
29 Las Vegas 2.399 million
30 Cincinnati 2.303 million (3.125 with Dayton)
31 Kansas City 2.254 million
34 Cleveland 2.172 (2.874 with Akron)
35 (Nashville) 2.151 million
40 Milwaukee 1.574 million
46 (Salt Lake City) 1.301 million

Other metros larger than Nashville without teams:
20 Orlando 2.941 million (too close to Tampa and baseball hasn't done well in Florida)
21 Charlotte 2.883 million
24 San Antonio 2.763 million
25 Austin 2.551 million (most likely Austin if they pick another Texas team)
27 Sacramento 2.463 million
32 Columbus 2.225 million (don't think they want to infringe on Reds and whatever Cleveland is now)
33 Indianapolis 2.175 million (don't think they want to infringe on Reds, Cubs and White Sox)

Also Montreal has 4.342 million.

If I were czar of MLB, I'd have the league at 36 and, assuming MLB goes to a geographic split alluded a couple months ago.

Relocations:
29. Los Angeles Angels > Portland Pioneers
30. Tampa Bay Rays > Carolina Pilots

New Franchises:
31. Austin Bats
32. Montreal Expos
33. Nashville Stars
34. New Orleans Zephyrs
35. Utah Hornets
36. Vancouver Mounties

Eastern Conference
Atlantic: Boston Red Sox, Montreal Expos, New York Mets, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays
Midwest: Cincinnati Reds, Cleveland Guardians, Detroit Tigers, Milwaukee Brewers, Minnesota Twins, Pittsburgh Pirates
Southeast: Atlanta Braves, Baltimore Orioles, Carolina Pilots, Miami Marlins, Nashville Stars, Washington Nationals

Western Conference
Central: Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, Houston Astros, Kansas City Royals, New Orleans Zephyrs, St. Louis Cardinals
Pacific: Los Angeles Dodgers, Portland Pioneers, San Diego Padres, San Francisco Giants, Seattle Mariners, Vancouver Mounties
Southwest: Arizona Diamondbacks, Austin Bats, Colorado Rockies, Las Vegas Athletics, Texas Rangers, Utah Hornets

I'd have a hard time seeing MLB work in New Orleans. Put Sacramento in the Pacific, move San Diego to the Southwest, and move Austin to the Central.

The trouble I have with expanding MLB to 36 is trying to find 2 additional MTN/PAC time zone teams. I don’t like the idea of having teams in Texas having to play in a division where they are playing a bunch of road games 2 time zones away.

(11-13-2025 06:15 PM)bullet Wrote:  Fondness for Salt Lake City seems odd. I think they may be too small for baseball. Nashville is relatively small. Here are the bottom 7 MLB markets and the cities they are talking about the most.
MSA rank (indicates candidate)
23 St. Louis 2.812 million
26 (Portland) 2.538 million
28 Pittsburgh 2.430 million
29 Las Vegas 2.399 million
30 Cincinnati 2.303 million (3.125 with Dayton)
31 Kansas City 2.254 million
34 Cleveland 2.172 (2.874 with Akron)
35 (Nashville) 2.151 million
40 Milwaukee 1.574 million
46 (Salt Lake City) 1.301 million

Salt Lake City is bigger when you factor in Provo, which is like San Jose to San Francisco or the Inland Empire to LA.

(11-15-2025 01:03 PM)chargeradio Wrote:  I'd have a hard time seeing MLB work in New Orleans. Put Sacramento in the Pacific, move San Diego to the Southwest, and move Austin to the Central.

New Orleans isn’t even big enough for the teams they have now, I’m mystified at how the Pelicans are still there.

(11-17-2025 10:09 PM)C2__ Wrote:  

(11-13-2025 06:15 PM)bullet Wrote:  Fondness for Salt Lake City seems odd. I think they may be too small for baseball. Nashville is relatively small. Here are the bottom 7 MLB markets and the cities they are talking about the most.
MSA rank (indicates candidate)
23 St. Louis 2.812 million
26 (Portland) 2.538 million
28 Pittsburgh 2.430 million
29 Las Vegas 2.399 million
30 Cincinnati 2.303 million (3.125 with Dayton)
31 Kansas City 2.254 million
34 Cleveland 2.172 (2.874 with Akron)
35 (Nashville) 2.151 million
40 Milwaukee 1.574 million
46 (Salt Lake City) 1.301 million

Salt Lake City is bigger when you factor in Provo, which is like San Jose to San Francisco or the Inland Empire to LA.

Hadn't considered that, but that still puts them just over 2 million, ahead of only Milwaukee (who also ties in with Madison and the northern Chicago suburbs) and 10% behind the next smallest, Kansas City (as Cleveland and Cincinnati really take in Akron and Dayton).

When it comes to 32 teams, I seen a realignment proposal that made a lot of sense, and I think MLB should do.

AL West - Seattle, LA Angels, Athletics, (West Expansion Team - Portland/Vancouver/SLC?)
AL South - Houston*, Texas*, Kansas City*, Colorado^
AL North - Cleveland, Chicago W.S., Detroit, Minnesota
AL East - Toronto, NY Yankees, Boston, Baltimore

NL West - LA Dodgers, San Diego, San Francisco, Arizona
NL South - Miami*, Atlanta*, Tampa Bay^, (East Expansion Team - Charlotte/Nashville?)
NL North - Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, St. Louis
NL East - NY Mets, Philly, Washington, Pittsburgh*

* = Change Divisions
^ = Change Leagues

(11-21-2025 07:28 AM)GoBuckeyes1047 Wrote:  When it comes to 32 teams, I seen a realignment proposal that made a lot of sense, and I think MLB should do.

AL West - Seattle, LA Angels, Athletics, (West Expansion Team - Portland/Vancouver/SLC?)
AL South - Houston*, Texas*, Kansas City*, Colorado^
AL North - Cleveland, Chicago W.S., Detroit, Minnesota
AL East - Toronto, NY Yankees, Boston, Baltimore

NL West - LA Dodgers, San Diego, San Francisco, Arizona
NL South - Miami*, Atlanta*, Tampa Bay^, (East Expansion Team - Charlotte/Nashville?)
NL North - Chicago Cubs, Cincinnati, Milwaukee, St. Louis
NL East - NY Mets, Philly, Washington, Pittsburgh*

* = Change Divisions
^ = Change Leagues

If they opt to go to 8 divisions of 4, this would seem the most prudent route to go. Having 2 more divisions would mean 2 more division titles and potentially more teams in the playoff hunt, especially if you backload the schedule with divisional games. You could also award home field advantage to each league’s 4 divisional winners (and then keep 3 wildcards).

I just think 4 teams is awfully tiny for a division and if going that small, they’d need to find ways to balance out the schedule.

The giant question is would there be enough votes to pass this?—
I’m not sure some of the teams being asked to move would be thrilled. Pittsburgh probably likes the move. Rays, Rockies, Royals, and Braves might not be so keen to make the jump. Rangers and Astros could be a mixed bag—they might not like being shoehorned into baseball’s weirdo equivalent to the AFC South but a reduction in trips to the West Coast would be a huge plus for their fans who follow them on television (their players would benefit from reduced jet lag too).

My 6 division set up is a bit less extreme, but there would be a slight disadvantage to the Central Division teams.