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Back to the drawing board


By drbill - Posted on 24 August 2009

My god, this is stupid:

The Showalter Plan realigns as follows, with four divisions of seven teams each, arranged geographically to keep all divisions as much within the same time zone as possible -- another simple, common-sense idea. Gee, how novel. Here it is:

Buck Showalter Realignment Plan
Babe Ruth Division Jackie Robinson Division Roberto Clemente Division Hank Aaron Division
Yankees Dodgers Cubs Royals
Mets Angels White Sox Cardinals
Red Sox Padres Indians Rangers
Blue Jays Mariners Reds Astros
Orioles Giants Twins Tigers
Nationals Diamondbacks Brewers Braves
Phillies Athletics Pirates Rockies

[From ESPN.com - Baseball needs to consider the Buck Showalter Relocation Plan ]

I saw Showalter selling this on Baseball Tonight. What a fool he made of himself. First, he kept talking about how his plan decreases travel because the divisions are regional. Hello? He wants a balanced schedule, so everyone travels everywhere.

Second, how do you say you're emphasizing regional rivalries and have the Cards & Cubs in separate divisions? And again, his plan has a balanced schedule. How does that emphasize rivalries? His plan also has the Yankees play the Mariners as often as they play the Red Sox. Good luck selling that MLB, Fox & your bosses at ESPN, Buck my boy.

He also suggested the Rays would be a good candidate for contraction the year after they were in the World Series? What is he smoking?

There's a good reason I usually fast forward through both the commercials and the talking heads on BT.