The Four Major Leagues

goosedennis · 08-03-2018, 04:28 PM

MLB to move to Promotion/Relegation Format
Former Continental, Federal Leagues make comeback

The late Kenesaw Mountain Landis, pictured here, helped dissolve the Federal League, which is now to play its first season in 105 years.

March 27, 2018

NEW YORK -- In deliberations held in secret, the owners of Major League Baseball's 30 teams debated over moving to a promotion/relegation format, where the best teams from each league are promoted, and the worst demoted.

Today, that proposal passed.

"As everybody can see, the MLB has been moving away from competitiveness for quite some time," said commissioner of baseball Rob Manfred in a press conference this morning. "Teams in bigger markets can, and have, spent the most money on players, thereby shutting the door on smaller market teams' competitiveness."

The new structure, which splits the MLB into four leagues -- the National, American, Federal, and Continental Leagues -- is based originally on teams' budgets. The first year, teams with the smallest budgets will play in the Continental League, and teams with the largest ones will play in the National League.

After the first year, the champion of each league will be promoted to the next level; the team with the worst record will be relegated. For the Continental League, however, the worst team will remain in the league, while in the National League the reigning champion will face its competition again.

"We've discovered that our revenue-sharing proposals have not worked as intended," Manfred said. "The league's owners were opposed to a salary cap. They instead decided that the best solution would be to move to a four-league format."

To ensure balance, there will be a two-team expansion. Manfred did not announce what cities would have new teams, but said the teams would be revivals of former ones.

All four leagues will contain eight teams in one division, and playoffs will be between the best four teams in each league. Schedules will be 161 games, allowing each team to play each other 23 times. The designated hitter has been implemented for every league in baseball.

Manfred said teams know what the new teams will be, and said expansion draft protection lists have already been submitted. The draft will be held tomorrow, at which time the announcement will be made.

goosedennis · 08-03-2018, 07:02 PM

MLB Expands to Montreal, Louisville

Team captains Chase Utley and David Wright hope to lead their teams to victory in their inaugural seasons.

March 28, 2018

NEW YORK -- Though Montreal has been without major league baseball since 2004 and Louisville since 1899, their impacts on the game have not been lost.

Today, the two cities received their own baseball clubs: the Montreal Expos and the Louisville Colonels. Both teams will begin in the Continental League.

"I'm excited to come back to Montreal, where it all started," said Hall of Fame batter and Expos hitting coach Vladimir Guerrero. "The expansion of the MLB to include both us and Louisville is a great honor."

The expansion draft, held at 1:00 p.m. today, allowed both teams to fill their major league rosters and draft a number of prospects.

The first overall pick of the draft went to the Expos, who selected starting pitcher Charlie Morton. The Colonels, with the second selection, drafted first baseman Jesus Aguilar from the Brewers.

Both teams ensured to select good clubhouse presences, too, with 39-year-old second baseman Chase Utley going to Montreal and 35-year-old third baseman David Wright flying to Louisville.

"We want to win, obviously," Louisville manager Luis Aguilar said after the draft. "But, more importantly, we need veterans to guide our younger players -- not only on how to play, but on how to respect the game and the team."

With the Expos and Colonels filling out the Continental League, here's a look at the teams in each league:

Continental League: Oakland Athletics; Louisville Colonels; Montreal Expos; Miami Marlins; San Diego Padres; Pittsburgh Pirates; Tampa Bay Rays; Chicago White Sox.

Federal League: Atlanta Braves; Milwaukee Brewers; Baltimore Orioles; Philadelphia Phillies; Texas Rangers; Kansas City Royals; Detroit Tigers.

American League: Los Angeles Angels; Toronto Blue Jays; Arizona Diamondbacks; Cleveland Indians; Seattle Mariners; New York Mets; Colorado Rockies; Minnesota Twins.

National League: Houston Astros; St. Louis Cardinals; Chicago Cubs; Los Angeles Dodgers; San Francisco Giants; Washington Nationals; Boston Red Sox; New York Yankees.

goosedennis · 08-03-2018, 07:50 PM

Who Will Be This Year's Winners and Losers?
Our analysts make their predictions

April 1, 2018

Opening Day is upon us for all four leagues! All 32 major league ball clubs will make their first appearance in their respective league for the first time since at least 1903.

So, with that in mind, who will be promoted and relegated?

After running the numbers, our analysts have decided that the San Francisco Giants are likely to be relegated from the National League to the American League. They predict the Giants will go 73-88, placing themselves in last place, just one game back of the projected 74-87 Cardinals.

Not all is lost, however: The computers suggest that Madison Bumgarner will be one of the top pitchers in the NL, throwing 32 games with a 3.35 ERA and 185 strikeouts.

Who will take their place? The Cleveland Indians are projected to dominate the AL, finishing 97-64. Their offense, led by Francisco Lindor, Yonder Alonso, and Jose Ramirez, is predicted to top the AL, while their pitching, featuring Trevor Bauer, Corey Kluber, Danny Salazar, and Carlos Carrasco, is supposed to dominate AL batters.

On the flip side, the Colorado Rockies, projected to go 65-95, are likely to be relegated to the Federal League. Their pitching will not fare well at Coors Field, where their projected 5.67 ERA would be the highest in all of baseball.

The Cincinnati Reds are expected to take their place, going 95-66 in the regular season. Kevon Winley, a minor-league signing prior to the season, is projected to hit a massive 62 home runs in the 161-game season.

While they still spend $6 million on Prince Fielder, the Detroit Tigers are not going to channel any of his power. They are projected to be dead last in the Federal League, at 66-95, with a paltry 148 home runs throughout the season, placing them squarely in the Continental League.

To take their place, it's projected the San Diego Padres will go 94-67 in the Continental League.

Yet, the best regular season record does not earn a team the right to be promoted. Instead, they must beat all other teams to earn the championship in their respective league.

See below for a full list of projected standings and more:

JaBurns · 08-03-2018, 07:58 PM

Question, why a 161 game schedule? Why not the old 154? 22 times against each team in the league. I hate odd numbered schedules and games against opponents.

goosedennis · 08-03-2018, 09:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JaBurns

Question, why a 161 game schedule? Why not the old 154? 22 times against each team in the league. I hate odd numbered schedules and games against opponents.

I was trying to keep it close to 162 so I could do some kind of statistical comparison between previous MLB seasons and this one. I might shorten it in the future, but 161 was 100% due to my weird curiosity.

The Game · 08-04-2018, 12:17 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by goosedennis

Continental League: Oakland Athletics; Louisville Colonels; Montreal Expos; Miami Marlins; San Diego Padres; Pittsburgh Pirates; Tampa Bay Rays; Chicago White Sox.

Federal League: Atlanta Braves; Milwaukee Brewers; Baltimore Orioles; Philadelphia Phillies; Texas Rangers; Kansas City Royals; Detroit Tigers.

American League: Los Angeles Angels; Toronto Blue Jays; Arizona Diamondbacks; Cleveland Indians; Seattle Mariners; New York Mets; Colorado Rockies; Minnesota Twins.

National League: Houston Astros; St. Louis Cardinals; Chicago Cubs; Los Angeles Dodgers; San Francisco Giants; Washington Nationals; Boston Red Sox; New York Yankees.

What did you base this on? from what the site I'm looking at shows that the Yankees would be in the AL, Seattle in the NL and White Sox in the Fed.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/...aseball-teams/

goosedennis · 08-04-2018, 01:18 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by The Game

What did you base this on? from what the site I'm looking at shows that the Yankees would be in the AL, Seattle in the NL and White Sox in the Fed.
https://www.statista.com/statistics/...aseball-teams/

I was going on the budget in OOTP. It's not a perfect metric, as it doesn't necessarily mean the teams that spend the most are in the higher divisions, but it means the teams with the capacity to spend the most are.

goosedennis · 08-06-2018, 10:41 PM

Trade Deadline Madness
Harper featured in inter-league deal

Bryce Harper's reaction learning he's been traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates.

July 31, 2018

Although today is the trading deadline, the major leagues have been dealing left and right since the beginning of the month.

The headliner for this year is, of course, Bryce Harper (295/394/551, 23 HR), who was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates (CL) on July 19. In return, the Nationals (NL) received closer Felipe Vazquez (25 saves, 1.93 ERA) and SP Mitch Keller, who was named the #11 prospect at the beginning of the year.

While the return for Harper may seem -- and is -- extremely low for a player of his caliber, sources said he was unlikely to re-sign with the Nationals at the end of his current contract. Vazquez is signed to a team-friendly deal that will keep him with the Nationals through 2023, while Keller's major-league service time has not yet started.

Although the Harper trade has dominated the headlines since the news broke, the biggest trades began on June 30, when the Montreal Expos (CL) dealt Charlie Morton to the Yankees (NL) for SS Thairo Estrada, the 51st prospect in the majors, and SP Luis Angel Medina, the 112st prospect.

Just a week later, the other expansion team, in Louisville (CL), made its July trade, sending 2B Erik Sogard (300/368/423), CF Ricky Eusebio, the 156th prospect, and SP Blake Rivera, to Detroit (FL) for 30-year-old LF Rob Forgue (332/375/490).

The same day, the Chicago White Sox (CL) sent 1B Jose Osuna (266/349/473, 9 HR) and $6.7 million to the Rockies (AL) for CF Raimel Tapia (AAA, 397/424/557), SS Eddy Osnay Diaz, the 225th prospect, and RP Kolby Allard (12.2 IP, 1.42 ERA).

While the trades may seem the biggest roster moves of the year, they are not. There are a number of players, across all leagues, who are out of commission for the rest of the season.

Louisville took the biggest hit, losing 3B Daniel Descalso to a torn back muscle on June 13 and team captain David Wright to a fractured ankle on July 12.

But the other expansion team, the Montreal Expos, have also suffered, losing starter Shelby Miller for 11 months due to a torn labrum.

Just after trading for Harper, the Pirates lost their ace, Jameson Taillon, for the next year due to a torn UCL.

Also suffering from a UCL injury is Cleveland pitcher Danny Salazar, who will be out of commission for over a year.

Similarly, Sonny Gray, the Yankees' starter, will be out for 13 months with a torn flexor tendon.

Despite these injuries and trades, all four leagues are competitive with few exceptions. While the Chicago Cubs lead the NL with a 63-47 record, they are only two games ahead of the second-place Dodgers. In last place are the 46-64 Washington Nationals, 17 games behind the Cubs.

Similarly, the Colorado Rockies are in dead last in the AL, sporting a 42-70 record. Only three teams in that league are above .500, but the middle of the league are all within five games of the postseason.

The Federal League is perhaps the least competitive, with the first-place Reds 13 games ahead of the second-place Braves. Yet, after first place, the teams are all in tight competition for the postseason, with the Braves, Brewers, Phillies, Royals, and Rangers within 7.5 games of each other.

The Continental League has featured the biggest surprise, with the expansion Louisville Colonels in second place with a 62-50 record, just five games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays.

goosedennis · 08-07-2018, 02:06 AM

Postseason Preview: National League

September 24, 2018

Los Angeles Dodgers (92-69) — Boston Red Sox (83-78)

—

Both teams, led by the offensive prowess of their shortstops, hope to become the champions of the highest major league.

The Los Angeles Dodgers hope Corey Seager's offense will find a hot streak as they enter the National League semifinals as the best team in baseball.

Seager, who contributed 5.4 wins this season, batted 322/384/561 in 145 of the team's 161 games. He kicked off the season with a 22-game hitting streak, but has hit just .203 with a .727 OPS in September.

After Clayton Kershaw missed three months with a ruptured finger tendon, the team learned to rely on its offense and soon led the National League in runs scored.

Boston, too, heavily relies on its offense for wins, scoring just ten fewer runs than Los Angeles.

Both teams are led at the top of their respective rotations by ace pitchers — Kershaw (8-4, 3.90) for the Dodgers and Chris Sale (18-7, 3.88) for the Red Sox. Behind them, however, are starters who have ranged from inconsistent to just plain bad.

Starting the season with a 6.30 ERA, Kenta Maeda has brought that figure down to 4.72. Yet he has been cold in September, not throwing more than 5.1 innings in an appearance and tossing a 4.97 ERA. The Sox' number two starter, Rick Porcello, started 28 games during the regular season, throwing for a 6.18 ERA. He's been helped by his defense, as his FIP is actually higher: 6.32.

With the regular-season batting champion, Xander Bogaerts (331/383/520), playing for the Red Sox, this has the makings of a good offensive series. The two teams are relatively evenly matched, and has the potential to go the distance to find a victor.

Prediction: Red Sox upset in 6.

San Francisco Giants (84-77) — Houston Astros (83-78)

The reigning Astros hope to turn their team into a dynasty with a second consecutive World Series victory.

The Astros, frankly, have gotten lucky. They're fifth in runs scored in the NL, and second to last in runs against. Their number one starter, Dallas Keuchel, tossed a 4.34 ERA in 33 starts. The team's Pythagorean record would have put them in sixth place. Only losing streak by the Chicago Cubs granted them a postseason bid.

Yet the reigning champions are back and, perhaps, hungrier than before.

Standing in their way are the red-hot San Francisco Giants. Third in runs scored, first in runs against, and led by — of all people — Evan Longoria (310/355/575), the Giants finished August with a record of 19-9, and kept that up through September, winning seven of their last ten.

Like the Dodgers and Red Sox, the Giants' starting rotation is headlined by an ace who is backed by average starters. Despite that, their defense prevented them from giving up too many runs. To the Astros, whose success relied mostly on Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and George Springer, the Giants are a formidable opponent.

Prediction: Giants win in 5.

NL Final Standings:

goosedennis · 08-07-2018, 02:27 AM

Postseason Preview: American League

September 24, 2018

Cleveland Indians (99-62) — New York Mets (79-83)

vs.

If not for the Indians' domination of the American League, this would be a fantastic matchup: great offense against great pitching

The Indians absolutely routed the American League this season. Their .615 winning percentage was the second highest in the four major leagues. The offense's 906 runs led the league by 74 — over 8 percent.

Yet their opponent, the New York Mets, led the league in runs against. And while they lost 14 of their 24 matchups against the Indians, they lost those games by a margin of two runs or fewer.

Will the Mets' rotation, led by Noah Snydergaard (17-12, 2.95) and Jacob deGrom (6-8, 2.79), be a match for the Indians' offense in a seven-game series?

The Indians have four batters who hit above .300, and three hitters who crushed over 30 home runs.

Moreover, the Mets had a losing record this season -- but so did most teams in the American League. Most of the wins went to the Indians.

Regardless of the result, it will be a fun series for fans of both teams — and baseball generally.

Prediction: Indians win in 5.

Seattle Mariners (91-70) — Arizona Diamondbacks (86-75)

Mariners closer Edwin Diaz led the AL in saves with 40.

Yet another pitching-versus-batting matchup in the AL. The Mariners were second in the league in runs against, while the Diamondbacks were second in runs for.

Although the Diamondbacks were not as absolutely unfair to opposing pitchers as the Indians' batters, Paul Goldschmidt crushed 40 home runs and had an OPS nearing 1.000.

Can one batter, though, beat a team that shut down its opponents regularly? That depends on the Diamondbacks' rotation.

The Mariners are led by James Paxton (19-7, 3.58) and Chris Sambol (11-10, 3.59). Not superb pitchers, but definitely good enough to win games.

The Diamondbacks, on the other hand, are led by Zach Grienke (1-2, 5.22) and Zack Godley (13-10, 5.87). Again, they are not superb pitchers. In fact, they might not be good enough to hold their opponents to fewer runs than their own team.

Although the Diamondbacks have a killer offense, it's centered in mainly one person. Their lack of depth extends to their starting rotation, where there is no true shut-down pitcher.

Prediction: Mariners sweep.

AL Final Standings:

The Game · 08-07-2018, 11:50 PM

how many different type of cards do you use?

gskweres9 · 08-12-2018, 11:04 PM

How do you get all of these card templates!?

08-03-2018, 07:50 PM	#3
goosedennis Minors (Single A) Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 86	Who Will Be This Year's Winners and Losers? Our analysts make their predictions April 1, 2018 Opening Day is upon us for all four leagues! All 32 major league ball clubs will make their first appearance in their respective league for the first time since at least 1903. So, with that in mind, who will be promoted and relegated? After running the numbers, our analysts have decided that the San Francisco Giants are likely to be relegated from the National League to the American League. They predict the Giants will go 73-88, placing themselves in last place, just one game back of the projected 74-87 Cardinals. Not all is lost, however: The computers suggest that Madison Bumgarner will be one of the top pitchers in the NL, throwing 32 games with a 3.35 ERA and 185 strikeouts. Who will take their place? The Cleveland Indians are projected to dominate the AL, finishing 97-64. Their offense, led by Francisco Lindor, Yonder Alonso, and Jose Ramirez, is predicted to top the AL, while their pitching, featuring Trevor Bauer, Corey Kluber, Danny Salazar, and Carlos Carrasco, is supposed to dominate AL batters. On the flip side, the Colorado Rockies, projected to go 65-95, are likely to be relegated to the Federal League. Their pitching will not fare well at Coors Field, where their projected 5.67 ERA would be the highest in all of baseball. The Cincinnati Reds are expected to take their place, going 95-66 in the regular season. Kevon Winley, a minor-league signing prior to the season, is projected to hit a massive 62 home runs in the 161-game season. While they still spend $6 million on Prince Fielder, the Detroit Tigers are not going to channel any of his power. They are projected to be dead last in the Federal League, at 66-95, with a paltry 148 home runs throughout the season, placing them squarely in the Continental League. To take their place, it's projected the San Diego Padres will go 94-67 in the Continental League. Yet, the best regular season record does not earn a team the right to be promoted. Instead, they must beat all other teams to earn the championship in their respective league. See below for a full list of projected standings and more: Attached Images

08-06-2018, 10:41 PM	#8
goosedennis Minors (Single A) Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 86	Trade Deadline Madness Harper featured in inter-league deal Bryce Harper's reaction learning he's been traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates. July 31, 2018 Although today is the trading deadline, the major leagues have been dealing left and right since the beginning of the month. The headliner for this year is, of course, Bryce Harper (295/394/551, 23 HR), who was traded to the Pittsburgh Pirates (CL) on July 19. In return, the Nationals (NL) received closer Felipe Vazquez (25 saves, 1.93 ERA) and SP Mitch Keller, who was named the #11 prospect at the beginning of the year. While the return for Harper may seem -- and is -- extremely low for a player of his caliber, sources said he was unlikely to re-sign with the Nationals at the end of his current contract. Vazquez is signed to a team-friendly deal that will keep him with the Nationals through 2023, while Keller's major-league service time has not yet started. Although the Harper trade has dominated the headlines since the news broke, the biggest trades began on June 30, when the Montreal Expos (CL) dealt Charlie Morton to the Yankees (NL) for SS Thairo Estrada, the 51st prospect in the majors, and SP Luis Angel Medina, the 112st prospect. Just a week later, the other expansion team, in Louisville (CL), made its July trade, sending 2B Erik Sogard (300/368/423), CF Ricky Eusebio, the 156th prospect, and SP Blake Rivera, to Detroit (FL) for 30-year-old LF Rob Forgue (332/375/490). The same day, the Chicago White Sox (CL) sent 1B Jose Osuna (266/349/473, 9 HR) and $6.7 million to the Rockies (AL) for CF Raimel Tapia (AAA, 397/424/557), SS Eddy Osnay Diaz, the 225th prospect, and RP Kolby Allard (12.2 IP, 1.42 ERA). While the trades may seem the biggest roster moves of the year, they are not. There are a number of players, across all leagues, who are out of commission for the rest of the season. Louisville took the biggest hit, losing 3B Daniel Descalso to a torn back muscle on June 13 and team captain David Wright to a fractured ankle on July 12. But the other expansion team, the Montreal Expos, have also suffered, losing starter Shelby Miller for 11 months due to a torn labrum. Just after trading for Harper, the Pirates lost their ace, Jameson Taillon, for the next year due to a torn UCL. Also suffering from a UCL injury is Cleveland pitcher Danny Salazar, who will be out of commission for over a year. Similarly, Sonny Gray, the Yankees' starter, will be out for 13 months with a torn flexor tendon. Despite these injuries and trades, all four leagues are competitive with few exceptions. While the Chicago Cubs lead the NL with a 63-47 record, they are only two games ahead of the second-place Dodgers. In last place are the 46-64 Washington Nationals, 17 games behind the Cubs. Similarly, the Colorado Rockies are in dead last in the AL, sporting a 42-70 record. Only three teams in that league are above .500, but the middle of the league are all within five games of the postseason. The Federal League is perhaps the least competitive, with the first-place Reds 13 games ahead of the second-place Braves. Yet, after first place, the teams are all in tight competition for the postseason, with the Braves, Brewers, Phillies, Royals, and Rangers within 7.5 games of each other. The Continental League has featured the biggest surprise, with the expansion Louisville Colonels in second place with a 62-50 record, just five games behind the first-place Tampa Bay Rays. Last edited by goosedennis; 08-07-2018 at 12:34 AM. Reason: Words can be difficult

08-07-2018, 02:27 AM	#10
goosedennis Minors (Single A) Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 86	Postseason Preview: American League September 24, 2018 Cleveland Indians (99-62) — New York Mets (79-83) vs. If not for the Indians' domination of the American League, this would be a fantastic matchup: great offense against great pitching The Indians absolutely routed the American League this season. Their .615 winning percentage was the second highest in the four major leagues. The offense's 906 runs led the league by 74 — over 8 percent. Yet their opponent, the New York Mets, led the league in runs against. And while they lost 14 of their 24 matchups against the Indians, they lost those games by a margin of two runs or fewer. Will the Mets' rotation, led by Noah Snydergaard (17-12, 2.95) and Jacob deGrom (6-8, 2.79), be a match for the Indians' offense in a seven-game series? The Indians have four batters who hit above .300, and three hitters who crushed over 30 home runs. Moreover, the Mets had a losing record this season -- but so did most teams in the American League. Most of the wins went to the Indians. Regardless of the result, it will be a fun series for fans of both teams — and baseball generally. Prediction: Indians win in 5. Seattle Mariners (91-70) — Arizona Diamondbacks (86-75) Mariners closer Edwin Diaz led the AL in saves with 40. Yet another pitching-versus-batting matchup in the AL. The Mariners were second in the league in runs against, while the Diamondbacks were second in runs for. Although the Diamondbacks were not as absolutely unfair to opposing pitchers as the Indians' batters, Paul Goldschmidt crushed 40 home runs and had an OPS nearing 1.000. Can one batter, though, beat a team that shut down its opponents regularly? That depends on the Diamondbacks' rotation. The Mariners are led by James Paxton (19-7, 3.58) and Chris Sambol (11-10, 3.59). Not superb pitchers, but definitely good enough to win games. The Diamondbacks, on the other hand, are led by Zach Grienke (1-2, 5.22) and Zack Godley (13-10, 5.87). Again, they are not superb pitchers. In fact, they might not be good enough to hold their opponents to fewer runs than their own team. Although the Diamondbacks have a killer offense, it's centered in mainly one person. Their lack of depth extends to their starting rotation, where there is no true shut-down pitcher. Prediction: Mariners sweep. AL Final Standings: Last edited by goosedennis; 08-07-2018 at 02:30 AM. Reason: Added standings

08-03-2018, 04:28 PM	#1
goosedennis Minors (Single A) Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 86	The Four Major Leagues MLB to move to Promotion/Relegation Format Former Continental, Federal Leagues make comeback The late Kenesaw Mountain Landis, pictured here, helped dissolve the Federal League, which is now to play its first season in 105 years. March 27, 2018 NEW YORK -- In deliberations held in secret, the owners of Major League Baseball's 30 teams debated over moving to a promotion/relegation format, where the best teams from each league are promoted, and the worst demoted. Today, that proposal passed. "As everybody can see, the MLB has been moving away from competitiveness for quite some time," said commissioner of baseball Rob Manfred in a press conference this morning. "Teams in bigger markets can, and have, spent the most money on players, thereby shutting the door on smaller market teams' competitiveness." The new structure, which splits the MLB into four leagues -- the National, American, Federal, and Continental Leagues -- is based originally on teams' budgets. The first year, teams with the smallest budgets will play in the Continental League, and teams with the largest ones will play in the National League. After the first year, the champion of each league will be promoted to the next level; the team with the worst record will be relegated. For the Continental League, however, the worst team will remain in the league, while in the National League the reigning champion will face its competition again. "We've discovered that our revenue-sharing proposals have not worked as intended," Manfred said. "The league's owners were opposed to a salary cap. They instead decided that the best solution would be to move to a four-league format." To ensure balance, there will be a two-team expansion. Manfred did not announce what cities would have new teams, but said the teams would be revivals of former ones. All four leagues will contain eight teams in one division, and playoffs will be between the best four teams in each league. Schedules will be 161 games, allowing each team to play each other 23 times. The designated hitter has been implemented for every league in baseball. Manfred said teams know what the new teams will be, and said expansion draft protection lists have already been submitted. The draft will be held tomorrow, at which time the announcement will be made.

08-03-2018, 07:02 PM	#2
goosedennis Minors (Single A) Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 86	MLB Expands to Montreal, Louisville Team captains Chase Utley and David Wright hope to lead their teams to victory in their inaugural seasons. March 28, 2018 NEW YORK -- Though Montreal has been without major league baseball since 2004 and Louisville since 1899, their impacts on the game have not been lost. Today, the two cities received their own baseball clubs: the Montreal Expos and the Louisville Colonels. Both teams will begin in the Continental League. "I'm excited to come back to Montreal, where it all started," said Hall of Fame batter and Expos hitting coach Vladimir Guerrero. "The expansion of the MLB to include both us and Louisville is a great honor." The expansion draft, held at 1:00 p.m. today, allowed both teams to fill their major league rosters and draft a number of prospects. The first overall pick of the draft went to the Expos, who selected starting pitcher Charlie Morton. The Colonels, with the second selection, drafted first baseman Jesus Aguilar from the Brewers. Both teams ensured to select good clubhouse presences, too, with 39-year-old second baseman Chase Utley going to Montreal and 35-year-old third baseman David Wright flying to Louisville. "We want to win, obviously," Louisville manager Luis Aguilar said after the draft. "But, more importantly, we need veterans to guide our younger players -- not only on how to play, but on how to respect the game and the team." With the Expos and Colonels filling out the Continental League, here's a look at the teams in each league: Continental League: Oakland Athletics; Louisville Colonels; Montreal Expos; Miami Marlins; San Diego Padres; Pittsburgh Pirates; Tampa Bay Rays; Chicago White Sox. Federal League: Atlanta Braves; Milwaukee Brewers; Baltimore Orioles; Philadelphia Phillies; Texas Rangers; Kansas City Royals; Detroit Tigers. American League: Los Angeles Angels; Toronto Blue Jays; Arizona Diamondbacks; Cleveland Indians; Seattle Mariners; New York Mets; Colorado Rockies; Minnesota Twins. National League: Houston Astros; St. Louis Cardinals; Chicago Cubs; Los Angeles Dodgers; San Francisco Giants; Washington Nationals; Boston Red Sox; New York Yankees.

08-03-2018, 07:58 PM	#4
JaBurns All Star Starter Join Date: Sep 2015 Location: Kelowna, British Columbia Posts: 1,281	Question, why a 161 game schedule? Why not the old 154? 22 times against each team in the league. I hate odd numbered schedules and games against opponents.

08-07-2018, 02:06 AM	#9
goosedennis Minors (Single A) Join Date: Apr 2011 Posts: 86	Postseason Preview: National League September 24, 2018 Los Angeles Dodgers (92-69) — Boston Red Sox (83-78) — Both teams, led by the offensive prowess of their shortstops, hope to become the champions of the highest major league. The Los Angeles Dodgers hope Corey Seager's offense will find a hot streak as they enter the National League semifinals as the best team in baseball. Seager, who contributed 5.4 wins this season, batted 322/384/561 in 145 of the team's 161 games. He kicked off the season with a 22-game hitting streak, but has hit just .203 with a .727 OPS in September. After Clayton Kershaw missed three months with a ruptured finger tendon, the team learned to rely on its offense and soon led the National League in runs scored. Boston, too, heavily relies on its offense for wins, scoring just ten fewer runs than Los Angeles. Both teams are led at the top of their respective rotations by ace pitchers — Kershaw (8-4, 3.90) for the Dodgers and Chris Sale (18-7, 3.88) for the Red Sox. Behind them, however, are starters who have ranged from inconsistent to just plain bad. Starting the season with a 6.30 ERA, Kenta Maeda has brought that figure down to 4.72. Yet he has been cold in September, not throwing more than 5.1 innings in an appearance and tossing a 4.97 ERA. The Sox' number two starter, Rick Porcello, started 28 games during the regular season, throwing for a 6.18 ERA. He's been helped by his defense, as his FIP is actually higher: 6.32. With the regular-season batting champion, Xander Bogaerts (331/383/520), playing for the Red Sox, this has the makings of a good offensive series. The two teams are relatively evenly matched, and has the potential to go the distance to find a victor. Prediction: Red Sox upset in 6. San Francisco Giants (84-77) — Houston Astros (83-78) The reigning Astros hope to turn their team into a dynasty with a second consecutive World Series victory. The Astros, frankly, have gotten lucky. They're fifth in runs scored in the NL, and second to last in runs against. Their number one starter, Dallas Keuchel, tossed a 4.34 ERA in 33 starts. The team's Pythagorean record would have put them in sixth place. Only losing streak by the Chicago Cubs granted them a postseason bid. Yet the reigning champions are back and, perhaps, hungrier than before. Standing in their way are the red-hot San Francisco Giants. Third in runs scored, first in runs against, and led by — of all people — Evan Longoria (310/355/575), the Giants finished August with a record of 19-9, and kept that up through September, winning seven of their last ten. Like the Dodgers and Red Sox, the Giants' starting rotation is headlined by an ace who is backed by average starters. Despite that, their defense prevented them from giving up too many runs. To the Astros, whose success relied mostly on Jose Altuve, Carlos Correa, and George Springer, the Giants are a formidable opponent. Prediction: Giants win in 5. NL Final Standings:

08-07-2018, 11:50 PM	#11
The Game Hall Of Famer Join Date: Feb 2012 Location: Inside The Game Posts: 30,937	how many different type of cards do you use? __________________ Go today don't wait for tomorrow It isn't promised, all the time you get borrowed Don't live your life for other people Don't bottle your emotions till they crack and fill a couple just sorrows Take your mind and refocus go get a paper write your goals out Throw your middle fingers to all your haters "Stay Strong"

08-12-2018, 11:04 PM	#12
gskweres9 Major Leagues Join Date: May 2015 Location: Houston Posts: 439	How do you get all of these card templates!?