A Proposed Expansion, ReAlignment & 132-Game Schedule
»» The regular season is shortened from 162 to 132 games.
»» Each league has four 4-team divisions.
»» The regular season is contested over 24 weeks. This includes the playing of 132 games, the All-Star Game
half-week break for all teams, plus three separate half-week (3 or 4 days) byes for each team at certain
points in the season.
»» The Interleague schedule calls for teams in a division of one league to play 6 games each (3 home, 3 away)
with teams of a division in the other league on a rotating basis of four years.
»» The Interleague schedule would also allow a team who has finished at a certain place within its own division
(say, first place) to play six games (3 home, 3 away) with those teams who finished in the very same place
in each of the three divisions of the other league that are not designated as an other league opponent
division for that particular year.
A major result of this type of scheduling is that it allows all eight division winners - including those
who play the World Series - to have home-and-home series at each other's parks the following season.
On occasion in years other than those when certain divisions in each league are scheduled directly
against each other, this type of scheduling may also allow for home-and-home series between the likes
of the Dodgers and Angels; Cubs and White Sox; Cleveland and Cincinnati; Yankees and Mets;
Cardinals and Royals, etc.
»» Points system (five for wins, two for ties, zero for losses) would replace the won-lost percentage system. A Tie
Breaker System, based on points accrued from wins, ties and losses, would determine all standings.
»» Because of the Tie Breaker System, special one game playoffs for division titles would no longer be necessary.
By eliminating such playoff games, the start of the various pre-scheduled post season series will not be delayed.
»» Games having no resolution after 12 innings (regular season, All-Star), or 15 innings (playoffs, World Series),
would be declared Tie Games. Regular season Tie Games would count in the standings.
»» The Designated Hitter (DH) rule would be used in both leagues on a restricted basis. Each team would play
22 games under DH rules during the regular season (11 games at home, 11 games elsewhere). Games played
under DH rules would be designated by Major League Baseball prior to the start of regular season play.
For the Divisional and League Championship playoff series, as well as the World Series, which are all
proposed to be best 4-of-7 series, the Designated Hitter rule would be used in Games 1 and 3 of such
series in odd-numbered years, Games 2 and 4 in even-numbered years.
»» Houston and Colorado moved to American League Midwestern Division
»» Tampa Bay Rays moved to National League Southern Division
»» Two new teams added --
Portland Frontiers (A.L. Pacific)
Memphis Kings (N.L. Southern -- thank you very much!)
AMERICAN LEAGUE (A.L.) NATIONAL LEAGUE (N.L.)
A.L. Atlantic Division A B N.L. Atlantic Division A B
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1 | Baltimore Orioles -- -- 1 | New York Mets 6 3
2 | Boston Red Sox 12 -- 2 | Philadelphia Phillies 6 3
3 | New York Yankees 12 -- 3 | Pittsburgh Pirates 6 3
4 | Toronto Blue Jays 12 6 4 | Washington Nationals 6 6
A.L. Central Division A B N.L. Southern Division A B
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1 | Chicago White Sox 6 -- 1 | Atlanta Braves 6 3
2 | Cleveland Indians 6 -- 2 | Florida Marlins -- 3
3 | Detroit Tigers 6 -- 3 | Tampa Bay Rays -- 3
4 | Minnesota Twins 6 6 4 | Memphis Kings NT -- 6
A.L. Midwestern Division A B N.L. Central Division A B
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1 | Colorado Rockies 6 6 1 | Chicago Cubs 6 12
2 | Houston Astros 3 6 2 | Cincinnati Reds -- 12
3 | Kansas City Royals 3 6 3 | Milwaukee Brewers -- 12
4 | Texas Rangers 3 6 4 | St. Louis Cardinals -- --
A.L. Pacific Division A B N.L. Pacific Division A B
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1 | Los Angeles Angels 6 -- 1 | Arizona Diamondbacks 6 6
2 | Oakland Athletics 3 -- 2 | Los Angeles Dodgers -- 6
3 | Seattle Mariners 3 -- 3 | San Diego Padres -- 6
4 | Portland Frontiers NT 3 6 4 | San Francisco Giants -- 6
A = Baltimore, A.L. Atlantic 1st B = St. Louis, N.L. Central 4th
h = host to team a = away at team
NT = New Team
GAMES | H | A | TOTAL
EACH --------- VS. TEAMS IN GAMES
I. 12 | 6 | 6 | your own division ..................................... 36
II. 6 | 3 | 3 | a designated division within your own league .......... 24
III. 3 | T.B.D.| two non-designated divisions within your own league ... 24
IV. 3 | T.B.D.| two non-designated divisions within your own league
with the same division finish as your own team (1st vs
1st, 2nd vs 2nd, etc) ................................. 6
V. 6 | 3 | 3 | a designated division of the other league ............. 24
VI. 6 | 3 | 3 | non-designated divisions of the other league with
the same division finish as your own team
(1st vs 1st, 2nd vs 2nd, etc.) ........................ 18
....................................................................... ---
Total number of games to make up the season schedule .................. 132
Regular Season Finish Examples
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A.L. INTRALEAGUE DESIGNATED SCHEDULE
Year : Atlantic vs : Central vs : Midwest vs : Pacific vs
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2010-13-16-etc : Central : Atlantic : Pacific : Midwest
2011-14-17-etc : Pacific : Midwest : Central : Atlantic
2012-15-18-etc : Midwest : Pacific : Atlantic : Central
N.L. INTRALEAGUE DESIGNATED SCHEDULE
Year : Atlantic vs : Southern vs : Central vs : Pacific vs
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2010-13-16-etc : Southern : Atlantic : Pacific : Central
2011-14-17-etc : Pacific : Central : Southern : Atlantic
2012-15-18-etc : Central : Pacific : Atlantic : Southern
INTERLEAGUE DESIGNATED SCHEDULE
Each division plays a designated opponent division once every 4 years, beginning
with the year listed above the designated opponent division.
| 2010 »» | 2011 »» | 2012 »» | 2013 »»
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N.L. Pacific | A.L. Pacific | A.L. Atlantic | A.L. Central | A.L. Midwest
N.L. Central | A.L. Midwest | A.L. Central | A.L. Atlantic | A.L. Pacific
N.L. Southern | A.L. Central | A.L. Midwest | A.L. Pacific | A.L. Atlantic
N.L. Atlantic | A.L. Atlantic | A.L. Pacific | A.L. Midwest | A.L. Central
Division, Place and Playoff Seed Tie-Breakers >>
Games w/points (rank 1-2-3-4): Head-to-Head/Division/League/All
Net Runs (rank 5-6-7-8): Head-to-Head/Division/League/All
Division Series (best 4-of-7):
#1(A) vs #4(B)
#2(A) vs #3(B) A-A B-B-B A-A
League Championship Series (best 4-of-7):
#1(A) vs #2/#3(B)
#2(A) vs #4(B)
#3(A) vs #4(B) A-A B-B-B A-A
World Series (best 4-of-7):
Even Years: NL-NL AL-AL-AL NL-NL
Odd Years: AL-AL NL-NL-NL AL-AL