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MLB Expansion? Where? How?!

MLB Expansion is going to happen.

Given that they just evened the Leagues and Divisions up with 5 teams each division, and the same number of teams in each league, how would expansion work? Adding two teams wouldn't work, nor would adding three. You would have to add six new teams to keep the current divisional lineup in place.

Clearly it would need to happen NFL style, with fourth division (Southern) added to the Mix, with 1 new AL team, preferably in the south, and one new NL team, preferably in the south.

What would this look like:

AL is easy:


AL East
Yankes
Red Sox
Blue Jays
Orioles


AL Central
Tigers
Twins
White Sox
Indians

Al West
Angels
Mariners
Rangers
Athletics



AL south
Expansion Team
Astros
Royals
Rays

NL would be a bit trucker, but doable.

NL East
Mets
Nats
pirates
phillies

NL Central
Cubs
brewers
Colorado
Reds

NL West
Dbacks
Dodgers
Padres
Giants


NL South
Marlins
Braves
EXPANSION
Cards

Who would be the ideal expansion cities, given size of media market, and likelihood of local government to build a ballpark? Right now I think New Orleans is the only city left in America that is big enough, doesn't have an MLB team, and who's local government and and political process is corrupt enough to pull that of.


Great. New Orleans, welcome to the NL south.

What about the AL south? What local government would build a stadium, in exchange for the millions of hard currency dollars that would flood into the city? Maybe its not a local government MLB should be looking at. Expansion into the Caribbean market, and Spanish language market is problematic because of travel times, and because of the existing pipeline of baseball academies that = very cheap labor for MLB. Current owners do not want to suddenly make the Dominican republic (for example) a country who's amateurs are subject to the rules of the CBA. That would cost them Billions. So All of Latin America is out.

Except. There is one country who's free agents are going for astronomical prices, and bringing their players into the CBA would actually SAVE owners money. That's right. Cuba!

Havana should be awarded the next MLB franchise. Travel times are easy. Big demand for baseball in a country the size of Los Angles. You can't tell me the local media market would bring in less than... say... Kansas Cit. Or the Marlins or the Rays.In fact. That's the only downside I see to a Cuban MLB team: The two Florida teams might lose some fan base.

if iHavana's draw is ONLY as good as the Rays, you know their profit potential is much higher due to the sweetheart deals that Cuba would give to make such a thing happen. They need hard currency and MLB franchise would be the easiest way to get it. Build a stadium? sure. no problem. Create a special MLB exempt class of taxe exemptions? sure, no problem? Currency exchange protections (guaranteed buyback and guaranteed rates for MLB team if it Fluctuates to much? No problem. Give us the hard currency and the MLB franchise of our dreams

And it would be an important first step to bringing in a full on on Caribbean expansion. When the owners are ready to give up on cheap Latin American labor, and bring those amateurs into the CBA, you can suddenly have 4 more teams without to much effort, and shuffle a few of the non coastal southern teams back into the Central/east as needed.

Great new direction. Tap into the emerging Latin American market. Baseball is a big, prestige brand that will draw top dollar in Latin America. Get in now. Cuba is the wedge that makes the MLB a truly international sport!

Welcome to the AL South, Havana!

You can't tell me there isn't a 2nd generation Filthy rich Cuban American (or really old filthy rich cuban ex-pat) who wouldn't want to be the person who brought a MLB franchise to the fatherland. If MLB could work it out with Cuban government, people would be lining up for the privilege of operating the Havana team, and paying through the nose to do it.


Somebody Forward this to the New Commish! Its a way better Idea than the DH in the NL.

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