The Beautiful Game Meets America’s Pastime

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A Revolutionary New Concept

for Major League Baseball

Introduction

This past season, Major League Baseball’s two biggest rivals, Yankees and Red Sox, faced each other 19 times… it seemed like every time you turned on the TV, you found the same tired story. Capitalizing on recent years of success for both franchises, MLB attempted to squeeze every last ounce of excitement from 171 innings of baseball.

Mission accomplished.

Today, the glory of Yankees versus Red Sox means absolutely nothing. It’s a series that has been watered down to the point where, by about the seventh clash of these titans, casual fans have stopped paying attention. So, if these are two of the most prestigious clubs in all of baseball, and fewer and fewer viewers seem to care about their rivalry, what does that suggest for the other 143 games played by the aforementioned franchises?

Now, before I go on I feel I must come clean and admit that, when it comes to organized sports, I prefer European soccer. Without question, if you juxtapose soccer next to our popular American sports, with their endless stop-and-go nature, I will always enjoy soccer's two thrilling 45 minutes halves of non-stop, commercial free action linked together with a short period of halftime. No TV timeouts. No mindless banter. Done in two hours. Soccer is the beautiful game for many reasons.

I also prefer the common structure of most domestic soccer leagues found all over the world. Teams are generally grouped in what is known as a single table – no conferences or divisions. This single table offers the ultimate solution for a truly balanced schedule, where teams face each other twice throughout the season, once at home and once away. So, using the 20-team English Premier League as an example, every side will have played 38 league matches by season’s end. A win is worth three points, a tie is worth one, and a loss is worth zero. The team with the most accumulated points at the end of the season is crowned champion. There are other achievements and incentives for which teams aspire to stay near the top of the table, however, for the purposes of this essay, I see no need to get into these finer structural details. Besides, it can be complicated for even the most enthusiastic soccer fan.

So, let us concentrate on two transferable aspects of European soccer, for they are the foundation of what Major League Baseball can and should become. These two aspects are (1) the single table and (2) point structure. Adapting these two simple ideas to America’s pastime may seem strange at first, especially to traditionalists, but I am confident that they will vastly improve both the meaning of each individual game, and the excitement felt by fans around the world.

A Single Table

Currently, Major League Baseball is divided into two major conferences known as the American League and the National League. They are virtually the same, save for the fact that the former enjoys a “designated hitter” rule, while the latter chooses to play actual baseball. The fact that the designated hitter still exists is an embarrassment to the game, and I argue that National League baseball – where Managers actually have to use a bit of creativity - is far superior to its counterpart.

However, when it comes to fusing these two conferences, scrapping the DH is just a start. Ultimately, I believe the league should rid itself of both conferences all together, creating one single table under the guise of Major League Baseball. Interleague play has already deflated any excitement of seeing the American League and National League champions facing each other for the first time in the World Series, so the next logical step is to just throw all the teams into the same pot and move on.

This, of course, brings us to our first immediate problem. With the current 30 teams playing in Major League Baseball, maintaining my proposed balanced schedule under a single table would mean that each team would have to play 174 games. That is 12 more than the current 162. While 12 extra games may not seem like a lot, it is important to take into consideration that 12 extra games would certainly crowd an already massive schedule, and that additional competitions would throw a very large * over every record set in the modern era. The American League and the National League adopted the 162 game schedule in 1961 and 1962, respectively, and I believe it is important to maintain this number for the sake of record preservation.

Therefore, I feel it is necessary to eliminate two teams from Major League Baseball. Personally, I would sack both of the financially dismal Florida franchises – The Florida Marlins and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. So, for the sake of this essay, consider them gone. Now, with 28 teams comprising Major League Baseball under one single table, we may begin to explore a perfectly balanced schedule of 162 games.

A Perfectly Balanced Schedule

The heart of this new concept rests in the idea that each team should play the same teams the same number of times. Currently, there are 14 teams in the American League and 16 teams in the National League. So, without even dissecting each team's individual schedule, it is clear that there exists a horrible unbalance. Never mind the fact that a National League team is already put at a post-season disadvantage by the fact that there are two extra teams in the conference. Really, then, there can be no discussion about balance in the current format – there isn’t any. Under my new single table we can achieve perfect harmony.

In creating this balance, I propose that each team play every other team three games at home and three games on the road. With 28 teams each playing the other 27 teams a total of six times, we have successfully maintained a 162 game schedule. Yes, it really is that easy. Do the math.

Point Structure and the Three Game Series

Having adopted a single table and achieved perfect competitive balance, it is now time to explore, perhaps, the two most drastic concepts of my proposed changes.

Under the current system, total wins determines who will enjoy post-season baseball. By itself, this isn’t a horrible way of running things – it’s pretty basic and simple. However, 162 games is a long spell, and the mission seems to get lost along the way. Players may come to “play” one day, and come to “earn a paycheck” the next. Quite simply, any single game means nothing more than one before or the one to follow. Hence, we tend to have some rather boring mid-summer baseball. This is why I believe the three game series will change not only the players’ outlook on each individual game, but also the fans’ overall excitement.

It works like this. Let's say the Los Angeles Dodgers face the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards for their lone three game away series with the O’s. The first game becomes the advantage game. Here, the Dodgers take game one. They now have two more games to effectively “win” the series. Let’s assume, in the second game, the Orioles pull off a rare victory. The three game series is now tied at one a piece. Game three, then, becomes the crucial decider. Whichever team manages to win the rubber match will earn one point in the standings for winning the series. In our scenario, the Orioles, shocking even themselves, pull off a second victory in a row, and earn that point.

Now, had the Dodgers, after taking game one, managed to win both the second and third games of the series, they would have not only earned one point for winning the series, but also an additional two bonus points for pulling off the three game sweep.

Here, we have created a system where each game of each series is incredibly meaningful to a team’s overall points in the standings. Game one is interesting because it gives one team the advantage. Game two is thrilling because one team can clinch a point, while the other battles to keep their series hopes alive. Game threes are the most exciting because, depending on the outcome of the previous two games, the winner will either earn a single point or three points for the sweep.

Under the current system, these three games would likely be ho-hum, everyday baseball – maybe just another Friday, Saturday, and Sunday at the old ballpark. However, now, they comprise just one thrilling regular season series of a team’s 54. It’s playoff excitement built into the regular season, where each team’s standing on the single table would reflect the team’s total number of points earned. In the event of a standings tie, a team’s position would be determined, first, by total number of wins, and, second, by run differential. Run differential puts a bit more emphasis on team defense.

What Does This Really Mean?

I have already demonstrated how we can balance the schedule, and how each game has become far more entertaining than it might normally be. However, because baseball is rather important to the fabric of our American culture, I feel that I must address some anticipated fan concerns. Of course, I’m certain there will be many more.

What about the old division rivalries?
Rest assured that rivalries are created, not by divisions, but by geography and history. Yankee fans will always hate Red Sox fans and Cub fans will always hate White Sox fans.

But don’t divisions create close playoff races?
No. Good teams create close playoff races. Using the 2006 season as an example, the average number of “games behind” for the 22 non-playoff teams was 11.27. It should go without saying that bad teams are bad, and good teams will always have a shot. The beauty of my system is that the eight playoff teams will truly be the best eight teams in the league, tried and true under the pressure of winning a series. The current system only rewards the “best four” from each conference.

What about revenue? Nineteen games of Yankees v Red Sox is big money.
True. But if you think 19 games are interesting - and they're not - just imagine the fury and excitement when they only play each other three times in their respective stadiums. That’s revenue! Ah, but consider the revenue lost each time the Yankees played the Royals – a team that finished 34 games out of first place in the AL Central. All of a sudden, a three game snoozer becomes an important series because of the points system.

No American League. No National League. Will there still be an All-Star Game?
Sure, why not? The fact that the current All-Star Game determines home field advantage for the World Series is a joke. It should be a fun and spirited event, and nothing more. Of course, who doesn’t like competition? The way you make the All-Star Game interesting is by taking a page from the National Hockey League: North America v the World.

How would this affect current marketing strategies?
For certain, this new structure will help baseball sell itself. For starters, fans will now have the opportunity to see every single baseball club play in their stadium. My, what a concept. Now consider this… in soccer, when local teams face each other, it is commonly referred to as a “Derby” – pronounced: DAR-BEE. For example, the English Premier League’s twice-annual North London Derby is when Tottenham Hotspur plays (and beats) Arsenal, once at White Hart Lane and once down the road at Emirates Stadium. But, think about these derbies in terms of Major League Baseball. Off the top of my head, I can come up with almost 20 weekends worth of exciting baseball derbies (and existing rivalries) that promise big numbers for the ticket booth and the television audience. Think: Cubs v White Sox, Yankees v Red Sox, Yankees v Mets, Angels v Dodgers, Rangers v Astros, Giants v A’s, Nationals v Orioles, Reds v Indians, and Cardinals v Royals… three simple games at home, three simple games on the road. Less is more. Additionally, consider how teams might be able to sell ticket packages. Fans who do not want to attend all 81 home games could, instead, opt for new flex plans that include tickets for an entire series or, perhaps, tickets for every game three. There are unlimited new possibilities.

Doesn’t a single table only work in domestic soccer leagues because of promotion/relegation?
For those of you who are unclear about the relationship of “pro/rel” in conjunction with the single table, this is a device used to reward and penalize teams at the top and bottom of the table. For example, in the English Premier League, the bottom three clubs in total points at the end of the season get booted from the league, and sent down to the next lower division for the following season. Conversely, the top three teams from that next lower division are promoted up to the Premiership. So, believe it or not, toward the end of the campaign there is actually a bit of interest in the bad teams to see which three will get banished. Since Major League Baseball won’t be sending any teams down to the minors, the use of a single table does raise a valid concern. Additionally, as was previously discussed, one might argue that with the current divisions allow most teams a fighting chance to make the playoffs, and a single table in baseball would eliminate a strong playoff chase, leaving a bulk of teams wallowing in a heap at the bottom. Untrue! Of the 22 teams that did not make the playoffs in 2006, 10 had absolutely no chance. These 10 that I speak of finished at least 15 games or more out of first place in their divisions. Five more teams, not included in that number, still finished at least 10 to 14 games out of first place. So, if you take away the 8 teams that actually did make the playoffs, as well has these 15 teams who really never even come close, that leaves you with 7 teams who were somewhat in the running for post season baseball. The bottom line is that half the league was in contention for the post season, and half the league was not even close. I argue that divisions had nothing to do with the excitement level, or lack-there-of, and that you would find the same partitioning of the good versus the bad in a single table. However, with my format, at least we could enjoy a balanced schedule and playoff excitement throughout the season.

I’m a purist. I fear change.
Sleep well knowing that the ball is still round, the bat is still made of wood, three strikes is still and out, and the game is still nine innings.

Mock Single Table After Each Team has Played
One Series of Three Games (Below)

PTS: Points // SP: Series Played // SWx3: Series Sweep for Three Points // SWx1: Series Win for One Point // W: Wins // L: Losses // RD: Run Differential // RS: Runs Scored // RA: Runs Allowed
Teams in red qualify for playoffs.

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