Interesting Blog in Baseball Reference.

[HollywoodLeo]

No, shitty teams get dropped back down a level.
Washington at this point may be Single A if done right.

But what's the criteria for a "shitty team"? Last year's performance, right?

Just because a team is shitty one year doesn't mean they'll be shitty the next year.

Under this proposal the Rays wouldn't have had a chance to go to the World Series in 2008 because they were shitty every year prior.

[Foster]

Well also based on this, the Rays would most have most likely won multiple titles in AA, AAA, and may have been in the ML's by this point. It's hard to know where they would have plained out, as its unknown weither they would have sold of the talent they once had.

[Porter]

There are a lot of unknowns in the past, present and future.

[HollywoodLeo]

Well also based on this, the Rays would most have most likely won multiple titles in AA, AAA, and may have been in the ML's by this point. It's hard to know where they would have plained out, as its unknown weither they would have sold of the talent they once had.

Inability to use real life examples notwithstanding, the fact still remains a team that might otherwise be capable of doing so would be incapable of winning the real championship just because they weren't very good the year prior, all the while some drop-off team stinks up the joint because they had a good year last year and lost some key free agents.

[Porter]

Just going off of the current settings for 2010.

LEVEL 1

Yankees, Angels, Red Sox, Dodgers, Phillies

Who would want to see these 5 teams beat the snot out of each other? Who ever won this level would have earned it.

LEVEL 2

Rockies, Cardinals, Giants, Rangers, Marlins

Would the Rockies and Rangers continue to surprise teams in 2010? Albert Pujols would probably murder all the other 4 teams on his own. The Marlins and Giants could have the 2009 Rays syndrome.

LEVEL 3

Twins, Braves, Tigers, Mariners, Rays

Another evenly matched division. But the M's would have to travel over 2000 miles to see the other 4 teams. Nothing new for them. Joe Mauer vs Tommy Hanson would be made for TV stuff. I see the Rays edging the Twins in this level.

LEVEL 4

Cubs, Brewers, White Sox, Reds, Blue Jays

Outside of the Reds, who probably beat expectations, Could there be any other teams that pissed off their fan bases?

LEVEL 5

Athletics, Padres, Astros, Diamondbacks, Mets

The Mets would be the prime example of Leo's arguement of the theory. If healthy would kill this division going away. But the 2009 Mets just simply was out of the Twlight Zone. The A's would be the sleeper in this level.

LEVEL 6

Indians, Royals, Orioles, Pirates, Nationals

Zach Grienke needs help. The Indians need to find pitching. The Pirates and Natinals are just that. The O's at least show some promise.

Level 1 Winner- Yankees
Level 2 Winner- Cardinals, barely
Level 3 Winner- Rays
Level 4 Winner- Brewers
Level 5 Winner- Mets
Level 6 Winner- O's

Playoffs: Yanks and Cards with a bye, Rays vs O's, Brewers vs Mets or you could add the next best teams from level one and two to make it:

Yankees vs O's
Cardinals vs Mets
Rays vs Twins (Level 2 #2)
Brewers vs Angels (Level 1 #2)

Level 1 Last Place- Dodgers
Level 2 Last Place- Giants
Level 3 Last Place- Mariners
Level 4 Last Place- Blue Jays
Level 5 Last Place- Padres
Level 6 Last Place- Nationals

Which would make the new league for 2011 look like this.

LEVEL 1

Yankees, Angels, Red Sox, Cardinals, Phillies

LEVEL 2

Rockies, Dodgers, Rays, Rangers, Marlins

LEVEL 3

Twins, Braves, Tigers, Brewers, Giants

LEVEL 4

Cubs, Mariners, White Sox, Reds, Mets

LEVEL 5

Athletics, Blue Jays, Astros, Diamondbacks, O's

LEVEL 6

Indians, Royals, Orioles, Pirates, AAA Champion

[HollywoodLeo]

I'd quit watching baseball entirely if either of the two systems being discussed in this thread were put in place.

[realmofotalk]

I always thought a system similar to that of the English (FA) that allows for teams to move up and down would be awesome for baseball. Imagine when your local AA team can get some players, win a championship, and move up to AAA. From there, they sign a couple older players, to help put, and bam, before you know it the New Hampshire Fisher Cats are playin in Yankee Stadium.

It doesn't work that way in baseball. Unlike the N.H. Fisher Cats, the lower division English clubs aren't farm teams for the Premier League clubs (cynicism over the Big Four aside).

[Foster]

It doesn't work that way in baseball. Unlike the N.H. Fisher Cats, the lower division English clubs aren't farm teams for the Premier League clubs (cynicism over the Big Four aside).

I understand that fact, even though Premiership teams poach lower levels for talent as they develop. Thus treating lower division teams as a farm team.

In order for this to happen, there would have to be a major, MAJOR overhaul of baseball as we know it. One idea would be to leave the rookie leagues alone, and use the independent leagues as a farm system.

[realmofotalk]

I understand that fact, even though Premiership teams poach lower levels for talent as they develop. Thus treating lower division teams as a farm team.

I knew that, hence what I said between parentheses. But anyway, the EPL teams treat as lower division teams as farm teams, but they're not affiliates. Even if we do without affiliation between MLB and MiLB, we're still going have MLB teams and their reserve squads of prospects. They just won't be playing for an independent MiLB.