Why Realignment Would Help the Pirates

Last week, ESPN's Buster Olney reported that talks of revamping Major


League Baseball's structure were discussed for as soon as the 2012 season.

The new alignment would feature fifteen teams in each league with the top

five teams making the playoffs. The Houston Astros are favorites to switch

for the National League to the American. Headline: no divisions! As a

diehard, hardcore Pirates fan, I say, awesome.



I hate the fact that we are in the Central Division. It is a geographical

stretch for Pittsburgh to even be considered a central United States city.

Cincinnati is our closet divisional opponent with a five hour drive (but

who the hell whats to drive five hours to see us play the Reds?). Houston,

Milwaukee, Chicago, Cincinnati and St. Louis being in a division makes

sense. How can the Pirates be in this division when Pittsburgh is an

average of ten hours away from all those guys! We should be in the East

renewing our storied rivalries with Phillie and New York. But even that

doesn't fly because we're eleven hours outside Atlanta and nineteen hours

from Miami.



I know getting rid of the divisions will not erase these distances, but

I'd feel better about it. I like the idea of fifteen teams vying for five

playoff spots. It's kind of an old-school approach. Aside from basic

mathematics, it betters the Pirates chances of getting into the playoffs.

Well, in a couple of years maybe. Being in the only six team division in

baseball gives us (and our opponents) a disadvantage. Look over to the

American League West and you'll see my point. Speaking of fairness, I

would suggest destroying the current format of Interleague play and just

having every AL team play every NL team once a year. Is it really

equitable to have the Pirates play the Red Sox and the Cardinals play the

Royals?



I like the fact that baseball is willing to change. All too often it seems

Bud likes to keep the sport in the past. Will realignment bring instant

replay to baseball? Hell no. But it shows a willingness to change. Now,

can we make that team leaving the NL the Brewers?



Written by, Andrew Brown