Diamondbacks could be moving to the AL West

[Lefty]

Looks like there is a chance the Diamondbacks could be switching to the American League.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/base...seball-realignment-arizona-diamondbacks_n.htm

 

[RON_IN_OC]

I wouldn't mind it one bit...I'd get to see them more often.

 

[thirty-two]

NO!!!

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Boooooooooooo !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[WildBB]

Don't like it at all!

Make Houston move, then they;ll have the rivalry with Texas.

 

[CardEd]

Don't like it at all!

Make Houston move, then they;ll have the rivalry with Texas.

X2

 

[Mathew81]

Don't like this at all. I don't like the Diamondbacks being in the AL. We've already established some rivalries with the NL West. And I also don't like the idea of an Interleague series having to be played at all times. That means interleague games will be played on the last series of the year and could be the deciding games in playoff spots.

If they want to have equal number in each league they should either contract to 14 teams each or expand to 16 each.

Or, how about this: leave it alone.

 

[az jam]

There will always be rumors but I heard on an ESPN sports talk show that the Houston Astros or the Florida Marlins would be the team most likely to move to the American League.

 

[Gee!]

Make the Rockies move.. Please..

 

[Gaddabout]

That would really suck. It seems to me the AL has the most salary imbalance, with four of the top five salaried teams: Yankees, Red Sox, Angels, and White Sox. At least in the NL, aside from the Phillies, the teams who throw money at their roster seem inept by comparison: Cubs, Mets, Giants, Cards, and Dodgers.

Phoenix has ALWAYS been an NL West town dating back to its relationship to the Giants and the Dodgers claiming Phoenix as part of its broadcast region. And the cultural relationship between Phoenix and San Diego has always made sense.

Colorado makes WAY more sense in the AL West, both culturally and with their style of play.

 

[Folster]

I hate the DH, so count me as in favor of staying NL.

 

[Matt L]

I too would prefer to stay in the NL, however, our offense would be pretty competitive in the AL with a DH...

 

[Mulli]

I hate the DH, so count me as in favor of staying NL.

I have grown to prefer the DH. Watching pitchers hit (and bunt) is not really that entertaining anymore.

 

[dogpoo32]

I have grown to prefer the DH. Watching pitchers hit (and bunt) is not really that entertaining anymore.

Strategy schmategy. Who needs it?

 

[Black Jesus]

Goldschmidt may be a decent DH. Heard he is not a talented 1B...

 

[AzStevenCal]

I have grown to prefer the DH. Watching pitchers hit (and bunt) is not really that entertaining anymore.

I agree. Having a pitcher hit is like going to war and putting all your support personnel on the front line. It's never made sense to me and as a long time baseball fan, I gag every time I hear the "I'm a traditionalist" argument as if that has some special relevance.

Steve

 

[Bert]

I'm not a traditionalist by any means, I just think the DH is lame. Everyone should have to hit IMO. Having a guy sit on the bench and do nothing but hit is dumb but that's just my opinion as a casual baseball fan. Most of the charm in baseball is the strategy and I like the fact that NL teams have to consider when to pull their pitcher to get an extra bat in an inning.

 

[BC867]

I'm not a traditionalist by any means, I just think the DH is lame. Everyone should have to hit IMO. Having a guy sit on the bench and do nothing but hit is dumb but that's just my opinion as a casual baseball fan. Most of the charm in baseball is the strategy and I like the fact that NL teams have to consider when to pull their pitcher to get an extra bat in an inning.

That is my opinion as well. Hey, why not have American League batters hit off a tee and eliminate pitchers altogether?

You hit it on the head when you referred to less managerial strategy. With today's pitchers considering six or seven innings to be a complete game, the ninth spot in the batting order sees pinch hitters regularly from the 7th inning on anyway.

And yes, I am a baseball traditionalist. Pitchers weren't pampered for a hundred years. Now, in A.L. parks, they don't have to run the bases or pitch nine innings. With advanced travel conditions, why did they suddenly have to be pampered?

 

[AzStevenCal]

That is my opinion as well. Hey, why not have American League batters hit off a tee and eliminate pitchers altogether?

You hit it on the head when you referred to less managerial strategy. With today's pitchers considering six or seven innings to be a complete game, the ninth spot in the batting order sees pinch hitters regularly from the 7th inning on anyway.

And yes, I am a baseball traditionalist. Pitchers weren't pampered for a hundred years. Now, in A.L. parks, they don't have to run the bases or pitch nine innings. With advanced travel conditions, why did they suddenly have to be pampered?

Then go back to calling it Rounders or playing in a cow pasture or allowing one hit per side. This game has evolved many times and if you dislike the DH rule, then fine but don't tell me it's because you're a traditionalist. I'm a traditionalist also but I love the DH rule.

Yes, there is a little less managerial strategy but given the shallowness of that strategy in the first place, why is keeping that in the game so important? I mean, we're not talking rocket science here. I loved watching Earl Weaver kick dirt on home plate but I paid to watch Palmer pitch, Brooks to field and Boog to take the ball deep - not to see if Earl would be smart enough to manage his lineup. Also, what is so important about forcing a person to hit when he's clearly out there for reasons that have nothing to do with hitting?

This has nothing to do with pampering the pitchers, it has to do with entertaining the fans. It also has to do with allowing the game to be decided by letting the people with certain skills exercise those skills. It makes no sense to say let's decide the outcome of the game by forcing those that CAN'T do one specific thing, to try and do that one specific thing. We routinely recognize that the positions are different and that different skill sets are required, the DH takes that one step further and applies it to the pitcher. When will the National League wake up and apply the same logic?

Steve

 

[27Veer]

We have pitchers who can hit well, they should be allowed to.

 

[AZ Native]

When I played ball from pee wee league through high school, the pitchers were always the best athletes and the best hitters. I too am a traditionalist too and dislike the DL. I never watch the AL because of it. Give me the NL any day.

 

[AzStevenCal]

We have pitchers who can hit well, they should be allowed to.

They are allowed to. The DH rule gives you the option to replace your pitcher in the batting order but it does not require it. You can have them work on every aspect of the game of baseball but personally, I'd rather my pitchers spend their spare time studying and improving their craft, namely pitching.

Steve

 

[HooverDam]

Don't like it at all!

Make Houston move, then they;ll have the rivalry with Texas.

I wish, but the MLB likes to have teams that are geographically proximate in opposite leagues so that area gets exposure to both the AL and NL. See the Missouri teams, Chicago, New York, LA, Florida and Bay Area for example.

The only teams that could possible move to the AL West are us or Colorado. Colorado has a case to stay b/c they've been around longer. I'd imagine the case we'll make is we've won a World Series and had a lot of success in this division. Plus before the D'backs the Valley was a Cubs, Dodgers and Giants town, all NL teams (which Colangelo knew) and it makes sense for us to stay a NL city.

I'd really hate a move to the AL, the DH is so lame. Plus losing LA for Anaheim, SF for Oakland and San Diego for Texas is all very unappealing.

The best the Snakes can hope for is Colorado going to the AL with Houston then joining the NL West.

Phoenix has ALWAYS been an NL West town dating back to its relationship to the Giants and the Dodgers claiming Phoenix as part of its broadcast region. And the cultural relationship between Phoenix and San Diego has always made sense.

Colorado makes WAY more sense in the AL West, both culturally and with their style of play.

Agreed, but I wonder if the MLB is worried about putting a DH in Coors Field and making it even more of a crazy arcade HR launching pad. Though I suppose with the humidor that effect has diminished some.

 

[Dback Jon]

Disagree with you Hoover.

Houston and Dallas are not the same market - so your Bay Area/LA/NYC/Chicago analogy does not apply.

They have to move a NL central team out of the NL Central under ANY scenario. If they move Colorado or Arizona, then who do they move out of the NL Central to the NL West? Won't be Chicago, St. Louis, Milwaukee, Cincy or Pittsburgh.

So Houston is the one moving, either to the AL West with Texas and three West Coast Teams, or NL West, with no team in the same time zone, three West Coast teams, and either AZ or CO.

AL West is the attractive option for that.

In addition, the Astros are for sale. New owner doesn't have veto rights on a move, unlike the other 29 teams.

 

[splitsecond]

houston absolutely makes the most sense.