Whenever MLB Expands to 32 Teams the National and American Leagues Should be Preserved

 

Rob Manfred, the Commissioner of Baseball, says that MLB will not expand until the stadium situations in Tampa Bay and Oakland are resolved.  The stadium in Oakland needs to be updated while the park in St. Petersberg needs to be more centrally located.  Those two cities should be given an ultimate for planning a new stadium constructed by a specific date.  This way MLB can move forward with specific expansion plans.

Jim Bowden, a baseball writer, suggests in The Athletic (subscription required) that the National and American Leagues be abolished and MLB have an eastern and western conference with divisions based on geography.  Each league has a very rich history with unique hitting and pitching records.  This should be preserved.  He also assumes that Charlotte and Nashville will get expansion teams.  These cities are also be considered in future expansion:

• Montreal
• Las Vegas
• Portland, Oregon

His article is totally speculative.  Below is his proposal,

Eastern Conference

East Division

Boston Red Sox

New York Mets

New York Yankees

Philadelphia Phillies

North Division

Cincinnati Reds

Cleveland Guardians

Detroit Tigers

Toronto Blue Jays

Mid-Atlantic Division

Baltimore Orioles

Charlotte expansion team

Pittsburgh Pirates

Washington Nationals

Southeast Division

Atlanta Braves

Miami Marlins

Nashville expansion team

Tampa Bay Rays

Western Conference

Midwest Division

Chicago Cubs

Chicago White Sox

Milwaukee Brewers

Minnesota Twins

Southwest Division

Houston Astros

Kansas City Royals

St. Louis Cardinals

Texas Rangers

Pacific Coast Division

Colorado Rockies

Oakland/Las Vegas A’s

Seattle Mariners

San Francisco Giants

West Division

Arizona Diamondbacks

Los Angeles Angels

Los Angeles Dodgers

San Diego Padres