MLB announces the 6 cities that advance towards expansion team plans

[pwaldo]

https://baseball.realgm.com/wiretap/...-Stadium-Plans

Six cities are aggressively positioning themselves for Major League Baseball's planned expansion to 32 teams, with Nashville and Salt Lake City emerging as early frontrunners despite Commissioner Rob Manfred's assertion that no pre-determinations have been made.

The Athletic recently surveyed expansion efforts in Nashville, Raleigh, Orlando, Salt Lake City, Portland, and Austin. Manfred intends to select two new teams before retiring in 2029, with most groups projecting expansion fees between $2-2.5 billion.

[Boinks]

Nashville or Raleigh makes a lot of sense, I was asking around while on vacation in TN and most of those southern states follow the Braves. Definitely room for a new team in those states.

[bigbenjobu]

SLC will have a similar reasoning. The closest teams are in Denver and Phoenix and each of those are over 500 miles from SLC. I believe a handful of the 6 cities (all but Orlando) also already have minor league teams of some type. I would hope their attendance data would be considered.

[mailministry]

I've read that in 1950 there were 16 teams.
As the League expands it becomes more difficult for a team to win
a championship as there is more competition. Just my thoughts.

[pwaldo]

I know MLB and everyone else to to project things and think of the future well in advance so maybe some of these picks were better thoughts before but if I'm ranking them the Orlando pick is unbelievably stupid. First you already have 2 teams in Florida that aren't really doing much and are always the subject of relocation rumors and second MLB has too many teams on the east coast and not enough out west if you keep the current division structure. Next worse would be Austin because again baseball doesn't really do great in Texas and while Texas and Florida are both expanding population wise probably the most out of all the states you are again just placing them in the same states that already have two teams you will be competing with for fans instead of going to find new user bases.

So those were really the only two bad picks with the Austin one not being as bad as Orlando but Portland was my pick years ago for a team and they had everything going for them. But now I don't know. It would have made sense for the A's to just move there years ago instead of wasting away in Oakland but I guess they are now going to Las Vegas? So that takes a place off the map but Portland has deteriorated the past couple of years and they aren't what they used to be. A team could still work there but there are now better options when I thought years ago they were #1 to get a team. Just because baseball needs more teams spread out in the west. If that wasn't taken into consideration you'd ignore a lot of the teams out west but you can't.

So I guess Salt Lake City would move ahead of Portland to get a team but even the shine has come off of Utah. That state is a little weird and could be heading toward a Portland like downfall but like I said you need a team out west especially if you add one to the east coast. In reality you could probably add 2 to the east that deserve it but you probably need 2 out west to balance out the traveling and distance better. Another knock against Utah is they only had the Jazz before but now that MLB has fallen asleep behind the wheel the NHL now has a team in Utah. Portland still just has the Blazers and would be a natural rivalry with the Seattle Mariners but Utah probably makes more sense right now for a team and would be another offensive park which baseball desperately needs now.

I don't really know which option would be better Nashville, TN or Raleigh, NC but it is weird that both states do not have a MLB team yet. It is just odd because both teams have such large populations now for a place that doesn't have a MLB team. They are basically a toss up with me going with Nashville TN if I had to pick one of the two. If they were out west they would be locks for teams but I'll bet that MLB picks one and gives either Utah or Oregon a team next to ease the travel issues. Ideally if the A's go to Las Vegas which I don't think is a great place now for a MLB team since the Raiders and a NHL team already beat baseball to the punch but it is a much better spot than Oakland ever was the past 25 years. Realistically that team should have moved years ago to avoid this lack of states backlog.

So my idea would be if the A's go to Vegas would be to move the Rays to North Carolina. That helps out the Marlins since they now get the whole Florida market to try and work as a franchise. The Rays get a new stadium (something that was holding them back in Tampa) The expansion teams go to Nashville and Salt Lake City. Not a perfect plan but that's the best fit I see right now.

[RBrauerei]

Nashville seems like a "lock" to me... I think NC would be "out" with TN being so close; but I would go with Charlotte instead of Raleigh. I like the idea of moving Tampa - Jacksonville seems like a better relocation spot. Putting a team in Orlando is like putting one is Vegas. Draw on already built in tourist market. But expansion really only makes sense with a team in East (Nashville) and somewhere in West. If the A's stayed in Sacramento, you could put a new team in Vegas. I don't think Salt Lake City makes much sense, but I have no clear reasons why. Why not Omaha?

[reickholt]

You don't have enough talent to spread around the league now because a few (won't mention teams) buy all of the talent year in and year out.

[RBrauerei]

You don't have enough talent to spread around the league now because a few (won't mention teams) buy all of the talent year in and year out.

Didn't help the Phillies or Yanks this year. Brewers - Mariners WS will be sweet.

[pwaldo]

Nashville seems like a "lock" to me... I think NC would be "out" with TN being so close; but I would go with Charlotte instead of Raleigh. I like the idea of moving Tampa - Jacksonville seems like a better relocation spot. Putting a team in Orlando is like putting one is Vegas. Draw on already built in tourist market. But expansion really only makes sense with a team in East (Nashville) and somewhere in West. If the A's stayed in Sacramento, you could put a new team in Vegas. I don't think Salt Lake City makes much sense, but I have no clear reasons why. Why not Omaha?

Omaha wouldn't be a horrible choice but baseball is slow with their choices and it looks like unless you move a team there which won't happen then the next expansion will come from this pool. I think if we knew if baseball was going to alter the divisions or not would probably tell us how they are going to decide or who the realistic options are. Because if you go by expanding the game to the states with the most people but no team one for TN and NC make the most sense but if you need ones or one on the West Coast or near that you really don't have many options or they would have already happened. The problems with Omaha would be not enough people in the area versus other locations but they really don't help you geography wise. Utah works if you are going to change the divisions to have a Las Vegas, Arizona, Colorado plus Utah type division.