Re: Expansion - Round 2
Reply #9 –
To be honest, I thought that this might be the logic behind why some people might be in favor of expansion, but I basically disagree with the argument. I think with 20 teams, it will be hard for a team to just set a profile and then let it autopilot for the entire season. But another question there is why is that a problem. If a team through good planning, skilled drafting, digging hidden gems in free agency, careful trading, puts themselves into a position that they can have a regular lineup, rotation and bullpen that is ready to go, then great for them. We should be applauding teams that have that skill, and that's one of the rewards for them. I'd actually though say that some of the better teams do it through getting platoon matchups or knowing that a player might not give them 100% of a season, so they'll need to find a reserve to make it through the season with.
However, how many teams can have that perfect swirl of events happen to place them in that position? And how long can they maintain that? It doesn't happen often and it is harder to maintain than we think. For example, I'm in great shape with my everyday lineup, but I only have about $10 million right now to stabilize the back of my rotation and to build a bullpen. Next season, I'll have a lot players still coming back, but a bigger bill is due on Mookie Betts and I'll see the first year of arbitration with Lindor. So, I think even though it might seem like setting an MP for the season and letting it go is somehow devoid of strategy is just not true. Strategy comes in many different forms, but the biggest in a league like this is the players you have, and how you acquire them, and which ones you acquire.
I think last year with expansion, the dialing back on the playing time, a new system of arbitration and from the previous season with the changes to the minor league draft eligibility, a lot has been done to try to limit the autopiloting of a team. I also think those moves have increased the strategy of the league and most likely the activity level of the league. I just think it is wiser to let the league find a new equilibrium before throwing another wrench into things.
As for overall activity, in any league, you'll have various degrees there. I like the team building aspect, so I'm in for the minor league draft and really studying free agency. Other teams love the wheeling and dealing of trading. But I think trying to make changes in the rule structure just to get more activity will tend to backfire. I keep coming back to the thought that I think we are trying to make this more complex, just so that it is more complex, and that's not a good reason. If we wanted to do that, we could just get a game of The Cones of Dunshire going and be done with it.