The Greatest Conspiracy Ever
Normally we don’t link to Yankee blogs.
But in this case, we must.
Read Ryan Tandy’s latest conspiracy theory post on Bronx Brass Tax.
It will explain why the Mets are playing in a stadium that looks like Ebbetts Field.
And even if you don’t believe in conspiracy theories, this one has all the pieces in place — particularly when you consider the shell game Bud Selig played with the Expos, Red Sox, and Marlins a few years ago.
I think conspiracies are fun to talk about but some people ruin them by actually believing them. It, in so many ways, is exactly like trade rumors in sports. Even just trade scenarios that are discussed. So it’s fun, until someone thinks it’s real.
So, in the interest of fun, here’s my scenario for the conspiracy. The Mets are dissolved as in the scenario laid out by the Bronx Brass blog, with the Dodgers coming back to NYC. Then, the Rays are moved from TB to LA and maintain their name becoming the LA Rays (rolls off the tongue quite nice). The Rays move to the NL West (because the Angels won’t allow another LA team in the AL West), and the Dodgers to the NL East. This, of course means more shifting must be done. The NL still has 16 teams but the AL now only has 13. So, to mitigate this problem the Brewers move back to the AL Central and the Tigers move back to the AL East. So 14 and 15, there’s still a problem. This forces the MLB to either contract or add a team. Since there really is no good candidate for contraction, a team must be added to take over for the Mets starting in Tampa where an unused building sits.
Many would argue that there are one too many teams in Florida (or maybe two too many).
I don’t know that this conspiracy theory is such a stretch. Look back in history with what MLB did with the Senators / Twins / Rangers. Or as Joe points out, the Expos/Marlins/Red Sox swindle that conveniently put John Henry in Boston and Jeff Loria in Miami. Maybe it’s silly to think the groundwork was laid 10 years ago, but it wouldn’t surprise me to see Selig find a way to move the Dodgers back to NY.
So if the A’s are contracted then the Rays could go to the AL West to replace them, or if the same idea holds with the Angels not liking that then perhaps the Rockies or Dbacks would consider moving to the AL West. Then you would have 28 teams, 5-5-4 division setups again, and then everyone is happy.
You are also forgetting the highly plausible, NY adds a third team because lets face it, they can.