Expanded baseball league under Rob Manfred's leadership may potentially dissolve the historic rivalry between the St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs.
Major League Baseball (MLB) commissioner Rob Manfred is considering expansion and realignment, with a focus on creating eight divisions of four teams each 1. This shift could see the league moving away from the traditional three-division setup per league towards a more compact, geographically logical model.
For the St. Louis Cardinals, this potential reorganization may have significant implications. Current speculation suggests that the Cardinals could be grouped with regional rivals such as the Chicago Cubs, Milwaukee Brewers, and possibly the Cincinnati Reds or another team to maintain historic rivalries 3.
The aim is to preserve cherished rivalries like Cardinals-Cubs, despite the reorganization, as these are among baseball's most valued rivalries that league officials and fans want to protect 3. However, this realignment could also mean saying goodbye to familiar foes like Milwaukee, Cincinnati, Chicago, and Pittsburgh 2.
The exact division alignment for the Cardinals is yet to be determined, as there are multiple paths the league could take 2. One proposed alignment includes the Cardinals, Kansas City Royals, Houston Astros, and Texas Rangers 1. In this scenario, the Cardinals would be the smallest market team in the division, with Minneapolis being a significantly larger market 1.
It's important to note that no official realignment plan has been announced yet. These are working proposals and analyses based on current MLB expansion discussions and geographic considerations 1, 2, 3.
In the past, the Cardinals and Royals were in the same division from 1994 until 2012. If the league expands to 32 teams and adopts four-team divisions, the Cardinals may find themselves in a division with the Royals, Chicago Cubs, and Chicago White Sox (Option 1: Rivalries Remain) 2.
Another possibility is that the American League and National League as we know them may become extinct, with conferences similar to those in the NBA and NFL taking over 1.
Josh Jacobs, Redbird Rants' site editor, previously proposed a division alignment that includes the Cardinals, Chicago Cubs, Chicago White Sox, and Minnesota Twins 1.
If expansion occurs, the league may geographically re-align to save travel costs and make the postseason format more appealing for networks like ESPN 1. However, this could also mean the Cardinals losing some of their biggest rivals.
In summary, a 32-team MLB might feature eight divisions bundled geographically, and while the Cardinals’ exact divisional mates aren’t finalized, they would most likely stay grouped with their regional rivals in a realigned National League division designed to minimize travel and preserve key rivalry dynamics 1, 2, 3. This could mean new opponents but also a stronger focus on maintaining long-standing rivalries important to St. Louis fans.
References:
- MLB.com
- St. Louis Post-Dispatch
- The Athletic
