SSTN Mailbag: Division Re-Alignment, Starting Pitching, And Dominguez Vs. Verdugo!

This was fun. As much as I wanted the Yankees to clinch the AL East during the first game of the series against the O's, winning in decisive fashion to clinch was pretty sweet. Each team's ace faced off, and the Yanks came out on top. Both teams' starters did enough to win, but the Yankees' offense eventually overwhelmed the Orioles' bullpen. It was a great win, and rather than use one game to make predictions about the playoffs, I think it's okay to just enjoy the win and the season as a whole. The Yanks have had a roller coaster season, but they still finished a 162 game season with a win in the division. Step 1 of a (hopefully) championship season is complete. As a fan, I'm as happy as I've been in any Yankee season since 2019, so I'm sure the guys that have put in all the work feel even better, and they deserve to feel good for a day.

As always, thanks for the great questions and keep them coming to SSTNReadermail@gmail.com. In this week's SSTN Mailbag, we'll talk about division re-alignment, starting pitching, and debate the relative merits of Jasson Dominguez vs. Alex Verdugo in LF! Let's get at it:

Jeff asks: I have never been a fan of the Wild Card in baseball.  Neither is at least one of the regular writers on the SSTN site.  I think it is unfair for any second place or third place team to make it to the post season, and even more unfair for a second place or third place team to make it to the World Series.  I think the World Series AND the post season should be strictly for FIRST PLACE teams only.  I have a proposal to change this, and I just wanted to get your feedback on this.

1.  Add 2 NEW EXPANSION TEAMS to the MLB to bring the total number of teams to 32 teams.

   
   

2. Break up those 32 teams into 4 Divisions in the AL and 4 Divisions in the NL. (Total of 8 Divisions).  Each division would contain just 4 teams each.

   
   

3. Eliminate the AL Central and the NL Central, and replace it with TWO NEW divisions in each league, the AL North, the AL South, the NL North, and the NL South. (The East and West divisions will remain).

   
   

4. Only the 8 FIRST PLACE teams would go to the post season (4 FIRST PLACE AL Teams and 4 FIRST PLACE NL Teams).  NO WILD CARD!

   
   

So here is what the divisions could possibly look like.  The Expansion Teams can go in any divisional alignment where they would be a better geographical fit, because I purposely didn't give the NEW EXPANSION TEAMS a "city name" in this plan, because which cities get those expansion teams is a discussion for another time.  Also, I was careful to keep key rivals like the Cubs and the Cardinals together in the same division.  With the teams listed ALPHABETICALLY, HERE IS WHAT IT COULD POSSIBLY LOOK LIKE:

AL EAST

Baltimore Orioles

Boston Red Sox

New York Yankees

Tampa Bay Rays

AL NORTH

Chicago White Sox

Cleveland Guardians

Detroit Tigers

Toronto Blue Jays

AL SOUTH

Expansion Team

Houston Astros

Kansas City Royals

Texas Rangers

AL WEST

Las Vegas Athletics (A's)

Los Angeles Angels

Minnesota Twins

Seattle Mariners

_________________________

NL EAST

New York Mets

Philadelphia Phillies

Pittsburgh Pirates

Washington Nationals

NL NORTH

Chicago Cubs

Cincinnati Reds

Milwaukee Brewers

St Louis Cardinals

NL SOUTH

Arizona Diamondbacks

Atlanta Braves

Expansion Team

Miami Marlins

NL WEST

Colorado Rockies

Los Angeles Dodgers

San Diego Padres

San Francisco Giants

What do you think?

It's a really interesting idea! I do think it is inevitable that MLB will welcome 2 more expansion teams once the situations with the A's and Rays are totally settled. Commissioner Manfred has been very clear about his intention on that front. However, I have very real concerns about adding 2 more expansion teams, given the difficulty teams have right now finding enough healthy pitching, as 2 more teams will only limit that depth further. I also agree that breaking up the divisions further means that there is no Wild Card, per say.

However, I'm not sure that breaking up the divisions this way really accomplishes the goal of keeping an "inferior" team from making the playoffs. I'm sure MLB would love the idea of keeping more regions of the country involved in the playoffs, but the reality is that separating each league into divisions often keeps some of the better teams out of the playoffs. I think the current playoff system does a better job of ensuring that a good team isn't left without a chance, but I also think there is a better way, still, of accomplishing that goal.

I would eliminate divisions entirely, regardless of expansion teams. Take the 4 best teams in the AL and the 4 best teams in the NL, and call it a day. MLB wouldn't go for this, in all likelihood, because it is possible for entire regions of the country to be left out of the playoffs, but I think there is much more merit to eliminating divisions in their entirety.

I like your idea, Jeff, but I'm more partial to any idea that ensures the best teams make the playoffs every year.

Fuster asks: I'm generally of the opinion that the Yankees should incline to adding a new starter every season,

but in 2024 the team has had six viable starters, although it has rarely, if ever, had all six available at the same time.

going into 2025, is it your opinion that the Yankees should add another starter

while trading away one of the current six?

I ask about adding one mainly because I think that the couple of good starting prospects possessed by the organization are not likely to be ready until late in 2025  or even later.

The readiness of the current crop of Yankee starting pitching prospects is the key to this conversation, isn't it? Chase Hampton was on a trajectory to be ready late this year, but a lost season due to injury really puts his future in question at the moment. Warren really showed that my concerns about his ability to start long-term were sadly valid, and any other good starting pitching prospects are either 2 years or more away or spent the year hurt. I don't think that the Yankees can plan on any internal additions to the rotation.

Like you, I expect the Yankees to add a starter this off-season. Given the current names that will be available on the free agent market, I think it is likely that the Yankees will deal for a starting pitcher. It's hard to imagine Yankee starters being healthier than they were this year, and they will need more depth to get through next season. Whether that depth comes in the form of a high-end starter remains to be seen, but in the right deal, I have no doubt but that Cashman would be willing to move one of the Yankees' current starters. Remember, there have been rumors for the last year that the Yanks were willing to move Nestor for the right deals.

Don't be surprised if the Yankees shake up the rotation again this off-season.

Brian asks: Who would you play in LF in the playoffs? Dominguez is dynamic and talented, but he looks really rough defensively.

I have a real problem with the way the Yankees handled Dominguez and Verdugo late in the year. Dominguez played the vast majority of his games in the minors in CF, and while he played some LF in recent weeks, it isn't a lot of reps, and he missed a lot of defensive reps early in the year. Dominguez should have played a lot more LF in the minors, and he should have been given a longer MLB runway so that the Yankees could make a more informed decision.

I don't think Dominguez is a poor defender; I think he's lacking experience in LF and is struggling with reads on balls in the air. The angles between the three outfield positions are completely different, hence why Judge has not shifted to LF so that Dominguez could play CF with greater frequency.

I actually think last night showed what the Yankees are thinking about. Dominguez remains more dynamic at the plate and particularly on the basepaths as compared to Verdugo. Last night, the Yanks started Dominguez and used Verdugo as a defensive replacement, when he of course, got one AB and planted a ball into the seats. I would carry both Dominguez and Verdugo on the roster, as it gives the Yankees the most late-inning flexibility. I trust Dominguez far more offensively, though Verdugo remains the more solid defender in LF...for now.