Campys' Cincinnati Reds Page
July 6th, 2000
MLB Realignment:
Bud Selig vs. The Cincinnati Reds
As of the time of this story, almost all is well in Redsland. True, the Reds current slide has briefly knocked them out of contention, but things aren't really all that bad when you look at the big picture. Ken Griffey, Jr.'s bat has started to come alive, and Dante Bichette is putting it in high gear. Pete Harnisch is back and pitching well. (By the way, we still have your pizza Pete!) Our farm system is healthy again after years of Marge Schott dismantling it, and there are a few top prospects that are only a year or two from making a major impact on the big club. Yet there is a dark cloud looming on the horizon. That dark cloud is in the form of divisional realignment.
For the unenlightened Reds fan, Major League Baseball and Commissioner Bud Selig have come forth with a proposal for reshaping the National and American leagues along what they (as only "they" could) consider to be geographic lines. Most people would agree that some form of realignment should be considered, but this is getting out of hand. This proposal will, among other things, create four divisions in the National League, eliminating the wild card playoff berth, which has helped renew many people's interest in the game over the last several years. This alone is a travesty, but it is not the worst part of the plan. Under the current proposal, the Reds will have to leave the National League Central Division for the newly created South East Division, where we will join the Florida Marlins, the Tampa Bay Devil Rays, and the Atlanta Braves. Not only will this destroy natural rivalries with teams like the Chicago Cubs and the Cardinals, but it also forces small-market Cincinnati to complete with larger market (and larger payroll) teams, most notably the Braves. Coupled with the elimination of the wild-card playoff berth, and things start to look pretty bleak.
When you look at it from a purely financial standpoint, baseball fans are not as likely to drive or fly all the way to Cincinnati from the two Florida cities as they might be from Chicago or St. Louis, so both the city and the team stand to lose money from such a move. (Anyone downtown knows the flood of people that come to town when the Cubs or Cardinals come to town. Just try to find a parking space then!) As a Reds fan, it's bad because we won't have as many chances to go to Chicago or St. Louis for the ever infamous two (or three) day baseball road trip. And since when is Cincinnati considered farther south than Houston? For a whole host of reasons, this plan just plain stinks!
You're probably sitting there right now reading this and saying to yourself, "Wow, this whole realignment mess sure does stink, but what can I do about it." Well, rest assured gentle baseball fan, there is something you can do. Take two minutes to drop a line to the Commissioner of Baseball, Bud Selig. Let him know that you are outraged. Let him know that it is time for him to just leave Cincinnati alone, that he has done enough damage here with his treatment of hometown hero Pete Rose.
It is really easy to do, and your involvement as a fan, in the game you love, is what it is going to take to make things right in baseball once again. The address is:
feedback@majorleaguebaseball.com
Don't write nasty letters, as that really won't do any good. Just let them know how you feel, and while you're there, try to put in a good word for Pete!
For previous editions of "Campys' Reds Page"
Other Reds Sites
· www.cincinnatireds.com
· The Sporting News
· Cincinnati Enquirer
· Cincinnati Post
· majorleaguebaseball.com
· ESPN.com
· Fastball
· USA Today
· Minor league affiliates
Click on Mr. Red for the latest information on the 2000 season, and as always.........