The question is… where is home?
The Los Angeles Dodgers and the San Francisco Giants went into their series this weekend tied for the lead in the National League Western Division, a race that probably won’t be decided until the last few days of the season in October. These two storied franchises have been battling one another since the 1890’s, when both called New York their home. They brought their rivalry out west, both moving to California in 1958.
Major League Baseball last expanded in 1998, when the Arizona Diamondbacks and the Tampa Bay Devil Rays were introduced. There are currently 30 MLB teams, and word is that two more franchises will be added at some point soon, making eight divisions of four teams each.
For my Module 3 assignment, I am searching for recent information on the topic of MLB expansion, including possible relocation for some teams:
A Definitive Look at MLB Relocation Now That the Oakland A’s are Exploring It
Forbes Magazine, published May 12, 2021
This story takes an in-depth look at the three cities in the Western U.S. that are in the running to become the future home of the Athletics, if the team petitions the league to leave Oakland. Because this story is on Forbes.com, I find it to be a credible story. It seems that the author has done thorough research about each of the locations, and referenced quotes from previous articles and even his own conversation with the commissioner. Despite its location on Forbes.com, the story is opinion. It merely speculates whether or not the team will move at some point, and provides reasoning why it will probably not happen.
Expansion fees for Major League Baseball teams could rise to $2.2 billion range
ESPN, published April 27, 2021
The Associated Press is listed as the byline for this article on ESPN.com, so right away my takeaway is that it’s a credible news story. In the article, there are numerous quotes from an event that MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred spoke at regarding the issue of expansion. Manfred continues to state that expansion will not take place until the two teams with ballpark issues (Oakland and Tampa Bay) have new stadiums in place. The use of direct quotes and the lack of speculation are indicators that this story is factual news.
Are Tampa Bay Rays considering Nashville relocation for MLB franchise?
The Tennessean, published May 29, 2021
At first glance, I thought for sure that this article was an opinion piece. First off, it’s a story about the possibility of an MLB team coming to Nashville… in a Tennessee publication. However, upon reading the article I would classify it as a news story. The authors cite excerpts from an article in the Tampa Bay Times. They list facts about the opportunity that Nashville has to land a team, the steps they are taking to secure a viable ballpark, and the former players and business people that are behind the effort. I believe the Tennessean to be a credible news source, since they are part of the larger Gannett media company.
Possible Expansion Destinations for Major League Baseball
Yardbarker, published June 9, 2021
Of the four articles that I have reviewed, this was the easiest call to make: Opinion. And the credibility of this post is in question as well. The article starts off with the explanation that MLB teams have relocated or expanded since the 1950s because they were following the population growth of the United States. That part makes sense. They go on to list cities that have experienced the highest population jumps in the last decade, and that seems to be the only basis for their inclusion. I consider this article opinion because there is no specific author. Furthermore, it’s a story from another publication posted with permission. Finally, the website itself looks like a hodgepodge of advertisements and click-bait sports stories vying for attention. That’s why I question the credibility of the site.
Moves that are made in sports are due to one thing: money. The addition of two more teams will bring the total number of teams to 32, and it makes sense that there would be eight divisions of four teams each. Opponents of the Wild Card format (i.e. a team making the playoffs despite not winning their division) will be happy to see that only the team that wins each division would advance.
I don’t think it’s a matter of will it happen. It’s a question of when expansion will occur. And then we’ll figure out which teams will have a new place to call home.
