Major League Baseball: A Few Suggestions

My suggestion for Major League isn't so much a change in alignment (Astros to the AL West was a great move)  as it is the format of the game and scheduling.  Since the inception of the DH fans in the AL and NL have hotly debated which system is superior.  NL fans like the fact that under their system there is much more strategy involved in winning games and that the managers have to make more make-or-break decisions during games.  AL fans like the hitting and offense that comes with a DH.  The increase in interleague play has made this argument even more heated.  Each side feels like they are at a disadvantage when they play in a ballpark in the other other league and have to conform to their gameplay.  Both sides want to see Bud Selig standardize game play and make the other league play by their rules.  DH is never going to go away---the player's union will not give up 15 high paying jobs to aging veterans.  On the other hand NL fans tend to be baseball purists and buying into DH would be an anathema for them.

Here is what I would like to see: A Compromise
Let's add a 10th batter and have both a DH and the pitcher bat in both leagues.  The best elements of both systems are preserved and neither fanbase feels like the commisioner's office alienated them.  Interleague play becomes much more seamless as neither team has to make adjustments as both will be accustomed to the same rules.   The player's union will be happy too as 15 jobs for utility players just became high paying DHs and the careers of 15 veterans will be extended.

I'd also like to see baseball try to build more regional rivalries by having the NL and AL teams in the region play each other (i.e. more games between the AL Central and NL Central)

My other suggestion is that they should look into adding two additional franchises within the southeastern United States.  This region is fanatical about sports, particularly baseball and football, and has been historically under-served by professional sports.  The Southeastern United States is also home to many excellent collegiate baseball programs too as the SEC and ACC are both powerhouse leagues in the sport.  This is also a rapidly growing region while MLB's strongholds in the Midwest and Northeast are starting to shrink.  Studies would have to be conducted to determine the best possible locations for expansion franchises but Charlotte and either Nashville or Memphis seem to be good fits.  This opens up the possibility of creating a division of southern teams in each league and going to 8 divisions as opposed to 6.