Realignment: D-backs, Astros two candidates to move to AL

PHOENIX  The Arizona Diamondbacks could be the team most likely to change leagues if Major League Baseball implements realignment in its new collective bargaining agreement.

"We would do whatever's best for baseball," said Diamondbacks president Derrick Hall, whose team would move to the American League West from the National League West under one of the plans being discussed by MLB and the players' association. "Most would say us or the Astros would be best candidates (to shift leagues)."

Another option would be for the Houston Astros to move to the AL West from the National League Central, but outgoing team owner Drayton McLane says he wants the team to stay in the NL.

The changes would put 15 teams in each league with six divisions of five teams each. The AL West is baseball's only division with four teams. If Astros moved, the NL Central would be left with five teams. If the Diamondbacks relocated, the NL West would have four teams, meaning the Astros would probably change divisions.

MLB and the players' association have also discussed discarding the divisional format, according to ESPN.com, which cited a highly ranked executive. Under this plan, the top five teams in each league would make the postseason. And in both cases, the odd number of teams in each league would mean there would be at least one interleague series being contested throughout the season.

Commissioner Bud Selig and union chief Michael Weiner declined to publicly discuss details as their sides negotiate a collective bargaining agreement to replace the one expiring later this year. But Weiner confirmed Monday they have talked about realignment and that he expects discussions to continue.

"It's 2011, it's time to change some stuff," said Detroit Tigers manager Leyland. "(But) there's so many channels you have to go through to get something changed. It's not like you just wake up and say, 'You know what? I don't like this anymore, we're going to change it.' You have to go through ownership, you have to go through the players' association. There's just so many things involved.

"Right now it's in the stages where it's just too complicated because there's so much more than meets the eye."

Baseball last realigned in 1997 when the Milwaukee Brewers moved to the NL Central from the AL Central.

No matter what form of realignment, if any, takes place, Selig has said he still anticipates adding another wild-card team from each league. The wild card teams would play each another in a best-of-three first-round series, or a one-game tiebreaker.

"The wild card was a great idea, awesome idea," Chicago White Sox manager Ozzie Guillen says. "Add another ballclub in the playoffs. It's great for baseball. One more team in the playoffs is better for a lot of people.''