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Detroit Tigers links: Expansion could be in MLB's future

Commissioner Rob Manfred hinted that expansion might be around the corner.

By JT Law and Kurt Mensching
Eric Bolte-USA TODAY Sports

While making remarks in Phoenix recently, MLB commissioner Rob Manfred hinted that expansion might be on the table once the new collective agreement with the players is settled this upcoming December.

Because really, "nice even numbers in each league" sounds like a pretty aesthetically pleasing thing, right? It would make the baseball standings ressemble a Wes Anderson movie again. (Ahhh, Grand Budapest Hotel, you were glorious in all your symmetry.)

This means two things:

  1. Expansion ... What cities should get franchises? Who might be relocated? (And/or, should MLB follow the NFL's lead here?)
  2. Realignment ... How should divisions look with 32 teams? Should we even have divisions? How about doing away with leagues entirely, and make it all look like English soccer? (Minus the relegation, of course.)

A lot of people would like to see Montreal have an MLB team again. But the Nationals seem to be drawing decent crowds, so pulling the trick the NFL did with the Rams doesn't seem too likely. The Rays seem like prime moving-material, but if that franchise can finally lock down a decent stadium deal, that takes care of them. The A's always seem on the edge of moving, as O.Co is, from all reports, a dump -- but they seem to have their eye on all that tech money around San Jose, which the Giants aren't too happy about. And, New York once handled three teams, could they do it again?

So, what are your ideas when it comes to expansion and/or realignment? A tweak, perhaps? A massive reconstruction? Let your imagination run wild.

It rained in Lakeland but we got some stories anyway

Miguel Cabrera might play third base when the Tigers start the season in Miami. That's ... nice? The Tigers are doubling down on their decision to sign Mike Pelfrey. They feel like he's a little farther removed from his surgery and should see progress. Tigers closer Francisco Rodriguez is finally on his way to Lakeland after having a visa issue that needed to be cleared up.

Oh, and listen to our podcast

Tiger social media was weird today

Here is a photo of Kate Upton with a vacuum cleaner. Why?  ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

Daniel Norris is feeling at home in Lakeland

Around the Central

Well, this has nothing to do with this season, but the story of how Tom Seaver was nearly a member of the Indians is still pretty good. The Twins, like the Tigers, have a pretty powerful, right-handed lineup.

And finally ...

Yoenis Cespedes is just like you and me:

He enjoys fast cars and waffles.

Except he might actually loan you his fast car to bring him waffles, so that's probably the key difference right now.

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