Contraction...and there's no way it'll be us!

The Cub Reporter points out that contraction could be on the way:

Amazing how this has slipped under the radar.  In the past, contraction has been a hot-button issue, especially in small markets like Milwaukee.  Of course, with Selig at the helm, there was probably never much of a threat of the Brewers being contracted, but you could never be sure.  Certainly this affects our friends in the Twin Cities.  More of the details:

Even with all the madness over building a stadium in DC, I'd be shocked if the Nats were chosen for contraction.  They made a splash with the public in their first season, and you know that if they were contracted, they'd remain the first target of every team who thought about relocating in the future.  DC politics will get dealt with eventually, and a stadium will be built somehow.

What interests me the most about all of this, though, is what happens if the likely targets--Florida and Minnesota--get axed.  

First, you'll have an odd number of teams in each league.  Somebody'll have to move.  There'll be an opening in the AL Central, and I can think of one NL team that used to play in the American League...you get the idea.  I wasn't following the Brewers when the team switched leagues the first time, but that's a pretty massive change for those of us interested in projecting the future for teams and players.  

In fact, the more I think about it, the more I like it.  It won't do wonders for the pitching staff, as more runs are scored in the AL than the NL, but that's a wash, since we'll get a DH too.  And once Frank Thomas retires, the most obvious DH in baseball will be a Brewer.  Whatever you say about Prince Fielder's work ethic and attitude, the guy is destined to spend much of his career as a DH--why not start now?  That would allow Corey Hart to take over at first.  Unlike the vast majority of NL teams, we're ready to move.  

Competitively, I like it, too.  Yes, the reigning World Champions are in the AL Central, but I'm not convinced the Sox are a dynasty waiting to happen.  The Indians are a solid, well-run franchise, but without deep pockets, they'll never turn into the Yankees of Ohio.  Royals and Tigers?  Yeah.  Next?

In the NL Central, we're actually taking advantage of a blip of an opportunity.  The Cardinals will probably always be a major threat--I suspect they'll be a powerhouse in their division long after the White Sox return to mediocrity.  After all, Albert Pujols is signed until I hit my mid-life crisis.  Once Dusty Baker goes away and the front office rethinks their approach, the Cubs might throw their money around more wisely, and could easily be a threat each year.  In Houston, the size of the market suggests the Astros could support a $90m payroll as well.  Even the Reds, under new ownership, might parallel the Indians or (gasp!) the Brewers in a few years.  

In short, there are advantages to relocating ourselves.  I'm running longer than I intended to, but here's one more thought from the Cub Reporter:

I'm a little obsessed with talent drafting, whether it be Rule V, or a fantasy or Strat-O-Matic league, so this is what really makes me think.  The obvious answer is some sort of draft, like the expansion drafts of the past.  But in those cases, only two teams were involved, so draft order didn't matter much, and the talent available was minimal.

This time, consider the possibilities.  Dontrelle freakin' Willis!  Joe freakin' Mauer!  Miggy freakin' Cabrera!  From the Twins: Scott Baker, Francisco Liriano, Justin Morneau, Jason Kubel!  From the Marlins: Jeremy Hermida, Scott Olsen, Josh Willingham (I want dibs on him), Anibal Sanchez, Hanley Ramirez, Yusmiero Petit, Wes Helms!

Okay, just kidding on that last one.

Think of it: if the Marlins are contracted and there's a draft, organized sort of like the amateur draft, Dontrelle Willis will be a Royal in 2007.  Think about it.