[plannine]

While playing pre-1900 baseball over and over, and getting frustrated by almost yearly teams coming and going, I have attempted to make a simple guide to early baseball, merging early leagues into one time line, removing some one season teams, eliminating many team name changes, while still leaving some options for historical failures.

Im sure someone else has tried making it easy, but couldnt find it.

Any comments, suggestions or updates from historical players are welcomed.
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League Structure - is how the league should look at that point in time.
New Teams - anytime during the mentioned period you can add listed teams...
or not.

National Association/National League

LEAGUE STRUCTURE 1871

** Boston Red Stockings
** Chicago White Stockings
** New York Mutuals
** Philadelphia Athletics

New Teams (1872-5)

* Brooklyn Atlantics
* Baltimore Canaries
* Washington Nationals
* Baltimore Marylands
* Philadelphia White Stockings
* Hartford Dark Blues

League Structure 1876 (rebuild league with all new teams)

** Boston Braves #
** Cincinnati Reds #
** St. Louis Cards #
** Chicago Cubs #
** Hartford Dark Blues
** Louisville Grays
** Philadelphia Phillies #
** Philadelphia Athletics


(New Teams - 1878-82)

* Buffalo Bisons
* Cleveland Blues
* Troy Trojans
* Detroit Wolverines
* New York Giants #
* Kansas City Cowboys
* Washington Nationals
* Indianapolis Hoosiers
* Pittsburgh Pirates #
* Cleveland Spiders
* Brooklyn Dodgers #

1883 (LEAGUE sTRUCTURE - 16 Teams)

** Baltimore Orioles
* Boston Braves
* Brooklyn Dodgers
* Buffalo Bisons
* Chicago Cubs
* Cincinnati Reds
* Cleveland Spiders
* Detroit Wolverines
** Louisville Colonels
* Kansas City Cowboys
* New York Giants
* Philadelphia Athletics
* Philadelphia Phillies
* Pittsburgh Pirates
* St. Louis Cardinals
** Washington Senators

1892 (League Struture - 12 Teams)

* Baltimore Orioles
* Boston Braves
* Brooklyn Dodgers
* Chicago Cubs
* Cincinnati Reds
* Cleveland Spiders
* Louisville Colonels
* New York Giants
* Philadelphia Phillies
* Pittsburgh Pirates
* St. Louis Cardinals
* Washington Senators

1900 (League Structure - NL Classic Eight)

* Boston Braves
* Brooklyn Dodgers
* Chicago Cubs)
* Cincinnati Reds
* New York Giants
* Philadelphia Phillies
* Pittsburgh Pirates
* St. Louis Cardinals



1901 AMERICAN LEAGUE

* Baltimore Orioles/NY Yankees
* Boston Americans/Red Sox
* Chicago White Stockings
* Cleveland Blues/Indians
* Detroit Tigers
* Milwaukee Brewers/St Louis Browns
* Philadelphia Athletics
* Washington Senators



All other settings are subject to your version of baseball history but adding (expanding) teams before removing teams will slow down mass retirements (sometimes).

[Garlon]

When I run a simulation starting from 1871 I set things up a bit differently. I don't like the hassle of reloacation and contraction, so when I bring teams into the league I put them at their modern day location. I also set up the leagues/divisions so that the teams are geographic rivals. Instead of the NL and AL, I have the Pacific and Atlantic leagues. New teams are denoted with an asterisk *.

In 1871 I start with the 8 earliest franchises. 4 teams in each league.

1871 – 8 teams
Pacific
Chicago Cubs
St. Louis Cardinals
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Francisco Giants

Atlantic
Atlanta Braves 1876
Cincinnati Reds
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates


In 1882 I expand to 12 teams.

1882 – 12 teams
Pacific
Chicago Cubs
St. Louis Cardinals
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Francisco Giants
*Oakland Athletics
*Minnesota Twins

Atlantic
Atlanta Braves
Cincinnati Reds
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates
*New York Yankees
*Boston Red Sox


In 1890 I expand to 16 teams and have all the teams who were present in 1901 IRL now in the league. Eaach league now has 2 divisions.

1890 – 16 teams
Pacific
West
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Francisco Giants
Oakland Athletics
Minnesota Twins

East
Chicago Cubs
St. Louis Cardinals
*Chicago White Sox
*Detroit Tigers

Atlantic
West
Cincinnati Reds
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates
*Cleveland Indians

East
New York Yankees
Boston Red Sox
Atlanta Braves
*Baltimore Orioles


In 1901 I expand to 20 teams. I add the 2 expansion teams from 1961 IRL (Angels and Rangers) and 2 extra fictional teams (Black Sox and Blue Sox).

1901 – 20 teams
Pacific
West
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Francisco Giants
Oakland Athletics
Minnesota Twins
*Anaheim Angels

East
Chicago Cubs
St. Louis Cardinals
Chicago White Sox
Detroit Tigers
*Indianapolis Black Sox

Atlantic
West
Cincinnati Reds
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates
Cleveland Indians
*Arlington Rangers

East
New York Yankees
Boston Red Sox
Atlanta Braves
Baltimore Orioles
*New Orleans Blue Sox


In 1961 I expand to 24 teams and use 3 divisions per league.

1961 – 24 teams
Pacific
West
Los Angeles Dodgers
San Francisco Giants
Oakland Athletics
Anaheim Angels

Central
Minnesota Twins
St. Louis Cardinals
Indianapolis Black Sox
*Kansas City Royals

East
Chicago Cubs
Chicago White Sox
Detroit Tigers
*Milwaukee Brewers

Atlantic
West
Arlington Rangers
New Orleans Blue Sox
Atlanta Braves
*Houston Astros

Central
Cincinnati Reds
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates
Cleveland Indians

East
New York Yankees
Boston Red Sox
Baltimore Orioles
*New York Mets

In 1977 I do my final expansion to 32 teams. I also change Tampa Bay to Monterrey to give Mexico a team. 4 divisions per league.


1977 – 32 teams
Pacific
Northwest
San Francisco Giants
Oakland Athletics
Minnesota Twins
*Seattle Mariners

SouthWest
Los Angeles Dodgers
Anaheim Angels
*San Diego Padres
*Phoenix DiamondBacks

NorthEast
Chicago Cubs
Chicago White Sox
Detroit Tigers
Milwaukee Brewers

SouthEast
St. Louis Cardinals
Indianapolis Black Sox
Kansas City Royals
*Denver Rockies

Atlantic
NorthWest
Cincinnati Reds
Cleveland Indians
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates

SouthWest
Arlington Rangers
Houston Astros
New Orleans Blue Sox
*Monterrey Bulls

NorthEast
New York Yankees
Boston Red Sox
New York Mets
*Toronto Blue Jays

SouthEast
Baltimore Orioles
Atlanta Braves
*Miami Marlins
*Washington DC Nationals

[plannine]

A interesting breakdown.

I've taken your concept and have started my next solo project (GM only). Taking MLB as a eastcoast/midwest league, and introducing the concept of the PCL as a westcoast only league in 1903.

Eastern Baseball League

1871 – 8 teams
Chicago Cubs
St. Louis Cardinals
Brooklyn Dodgers
New York Giants
Milwaukee Braves
Cincinnati Reds
Philadelphia Phillies
Pittsburgh Pirates

1882 – 12 teams
Philadelphia Athletics
Washington Senators
New York Yankees
Boston Red Sox

1890 – 16 teams
Chicago White Sox
Detroit Tigers
Cleveland Indians
Baltimore Orioles


1935
Kansas City Monarchs
Minnesota Millers

1950
New Orleans Blues
Atlanta Peaches/Crackers

1960
Houston Colt .45s
Dallas Rangers

1970
Montreal Expos
Toronto Blue Jays

1990
Tampa Rays
Miami Marlins


Western Baseball League

1903
Los Angeles Angels
Oakland Oaks
Portland Beavers
? Sacramento Solons
San Francisco Seals
Seattle Rainiers
1920
Hollywood Stars
? Mission Hills
1930
Salt Lake Bees
San Diego Padres
1946
Mexico City Red Devils
Havana Sugar Kings
1955
Phoenix Firebirds
Spokane Tribe
1960
Hawaii Islanders
Vancouver Mounties
1980
Arizona Diamondbacks
Denver Bears

[plannine]

Unless your a stickler for details and historic correctness, the first years could be nicely modified to fit NL/AL form. Since roster sizes should be less then 18 during this time period (I would have a single AAA minor league team - with only 25 roster spots for each team). Of course the teams that you have come in is really up to you (one of the charms of the game)



1871 – 8 teams
NL
Chicago Cubs
St. Louis Cardinals
Brooklyn Dodgers
Philadelphia Phillies
AL
Philadelphia Athletics
Washington Senators
New York Yankees
Boston Red Sox


1882 – 12 teams
NL
Cincinnati Reds
Pittsburgh Pirates
AL
Detroit Tigers
Cleveland Indians


1890 – 16 teams
NL
New York Giants
Milwaukee Braves
AL
Chicago White Sox
Baltimore Orioles