From Scott Miller's CBS SportsLine column:

Conspiracy without the Zapruder film

And then there's San Francisco Chronicle columnist Bruce Jenkins' recent take on contraction and the Oakland schedule this season:

"Have you really examined the A's schedule this year? The only legitimate conclusion is 'conspiracy.' They have no weekend series against the Yankees or Red Sox, instead showcasing the likes of Toronto, Tampa Bay, Kansas City and Detroit on Saturdays and Sundays. As their turn came up for the National League Central in interleague play, they didn't get the Cubs or the Cardinals -- in a given year, the two teams you really want -- at home or away. Seattle got both of those teams on its home schedule, naturally. The A's got Houston and Milwaukee. And that's no accident. That's a dead-cinch plot. Drive that attendance down, and watch 'em rot."

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Chicago Cubs -- Back-to-back World Series Champions 1907-1908
EAMUS CATULI -- AC135794

My theory on this varies. I see his point, because I thought the same thing when I saw the Cubs and Cards on the Marlins' weekday schedule (instead of weekend) and the fact that they opened with the Expos. But the thing about teams with national followings is that they draw on weekends AND weekdays (note Milwaukee games as an example of that), so maybe they are actually trying to strengthen a team's schedule by giving them the strong draws during the week and letting the weekend-only fans -- who come just because it's the weekend -- get what they get.

Now the A's story seems to have a little more weight. No Cubs or Cardinals at all seems strange. I'd think the Cardinals could have at least a passing interest because of the McGwire-LaRussa connection. And of course the Cubs have fans everywhere. But fans of these teams also get to see them every year across the Bay, too. That might have played a role in the decision. Who knows.

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Chicago Cubs -- Back-to-back World Series Champions 1907-1908
EAMUS CATULI -- AC135794

But fans of these teams also get to see them every year across the Bay, too. That might have played a role in the decision. Who knows.

Exactly. And the PNW only gets AL teams cuz there's no National League presence within 1000 miles, so they decided to send the good teams up north.

Portland in the National League.

... of why interleague play will work ONLY if the teams are rotated on a consistent basis so that, over a period of three years, every NL and AL city gets to see EVERY team in the other league equally as often as every other team! Come on, MLB, let's be fair to EVERY team, not just the "big market/big money" teams!!!

quote:

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BC in Newberg Come on, MLB, let's be fair to EVERY team, not just the "big market/big money" teams!!!

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Ha! MLB be fair to small market teams that would be funny. But man I wish they would, I'm tired of seeing my beloved Royals being treated like dirt. This franchise used to be one of the best in baseball and now everyone thinks it sucks.

Kansas City Royals - 1985 World Series Champions