ROB MANFRED DROPS HIS BIGGEST UPDATE YET!

Just when I think I can't possibly dislike Rob Manfred anymore than I already do, he proves me wrong. 
There's two things he's exceptionally good at, getting under my skin and fundamentally destroying the game of baseball in hopes to revitalize it.

So in case you have been living under a rock lately, Manfred wants an MLB expansion before he retires in hopes to "Geographically realign" the divisions based on closer proximity. You can read more of the details HERE. Yup, his ideas just get more and more brain dead.

Manfred's big announcement came Sunday night during ESPN's broadcast of the MLB Little League classic, and then sent all baseball purists heads spinning. This idea is without a doubt one of the biggest shake-ups in history and the long-standing American League and National League format that we've had for more than 100 years would cease to exist.

Looking at the map above, some divisions become incredibly boring, it would be like watching wet paint dry. The western divisions in particular are as dull as you can get. I'm not tuning into the Diamondbacks, A's (even in their eventual new home), PORTLAND, and Seattle OR Houston cheating Astros, Rangers, Royals or Rockies....that's a nap waiting to happen. Looking at the Eastern conference, assuming NASHVILLE is an expansion team that division could be an easy no effort win for the Braves if Nashville isn't a competitive team. The Phillies, Yankees, Mets and Boston just feels unfair. It's ridiculous.

Again, that's assuming Nashville and Portland are the two expansion teams. I can see Nashville, but I don't see Portland at all. If any state out west is getting a new team it would be Utah. Of course, without them getting a hockey team I'd never pick that either but that is a market that Manfred should be looking to tap into more than Portland.

Of course, Manfred didn't commit to anything or even say the map above is what is on the table but no matter where MLB expands, I could see Manfred looking to use an Eastern and Western Conference format similar to the one in the NBA or NHL, with 16 teams in each conference.

Manfred said he thinks this realignment would "save a lot of wear and tear on players in terms of travel" and "postseason format would be even more appealing for entities like ESPN because you'd be playing up out of the East and out of the West." I don't see it that way. The wear and tear experienced is more involved than just the travel aspect.

I don't personally think MLB needs to expand. We have plenty of teams as it is, so the number of teams is not driving expansion. Money is what is driving expansion. We all know television markets and the price new franchises will pay to join. It has nothing to do with the quality of the game.

Manfred doesn't care about us even though he wants more of us to watch baseball. This is all about legacy and being the guy that adds billions of dollars into the game before he's gone. He's gonna build a legacy alright.....it's just not the good one he thinks it is.

--Jeana Bellezza-Ochoa

BYB Senior Managing Editor

Twitter: @nyprincessj