MLB Bullets is considering a radical realignment

Happy Monday! We hope everyone enjoyed Easter and that the Easter Bunny was still able to make his rounds while maintaining the necessary social distance protocols. There was quite a bit of discussion over the weekend about new concepts for how a spring training style MLB season might work, and the chief concept among them involves the “radical realignment” of the leagues.

Basically, instead of the AL and NL, we would have Cactus and Grapefruit Leagues for the season, with divisions in those new leagues that would allow teams to play in Arizona or Florida and limit travel.

Here’s an idea of how that might look.

Division rival Oakland Athletics doesn’t have quite the same feel as the Cardinals, I admit.

• At SI.com Stephanie Apstein warns that we shouldn’t get too excited about the prospect of sports coming back any time soon.
• Ty Kelly thinks the idea of the Angels playing in the Cactus League is... wordy.

• Matt Friedman shared the subtle obituary posted by Al Kaline’s family.
• MLB.com makes its best guesses as to which player’s number will be retired next, and considering the rarity with which the Cubs retire numbers, they make an interesting choice.
• Ken Rosenthal interviews Mets phenom Pete Alonso about his breakout season and the strangeness of 2020. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Pedro Moura shares an incredible but true story of a falling sack of flour at a Dodgers game for The Athletic. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Over at Crains Cleveland, Kevin Cleps wonders if the increase in at-home viewing during this time might change the way sports fans get to view their chosen games in the future.
• Evan Drellich looks at the uncertain future of minor league baseball. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• For SI.com Emma Baccellieri looks at the return of baseball with the CPBL resuming play in Taiwan. (Can we get those games broadcast in North America please?)
• Toronto Blue Jays GM Mark Shapiro talks to Jim Bowden about the delayed 2020 season in a candid Q&A. (The Athletic subscription required.)
• Imagine if your only major league appearance was taking the ball from Mariano Rivera. Mark Feinsand shares the story of Sam Marsonek with the Yankees.
• At The New York Times Ira Berkow remembers Al Kaline, and how the legendary player wondered if he should have been a doctor instead.
• ICYMI here, Kris and Jessica Bryant welcomed Kyler Lee Bryant on April 7, and shared a first photo over the weekend.

And tomorrow will be a better day than today, Buster. Make it so.