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What are the different leagues in baseball? Can someone explain the "baseball system"?
I wasn't raised in America. How does the baseball system work? How many leagues are there? How do potential players get recognized and go pro (Colleges, organizations, etc.)? What are the MAJOR events and how often do they come around? Etc. That sort of information.
Thanks.
There are two major baseball leagues. The American League and the National League. The National League was orginally the only Major League in Baseball, but in the early 1900's the recognized the American League as an equal. That is why the National League is call the Senior Circuit and the American League the Junior Circuit. Players are drafted yearly onto the teams. They have the choice out of high school of accepting their position in the draft, or choosing to go to college. If they choose to go to college then they must stay for three years and then re-enter the draft again. The draft happens yearly in June, and it is a very complicated affair with all teams drafting for several dozen rounds. The players are then assigned to minor league system of the team's they are drafted on. Until Branch Rickey of the St. Louis Cardinals formed the Minor league system in the last 1920's teams had no collection of teams in which to groom talent. He came up with the idea and soon it because the norm and standard for baseball. Each team has minor league affiliates at the Rookie, A, AA, AAA level. The triple A team being the closest to a finished Major League product. Players that are drafted out of high school are generally sent to rookie or A ball to get seasoned and work there way up the system. Players that are drafted out of college are considered to have less upside but are a much more finished product and they generally go to Double A, or Triple A right away. The big events in baseball are opening day around April, The draft in June, The All Star Game in July and the World Series in the Fall. Ten days or so after the World Series the Free agent period begins, this is where players that have had expired contracts are free to negotiate with other teams. The World Baseball Classic is now a big part of baseball and it will occur every 4 years. Baseball is now no longer an Olympic sport.