1998 Major League Baseball expansion the American League. Following that transaction, MLB consequently altered its season structure so as to include interleague play throughout the regular season. 1998 Major League Baseball expansion The 1998 Major League Baseball expansion resulted in the establishment of Major League Baseball (MLB)'s 29th and 30th teams beginning play for the 1998 season. After initiating an expansion committee in March 1994, 27 groups representing nine cities submitted bids for the proposed expansion teams. After a yearlong process, on March 9, 1995, the league awarded the National League franchise to Phoenix and the American League franchise to Tampa. The Arizona Diamondbacks and
Portugal baseball League Portugal baseball League Founded in 2006, the Liga Atlântica de Basebol (Atlantic Baseball League) (LAB) is an active baseball league that operates in the cities of Aveiro, Coimbra, Esposende, Gondomar, Maia, and Vila do Conde. It is the most prolific, organized, and structured baseball league in Portugal currently, and functions as close to professional-league baseball as is possible in the country today. The LAB consists of seven active baseball teams. The League’s 24-game regular season runs from April to July (pre-season in February and March), and a playoff between the top four teams at the end of the regular season.