1998 Major League Baseball expansion 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 the Tampa Bay Devil Rays (currently the Tampa Bay Rays), would subsequently begin play for the 1998 season. With the successes of
Patriot League Baseball Tournament Patriot League Baseball Tournament The Patriot League Baseball Tournament is the conference baseball championship of the NCAA Division I Patriot League. The top four finishers in the regular season of the conference's six teams advance to the best of three championship series, with each series hosted by the higher seeded team. The winner of the tournament receives an automatic berth to the NCAA Division I Baseball Championship. For the first two seasons, the Tournament matched the winners of the Patriot League's two divisions in a best of three series. After the end of divisional play (which coincided with Colgate's departure)