The Inevitable Montreal Expos Relocation

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Bullets.

― Leeeter van den Hoogenband (Leee), Wednesday, 29 September 2004 14:11 (twenty-one years ago)

Oh, well, my dream of a Memphis Suns or Memphis Kings, complete with a Sun Records-style logo on the cap, was never going to happen, anyway. That would have instantly been my favorite team.

Senators, while the logical choice, does sound rather stodgy, and is associated with what was historically a loser franchise. I dread a push for some more politically-weighted name, like the Washington Freedoms or some goddamn thing.

How about the D.C. Dukes?

― briania (briania), Wednesday, 29 September 2004 15:05 (twenty-one years ago)

Okay, I'm re-thinking some of the implications of that one now.

The Ambassadors: too awkward, and it contains the word "ass."
The Monuments: "Let's go Mons?" "Let's go 'Ments?"
The Potomacs: Hey, a team called the 'Macs could be huge!

The D.C. Potomacs!

― briania (briania), Wednesday, 29 September 2004 15:50 (twenty-one years ago)

Dr. M, indeed that has been discussed.

http://www.nydailynews.com/sports/col/story/235692p-202412c.html

As for dissident Orioles owner Peter Angelos, sources have speculated that part of MLB's appeasement settlement with him would be to move Baltimore to the NL East or give Angelos the option of owning the Washington team. If the latter pans out, MLB would auction off the Orioles.

Peter Gammons said that Jerry Reinsdorf has expressed interest in having the White Sox move to the AL East (!) and Toronto going to the Central, too. JR apparently wants to guarantee the Sox never see the postseason ever again, if that's the case.

― Baked Bean Teeth (Baked Bean Teeth), Wednesday, 29 September 2004 17:17 (twenty-one years ago)

omg - toronto going to the central¿ too good to be true¡

― dysøn (dyson), Wednesday, 29 September 2004 17:29 (twenty-one years ago)

I don't like any of those options, although Jays-Tigers is a great natural rivalry. Reinsdorf is clearly mad.

― briania (briania), Wednesday, 29 September 2004 18:17 (twenty-one years ago)

It doesn't make any sense to realign the divisions.

― jaymc (jaymc), Wednesday, 29 September 2004 19:15 (twenty-one years ago)

I think that story is probably bullshit. There would be massive fan mutiny in Chicago.

― k3rry (dymaxia), Wednesday, 29 September 2004 20:45 (twenty-one years ago)

Jim Caple on how MLB trashed the Montreal fans:

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/columns/story?columnist=caple_jim&page=caple_jim

And he's not the only writer I've seen who thinks it's even money they play one more year Up North!

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Thursday, 30 September 2004 16:05 (twenty-one years ago)

and if marion barry has his way, the dc city council won't approve financing for the team, and then who knows what will happen.

― maura (maura), Thursday, 30 September 2004 16:22 (twenty-one years ago)

i'm not so sure that the location of the stadium is going to be quite the financial boom that its backers predict. while it's true that the area around the mci center has prospered since it was built (with private money by abe pollin, god bless him), the chinatown/gallery place neighborhood is practically in the middle of the city's business district and there was already a lot going on there (the shakespeare theater, etc). the anacostia waterfront is not. i don't see too many people going there for any reason but ballgames, and with suburban parents' (absurd) complaints about safety around the mci center, they're not going to be all that enthused about a park in southeast.

the district government is touting its financing plan by saying that only businesses, not individuals, will bear additional taxes to pay for the stadium. but come on, who will the costs be passed along to? it's already ridiculously expensive to live here in comparison to the services offered by the district. i really want baseball to come here, but making citizens pay for it is stupid. also, i feel bad for montréal.

― mookieproof (mookieproof), Thursday, 30 September 2004 19:05 (twenty-one years ago)

the washington fatcats

― Symplistic (shmuel), Saturday, 2 October 2004 09:44 (twenty-one years ago)

There are two options:

1) Embrace change and follow this new team as if it were my dear deceased Expos.

2) Remain bitter and wish plagues upon this new team in honor of my dear deceased Expos.

My dear deceased Expos also drafted and developed Tim Raines, Andre Dawson, Tim Wallach, Scott Sanderson, Steve Rogers, Gary Carter, Warren Cromartie...

They had the good sense to trade Dan Schatzeder for Ron LeFlore in 1979, and they also had the good sense to dump LeFlore off on the White Sox after the 1980 season.

― Andy K (Andy K), Monday, 4 October 2004 12:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Quite a few Montrealers were scattered throughout the stands at Shea yesterday. No cameos by Coco Laboy, alas.

Kinda fitting that their last batter's name was Endy.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Monday, 4 October 2004 12:26 (twenty-one years ago)

Hurray, this "Swindle of the Century" allows me to post a Counterpunch rant to ILB!

http://www.counterpunch.org/zirin10022004.html

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 5 October 2004 20:45 (twenty-one years ago)

sorry, but the dude has no idea what he's talking about.

fair use? try eminent domain.

― jonathan quayle higgins (j.q. higgins), Tuesday, 5 October 2004 20:51 (twenty-one years ago)

one month passes...

motherfucker!

i can't believe linda cropp is going to kill dc baseball!

i am so pissed, but only a dc politcian could fuck up such a golden opportunity.

― jonathan quayle higgins (j.q. higgins), Saturday, 6 November 2004 22:18 (twenty-one years ago)

ah, the games.

linda cropp's proposal doesn't have the votes to pass city council and it looks like the tony williams/mlb plan does!

bienvenue, expos/nats!

― jonathan quayle higgins (j.q. higgins), Tuesday, 9 November 2004 15:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Could you summarize the current political games for us non-Beltway types?

I hear the Grays are the leading team name.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Tuesday, 9 November 2004 17:44 (twenty-one years ago)

man i hope so!

― cinniblount (James Blount), Tuesday, 9 November 2004 17:56 (twenty-one years ago)

So do I! MLB acknowledging the Negro Leagues more than once or twice a year = A VERY GOOD THING.

― David R. (popshots75`), Tuesday, 9 November 2004 19:38 (twenty-one years ago)

thirded, that's better than senators and definitely better than any whackass 'original' nickname they would come up with these days

― John (jdahlem), Tuesday, 9 November 2004 20:49 (twenty-one years ago)

I think they should be the Chrysler Sebring Zima Gold Dorito's Wow Spongebobs.

― gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 9 November 2004 20:52 (twenty-one years ago)

Hang on ... wait ... checking ... uh ... yep, gygax is back.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 9 November 2004 21:41 (twenty-one years ago)

Sorry. Yes, I'm back. I ate 10 tacos next to Jeff Weaver.

He got a hair cut. His bro was there too along with another guy (didn't recognize).

― gygax! (gygax!), Tuesday, 9 November 2004 21:47 (twenty-one years ago)

I think they should be the Chrysler Sebring Zima Gold Dorito's Wow Spongebobs.

No sorrys required ... I was just noting how that post was rather inimitably GYGAXIAN.

― MindInRewind (Barry Bruner), Tuesday, 9 November 2004 23:44 (twenty-one years ago)

back to the games: cropp had pledged support for the initial dc/mlb plan. she stealthily drew up her own plan, then publicly w/drew support of the dc/mlb in favor of her own. it is now clear that she doesn't have the votes for her plan and tony williams does have the votes for his plan.

i guess the latest wrinkle is that cropp pulled some parliamentary shenanigans to delay vote on the dc/mlb plan citing some source of private finanicing. if the private financing plan is legit, i'm all for it, but i have a sneaking suspicion that it's purpose is to kill dc baseball by continually putting off an up or down vote.

― jonathan quayle higgins (j.q. higgins), Wednesday, 10 November 2004 19:10 (twenty-one years ago)

http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/page2/story?page=lukas/041118

espn had a uni design contest. not that it matters, but i like the first and last.

― jonathan quayle higgins (j.q. higgins), Thursday, 18 November 2004 23:56 (twenty-one years ago)

Paul Lukas! Ha! Christ, I had no idea he'd been doing stuff for ESPN.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Friday, 19 November 2004 01:32 (twenty-one years ago)

i really like the sleeve piping on that one

― cinniblount (James Blount), Friday, 19 November 2004 03:50 (twenty-one years ago)

who's paul lukas? sounds familiar.

agreed about the first and last. and the ppl designing alternate unis need to be shot.

― John (jdahlem), Friday, 19 November 2004 06:29 (twenty-one years ago)

oh, he did that Beer Frame fanzine in the 90s. Sort of: 'rock critic-style' reviews of quirky consumer products and design, both new and old. I guess he's got a website now:

http://www.core77.com/inconspicuous/

He's a smart and funny cookie.

― Stormy Davis (diamond), Friday, 19 November 2004 06:39 (twenty-one years ago)

he did uniwatch for the voice originally (or at least i read it there first haha), it moved to slate briefly when the voice stupidly stupidly got rid of their really great sports section, now it's at page 2 which is the perfect place for it.

― cinniblount (James Blount), Friday, 19 November 2004 08:17 (twenty-one years ago)

my friend got runner-up in one of their baseball quizzes!

― cinniblount (James Blount), Friday, 19 November 2004 08:18 (twenty-one years ago)

aha, i've been to that website! i don't think it's been updated for years, though.

http://sports.yahoo.com/mlb/news;_ylc=X3oDMTBpcDBuM2RlBF9TAzk1ODYxNzc3BHNlYwN0aA--?slug=ap-expos-namechange&prov=ap&type=lgns

washington NATIONALS, folks

― John (jdahlem), Saturday, 20 November 2004 01:47 (twenty-one years ago)

I hear it may be changed to something less bland in a year or so.

Chris Kahrl of BP summarizes the Nationals' two signings last week: "Jim Bowden flushes a bunch of money down the drain in Washington."

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Saturday, 20 November 2004 18:11 (twenty-one years ago)

well, i have to confess, i'm a little confused by the guzman signing, but even adjusting for coors field, i'd have to imagine vinny castilla is an upgrade over tony batista. i would guess glaus was maybe out of his price range?

this is what sucks about mlb jerking dc around so long. they're still calling the shots! the franchise needs 1) owners 2) that will spend money or bring in sharp baseball folks that know how to maximize their dollars.

you didn't expect mlb to hire a sabr dude, did you?

― jonathan quayle higgins (j.q. higgins), Saturday, 20 November 2004 22:32 (twenty-one years ago)

Is this one intentionally phallic?

http://espn.go.com/i/magazine/new/uni_ds_wash.jpg

― boldbury (boldbury), Sunday, 21 November 2004 01:09 (twenty-one years ago)

was the washington monument intentionally phallic??

― John (jdahlem), Sunday, 21 November 2004 01:13 (twenty-one years ago)

Maybe, but it doesn't have to giant balls at the base of it like that logo does.

― boldbury (boldbury), Sunday, 21 November 2004 03:40 (twenty-one years ago)

i think dick clark productions would sue, were that logo to be used. well, maybe anyway.

― maura (maura), Sunday, 21 November 2004 04:50 (twenty-one years ago)

ha point taken bb

― John (jdahlem), Sunday, 21 November 2004 16:02 (twenty-one years ago)

well, phallic or not, that logo is conspicuously similar to the udc logo.

(and, yeah...i think the monument is intentionally phallic. y'know...father of the nation?)

― jonathan quayle higgins (j.q. higgins), Sunday, 21 November 2004 17:09 (twenty-one years ago)

Castilla on the road last year: .218 / .281 / .493
That's the slightest of upgrades for way too much. Awful signing.

Dude, you'd be surprised at the number of "SABR dudes" MLB -- and mlb.com in particular -- is employing these days to make a mint (see the late chapters of my latest book recommendation).

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Monday, 22 November 2004 15:24 (twenty-one years ago)

http://mlb.mlb.com/NASApp/mlb/index.jsp?c_id=was

― maura (maura), Monday, 22 November 2004 17:00 (twenty-one years ago)

ugh...well, as i said, dc needs actual owners asap. i would guess that at this point, it's probably bowden's team for 2005, right?

― jonathan quayle higgins (j.q. higgins), Monday, 22 November 2004 17:28 (twenty-one years ago)

now that they're called the nationals, how long before mlb moves them to the AL?

― Yanc3y (ystrickler), Monday, 22 November 2004 20:52 (twenty-one years ago)

I'm sorry to see the Green Party activist who bumrushed the podium at the naming announcement was NOT Ron Artest.

― Dr Morbius (Dr Morbius), Monday, 22 November 2004 21:01 (twenty-one years ago)

D.C. really sucks at naming teams. Nationals/Capitals/Wizards???

― bnw (bnw), Monday, 22 November 2004 21:02 (twenty-one years ago)

Don't forget the BULLETS!

― David R. (popshots75`), Monday, 22 November 2004 21:35 (twenty-one years ago)

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