The Inevitable Montreal Expos Relocation

On the plus side, this would not involve the further bloating of my DC tax bill as suggested by Mayor Tony Williams' stadium plan.

revenue from the casino in the new convention center will pay for the stadium!

...i'll stop now.

Sources familiar with the Expos-relocation process told ESPN.com on Thursday that union leaders Donald Fehr and Gene Orza met Wednesday with Montreal player representative Brian Schneider and his assistant, Brad Wilkerson.

The player reps were informed by the union that there is now an overwhelming probability that they will wind up in either Washington or Northern Virginia -- although there is still a small chance that baseball could opt for Las Vegas.

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/columnist/bodley/2004-09-20-bodley_x.htm

and DC commission picks an M Street site:

http://www.usatoday.com/sports/baseball/nl/expos/2004-09-22-dc-stadium_x.htm

FUCK YOU PETER ANGELOS

-- mookieproof (mookieproo...), September 11th, 2004 1:07 AM. (mookieproof)

The Bmore-DC distance isn't really relevant, although Angelos wants everyone to think that it is. Simply put, the population of the Bmore-DC area is plenty big enough to support more than one team. The Ravens and Redskins are doing fine in the NFL. And the population of that area is larger than the Bay area, which also supports multiple sports franchises in multiple sports.

http://sports.espn.go.com/mlb/news/story?id=1890915

this is really good news

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?

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!

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.

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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.

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!

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.

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.

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

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

fair use? try eminent domain.

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.

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!

I hear the Grays are the leading team name.

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

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).

as for the skins, they should change the helmet logo back to the 60's "r" and call themselves the washington servicemarks. washington's legal population would applaud!

i like "nationals" just fine. the logo is pretty weak and i'm not wild about the proposed unis or resurrecting the "w" hat given the current political climate.

especially if tony williams doesn't run, she's got to be a favorite if the mlb accepts the newly amended proposal. she could then claim responsbility for holding mlb accountable to the people of dc AND bringing a team to dc.

a lot of ifs there, though.

tempered enthusiasm

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/montreal/montreal-baseball-new-stadium-1.4947176

Stephen Brunt, who I view as a pretty smart analyst, was on the Fan yesterday talking about this. (Weird to say, but I lived one street over from the Brunts as a kid; we played street hockey. Lost track of him after high school, then one day he was everywhere sports-related.) He said that for the longest time, right up till six months ago, he was certain Montreal would never get another team. He's revised that, and now he thinks it will happen.