2712 replies to this topic

[You Play to Win the Game]

I see Seattle has DFA'd old friend Carlos Triunfel. Amazing how many stud prospects don't make it.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Sounds terrible.

It hasn't been this hopping at Olympic Stadium Blue Monday. I don't usually pay too much attention to ST especially non-O's, but this does intrigue me

I was mainly referencing the Buck Martinez part.

[Oriole85]

I was mainly referencing the Buck Martinez part.

He has one annoying voice, I can't believe he's lasted this long in broadcasting.

[NewMarketSean]

Does Montreal deserve another crack at the MLB ? My heart says yes my head no. Great city.

[You Play to Win the Game]

I was mainly referencing the Buck Martinez part.

He has one annoying voice, I can't believe he's lasted this long in broadcasting.

Well no one listens to his work in Canada.

[Oriole85]

Does Montreal deserve another crack at the MLB ? My heart says yes my head no. Great city.

Not sure if it'll work in Tampa Bay even with a new stadium. That's the only place I've ever heard of where winning isn't enough. There's too many markets in MLB. I'm sure they'd appreciate it more now if given the chance. Who knows.

 

Well no one listens to his work in Canada.

I think they have the largest "local" footprint.

 

I know Duquette is there this weekend for his work with the 94 team.

[DJ MC]

Does Montreal deserve another crack at the MLB ? My heart says yes my head no. Great city.

 

Yes. The Expos failed because:

 

1) During the mid-to-late '90s the Canadian dollar was doing terribly against the U.S. dollar. Canadian teams receive their income in Canadian but must play their players in U.S., which in that kind of situation is a major negative. That's a major reason why several NHL teams moved out of Canada during that period.

 

2) In part because of that, when Jeffery Loria owned the team, he didn't see any sense in putting money into them. So even though Montreal is a gigantic, cosmopolitan city, they couldn't draw free agents or fans.

 

3) The stadium is quite possibly the biggest joke in US sports, even more than the Trop.

 

By the time #1 became irrelevant, MLB owned the team and they couldn't even sell their media rights. There was no shot at a new park and the team was actively searching for a new city.

[DJ MC]

OK, part two of my post (dinner break)...

 

Montreal had some big problems that needed to be solved when the Expos left, but that doesn't mean they were unsolvable. If they can build a ballpark that can effectively support a team, and find an owner who cares about building a franchise, that market can support a team.

 

The biggest issue is how to find that team. Do you move the Rays or A's there? Do you expand (Montreal and either Portland or Vancouver)?

[Oriole85]

Chance for a walkoff for the Jays in Montreal... exhibition baseball at it's finest.

[Oriole85]

And they did it!

 

Drew 46k tonight, did the Expos do that at all in the Loria/MLB ownership era?

[DJ MC]

And they did it!

 

Drew 46k tonight, did the Expos do that at all in the Loria/MLB ownership era?

Between 1995 and 2001, they drew at least 40,000 to a home game eight times. In 2000, they drew 51,000 to Opening Day and their second-highest attendance the rest of the way was ~25,300.

[Oriole85]

Fox Sports: Morosi: Fans prove baseball passion is alive and well in Montreal

 

If I wanted to exaggerate the story, I could say, “MLB officials are talking with the Mayor of Montreal.” That’s technically true. I witnessed the conversations. But I’m not going to read too much into what I saw.

 

Selig has said consistently that MLB has no plans to expand. The potential relocation of the Tampa Bay Rays, then, appears to be the most realistic scenario. With each passing year, Selig has grown increasingly frustrated with the lack of progress on a new stadium for the entertaining, well-run Rays.

 

Meanwhile, Montreal is proving itself to be a viable alternative. Friday’s crowd was roughly 13,000 fans larger than the Rays drew for either of their home playoff games last year.

Omitting the fact, that Tampa Bay's stadium has ~13k available seats than what Montreal drew Friday, which they've only expanded in recent years during the ALCS or WS.

[BSLMikeLowe]

They got over 50,000 for today's game. I think Montreal got a raw deal, in several ways, from MLB. I'd like to see them get another chance. What I don't want to see is them being used as the "leverage city" for the Rays or A's....although I can certainly see that happening.

 

Here's an interesting tidbit....according to this, it would cost $700 million just to get rid of Olympic Stadium. Who knew? I figure if you just leave the thing alone, and wall it off from wanderers/vagrants, it'll crumble into rubble on its own in a couple years....problem solved!

 

EDIT: An addendum to my "leverage city" comment, these two games felt like an eerie reminder of that 1992 Dolphins/Saints preseason game in Memorial Stadium that fans were told (essentially) they had to support in large numbers if they wanted any shot in the pending expansion that was to come. In the end, it was nothing more than a way for the league to sell tickets to a meaningless game and make a little cash. Hope this isn't just more of the same, but it probably is.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Grantland: NL West Preview
http://grantland.com...l-west-preview/

[DJ MC]

Not a good eighth inning for Brian Wilson tonight. He comes in to start the inning and face PH Seth Smith, who hits a ball with enough force to go about 430 feet in San Diego (which means in Baltimore it would have gone through the Warehouse). Grandel gets on. Wilson bobbles a Cabrera bunt to allow him to reach. Grandel steals third, then Cabrera takes second on DI, and Denorfia hits a two-run single to center. Now he's facing Headley with a runner on first, no out, and a 1-0 lead turned into a 3-1 deficit.

[BSLMikeLowe]

The Blue Jays with some Bad News Bears-esque defense today. Wil Myers scores on a Baltimore Chop that never leaves the infield.

[BSLMikeLowe]

Alex Gonzales got the walk-off hit for the Tigers today.

[You Play to Win the Game]

I see Reyes is already hurt for the Jays. Unreal how much he gets hurt.

[You Play to Win the Game]

Alex Gonzales got the walk-off hit for the Tigers today.

Haha... good for him. That's awesome.

[SBTarheel]

Jose Fernandez is a FREAK.