Commissioner Rob Manfred sees expansion in MLB's future

[ELEVEN]

Oktober Madnessness!!

68 teams

4 play in games.

1st round 3 games

2nd round 5 games

3rd round 7 games

4th round 9 games

5th round 11 games

World Series 14 games allowing for Co-Champions, because 13 games is bad luck

Lets do this

[Guest]

Salt Lake City?  

 

The Salt Lake City Elders 

[Second Base]

Just for fun, let's relocate AND expand. We'll move the A's to Portland, the Rays to Carolina (they have some diehard fans out there and deserve it), put an NL team in Montreal and an AL team in either Mexico, Cuba or Puerto Rico.

The A's and Rays would stay within their divisions, Montreal joins the NL East and whichever Latin American team it is joins the AL East.

Now for names, Portland almost has to be the Beavers, but I doubt the A's would go for that so they'd just stay the Athletics. Carolina Rays actually sounds pretty cool. Montreal Expos of course. And the Cuba Crushers?

[FabulousFabregas]

The Newport Beach Newpsies.  Make A-Rod the franchise player.

 

Would save me a 20-30 minute drive to the Big A.

[Lhalo]

The Salt Lake City Elders

They'll have great family pack discounts. 1st wife is 1/2 off admission, second wife is free.

[Blarg]

Just for fun, let's relocate AND expand. We'll move the A's to Portland, the Rays to Carolina (they have some diehard fans out there and deserve it), put an NL team in Montreal and an AL team in either Mexico, Cuba or Puerto Rico.

The A's and Rays would stay within their divisions, Montreal joins the NL East and whichever Latin American team it is joins the AL East.

Now for names, Portland almost has to be the Beavers, but I doubt the A's would go for that so they'd just stay the Athletics. Carolina Rays actually sounds pretty cool. Montreal Expos of course. And the Cuba Crushers?

 

Mexico City has a population similar to New York and they naturally would be the Aztecs. The area is high altitude so you get the Coors Field effect without the snow and rain. The fanbase would be instantaneous and would easily sell out season tickets.

[fan_since79]

Arte will finally be able to realize his dream and move the team to Mexico City.

 

Chula Vista will do. San Diego could use another franchise.

[Angel Oracle]

Send the Rays to Charlotte. 

[Second Base]

Mexico City has a population similar to New York and they naturally would be the Aztecs. The area is high altitude so you get the Coors Field effect without the snow and rain. The fanbase would be instantaneous and would easily sell out season tickets.

I agree with you? However isn't the predominant issue getting fans into the ball park? There'd be support but would there be enough fans that make enough money to attend an MLB ball game on a consistent basis?

[nate]

I agree with you? However isn't the predominant issue getting fans into the ball park? There'd be support but would there be enough fans that make enough money to attend an MLB ball game on a consistent basis?

 

It is the center of Mexico.  There are more than enough people there that could afford it.

[Adam]

Biggest problem with Cuba is no money.  I think that might be the biggest detriment to Mexico also.  

 

On paper it sounds great.  But when the fans you need to make it happen are probably making 10 cents an hour in Cuba and a dollar in Mexico, it'll be hard to support a team with a min of $70-80 million.  Even the local TV deals probably won't relate well there.  

 

Nate, what do those countries need?

[nate]

Nate, what do those countries need?

 

[Chimi]

Mexico City has a population similar to New York and they naturally would be the Aztecs. The area is high altitude so you get the Coors Field effect without the snow and rain. The fanbase would be instantaneous and would easily sell out season tickets.

Mexico City gets a lot of rain actually. They would definitely need to play in a dome if there were a team there.

[Blarg]

I agree with you? However isn't the predominant issue getting fans into the ball park? There'd be support but would there be enough fans that make enough money to attend an MLB ball game on a consistent basis?

I think you have a misconception about the living conditions in Mexico city as opposed to Tijuana. It is the corporate hub of not only Mexico but most of South America. It has a high rate of millionaires and is actually one of the largest economies of any city in the world.

Let's just say it kicks the ass of any other city that was part of the discussion and would have a fanbase representing the entire Latin American community.

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

Biggest problem with Cuba is no money. I think that might be the biggest detriment to Mexico also.

On paper it sounds great. But when the fans you need to make it happen are probably making 10 cents an hour in Cuba and a dollar in Mexico, it'll be hard to support a team with a min of $70-80 million. Even the local TV deals probably won't relate well there.

Ticket prices for soccer games in Mexico are $15-75 and they sell tons. Mexicans support their sports. Would they support an MLB team, I don't know. How long until the cartel kidnaps a player. Probably not feasible.

[Angel Oracle]

Mexico City gets a lot of rain actually. They would definitely need to play in a dome if there were a team there.

Playing at 7,300 feet altitude?    Not even any PCL team plays at that altitude.

There's a reason that Bob Beamon absolutely destroyed the world's long jump record in the 1968 Olympics there with a jump of 29 feet, 2.5 inches, after never getting over 27 feet, 4 inches prior to the record setting jump. 

Baseballs would fly ALL over any park there.    That 2003 series in San Juan vs the Expos, where DaVanon went HR crazy, would pale in comparison.

[Blarg]

Ticket prices for soccer games in Mexico are $15-75 and they sell tons. Mexicans support their sports. Would they support an MLB team, I don't know. How long until the cartel kidnaps a player. Probably not feasible.

 

How many soccer players are kidnapped? All I know of is Mexican Soccer player Omar Ortiz but he was part of a kidnapping ring, not a victim.

 

As for baseball popularity, maybe you forgot Fernandomania. It would be like that every game when a Mexican national takes the field for the Aztecs even if he were a mop up reliever.

[The Ghost of Bob Starr]

How many soccer players are kidnapped? All I know of is Mexican Soccer player Omar Ortiz but he was part of a kidnapping ring, not a victim.

As for baseball popularity, maybe you forgot Fernandomania. It would be like that every game when a Mexican national takes the field for the Aztecs even if he were a mop up reliever.

I'm Mexican. Of course I remember fernandomaniA well.

Would be a matter of time. Soccer players in Mexico aren't worth anything, except those named Rondon.

[Blarg]

Playing at 7,300 feet altitude?    Not even any PCL team plays at that altitude.

There's a reason that Bob Beamon absolutely destroyed the world's long jump record in the 1968 Olympics there with a jump of 29 feet, 2.5 inches, after never getting over 27 feet, 4 inches prior to the record setting jump. 

Baseballs would fly ALL over any park there.    That 2003 series in San Juan vs the Expos, where DaVanon went HR crazy, would pale in comparison.

 

Indoor climate controlled stadium, longer outfield distances and humidors. Viva Mexico, Viva Aztecas!

[Blarg]

I'm Mexican. Of course I remember fernandomaniA well.

Would be a matter of time. Soccer players in Mexico aren't worth anything, except those named Rondon.

 

I agree soccer players are worthless.

 

The cartels wouldn't dare because the US would send in Team America to spread some democracy on their sorry asses. Mexico becomes the 51st state and there would be legal Colorado based marijuana dispensaries everywhere ruining their business.

[Count Orlok]

I hear Philadelphia could use a baseball team.

[hen3ry]

I agree soccer players are worthless.

 

The cartels wouldn't dare because the US would send in Team America to spread some democracy on their sorry asses. Mexico becomes the 51st state and there would be legal Colorado based marijuana dispensaries everywhere ruining their business.

 

Ah, it's been a while since we heard from President Polk.

[arch stanton]

To me it's dumb to ever build another stadium without a roof so weather shouldn't matter but if I'm a ML veteran there's no way you get me to spend 6 months a year living in Mexico City.

 

 

Yes this is a man who commutes between Bahrain and Saudi Arabia telling you he wouldn't live in Mexico City.

Edited July 16, 2015 by arch stanton

[maximus p]

Who would want to see the Halos, with Mike Trout, travel to the Mexico?  

[gotbeer]

Who would want to see the Halos, with Mike Trout, travel to the Mexico?  

 

And for $50 million.  You can see him again.