Commissioner Rob Manfred sees expansion in MLB's future

[ten ocho recon scout]

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

zingggg

[juansavage1]

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.

Why hasn't anybody expanded there? Why don't they even play exhibition games there? What do their top soccer players make and why can't they get the elite ones?

[Inside Pitch]

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?

 

A bigger issue might be getting players to the park without getting kidnapped -- that's a huge business down there.

[Inside Pitch]

Nate, what do those countries need?

 

Cuba?  An end to the current model of government.  Prior to Castro, Cuba had a massive middle class and a standard of living on par with the US.   Of course most of those people were off the Island by 1972.

[Inside Pitch]

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 dunno sports figures, but I know some movie and music types have either been kidnapped or seen their family members kidnapped including the sisters of that Thalia chick that was supposed to be like their Britney Spears or Mariah Carey....   It's been stated than fewer than 1 in 10 kidnappings are ever reported since they are purely for profit and the intent is always to get the person back to their family after payment has been made.

 

Maybe it's played up in the Spanish media, but they do make a lot of references to it down here.

[ten ocho recon scout]

A bigger issue might be getting players to the park without getting kidnapped -- that's a huge business down there.

exactly. A few resort spots downtown are "fairly" safe, but youd still have to get from the airport to the hotels in the city

..and would need heavily armed escorts the whole way

And doubtful you could play games there without inevitably being offered "silver or lead" from whatever cartel runs the area.

[ettin]

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

The good news about Mexico is that if any of the players are in a slump all they have to do is pay some extra money to the umpires so they experience a breakout.

[WallyWorld]

MLB isn't going to Mexico. For one, the players union would never allow it. Way too dangerous. 

 

The Rays do need to be moved. Florida doesn't want one baseball team, let alone 2. That's a football state and always will be.

 

As much as their stadium is an embarrassment, I'd hate to see the A's get moved out of the bay area entirely. I actually think they have a great and loyal fanbase - don't blame them for not wanting to go to that ballpark. You wouldn't either. Manfred just needs to sack up and put the Giants in their place.

[Mark68]

MLB isn't going to Mexico. For one, the players union would never allow it. Way too dangerous. 

 

The Rays do need to be moved. Florida doesn't want one baseball team, let alone 2. That's a football state and always will be.

 

As much as their stadium is an embarrassment, I'd hate to see the A's get moved out of the bay area entirely. I actually think they have a great and loyal fanbase - don't blame them for not wanting to go to that ballpark. You wouldn't either. Manfred just needs to sack up and put the Giants in their place.

The Oakland A's of Fremont.

[Agalloch]

One Portland team please.

[Angel Oracle]

Charlotte and Portland are both good destinations.

 

Rays have ZERO AL teams within 750 miles of them, the nearest one is possibly Tejas or Baltimore.

Charlotte puts them much closer to Baltimore, and keeps contact with part of the South. 

 

A'ths in Portland could = increased rivalry with the M's, although taking away from the Halos rivalry some.

The M's are isolated themselves.

Edited July 16, 2015 by Angel Oracle

[Mark68]

The problem with Portland is any park would have to have a retractable dome, even though there were some plans drawn up for a stadium that was entirely open air. Rainouts would be a common occurrence until June, and again if that team ever made the postseason. And you'd have to figure out where to put the park where it would have the least effect on traffic. Portlandians are very very freeway-phobic and traffic patterns reflect this.

[juansavage1]

I dunno sports figures, but I know some movie and music types have either been kidnapped or seen their family members kidnapped including the sisters of that Thalia chick that was supposed to be like their Britney Spears or Mariah Carey.... It's been stated than fewer than 1 in 10 kidnappings are ever reported since they are purely for profit and the intent is always to get the person back to their family after payment has been made.

Maybe it's played up in the Spanish media, but they do make a lot of references to it down here.

You mentioned Thakia and made me get up and adjust myself.

[juansavage1]

I don't think Portland would work. Most of them are lesbians and they like soccer.

[Pujols4MVP]

Expansion teams names for the citys that could afford a team.

 

Portland: Portland Lumberjacks.

Vancouver, Canada: Vancouver Stars (reference to Vancouver being Hollywood North)

Las Vegas: Las Vegas Gamblers.

Montreal: Montreal Expos.

San Antonio: San Antonio Lonestars. (or Spurs if the team is owned by Mark Cuban).

Havana, Cuba: Havana Missiles.

Puerto Rico: San Juan Lions.

Ottawa, Canada: Ottawa Capitals

Calgary, Canada: Calgary Mounties.

Newark, New Jersey: Newark Hitmen.

[maximus p]

Expansion teams names for the citys that could afford a team.

 

Portland: Portland Lumberjacks.

Vancouver, Canada: Vancouver Stars (reference to Vancouver being Hollywood North)

Las Vegas: Las Vegas Gamblers Roses.

Montreal: Montreal Expos.

San Antonio: San Antonio Lonestars. (or Spurs if the team is owned by Mark Cuban).

Havana, Cuba: Havana Missiles.

Puerto Rico: San Juan Lions.

Ottawa, Canada: Ottawa Capitals

Calgary, Canada: Calgary Mounties.

Newark, New Jersey: Newark Hitmen.

OBV Pete Rose would be the GM.

[sneaky_flute]

Mexico Cocaines has a nice ring to it

[Pujols4MVP]

Mexico Cocaines has a nice ring to it

 

Muahaha lol.

 

With a Tijuana MLB expansion: The Tijuana Hookers.

[Mauch Won]

For years we have heard about the plight of small market teams being able to compete.  In 2009, I looked at the rankings of the TV markets to see which city would be best suited from a television market standpoint for baseball.   I rechecked the rankings on www.digitalsyndicate.tv/markets and with some minor changes it is the same picture as it was in 2009.

 

Four of the top 5 markets are served by two teams, Philadelphia is the exception.  

 

The teams with the smallest television markets are Padres (27), Royals (31), Reds (33), and Milwaukee (34)

 

Top 35 markets without teams are Orlando (19), Sacramento (20), Portland (23), Indianapolis (25), Charlotte (26), Hartford (28), Raleigh-Durham (29), Nashville (30), Columbus (32), and Salt Lake (35)

 

I am suspicious of Portland after they kicked the Beavers out of their stadium in favor of soccer.   New Orleans is 53.  San Antonio  is 37. 

 

Move the A's to Sacramento.    Charlotte is a possibility for the Rays.

[Sully151]

The problem with Portland is any park would have to have a retractable dome, even though there were some plans drawn up for a stadium that was entirely open air. Rainouts would be a common occurrence until June, and again if that team ever made the postseason. And you'd have to figure out where to put the park where it would have the least effect on traffic. Portlandians are very very freeway-phobic and traffic patterns reflect this.

It's hard to ride a Fixie on the freeway.

[Vegas Halo Fan]

Expansion teams names for the citys that could afford a team.

Portland: Portland Lumberjacks.

Vancouver, Canada: Vancouver Stars (reference to Vancouver being Hollywood North)

Las Vegas: Las Vegas Gamblers.

Montreal: Montreal Expos.

San Antonio: San Antonio Lonestars. (or Spurs if the team is owned by Mark Cuban).

Havana, Cuba: Havana Missiles.

Puerto Rico: San Juan Lions.

Ottawa, Canada: Ottawa Capitals

Calgary, Canada: Calgary Mounties.

Newark, New Jersey: Newark Hitmen.

Please, no gambling references or more pandering to the NFR crowd...

When we had a "name the team" contest (not sure what happened to it, because locals almost universally detest the name 51s), one suggestion was Jacks or Better (video poker players will understand).

Edited July 17, 2015 by Vegas Halo Fan