MLB Expansion Candidates

[kphoger]

I voted to bring back Montreal

Me too.  Maybe just because it's one of the very few non-Chicago MLB games I've actually been to.  (Seattle might be the only other one.)

I also voted Portland, just because I think it would bip.

and expand into SLC

If I hadn't voted Portland, I would have gone with SLC.

Also, I'm voting for Mexico City because I think it'd be cool. Not because I think logistically it works in any way.

I didn't, because I think any expansion into Mexico should start with either Monterrey or Tijuana, with my personal preference being Monterrey.

[JayhawkCO]

I didn't, because I think any expansion into Mexico should start with either Monterrey or Tijuana, with my personal preference being Monterrey.

TJ seems like they already would have some Padres fandom. Monterrey seems like a better option between those two. I know the NFL played a game there (Cowboys/Cardinals without looking it up?) in the preseason a while back.

[1995hoo]

TJ seems like they already would have some Padres fandom. Monterrey seems like a better option between those two. I know the NFL played a game there (Cowboys/Cardinals without looking it up?) in the preseason a while back.

Chiefs versus Dallas in 1996.

[kphoger]

TJ seems like they already would have some Padres fandom. Monterrey seems like a better option between those two. I know the NFL played a game there (Cowboys/Cardinals without looking it up?) in the preseason a while back.

I mentioned Tijuana and Monterrey because their local professional baseball teams already draw some of the largest crowds—along with Mexico City and Saltillo, both of which are farther from the border.

[epzik8]

The grassroots group MLB Raleigh has pushed a pretty strong case for some time now, but the big question is whether the powers that be would deem Raleigh a large-enough market for expansion (i.e. Charlotte would likely be a more realistic bet).

[JayhawkCO]

TJ seems like they already would have some Padres fandom. Monterrey seems like a better option between those two. I know the NFL played a game there (Cowboys/Cardinals without looking it up?) in the preseason a while back.

I mentioned Tijuana and Monterrey because their local professional baseball teams already draw some of the largest crowds—along with Mexico City and Saltillo, both of which are farther from the border.

I would think the biggest issue in having a team in Mexico would be the perceived standard of living. I know Monterrey and Tijuana are supposed to be nice enough, but neither of those cities have the draw of Mexico City. I don't think an extra hour/90 minutes flying time much matters either.

[rlb2024]

TJ seems like they already would have some Padres fandom. Monterrey seems like a better option between those two. I know the NFL played a game there (Cowboys/Cardinals without looking it up?) in the preseason a while back.

I mentioned Tijuana and Monterrey because their local professional baseball teams already draw some of the largest crowds—along with Mexico City and Saltillo, both of which are farther from the border.

I would think the biggest issue in having a team in Mexico would be the perceived standard of living. I know Monterrey and Tijuana are supposed to be nice enough, but neither of those cities have the draw of Mexico City. I don't think an extra hour/90 minutes flying time much matters either.

I would also think Mexico City's elevation (over 7,300 feet, more than 2,000 feet higher than Denver) would be an issue working against it.

[JayhawkCO]

TJ seems like they already would have some Padres fandom. Monterrey seems like a better option between those two. I know the NFL played a game there (Cowboys/Cardinals without looking it up?) in the preseason a while back.

I mentioned Tijuana and Monterrey because their local professional baseball teams already draw some of the largest crowds—along with Mexico City and Saltillo, both of which are farther from the border.

I would think the biggest issue in having a team in Mexico would be the perceived standard of living. I know Monterrey and Tijuana are supposed to be nice enough, but neither of those cities have the draw of Mexico City. I don't think an extra hour/90 minutes flying time much matters either.

I would also think Mexico City's elevation (over 7,300 feet, more than 2,000 feet higher than Denver) would be an issue working against it.

Far more of an issue in sports where you actually have to run for a long time. Yeah, balls are hit farther, but you could just make the fences farther away.

[1995hoo]

TJ seems like they already would have some Padres fandom. Monterrey seems like a better option between those two. I know the NFL played a game there (Cowboys/Cardinals without looking it up?) in the preseason a while back.

I mentioned Tijuana and Monterrey because their local professional baseball teams already draw some of the largest crowds—along with Mexico City and Saltillo, both of which are farther from the border.

I would think the biggest issue in having a team in Mexico would be the perceived standard of living. I know Monterrey and Tijuana are supposed to be nice enough, but neither of those cities have the draw of Mexico City. I don't think an extra hour/90 minutes flying time much matters either.

I would also think Mexico City's elevation (over 7,300 feet, more than 2,000 feet higher than Denver) would be an issue working against it.

Far more of an issue in sports where you actually have to run for a long time. Yeah, balls are hit farther, but you could just make the fences farther away.

It's not just the elevation, it's also the air pollution. They've improved quite a bit from where they were in the past, but they still have a significant problem. Crime is widely perceived as an issue as well.

[JayhawkCO]

TJ seems like they already would have some Padres fandom. Monterrey seems like a better option between those two. I know the NFL played a game there (Cowboys/Cardinals without looking it up?) in the preseason a while back.

I mentioned Tijuana and Monterrey because their local professional baseball teams already draw some of the largest crowds—along with Mexico City and Saltillo, both of which are farther from the border.

I would think the biggest issue in having a team in Mexico would be the perceived standard of living. I know Monterrey and Tijuana are supposed to be nice enough, but neither of those cities have the draw of Mexico City. I don't think an extra hour/90 minutes flying time much matters either.

I would also think Mexico City's elevation (over 7,300 feet, more than 2,000 feet higher than Denver) would be an issue working against it.

Far more of an issue in sports where you actually have to run for a long time. Yeah, balls are hit farther, but you could just make the fences farther away.

It's not just the elevation, it's also the air pollution. They've improved quite a bit from where they were in the past, but they still have a significant problem. Crime is widely perceived as an issue as well.

Well, as a guy who visited Haiti on his honeymoon and has been to many other developing countries, I'm not scared at all of Mexico City.

[mgk920]

Salt Lake City: Great natural rival for Colorado, and I suspect that they'll continue the ending double-Z naming convention that started with the Jazz

I almost voted for SLC, but the bolded statement convinced me otherwise.  Jazz is a dumb team name.

Jazz is a great name for a team - in New Orleans, LA.  Ditto Lakers in Minneapolis, MN and Grizzlies in Vancouver, BC.

Heheheheheeeh

Mike

[kphoger]

TJ seems like they already would have some Padres fandom. Monterrey seems like a better option between those two. I know the NFL played a game there (Cowboys/Cardinals without looking it up?) in the preseason a while back.

I mentioned Tijuana and Monterrey because their local professional baseball teams already draw some of the largest crowds—along with Mexico City and Saltillo, both of which are farther from the border.

I would think the biggest issue in having a team in Mexico would be the perceived standard of living. I know Monterrey and Tijuana are supposed to be nice enough, but neither of those cities have the draw of Mexico City. I don't think an extra hour/90 minutes flying time much matters either.

Monterrey has a pretty nice standard of living by Mexican standards.  Last time I was there, we grabbed some lunch near here, for example.

I was also figuring there would be people who would drive or take the bus down from Laredo and the RGV to watch games, rather than fly.

Jazz is a great name for a team - in New Orleans, LA.  Ditto Lakers in Minneapolis, MN and Grizzlies in Vancouver, BC.

The Lakers and the Grizzlies are good names because they're plural.

[Big John]

^^ Since you have Chicago ties, how do you feel about the White Sox?

[thspfc]

Adding more teams while baseball is still being played at Tropicana Field would be an, uh, interesting approach.

[rlb2024]

Jazz is a great name for a team - in New Orleans, LA.  Ditto Lakers in Minneapolis, MN and Grizzlies in Vancouver, BC.

The Lakers and the Grizzlies are good names because they're plural.

This is actually Memphis' second Grizzlies team -- the short-lived World Football League team in the 70s was also called the Grizzlies (also the Southmen).  Both teams relocated from Canada (the WFL team was originally slated to play in Toronto where they would also have been the Northmen).

[kphoger]

^^ Since you have Chicago ties, how do you feel about the White Sox?

I grew up going to both Cubs and Sox games.  My family didn't discriminate.

But Sox is just an alternate spelling of Socks, which is plural.

[texaskdog]

Hopefully they don't expand. The talent level is already watered down. 30 teams is plenty.

they have twice as many teams with double the population, and back then sadly you had to be white to play.  more talent then ever statistically.

[texaskdog]

how about getting rid of the Florida teams that don't draw and go with Austin, Montreal, Nashville, and Portland?

[DTComposer]

Hopefully they don't expand. The talent level is already watered down. 30 teams is plenty.

they have twice as many teams with double the population, and back then sadly you had to be white to play.  more talent then ever statistically.

I've always felt the same way:
In 1960, there were 16 teams and 179.3 million people, or one team per 11.2 million people
In 1977 there were 26 teams and 220.2 million people, or one team per 8.5 million people
In 1993 there were 28 teams and 260.3 million people, or one team per 9.3 million people
In 2023 there were 30 teams and 340 million people, or one team per 11.3 million people
So we're at the same place we were at the beginning of the expansion era.

Add to that the international expansion of the talent pool:
In 1960 there were 3.5 foreign-born players per team
In 1977 there were 4.1 foreign-born players per team
In 1993 there were 6.4 foreign-born players per team
In 2023 there were 13.4 foreign-born players per team

And the above-mentioned fact that full integration of MLB hadn't happened by 1960, I think the idea that the talent pool is more selective memory than fact.

And of course, back then professional sports was not nearly as lucrative (with many players holding off-season jobs), so the incentive for the best athletes to participate wasn't as great, and the fact that training and conditioning has improved exponentially since then...

Anyhow, I've always thought Portland and Charlotte were the best choices, but I think it's going to be Nashville and Salt Lake City.

(I do think there's a decent chance that the Las Vegas deal falls apart, and San Jose should be ready to fight for the A's again)

[Henry]

I assume that an Eastern city and a Western city will be chosen, so I'm going with Charlotte and Salt Lake City.

[michravera]

How about Santo Domingo? We already have a team outside the US, so this isn't unprecedented.

... with PLENTY of both baseball fans and talent ... and not a logistical nightmare. It's 150 NM closer to Seattle than San Juan.

San Juan wouldn't be bad either for the same reason *AND* it's still in the USA. Yeah, it's on Atlantic time, but, as the current DST nonsense is set up, that would only matter for game 6 and 7 of the world series. It's 500 NM (900 km) longer from Seattle than Miami, but closer to most eastern US cities than many west coast cities.

But, the talent pool is pretty diluted at this point.

[KeithE4Phx]

San Juan makes more sense than most of the others.

[kphoger]

Yeah, San Juan would be cool.  Too bad it wasn't in the poll to vote for.

[triplemultiplex]

Baseball isn't popular enough for expansion.  The league needs to disabuse itself of the idea.

[kphoger]

Baseball isn't popular enough for expansion.  The league needs to disabuse itself of the idea.

Then a trade is in order.  Get rid of the A's and the non-devil Rays in exchange for these two new teams.