Major League Baseball

[Berklon]

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

Jays just won 11th straight game. One more and it will be a club record.

And with attendance of 46,000... for a Thursday afternoon game... and that's with similar attendance 3 days in a row. Funny how midweek games are used as an excuse for the other team that plays out of the same stadium.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by vegeta_skyline

So you'd rather cheer for an American team and another team that doesn't ever exist anymore than a team from Toronto?

I'd happily root for the Blue Jays... if their owner was anyone other than Rogers.

In the meantime, I'll happily root against them. I have a feeling I won't be disappointed this year

[TorontoDrew]

Well I hope you're disappointed this year. Back in May all the experts were saying the Tigers or Red Socks would win the series. Both teams don't have a chance now. I agree though F Rogers but in saying that screw most teams because most of the companies that own them suck. I think if Montreal gets a team back it will help the Jays home attendance even more since we'll have our favorite rival back in the National League.

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by vegeta_skyline

So you'd rather cheer for an American team and another team that doesn't ever exist anymore than a team from Toronto?

lol Face it, as much as people like you would hate to admit it and you're in the minority these days, the Toronto Blue Jays are indeed Canada's team.

Yep. Just like the Habs are Canada's team

I don't mind rooting for the Jays.

[MonctonRad]

When I was a kid, I was a diehard Expos fan. I am old enough to remember their inaugural game in their opening season. It was really exciting to see major league baseball in Canada.

Sadly I never got to see the Expos play in person, but I have been to Blue Jays games about 8-10 times over the years - always a good time.

While the Jays are my team now, I look forward to the day when the Expos return to Montreal!

[theman23]

It's just not the same as an NHL thread. But I'll get on the bandwagon.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

Can't wait for the 'Spos to return. Well, I am still hoping.



Hungry for a Biftek a la Hambourg


Such were the times:


Photos c/o gary_dunaier's flickr page

I am super-bilingual and was a huge Expos fan as a kid, but what does the H-E mean on that scoreboard? The H is for a word in French and the E is for a word in English. I cannot figure it out.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by Acajack

I am super-bilingual and was a huge Expos fan as a kid, but what does the H-E mean on that scoreboard? The H is for a word in French and the E is for a word in English. I cannot figure it out.

H/E is English only... in the past, baseball scoreboards typically flashed when a hit or an error was officially logged (not sure exactly why... maybe to assist those scoring the game?). I don't recall seeing it in my more recent trips to MLB parks... not sure if it's still a thing anymore.

On a related note, I do love the stark, somewhat minimalist aesthetic of that scoreboard. Stadium decor is so overdone these days.

[SaskScraper]

Originally Posted by Denscity
Go Mariners Go Expos

Originally Posted by vegeta_skyline

So you'd rather cheer for an American team and another team that doesn't ever exist anymore than a team from Toronto?

lol Face it, as much as people like you would hate to admit it and you're in the minority these days, the Toronto Blue Jays are indeed Canada's team.

I can't speak for Denscity but if he is like me, he's probably interested more in games in Western part of continent that he sees more in person than teams that are in the East conferences & the Mariners may fit the bill for someone from BC. I never really paid attention to MLB until I started going to games in Phoenix, SF & LA. After the first couple times to Dodgers stadium I sort of got really comfortable with the team, fans and the game day ambience. I know a lot more people including early snowbirds that go to Diamondback & Dodgers games than any other team.

I'm not really familiar if the Blue Jays current run is similar or different than the last time they challenged for the World Series last (early 1990's?) and i'm not sure if Blue Jay's are Canada's team or simply just Canada's ONLY team, all I know is I have enough sportsmanship to not ridicule anyone that cheers for a team that's not my favourite. I also think he was just being facetious & nostalgic about the Expos like some other forumers have been posting on this thread.

[Kibb]

Want my expos back.

[caltrane74]

Until this team wins the World Series don't compare them to the 92-93 Jays.

That team was legendary, coming back in the 9th inning of games in which they were 5 runs down. Unheralded offensive power, a team so good, when they played you just knew they would always win. Ridiculous.

[TownGuy]

Does Montreal even have a hope in hell of landing an MLB team? There is no stadium (Big O doesn't count) for them to play in and you're looking at atleast $700 million to build one. If they go the expansion route you're looking at close to a billion dollars (US!) in expansion fees. Anyone have $1.5-2 billion laying around?

The other option is of course relocation but the MLB is pretty stable except for Tampa Bay. The problem there still remains there is no stadium in Montreal.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by TownGuy

Does Montreal even have a hope in hell of landing an MLB team? There is no stadium (Big O doesn't count) for them to play in and you're looking at atleast $700 million to build one. If they go the expansion route you're looking at close to a billion dollars (US!) in expansion fees. Anyone have $1.5-2 billion laying around?

The other option is of course relocation but the MLB is pretty stable except for Tampa Bay. The problem there still remains there is no stadium in Montreal.

These are all good questions. The mayor of Montreal Denis Coderre seems gung-ho on bringing the Expos back and he seems to be building relationships with MLB, but there doesn't seem to be anything concrete with respect to a stadium.

On the OP, it's interesting that the Blue Jays are getting pretty good sports news coverage from their Quebec broadcaster TVA Sports. This network tends to do this, ie it plays up its properties across all of its networks. So if you're tuned in to any TVA network this summer you're hearing a lot about the Jays on the sportscasts. Not so much in the other Quebec media though, where they merit a passing mention and that's about it.

[esquire]

I was an Expos fan and I'd be thrilled to see them return to Montreal, but when I think of places where baseball runs in the blood Montreal really isn't one of them... I wonder how much of the return of the Expos passion is driven by nostalgia and perhaps a bit of Toronto-envy as the Jays bandwagon starts to pick up steam?

Not that Montreal couldn't support a team if it really wanted to, but as Townguy suggested, if someone was going to shell out billions on acquiring a team and building a stadium, Montreal is not really a sure bet when it comes to yielding a decent return on that investment.

[lrt's friend]

I never understood why MLB placed the Blue Jays in the American League while the Expos were in the National League. The opportunities for rivalry were obvious yet the big wigs of MLB at the time never understood the Canadian marketplace.

The city of Ottawa was a big Expos market in the day and we made a yearly expedition down to the Big O by bus. It was something that we looked forward to. The day cannot come soon enough for the Expos to return and with it, the return of their Triple A franchise to Ottawa.

My interest in the Toronto Blue Jays has been minimal over the years and if they make a run this year, I may pick up a bit more interest. But it all seems to be a little tainted with Rogers involvement and their desire to ram this down our throats as Canada's team for their own financial benefit. It all seems so similar to the CBC ramming the Toronto Maple Leafs down our throats at every opportunity.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

My interest in the Toronto Blue Jays has been minimal over the years and if they make a run this year, I may pick up a bit more interest. But it all seems to be a little tainted with Rogers involvement and their desire to ram this down our throats as Canada's team for their own financial benefit.

+1

Somehow it all seemed more innocent when Labatt owned the team and only wanted to sell us beer. By contrast, Rogers is just the worst dirtbag company around.

[Acajack]

Originally Posted by esquire

I was an Expos fan and I'd be thrilled to see them return to Montreal, but when I think of places where baseball runs in the blood Montreal really isn't one of them... I wonder how much of the return of the Expos passion is driven by nostalgia and perhaps a bit of Toronto-envy as the Jays bandwagon starts to pick up steam?

Not that Montreal couldn't support a team if it really wanted to, but as Townguy suggested, if someone was going to shell out billions on acquiring a team and building a stadium, Montreal is not really a sure bet when it comes to yielding a decent return on that investment.

It's mostly as I said the mayor driving it with some former Expos players and Montrealers who were involved in the Expos' entourage back in the day.

The typical response from Montrealers and Quebecers to the question is probably: "Yeah, that could be cool...", not "We want our team back and we want it now!" (the latter being more typical of what you hear in Quebec City regarding the Nordiques).

[TorontoDrew]

So if Rogers purchased the Habs you'd lose interest? Not liking a team because of it's ownership makes no sense to me.

[WhipperSnapper]

Originally Posted by lrt's friend

I never understood why MLB placed the Blue Jays in the American League while the Expos were in the National League. The opportunities for rivalry were obvious yet the big wigs of MLB at the time never understood the Canadian marketplace.

The city of Ottawa was a big Expos market in the day and we made a yearly expedition down to the Big O by bus. It was something that we looked forward to. The day cannot come soon enough for the Expos to return and with it, the return of their Triple A franchise to Ottawa.

My interest in the Toronto Blue Jays has been minimal over the years and if they make a run this year, I may pick up a bit more interest. But it all seems to be a little tainted with Rogers involvement and their desire to ram this down our throats as Canada's team for their own financial benefit. It all seems so similar to the CBC ramming the Toronto Maple Leafs down our throats at every opportunity.

I wonder what impact the sale and relocation of the Giants to Toronto had to do with Toronto getting an expansion franchise 1 year later and it being in the AL. It was an AL expansion year. Huge outcry and, IIRC, government interdiction over such a storied franchise going to Canada.

[esquire]

Originally Posted by TorontoDrew

So if Rogers purchased the Habs you'd lose interest? Not liking a team because of it's ownership makes no sense to me.

Yeah, ownership matters to me. I stopped going to baseball games in Winnipeg years ago because it reminded me too much of our weaselly then-mayor, who also owns the ballclub.

Fortunately the Blue Bombers are community owned and the Jets are owned by stand-up guys so no problems when it comes to my two favourite teams

The Jets' owners after a SO win over the Leafs in 2013... how can you not love these guys