Bud Selig, Thanks. - Love, Montreal Expos Fans.
I'm not going to waste too much time, here, because I've already spent far too much time in my life lamenting the sorry fate of the Montreal Expos, but with the announcement that Bud Selig was going to step down from his post as the Commissioner of Baseball once his contract expires in 2012, I've heard all sorts of stories in praise of the job he's done during his time at the top...and not one has mentioned the way in which Mr. Selig handled the takeover and sale of the Montreal Expos...
DC baseball fans have Minnesota's Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission, owners of the Twins' old home, the Metrodome, and the lawsuit they brought against the Twins which forced the team to play out its lease in 2002, to thank for MLB's eventual return to the nation's capital. Had the Metropolitan Sports Facilities Commission not fought to force the Twins to play out their lease, Bud Selig's plans for the Twins' and Montreal Expos' contraction may have proceeded, and the two teams likely would have ceased to exist. As this case was decided, the Montreal Expos' owner Jeffrey Loria, then-Florida Marlins' owner John Henry, and Major League Baseball agreed on a controversial deal which resulted in Henry selling Loria the Marlins, while MLB purchased the Expos and Henry led a group that purchased the Boston Red Sox...
It all worked out great for everyone...oh, except the Montreal Expos and their fans. They suffered together through three years of MLB ownership, watched their entire franchise get dismantled and devalued to the point that it was (nearly) worthless, watched the MLB-appointed stewards make one poor personnel decision after another (No September call-ups in '03? Really? Home games in Puerto Rico, really?), and then sat by and watched as the franchise the MLB owners purchased from Mr. Loria for $120 million dollars get moved to Washington, DC and eventually sold to the Nationals' ownership group for $450 million dollars...
A $230 million dollar profit? That is impressive...I'll be waving the tri-colour cap at you as you leave...
eMb...
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He didn't give D.C. much either
When he finally moved a team here, he gave away the TV rights to the guy who voted against the move! We couldn’t watch the team for two years because of this gutless decision.
Blogging about D.C. Baseball since April '04. Penn State alum. Also partial to the Washington Capitals, New York Yankees and Yale football.
Not to mention the fact that the system was on empty by the time they arrived....
…and only now is it getting back to where it should be….
Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."
by Patrick Reddington on Nov 30, 2009 3:52 PM EST via mobile up reply actions
No need to draft, Roscoe.......Team Rizzo will be re-stocking the inventory in a target rich environment once the non-tenders are announced....
Mezza: ''Are we there yet?'' ...Roscoe: "In baseball hell? Yes we are."
by cat daddy3000 on Dec 1, 2009 9:31 PM EST up reply actions
Target rich might be too strong of a statement......
It may be more like being at the end of the line for the dumpster behind the soup kitchen the day after Thanksgiving…
Mezza: ''Are we there yet?'' ...Roscoe: "In baseball hell? Yes we are."
by cat daddy3000 on Dec 1, 2009 9:36 PM EST up reply actions
Well said, as a fan who had to sit through those last few seasons at the Big O it was not pretty. However, Montreal is not a baseball town. It may have been in the 70 and early eighties but there really was no real interest in the game for a long long time before the Expos left.
but Frank
don’t you think a downtown stadium would’ve put butts in the seats? The Olympic Stadium was a giant piece of concrete in the middle of nowhere. A downtown open air stadium would be great for summer business.
by Andrew Davidson on Dec 1, 2009 6:36 PM EST up reply actions
Stade Olympique was a co-conspirator, as well...
Bad astro turf and a roof that wouldn’t close…….then wouldn’t open….And cost so much that the new park could never get approved…
Mezza: ''Are we there yet?'' ...Roscoe: "In baseball hell? Yes we are."
by cat daddy3000 on Dec 1, 2009 9:40 PM EST up reply actions
Geez, couldn't we reciprocate somehow?
Maybe gut Selig’s duties and power and leave him toothless, gutless and even more worthless than he is now? That would be just a start compared to what he did to the Expos/ Nats.
And it couldn’t happen to a more deserving creep. It’s going to be long 3 years, but, at least, there will be an end to his brand of awful.
...unless he Favres it up and un-announces his retirement.
…and it sounds like Bobby Bowden is retiring rather than standing on the sidelines with nothing to do.
Good Riddance Bud!
Had he not been and owner himself, he never would have been commissioner. We need another commissioner that is independent as Fay Vincent and Bart Giamatti were. He has done more wrong than he has done good. Who can forget his dumb look at the All-Star game a few years back.
I have been and Expos/Nats fan all of my life. The World Series in 1994 was canceled under his watch! I am not sure if the Expos would have been represented there, but most people believe they had a great chance…Home games in Puerto Rico?? Nice job, Bud!! No callups in September in the middle of a playoff run?? Another nice job, Bud!! Allowing an owner of an art gallery to drive the franchise into the ground and then being rewarded with another franchise? What an idiot! I will be counting the days until this buffoon is gone………
I hate Bud Selig
I had Jeffrey Loria and I hate everything that ever went wrong with baseball from 1994 on. First, we (Expos fans) were robbed of a playoff appearance and possible World Series appearance because of striked. Then, we were rewarded with MLB taking over the franchise and blatantly running it into the ground.
Even when Loria owned the team it was a ploy to spike the Spos off the cement. Loria brought in [site decorum] Hideki Irabu (REALLY!?), a move which almost certainly displayed that Loria cared not for the franchise’s future. Stupid freakin’ TOAD!!!! I’ll try not to mention the Fernando Tatis signing, but REALLY!? Loria, Tatis? You were about two years too late, and two grand slams in inning too late to be signing that freakin’ turd. Yay! We got 19 HRs in 3 years of “play when I feel like playing” Fernando.
Damn it, why did I have to read this? I keep trying to bury my Expos love affair under the rug, but it keeps coming back to haunt me. Put me in a room with Loria, Selig, some bamboo shoots and a bucket of gasoline. That’s all I need. Honest. [site decorum]!
I had Jeffrey Loria =
I hate Jeffrey Loria
by Andrew Davidson on Dec 1, 2009 6:46 PM EST up reply actions
I also hate Jeffrey Loria: I also hate David Samson: I also hate the Florida Marlins
Why does that team always seem to be "nails on the chalkboard’. They win a World Series with that jerk. They seem to always compete for the division title even with little money. They pick up our first baseman. They sign our former pitching coach. I could go on and on but I won’t. I will not be satisfied until he sells the team. Hopefully that will happen soon after “Buffoon Bud” stumbles out of office…..
For the Nats' fans who don't understand how two 100+ loss seasons came to be....and why Expos' fans feel the way we do....
How Jeffrey Loria Destroyed the Montreal Expos/Washington Nationals
http://bleacherreport.com/articles/275561-how-jeffrey-loria-destroyed-the-montreal-exposwashington-nationals/show_full
“The Montreal Expos were the best team in the National League back in 1994. Their roster was the perfect mix of up-and-coming youngsters and experienced veterans.”
Mezza: ''Are we there yet?'' ...Roscoe: "In baseball hell? Yes we are."
by cat daddy3000 on Dec 1, 2009 7:57 PM EST up reply actions
Thanks for the link!! I am heading to South Florida!!
There is nothing, and I mean NOTHING worse than a former Expo, present Nats fan to see than a history of a franchises demise. To rehash all of that and combine it with the prospects that we had in our system really just numbs me….Arghhhhhhhhhhhh
There was a night two Summers ago where I started clicking links to Expos stories...
Stuff I knew and stuff I didn’t……it was a real stab in the heart, so I try to steer away from that, but it can’t be forgotten.
And one day, there’ll be sad news reported about these guys….and on that day, I’ll smile….
Mezza: ''Are we there yet?'' ...Roscoe: "In baseball hell? Yes we are."
— even without making a deal," Rizzo said."
by cat daddy3000 on Dec 3, 2009 1:14 AM EST up reply actions
I can help out with the bamboo and gasoline.........and yeah, the heartbreak of what these #%%&*@#s did doesn't really go away...
Mezza: ''Are we there yet?'' ...Roscoe: "In baseball hell? Yes we are."
by cat daddy3000 on Dec 1, 2009 9:01 PM EST up reply actions
Seriously?
I just read he wants to start….he hasn’t thrown close to 200 innings in 8 years….and only under 5.00ERA once since then….
Mezza: ''Are we there yet?'' ...Roscoe: "In baseball hell? Yes we are."
by cat daddy3000 on Dec 1, 2009 10:43 PM EST up reply actions
You could be onto something....
They say “Godzilla” Matsui generates millions in tourist and merchandise dollars from Japanese fans…. How is the Korean contingent in DC?
Mezza: ''Are we there yet?'' ...Roscoe: "In baseball hell? Yes we are."
by cat daddy3000 on Dec 2, 2009 8:42 AM EST up reply actions
Looks like there are over 50k Koreans in Virginia...almost as many in Maryland and a couple thousand in DC
as of the 2000 Census
Still, that only helps Kasten sell some tickets....
Not sure if Chan Ho throws any better than what we have…
Mezza: ''Are we there yet?'' ...Roscoe: "In baseball hell? Yes we are."
by cat daddy3000 on Dec 2, 2009 11:58 AM EST up reply actions
John Henry's MLB Financial Proposal
http://mlb.fanhouse.com/2009/12/01/john-henrys-mlb-financial-proposal/
“Change is needed and that is reflected by the fact that over a billion dollars have been paid to seven chronically uncompetitive teams, five of whom have had baseball’s highest operating profits,” Henry responded in an e-mail."
“We can’t definitely figure which teams Henry and Boras are referencing, but the (Jeffrey Loria) Florida Marlins stick out like a sore thumb.”
“The other low payroll teams who could be under the microscope are the Pirates (which seems obvious as well), A’s, Nationals, Rays, Twins and Orioles. Those, including Florida, comprised the seven lowest payrolls in 2009.”
“Thus, the most egregious culprits would be the Pirates, Nationals and Orioles.”
Mezza: ''Are we there yet?'' ...Roscoe: "In baseball hell? Yes we are."
Ahh...hah...(pulls collar uncomfortably)...
Vivian Jaffe: "Have you ever transcended space and time?"
Albert Markovski: "Yes. No. Uh, time, not space... No, I don't know what you're talking about."
by Patrick Reddington on Dec 2, 2009 1:13 AM EST up reply actions
I’m sitting in my room, when my mom and my dad came in. they pulled up a chair and they sat down. They go "mike, we need to talk to you." And I go "ok, whats the matter?" They go "me and your mom, we’ve noticed that lately you’ve been having a lot of problems, and you’ve been going off for no reason, and we’re afraid you’re going to hurt somebody, and we’re afraid you’re going to hurt yourself. So we decided that it would be in you’re best interest if we put you somewhere where you could get the help that you need." And I go "wait, what are you talking about, WE decided? MY best interests? How do you know what MY best interest is? How can you say what MY best interest is?
MY best interest is a middle infielder and some starting pitching…and a Pepso.
"Sorry, I don't see us playing at that level...."
Mezza: ''Are we there yet?'' ...Roscoe: "In baseball hell? Yes we are."
by cat daddy3000 on Dec 2, 2009 9:00 AM EST up reply actions
Team payroll.....$ 60,328,000
$80 mil in revenue sharing……. 2007 Revenue……… $144 mil……
Hmmm…..
Mezza: ''Are we there yet?'' ...Roscoe: "In baseball hell? Yes we are."
by cat daddy3000 on Dec 2, 2009 8:57 AM EST up reply actions
A stadium wouldnt have changed much
People need to realize that Montreal is not a baseball town. Sure a downtown stadium may have been interestinf for a while but eventually people would have gotten bored. I am really sorry that the Expos left but ultimately I think they are better served in a market that actually enjoys baseball. And another myth surrounding the Expos is that the Olympic stadium was in some place in the middle of nowhere. False! the Olympic stadium is in Montreal in the east end, where more than half of the city’s population resides! Very easy to acess by public transport and the parking is much more affordable than Say, the Bell center where the Habs play.

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