Someone PLEASE explain this problem in Baseball...

Yes, it is very true. This idea has been tossed about for a while now and it is gaining steam. The Expos are about to fold anyway if they aren't bought, so, it is a real possibility.

The concept is that, with fewer teams, the distribution of revenues would increase among teams and the pool of talent would be smaller giving fewer bad players the opportunity to play in the big leagues and, theoretically, making teams better.

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"No one grooves out MY JIVE!"
SaveOurRockets.com

 

I hope contraction happens, actually. It would get rid of two AAA teams, basically. Reduce the amount of bad pitching and offense should come down a bit.

HOW on God's green earth would you be able to tell an owner of a major league team "uh, sorry, but we are kicking you out"?

Apparently, MLB would basically use their central money to just buy the team from the Expos or whoever. Then they could just dissolve it, and there would be a league-wide draft of the players on the teams.

Personally, I would love for it to happen this year, as the Astros would then get the #1 pick (a player like Vladimir Guerrero). Unfortunately, that won't be the case..


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Is it any coincidence that the Cato is the only Rocket with a temperature scale named after him?

I didnt think so!!!!

 

There's a lot of history in the Montreal Expos. It would be a damn shame to lose them.

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My dream job is to be a Houston Rockets towel-boy.

 

Astros would draft first? Licking my chops. We could get the best outfielder in baseball in Guerro.

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humble, but hungry.

 

Probably a bit into an offseason.

Just think of the crushed feelings and bad pub if the announcement was made this Monday that the Expos were toast as soon as the season eneded.

Mango

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If Houston is the worst team in baseball, then y don't they have the 1st pick in the drft? Do they get the 1st pick in 2001???

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"There are two rules for success... 1) Never tell everything you know."

 

Pretty sad state of affairs if that is the highlight for the Astros this season.


Mango

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1. Put new topics in the proper forum
2. Use clear wording for new threads
3. No duplicate threads
4. Conduct yourself as an adult
The Serious Police are watching
Donate Blood or be assimilated!

 

Does anyone know who the other team that may potentially disband is? It would be another huge blow to baseball if this were to happen. I feel for the Expos. They've been a minor league team to the big boys for years now. Losing the likes of Larry Walker, Moises Alou, John Wetteland, El Presidente, Pedro Martinez, Marquis Grissom, Henry Rodriguiez among many, many others. They've had bad luck follow them like a mosquito. In 1994, they were poised to win the Series, before the Strike erupted and eventually everything went downhill from there. Very sad.

Baseball has got to do something before the game itself crumbles. The Kansas City's, Pittsburgh's and Minnesota's need to be given a chance to compete. Not to be a farm system to the Yankees and Braves.

fadeaway, looking at your profile, it now makes sense how you would know anything about Degrassi. I never knew there were Rockets fans in Newfoundland, eh?

Azim da Dream

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We don't live for the destination. We live for the journey.

 

Here it is again for those of you who missed it in Davo's thread:

Now Major League owners are talking about eliminating 2 teams.
Thursday July 13 8:15 PM ET
Owners Think of Eliminating Teams

By RONALD BLUM, AP Sports Writer

NEW YORK (AP) - Owners appeared set to put off realignment until 2002 and might even discuss getting rid of the Montreal Expos and another team when they meet Friday.

Colorado owner Jerry McMorris first discussed so-called contraction a year ago, but commissioner Bud Selig played down the idea.

When asked the question on national TV last weekend, Selig said: ``I don't want to rule anything out today, because there's no question that we do have to solve that problem, because (disparity) is getting worse by the day.''

Owners gather Friday to receive the sport's latest economic study report, and to be briefed on the format of next year's schedule and the negotiations for new national TV contracts.

While contraction may not be on the formal agenda, two owners, speaking on the condition they not be identified, said the idea is being given increased attention by team heads because of Montreal's inability to get a new ballpark and probably will be discussed in the hallways.

If the major leagues ever decide to shrink, its central fund, which gets money from national broadcasting and licensing contracts, could be used to buy back the Expos along with one other team, one of the owners said.

While there is no obvious choice for a second team, Florida, Minnesota and Oakland have failed to get new ballparks.

As for realignment, Texas had been pushing hardest in order to get out of the AL West. But the Chicago White Sox, Kansas City and Minnesota were against the plan to place six teams in the AL Central and just four in the AL East and AL West.

In addition, Arizona objected to the plan, under which it would move from the NL West to the AL West.

Selig, several owners said, does not appear ready to call for a vote on realignment any time soon, effectively putting it off until the 2002 season at the earliest.

``Nothing seriously has been debated in the last few months,'' Houston Astros owner Drayton McLane said. ``I think most likely significant realignment will be put off a year.''

The two owners who spoke on the condition of anonymity confirmed McLane's assessment that no realignment would take place for 2001.

The one change owners will hear Friday is the format for next season's schedule: Teams will play division rivals 18 times each instead of 12 or 13.

And in another new twist, the Astros and Texas Rangers will meet in interleague play for the first time.

``We're the last natural rivals who haven't played yet,'' McLane said.

On Thursday, owners on the executive council began receiving the report of the ``Blue Ribbon Task Force on Baseball Economics,'' appointed by Selig on Jan. 13, 1999.

The committee's four outside members - former Senate Majority Leader George Mitchell, former Federal Reserve board chairman Paul Volcker, Yale president Richard Levin and political commentator George Will - are set to appear before owners Friday and then hold a news conference to discuss their findings.

Small market teams have complained in recent months of the increasing disparity. When the Yankees add Denny Neagle to their roster Friday, their payroll will be about $107 million - more than six times Minnesota's payroll of about $16.5 million.


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"Get up, stand up. Stand up for your right"-Bob Marley

 

There is a commitee that was formed to study the economic impact of baseball(and the disparity between teams.) Since the strike only 3 teams have turned a profit: Yankees, Indians, Rockies.

Anyway, here were their suggestions to cut down on the disparity btw teams.

50% Luxury Tax on payrolls over $84M.(The Yankees would be paying $15M this year)

Minimum Payroll of $40M.

40%-50% local revenues after ballpark expenses (If we play the Mets, we get 40%-50% of the money they make for the series.)
Franchise Relocation

new national broadcasting, licensing and Internet revenue be distributed unequally to assist low-revenue clubs, provided that they meet the minimum payroll of $40M

Of the teams that have been mentioned to possibly get rid of, it has been the teams with low payrolls that can't get new stadiums: A's, Marlins, Twins, Expos.

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Six West