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[Willco]

I know we have a MLB thread (still un-stickied!), but this news is far reaching and I'm sure non-baseball fans will be interested! They better or else! [shakes fists]

NEW YORK -- Exactly 33 years after the Washington Senators played their final game, the nation's capital might learn on Thursday that major league baseball plans to return next season.

Several baseball officials said Monday that the most likely day for an announcement that Washington, D.C., has been selected for the future home of the Montreal Expos is Thursday, although there was a slight chance the timetable could be moved up.

After a meeting of the sport's executive council last Thursday, a high-ranking baseball official who spoke on the condition of anonymity said major league baseball would attempt to finalize negotiations with Washington within a week. It would be the first franchise relocation in the major leagues since the expansion Washington Senators became the Texas Rangers after the 1971 season.

The deal to move the Expos to Washington would be subject to government approval of funding for both a $13 million refurbishment of RFK Stadium and a new ballpark costing slightly over $400 million, which would be built along the Anacostia River in the southeast section of the city.

A move also must be approved by three-quarters of major league owners and survive legal challenges by the Expos' former limited partners and possibly by Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos, who objects having a team just 40 miles from his.

After an announcement, the process of selling the Expos will start. A group that includes former Rangers partner Fred Malek has been seeking a Washington franchise for five years. In addition, several baseball officials have said in the past week that Stan Kasten, former president of the Atlanta Braves, Hawks and Thrashers, might be trying to assemble a group.

Kasten is close to baseball commissioner Bud Selig, which likely would be an advantage during the bidding process.

"I am studying all the situations in all of the sports right now," Kasten said Monday. "I haven't committed to any group, any city or any sport."

The original Washington Senators played 4,610 home games before becoming the Minnesota Twins after the 1960 season, according to the Elias Sports Bureau. The expansion Senators played 883 home games before moving to Texas.

In the Senators' last game, on Sept. 30, 1971, they led the New York Yankees 7-5 with two outs in the ninth inning when fans seeking souvenirs went on the RFK Stadium field, which could not be cleared. The Yankees wound up winning the game in a forfeit.

The Rangers retain ownership of the name "Washington Senators," baseball spokesman Carmine Tiso said after consulting with Ethan Orlinsky, a lawyer for Major League Baseball Properties, the sport's licensing division.

Montreal's last home game is scheduled for Wednesday night against Florida. Monday's series opener drew a crowd of 3,923 to Olympic Stadium in which the Marlins won 4-1.

"Now that it looks like it's going to happen, that this is going to be the end, it's a little tough for people to get up and talk about it in the positive way that they should," Expos manager Frank Robinson said. "And I think that's kind of a pity, really, because it deserves that people say more about how they feel about the situation, about the possibility of losing baseball in the Montreal area. ...

"I think there were a lot more good times possibly than bad times. This is where an expansion ballclub grew into one of the best organizations in baseball, at one time, and it's sad the way it has gone over the last few years and the way it is going out, if this is the end."

I am really excited. As a born and raised Orioles fan, I was initially kind of split after Angelos finally spent some money on the team. But this fiasco with Wade Townsend pretty much sealed the deal for me. If D.C. has a team next season, that's where my heart lies.

I can't take any of this management and I am especially ticked to learn the real reason why Angelos is spending money on good players is that he wants to increase the value of the team so he can sell them. And of course, the Expos in D.C. hurt his chances. And he cries for the fans, as he says? Bullshit! Sign some prospects you prick.

The O's skipper Lee Mazzilli came up with the best solution.

"Switch leagues," he said Sunday, suggesting that Baltimore join the National League and the Washington team move to the American League.

"Milwaukee did it. It's something to think about," Mazzilli said. "There would be rivalries with the Phillies, Pirates, Giants. It's very intriguing."

That's the best damn idea to come out of Baltimore since this whole ruckus started. Moving Baltimore to the NL would let them cut back on player salaries, since they wouldn't have to compete against Boston or New York and a new team wouldn't hurt them as much.

And I think the Phillies-Orioles matchups would be great. For some reason there are a tone of Pittsburgh and Philly fans down here. That goes for all sports, though.

 

[DarienA]

This isn't news yet there hasn't been an announcement so why are you saying the deal is done?

Ah the anonymous source quote dealie....

 

[Willco]

This isn't news yet there hasn't been an announcement so why are you saying the deal is done?

The deal is done and it obviously is news as it's on every frickin' news outlet here. They're just waiting for the official decree from MLB, which will come Thursday. The deal is done. Everyone involved has said this.

Even the Angelos deal is almost done. That's why he's stopped commenting on it.

 

[Willco]

And for those who are interested, this is how Angelos will be compensated...

Baltimore and Washington will be joint owners of a regional sports network that will air games for both teams, but Baltimore will receive the majority of revenue from televised games.

In addition to that, baseball also is believed to be proposing that it will guarantee the amount of annual revenue that the Orioles earn, as well as the team's value. Under the proposal, Major League Baseball would make up any shortfall if the Orioles' annual revenue fall below an agreed upon threshold.

The MLB will also probably give Angelos a large, one-time sum of money for compensation preceeding the Expos' move to D.C.

If you're Angelos, you got to love this deal. I think D.C. will end up getting the short end of this stick.

 

[DarienA]

1. God the Orioles suck.
2. Angelos is a prick and a half.
3. Did I mention how bad the Orioles suck?
4. In my ideal world the Ravens/Redskins and Orioles/Expos would play each other regularly...

 

[brooklyngooner]

I mean this seriously because I am not from there, but if DC couldn't hold two separate baseball teams before, what would make this time different?

 

[impirius]

Farewell, confounding logo.

 

[DCX]

I hope they change the team name, the Expos has always been a shitty name.

DCX

 

[Willco]

I mean this seriously because I am not from there, but if DC couldn't hold two separate baseball teams before, what would make this time different?

As evident by the fact that Expos have been wanting to move for three years now, you can't just up and move a team. I mean, it takes forever now with the laws in place. It wasn't like D.C. was fed up with baseball when the Senators left, it was just they would get sold and move.

This is the case with sports in general, though. The DC/Baltimore area is no stranger to teams up and leaving in the middle of the night, isn't that right, Darien?

The population growth in the nearby suburbs, especially Montgomery County, since the four decade baseball absence in D.C., will easily support a team. Easily.

And that's what Baltimore is worried about the most. Not D.C. itself, but Montgomery County and a few of the other suburbs that are forced to make the trek to Baltimore for mediocre baseball. Why go in a car and travel for hours when I can jump on the Metro and be at RFK in minutes?

 

[Willco]

4. In my ideal world the Ravens/Redskins and Orioles/Expos would play each other regularly...

Although I recognize the revenue sharing that the NFL has is a completely different animal than the one in place for baseball, the fact that Washington and Baltimore can field competitive teams in football should be enough to prove to critics that both areas can support teams.

Yes, Washington will pull away the whole VA/MD suburbs, but Baltimore still has a large portion of MD and other markets like Delaware and since the Carolinas have no baseball team, they're broadcasted there as well in some markets.

Neither football team has problems filling up seats and if you were to remove the revenue sharing from TV games, Baltimore still makes lots of money from merchandise. They're not the juggernaut that the Redskins are, but I don't think anyone from the Ravens organization is crying at night.

 

[Meier]

Keep the Expos in the NL. They already HAVE rivalries (or do so theoretically) with other teams -- why change all that?

 

[DJ Demon J]

Baseball sucks (I haven't watched it since the player's strike in the 90s--overpaid crybabies), but it will be nice to have a new stadium bring money (hopefully) to the poorer areas of DC. The stadium plans call for a $440 million project in Southeast. I guess they'll be playing at RFK for a year (probably two or three, the way DC Metro area construction projects go).

 

[Lucky Forward]

In addition to that, baseball also is believed to be proposing that it will guarantee the amount of annual revenue that the Orioles earn, as well as the team's value. Under the proposal, Major League Baseball would make up any shortfall if the Orioles' annual revenue fall below an agreed upon threshold.

So MLB is going to subsidize Angelos' ineptitude? Which means more empty seats in Camden Yards, more losing season seasons, more fan apathy. Good thing I stopped caring about the Orioles years ago.

 

[teepo]

woooooooooooooooo!

 

[brooklyngooner]

Any plans to rename them the Senators?

 

[Willco]

Baseball sucks (I haven't watched it since the player's strike in the 90s--overpaid crybabies), but it will be nice to have a new stadium bring money (hopefully) to the poorer areas of DC. The stadium plans call for a $440 million project in Southeast. I guess they'll be playing at RFK for a year (probably two or three, the way DC Metro area construction projects go).

Hey Jason! It's been awhile.

The plan is for the Expos to play at RFK for three to four years, because the new stadium is still in the formation stages and it'll take awhile to clear the land and get that monster built. It looks like it could be another MCI Center in terms of clearing urban blight, and it also looks like it could be a beautiful stadium sitting next to the river.

The decree if made on Thursday will let the D.C. politicians go to work on securing $40 million for renovations to RFK that will be completed by next season.

I'm totally psyched.

 

[Willco]

Any plans to rename them the Senators?

The Texas Rangers own the rights to the name Washington Senators, since the Senators were bought and moved to Texas a long time ago, in a galaxy far, far away.

I'm not sure if they plan to keep the Expos name or not. That name hasn't been under discussion at all. I would prefer to not name the team the Senators, because that name hasn't really been one filled with pride and good memories for the city.

 

[Outdoor Miner]

My inside sources tell me the team name is going to be the Washington Flip-Floppers.

ZING!

 

[sc0la]

I always loved the expos name and logo. Probably because my first little league team I was on was the expos.

 

[DJ Demon J]

Willco: Yea, I read Anthony Williams' comments in the Express today. Sounds like it's been a done deal since the MLB meeting.

I really hope they ditch the Expos name.

 

[DJ Demon J]

I always loved the expos name and logo. Probably because my first little league team I was on was the expos.

I feel for your childhood. ;P When I was a little kid we used to collect this little plastic baseball and football helmets that were dispensed from 25 cent gumball machines. We would trade them (much like kids do with Pokemon now I'm sure) and try to amass a complete league collection. The Expos were one of those helmets that for some reason had a higher run than other teams, so all too often I'd put my quarter in and out pops yet another Expos helmet.

 

[Deleted member 1159]

Any plans to rename them the Senators?

The Rangers retain ownership of the name "Washington Senators," baseball spokesman Carmine Tiso said after consulting with Ethan Orlinsky, a lawyer for Major League Baseball Properties, the sport's licensing division.

.

 

[sc0la]

I feel for your childhood. ;P

Hey I didnt't like the expos. Just the logo man

 

[brooklyngooner]

.

That's unfortunate. I'm still getting over baseball expanding past the Mississippi.

 

[Willco]

I think the only thing that stinks for D.C. is that they're inheriting a pretty awful ballclub. If this had happened a season or two ago, I'd at least be able to root for Vlad Guerrero, Orlando Cabrera and Javier Vazquez. The only decent players they have on their squad now are Jose Vidro, Nick Johnson and Chad Cordero. Pretty awful.

Hopefully, Fred Malek's group will secure the team because he'll dump money into it and there's a pretty good free agent crop this year.

 

[Willco]

Oh, and an artist drawing of the new D.C. stadium...

 

[levious]

I'm not understanding why Angelos needed to be compensated. What rights did he have, or what leverage does he have. I didnt' get the impression that other owners were supporting him.

And for how long will Baseball gaurantee minimum revenue for the Orioles? Just seems like a gaurantee that Angelos won't be motivated to spend money on players.

Great for the District, screw the Redskins for leaving. Hopefully occasional games can continue to be played at RFK after the new stadium is built.

 

[DarienA]

This is the case with sports in general, though. The DC/Baltimore area is no stranger to teams up and leaving in the middle of the night, isn't that right, Darien?

I wasn't here when that happened but I've spoken to a few folks who are still VERY resentful of that.. it's hilarious to here people tell the story.

 

[levious]

They abandoned the team band when they left even.

 

[Willco]

I'm not understanding why Angelos needed to be compensated. What rights did he have, or what leverage does he have. I didnt' get the impression that other owners were supporting him.

Angelos feels the need to be compensated because since D.C. has not had a baseball team, he has inherited many of its residents as fans and that a D.C. team will siphon off fans from his ticket holders.

The fact is that Angelos is worried, because he plays in the same division as Boston and New York and must increase his payroll to compete while at the same time fight off dwindling attendance due to a new team and his own incompetence. He's worried he'll lose money.

Most of the owners are not in support, especially since the owners have to pay the Expos operation costs since the Expos don't have an owner. They want the Expos gone and they want them gone now.

And for how long will Baseball gaurantee minimum revenue for the Orioles? Just seems like a gaurantee that Angelos won't be motivated to spend money on players.

Yeah, this is still under contention. I hope it's not forever and I doubt it will, but it continues to help further my belief that my loyalties will lie with a D.C. team because I think it enables Angelos to field a mediocre team without consequences.

Great for the District, screw the Redskins for leaving. Hopefully occasional games can continue to be played at RFK after the new stadium is built.

Why? The new stadium will be bigger, better and at a Metro stop. No reason for RFK once it's all done. I'm just psyched about the Metro accessibility alone.

The reason why the announcement is being moved up from Sunday to Thursday is so that the D.C. council can secure funds for the RFK renovations. It'll be interesting what kind of changes they'll make. I'll be there opening day for sure.

I wasn't here when that happened but I've spoken to a few folks who are still VERY resentful of that.. it's hilarious to here people tell the story.

The way my parents tell it is hilarious. I think that whole fiasco is the real reason why the Redskins have grown into this local sports powerhouse (and globally, considering their profits), because they still have an entire generation that's loyal to Washington after losing their Colts.

Baltimore residents have accepted the Ravens franchise with open arms, though. That town is pretty much a Ravens town now. A Super Bowl championship didn't hurt either, but Angelos' retarded management has pretty much sealed the Orioles fate as the Washington Mystics of their respective city.

 

[levious]

Angelos feels the need to be compensated because since D.C. has not had a baseball team, he has inherited many of its residents as fans and that a D.C. team will siphon off fans from his ticket holders.

The fact is that Angelos is worried, because he plays in the same division as Boston and New York and must increase his payroll to compete while at the same time fight off dwindling attendance due to a new team and his own incompetence. He's worried he'll lose money.

Oh, I understand all that, I want to know what obligation the league has to Angelos, or is all this out of respect, curtousy.

Why? The new stadium will be bigger, better and at a Metro stop. No reason for RFK once it's all done. I'm just psyched about the Metro accessibility alone.

I love RFK, and I'd like to see it remain a figure in major sports... only a few games a year, like what Green Bay used to do (or do they still?).

 

[siamesedreamer]

Its about time.

As for the name, when DC was a finalist for the '93 expansion they were using the name "Nationals".

 

[Guileless]

This thread can't go on without the obligatory quote about Washington baseball.

"First in war, first in peace, last in the American League."

 

[Miguel]

Nice. Now to get the Blue Jays to the west somewhere (Las Vegas) so we can rearrange the league already so that there are 5 teams in each division rather than having the AL West have 4 teams and the NL Central having 6 teams.

Also, that would mean that there would have to be at least one interleague matchup every day.

 

[Crazymoogle]

As evident by the fact that Expos have been wanting to move for three years now,

Three? WTF are you smoking? MLB broke the Expos back in the '94 season when they were clearly the best team in baseball. The owner publically gave up on the team following the strike and MLB was content to just let the team suffer for the forseeable future. From then on the Expos have just been a farm team, handing off decent, great, or hall-of-fame players off to other teams for nothing.

Hilights from the 94 Expos team roster:
Moises Alou, Marquis Grissom, Larry Walker, Pedro Martinez, Jeff Fassero, Cliff Floyd

And like previously mentioned, whatever the new team is called is going to struggle at best to find a player to replace Vladimir Guerrero.

To be honest, I don't see much hope for the Blue Jays right now either; I continue to get the feeling MLB needs to just fold a handful of franchises.

 

[Willco]

Three? WTF are you smoking? MLB broke the Expos back in the '94 season when they were clearly the best team in baseball. The owner publically gave up on the team following the strike and MLB was content to just let the team suffer for the forseeable future. From then on the Expos have just been a farm team, handing off decent, great, or hall-of-fame players off to other teams for nothing.

Yes, three years. They don't have an owner now. Who cares about 1994. MLB has been wanting to unload the Expos since 2001. Perhaps you should try ESPN.com for some reading up. I hear it's a nice little site with articles about sports. What a world we live in!

Hilights from the 94 Expos team roster:
Moises Alou, Marquis Grissom, Larry Walker, Pedro Martinez, Jeff Fassero, Cliff Floyd

And like previously mentioned, whatever the new team is called is going to struggle at best to find a player to replace Vladimir Guerrero.

Who cares about the 1994 roster? That was ten years ago! The Expos had a good farm system, but they don't anymore. They got robbed of Orlando Cabrera and let Vlad Guerrero and Javier Vazquez walk out the door. The team is talent thin in every aspect of the organization.

To be honest, I don't see much hope for the Blue Jays right now either; I continue to get the feeling MLB needs to just fold a handful of franchises.

I think Toronto can support a team and Tampa Bay can certainly support a team. The only team in dire straights right now is Tampa Bay and that's because their management makes Baltimore's look like New York's. The Marlins and Athletics are two very good organizations that need new ballparks. Look what Minute Maid did for Houston.

 

[Nerevar]

The Rangers retain ownership of the name "Washington Senators," baseball spokesman Carmine Tiso said after consulting with Ethan Orlinsky, a lawyer for Major League Baseball Properties, the sport's licensing division.

How the fuck do the Rangers still own the rights to a name they haven't used in years? God, I swear, fucking MLB and all the rules are so ridiculous. If they call them the "D.C. Expos" I'll cheer against them in spite. And I've been wanting a team in DC since I was born (my father also grew up in the area and was a HUGE Senators fan).

 

[mightynine]

Don't tell me the Expos don't have a good farm system. I don't want to hear that after they signed with the New Orleans Zephyrs to be their new AAA affiliate. I saw enough bad games this year.

You know they're going to change the name, the Washington Expos makes no sense. Unless they're just going to turn the "M" upside down and keep the same logo.

The other question would be, and it's possibly a very dumb one, but why not move Baltimore to the NL and keep the Expos in the NL too? BOOM built in rivalry! And for visiting teams that play both, less travel expenses. But even I admit, that's a far-fetched idea.

 

[mightynine]

How the fuck do the Rangers still own the rights to a name they haven't used in years? God, I swear, fucking MLB and all the rules are so ridiculous. If they call them the "D.C. Expos" I'll cheer against them in spite. And I've been wanting a team in DC since I was born (my father also grew up in the area and was a HUGE Senators fan).

Simple. It was their name before and they kept the ownership rights, probably just in case something like this came up. Now the Rangers are in the position to sell the rights to the name to the D.C. team and make some extra cash.

 

[Nerevar]

The other question would be, and it's possibly a very dumb one, but why not move Baltimore to the NL and keep the Expos in the NL too? BOOM built in rivalry! And for visiting teams that play both, less travel expenses. But even I admit, that's a far-fetched idea.

Probably get a better rivalry by having the two play in interleague play each year. The fact that the teams only play eachother for one series a year seems to make the rivalry seem more monumentous than if they play eachother in 4 series (or more) - just look at places like New York.

Simple. It was their name before and they kept the ownership rights, probably just in case something like this came up. Now the Rangers are in the position to sell the rights to the name to the D.C. team and make some extra cash.

Right, but my point is, at what point do they lose control over the name? At some point is has to, at the very least, enter public domain. You can't hold a trademark like that indefinitely, can you? And if so, it's another example of broken intellectual property law in the US.

 

[mightynine]

Right, but my point is, at what point do they lose control over the name? At some point is has to, at the very least, enter public domain. You can't hold a trademark like that indefinitely, can you? And if so, it's another example of broken intellectual property law in the US.

I think unless they forget to renew the rights, they can keep ownership of the name until they see fit not to.

 

[ConfusingJazz]

This thread can't go on without the obligatory quote about Washington baseball.

"First in war, first in peace, last in the National League."

Fixed... for the moment

 

[Guileless]

Bud needs to get his shit together on this quick so the team has a chance to sign some good free agents. The payroll is low right now so ownership should go after Beltre, Pavano, et al.

 

[Mike Works]

They should call them.... the Washington Expos.

 

[ConfusingJazz]

Look what Minute Maid did for Houston.

What, go from three time division champs to only one time division champs?

 

[mightynine]

They should call them.... the Washington Expos.

How aboot the Washington Capitals?

 

[DJ Demon J]

As long as they come up with a good logo for sportswear I'll be happy.

 

[Desperado]

What, go from three time division champs to only one time division champs?

Yeah really, our pitching just totally fucking imploded the first year of MMP, 2000 *shudders*...we had to rebuild the entire rotation and the bullpen too..

72-90...ugh

 

[Joe]

ladies and gentlemen....YOURRRR WASHINGTONNNN FREEEEDOMMM FIGHTERSSS!!!~!~!~!

:cue crazy techno beat and red, white and blue fireworks:

 

[DJ Demon J]

ladies and gentlemen....YOURRRR WASHINGTONNNN FREEEEDOMMM FIGHTERSSS!!!~!~!~!

:cue crazy techno beat and red, white and blue fireworks:

YES!!! Now that's more like it!