August 18, 2004
Washington Stiff-Armed Again
Last week, I told you that there would be no announcement regarding a move of the Montreal Expos to Washington, D.C. or its environs at today's baseball owners meeting in Philadelphia. Just a few minutes ago, the AP moved a story confirming that the decision will be delayed again:
As for the Expos, Northern Virginia and downtown Washington remain the leading contenders to land the franchise, which was bought by the other 29 teams before the 2002 season. Owners have been told the subject will not be voted on, only discussed, and a consensus has not formed around either area.
Bob DuPuy, baseball's chief operating officer, is confident a decision will be made in time to move the team for 2005, but won't set a timetable.
Delays, delays, delays, nothing but delays. That's been the story from the start with Major League Baseball's seemingly endless flirtation with Washington, D.C. Expect to wait some more.
Next prediction: Baseball will start making noises about a possible announcement during the World Series. Again, if we don't start seeing headlines in the Washington Post in very large type announcing rumors of a deal at least two weeks before the next deadline, then it isn't going to happen.
UPDATE: Baseball Crank takes a look at one of the greatest teams that never was -- the 1993/94 Montreal Expos.
ANOTHER UPDATE: For profiles on the two Washington-area based ownership groups, click here for the D.C. group, and here for the Northern Virginia group.
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Why are people surprised or upset about the contiuing delays? The last time I checked, neither the Washington or Virginia groups had a final stadium plan ready-to-go. If I were Major League Baseball, I would think twice too about selling the Expos to questionably-financed ownership groups who are still waiting for *government* approval to build stadiums.
Posted by:
at August 18, 2004 10:08 AM
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12:01 AM