August 18, 2004

Everybody into the pool!

Narrowing the Expos bid field to Washington, D.C., and Northern Virginia didn't work so good, so today MLB COO Bob DuPuy decreed that baseball negotiators go back and meet with four different cities yearning to be the new home of Montreal's finest. On the record, DuPuy wouldn't say which four cities these were; off the record, a "baseball official" (you think DuPuy at least puts on a pair of sunglasses or something when he switches characters?) confirmed what you've no doubt guessed: they're D.C., Northern Virginia, Norfolk and Las Vegas. Portland and Monterrey, we have some lovely parting gifts.

Meanwhile, ESPN's Jayson Stark notes that things could get dicey for a 2005 move if things drag on much longer, as appears inevitable. First off, September 1 is the deadline for submitting the 2005 schedule, and the longer the delay, the more difficult travel arrangements could become next spring. (Can you picture those Philadelphia-to-Las-Vegas-to-New-York road trips?) Also, writes Stark, "MLB has been told that RFK Stadium would, ideally, require six months of work to become an acceptable big-league facility. That means a decision would, realistically, need to be made by mid-September." All those holding your breath, raise your hands. (Put your hand down, Jayson. And breathe.)