Le Baseball à Montréal, say it isn’t So

By on December 15, 2013

Yesterday on the show I was quite excited and outspoken, hard to believe right,  me outspoken and excited… well I was about the Tampa Bay Rays.  The topic came up about the resigning of first baseman James Loney and I was able to bestow my rhetoric about that the Rays will be hoisting a World Series trophy soon. I am just of the school of thought of the way this Rays organization builds.  Good leadership at the top with team building to win, not just amassing a group of talented, overpaid individuals.   I have said I think Joe Maddon is one of best managers in the game today.  Joe has a fatherly way of leading a bunch of young men into believing that they have the wherewithal to compete with any other team in MLB.

In May against Toronto, home plate umpire Marty Fisher runs Joe after he argues a play at the plate (photo USA TODAY Sports Images / Kim Klement)

Now with my point out there, you know how I believe the Tampa Bay Rays will be hoisting a World Series Trophy soon, let’s just hope it’s not called the World Series Trophée!  The Toronto Sun reports that Montreal is looking to build a new stadium  and is eyeing possible tenants.  Two teams mentioned are the Oakland A’s and the Tampa Rays.  The first thing that came to my mind was, what the hell is an Expo?  No really, didn’t that team pack up and leave Montreal in 2005 for Washington DC?  Why did they leave Montreal?  Oui Oui,  it was poor attendance!

Now as far fetch of a pipe dream this seems to be, just think for a moment if this could possibly happen.  I mean could this ever be pulled off?  The figure mentioned in the Sun to build a downtown Montreal stadium, $125 Billion… at the time of this article that’s 91.25 billion Euros for you french baseball fans.

Then I thought…thought a little…then a little more… could the Rays actually move to Montreal?  Could Bud Selig add this to his stellar resume?  I mean steroids, All-Star game tie  and the home field advantage thingy, the 1994 season cancellation, ect.

I know one thing the Tampa Bay area can not take that chance.  The right and left sides of the bay,  Hillsborough and Pinellas respectively need to work together to keep the Rays in Tampa Bay.  (The “right and left sides” pun intended as to looking at a map, not political)

This is Rick Sassone I’ll see you at the “New Trop!”

 

below based on attendance figures from Expos Nation

Years Stadium(s) names Average Total National League Average
1969 Parc Jarry 14,970 1,212,608 1,257,912
1970 Parc Jarry 17,589 1,424,683 1,388,517
1971 Parc Jarry 16,037 1,290,963 1,443,738
1972 Parc Jarry 14,643 1,142,145 1,294,144
1973 Parc Jarry 15,393 1,246,863 1,389,610
1974 Parc Jarry 12,66 1,019,134 1,414,860
1975 Parc Jarry 11,213 908,292 1,383,374
1976 Parc Jarry 7,984 646,704 1,388,377
1977 Stade Olympique 17,701 1,433,757 1,589,186
1978 Stade Olympique 1,7617 1,427,007 1,675,577
1979 Stade Olympique 26,277 2,102,173 1,764,868
1980 Stade Olympique 27,261 2,208,175 1,760,340
1981 Stade Olympique 28,418 1,534,564 1,039,866
1982 Stade Olympique 28,621 2,318,292 1,792,285
1983 Stade Olympique 28,65 2,320,651 1,795,774
1984 Stade Olympique 19,957 1,606,531 1,731,786
1985 Stade Olympique 18,665 1,502,494 1,857,680
1986 Stade Olympique 14,025 1,128,981 1,861,123
1987 Stade Olympique 22,844 1,850,324 2,061,180
1988 Stade Olympique 18,255 1,478,659 2,041,606
1989 Stade Olympique 22,019 1,783,533 2,110,320
1990 Stade Olympique 16,952 1,373,087 2,040,959
1991 Stade Olympique 11,612 934,742 2,058,014
1992 Stade Olympique 20,607 1,669,127 2,009,261
1993 Stade Olympique 20,265 1,641,437 2,637,470
1994 Stade Olympique 22,39 1,276,250 1,843,416
1995 Stade Olympique 18,189 1,309,618 1,793,589
1996 Stade Olympique 19,959 1,616,709 2,169,949
1997 Stade Olympique 18,489 1,497,609 2,277,526
1998 Stade Olympique 11,295 914,909 2,401,674
1999 Stade Olympique 9,54 772,737 2,380,436
2000 Stade Olympique 11,435 926,272 2,480,194
2001 Stade Olympique 7,935 642,743 2,481,346
2002 Stade Olympique 10,031 812,537 2,309,294
2003 Stade Olympique / Hiram Bithorn Stadium 12,662 1,025,639 2,273,813
2004 Stade Olympique / Hiram Bithorn Stadium 9,356 748,55 2,512,690
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