12/03/24
August 30, 2002
Strike Averted!: Surpises the hell out of me... but good for them. I haven't followed the link yet to find out the details, but discuss the deal here.
posted by Bernreuther to baseball at 11:09 AM - 13 comments
For this Montreal Expos fan, it's a good news/bad news type of deal: Sure, the deal reportedly promises no contraction before 2006, but pointedly makes no reference -- at least in what's been reported -- to relocation. Good news: Looks like I'll be buying tix to the home opener next spring. Bad news: How many more?
posted by CapnSwing at 11:28 AM on August 30, 2002
The Mets need to go 29-2 to make the playoffs!
posted by djacobs at 11:32 AM on August 30, 2002
My guess: The Expos will move to Washington to avoid massive financial losses. It might hurt the Baltimore Orioles a little in the beginning, I think that it will balance out within a year. Of course, they could always move to Charlotte and start up a rivalry with the Atlanta Braves.
posted by jasonbondshow at 12:15 PM on August 30, 2002
I was not optimistic, but I'm pleasantly surprised. This keeps things on track for another great Yankees (my team) vs. Oakland A's (my current hometown team) playoff series this October.
posted by msacheson at 12:20 PM on August 30, 2002
jasonbondshow: I'd second your premonition(s), but for the $100 million lawsuit filed by the former Expos ownership group against MLB, Mr Selig, Mr Loria, and Mr Samson. No way this team is going anywhere while that's still in the courts.
posted by CapnSwing at 12:21 PM on August 30, 2002
msacheson - I'm in the same boat... last year the Yankees went 0-6 out here when I watched int he reg season so I did them a favor and avoided the Coliseum during the playoffs even though I could have gone :) But this year I'm hoping they make a return trip in the ALCS, so I can go... apparently I didn't jinx them this year in the 2 I made it to. I want to see if Barry can win the batting title... hell, how he even qualifies for it with all those walks amazes me...
posted by Bernreuther at 12:28 PM on August 30, 2002
Good news: No baseball strike. Bad news: Now the Red Sox can become completely mathematically elimated from the playoffs. Let the good times roll. :/
posted by jerseygirl at 01:09 PM on August 30, 2002
The only reason I'm happy is b/c I want to see the Twins make it to the World Series and give Bud Selig the biggest, most deserved middle finger in sports history.
posted by Ufez Jones at 01:14 PM on August 30, 2002
Ufez, hopefully they'll meet the braves there so Atlanta can extract a little revenge. (Though the Twinkies do have an awfully good record in that dome thingy.)
posted by trox at 01:28 PM on August 30, 2002
Details aren't clear, but the fact that contraction has been deferred looks like a win for the players. Steroid testing, if it is along the lines of what the players had proposed is not good for baseball-- but the owners don't seem to care about that, so I guess it's a wash. And there is a luxury tax which amounts to a cap, but I doubt that it will have a substantial effect on salaries-- it looks like it is set high enough so that most teams will have no problem staying under. That's probably a good thing-- an NFL style cap, with the present revenue sharing situation being what it is, would keep smaller capitalized teams forever on the outside looking in. As long as teams can compete for free agents, they will have a shot at drawing fans, and as long as that happens, they should be able to stay financially healthy. I'd say that what this really shows is that ownership is catching on to the idea that it has a lot less leverage in negotiation than it likes to put out. The owners are all leveraged to the max, and their assets consist principally of player contracts and favorable leases. Both of those things aren't worth much if the players go on strike. Mets are done, but there is still the chance that we'll see Selig hand the World Series Trophy over to the Twins. That would work for me
posted by outside counsel at 03:34 PM on August 30, 2002
I want to see if Barry can win the batting title... hell, how he even qualifies for it with all those walks amazes me... It's now based on plate appearances per game (3.1 per game is the minimum), so the walks don't really factor into it.
posted by hootch at 04:03 PM on August 30, 2002
The things we never tried to disallow Have come back to haunt us now With apple pie and Chevrolet We've come to see the end We all made this bed Now we've got nowhere to lay Ladies and gentlemen, Try and understand. --NOFX
posted by kjh at 11:05 PM on August 30, 2002
This is exactly what I told my co-workers would happen. In fact, I'm about to go around and collect my $50 in bets on whether the labour problem would be resolved before 3pm today. That said, I'm glad it is resolved and I can enjoy going to the Yankees/Jays game on Sunday.