Logical landing spots for inevitable expansion
Here’s a fun question for your Friday night: Which cities are the best candidates for expansion? Commissioner Rob Manfred might be asking others that same question in the coming months.
On Friday, Manfred revealed that he believes an expansion to 32 teams is inevitable:
“Multiples of fours just work better (for scheduling) than multiples of fives,” Manfred said during a meeting with sports editors from around the country.
Manfred added a few caveats during the session. For starters, he’d like to see the stadium situations in Tampa Bay and Oakland resolved. Further, he allowed that it’s possible MLB would look outside the United States when awarding new teams.
As such, we’re obviously a ways off from the birth of a 31st and 32nd franchise — think about the logistical red tape! — but that’s never stopped wholly unscientific, just-for-fun lists before, and it won’t stop this one here and now.
We put out minds together earlier in the day and fleshed out a who’s who — where’s where? — of expansion candidates. Here’s our best guesses:
Montreal: Jonah Keri would resign if we didn’t include the potential resurrection of the Expos. It helps Montreal that the city has responded well to various exhibition games held there in recent years. Whether that would translate over a full season, hey, who knows.
Havana: Okay, probably not. Manfred has been forthright about wanting a better working relationship with Cuba, and has suggested future games could be held there. That doesn’t mean Cuba is ready (or able) to support a big-league franchise right now. If Manfred does look outside the states, he’d probably find a more logical fit somewhere in Mexico or Puerto Rico.
Louisville: Because a team named after the bat would provide the easiest of easy copy.
Somewhere in North Carolina: The top argument against here is that maybe there’s too much baseball present in North Carolina as it is — you have the Carolina League affiliates, the Durham Bulls, and the Charlotte Knights. Factor in the college teams in the area, and oversaturation is a legitimate concern.
Brooklyn: Or Austin. Or whatever city in or near pre-existing big-market teams that would fight cleat and nail to prevent expansion in that area.
Of course there are myriad other candidates. Let us know your picks — and remember, if your city isn’t listed here, it’s because we’re idiots.
Could baseball return to Montreal? (USATSI)
