August 26, 2004
Expos hurry-up offense?
The Washington Times is reporting that MLB's recolation committee could make a recommendation about the fate of the Montreal Expos as soon as next week, with an actual decision by Bud Selig possible the week of Labor Day. While we've heard this all before, the Times does note one added time pressure: Three D.C. councilmembers who support stadium funding face tough re-election fights on September 14, and could be out of office by the end of the year. "We need to get this done sooner rather than later, and we should get it done in this [political] cycle," D.C. Mayor Anthony Williams said pointedly yesterday. "We can't take for granted the political support that is now in place for this." [Late note: a poll of likely voters in the upcoming Democratic primaries - effectively the election in heavily Democratic D.C. - shows 70% opposed to using public funds for a baseball stadium.]
Add in the previously noted January 1 sunset provision in Virginia's stadium authorizing legislation, and there are mounting reasons for Selig to make a decision soon. Of course, he'd still need to deal with the fact that stadium plans are as yet uncertain at best - not to mention the pending RICO case filed by former Expos shareholders, charging a conspiracy by Selig and former owner Jeffrey Loria to eliminate baseball in Montreal. That case is scheduled for an arbitration hearing in September, with a ruling likely in October - and then the actual lawsuit can proceed. Would Selig announce a move of the Expos, even at the risk of having it overturned by a court injunction? Tune in in two weeks, same bat channel.
