Baseball in Canada

[BlaineN]

Originally Posted by harls

Man I miss Bo.

It's really quite amazing the way the Blue Jays trounced the Yankees despite Bo, Barrios and Basset being out of the lineup.
Right now Vladdy is hero #1, but looking back on the regular season one could argue that Bo was their best player.
If they can get those 3 players back soon that would be great.

[Zepfancouver]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

I completely lost interest in Baseball when the evil Jeffrey Loria and his evil stepson David Sampson stole the Montreal Expos.

Did I mention that I hate Jeffrey Loria and his stepson, David Sampson?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jeffrey_Loria

I'm still feeling that pain.
I have great memories of going to Expos games, I've been to one double header, it was the best late afternoon into the evening night out.
But what I miss the most are those lazy floating in the family swimming pool with the Expos on the radio.

[MonctonRad]

The Expos were my team when I was growing up. I loved their radio broadcasts too. It took me at least 10-12 years after the arrival of the Blue Jays for me to warm to that team.

My greatest reget is that I never had the chance to see them play in either Jarry Park or the Olympic Stadium.

Since the mid 1990s, I have been to about 7-8 Blue Jays games.

[EnvisionSaintJohn]

Originally Posted by MonctonRad

The Expos were my team when I was growing up. I loved their radio broadcasts too. It took me at least 10-12 years after the arrival of the Blue Jays for me to warm to that team.

My greatest reget is that I never had the chance to see them play in either Jarry Park or the Olympic Stadium.

Since the mid 1990s, I have been to about 7-8 Blue Jays games.

That's a shame... One of my dad's formative memories from growing up in Montreal was seeing Hank Aaron play at Jarry Park.

I think Jarry Park must have been a much better ballpark than Olympic Stadium ever was.

If Montreal does ever see a new ballpark get built to get the Expos back, I hope they build it at Jean Drapeau Park, the former site of Expo 67.

Not only would the location be more fitting given the name of the team, it could have a spectacular view of the Montreal Skyline:


The Montreal Skyline seen from Jean Drapeau Park

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by Zepfancouver

I'm still feeling that pain.
I have great memories of going to Expos games, I've been to one double header, it was the best late afternoon into the evening night out.
But what I miss the most are those lazy floating in the family swimming pool with the Expos on the radio.

tell me about it. I remember many good times. Good times with my old man back in the mid 70s, taking in a game at Jarry Park (and getting a tiny sip of beer). More good times at the toilet bowl Olympic Stadium, before, and after the roof(s), including several double-headers. Later, after moving back to Montreal from Vancouver, attending games at the Big O with my brother, taking advantage of $5 dollar nights and/or $5 beer+hotdog promotions.

As a young kid and adolescent, listening to the games while my dad was driving, and later, on lazy summer afternoons in the backyard by the pool. Dave Van Horne would do the play-by-plays.

Gary Carter lived a few blocks from me. Really nice guy. One of the very few Expos that lived year round in Montreal (at least, during the 70s/80s).

[MolsonExport]

Originally Posted by EnvisionSaintJohn

That's a shame... One of my dad's formative memories from growing up in Montreal was seeing Hank Aaron play at Jarry Park.

I think Jarry Park must have been a much better ballpark than Olympic Stadium ever was.

If Montreal does ever see a new ballpark get built to get the Expos back, I hope they build it at Jean Drapeau Park, the former site of Expo 67.

Not only would the location be more fitting given the name of the team, it could have a spectacular view of the Montreal Skyline:


The Montreal Skyline seen from Jean Drapeau Park

The only problem here being: in April/May, it would be very cold in an open-air ballpark right by the water. The water would have a major cooling effect on the ambient temperature. This affected other venues as well (I believe Exhibition Park in Toronto in the early Spring, and Cleveland Stadium*, the original 'mistake by the Lake')

*The facility, located just south of Lake Erie, was known for the biting cold winds that would blow into the stadium in winter, as well as during much of the spring and fall. Because of its proximity to the lake during hot summer nights, its lights attracted swarms of midges and mayflies.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland_Stadium

Montreal had a great location for the proposed Labatt Park, but it has since been lost to development. Perhaps there are still large enough spots along the railway lands around the Turcot Interchange, since the rebuilding and reconfiguration of the latter. However, there may not be a metro station nearby.

[jc_yyc_ca]

I'd love to see a team back in Montreal, or even in Vancouver for that matter, or better yet both. I could cheer for all three Canadian teams.

[many]

Originally Posted by jc_yyc_ca

I'd love to see a team back in Montreal, or even in Vancouver for that matter, or better yet both. I could cheer for all three Canadian teams.

Montreal or Vancouver is not going to happen unless u can find someone with at least 5 billion US for expansion fee, new stadium, etc, the same goes for the NBA

[jc_yyc_ca]

Originally Posted by many

Montreal or Vancouver is not going to happen unless u can find someone with at least 5 billion US for expansion fee, new stadium, etc, the same goes for the NBA

Are you sure it's $5Billion? Google is telling me it's around $2.2Billion. Still stiff, but more reasonable, especially these days.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by jc_yyc_ca

Are you sure it's $5Billion? Google is telling me it's around $2.2Billion. Still stiff, but more reasonable, especially these days.

They did say for stadium and expansion fee. It's been almost 30 years since MLB expanded. Their most recent sale was the Orioles in 2024 for $1.7 billion and they have had other teams sell for higher in the recent and more distant past. I don't know if 2.2 billion is going to be the price of an expansion team or if it will be higher, but that's still only half the battle and that fee will be USD as well. Hard to imagine various government levels getting too deep into stadium construction, maybe more like area infrastructure costs but probably not the building itself. So between the 2, you are looking at north of $4 billion anyway.

[EnvisionSaintJohn]

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

The only problem here being: in April/May, it would be very cold in an open-air ballpark right by the water. The water would have a major cooling effect on the ambient temperature. This affected other venues as well (I believe Exhibition Park in Toronto in the early Spring, and Cleveland Stadium*, the original 'mistake by the Lake')

*The facility, located just south of Lake Erie, was known for the biting cold winds that would blow into the stadium in winter, as well as during much of the spring and fall. Because of its proximity to the lake during hot summer nights, its lights attracted swarms of midges and mayflies.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland_Stadium

Montreal had a great location for the proposed Labatt Park, but it has since been lost to development. Perhaps there are still large enough spots along the railway lands around the Turcot Interchange, since the rebuilding and reconfiguration of the latter. However, there may not be a metro station nearby.

Easy solution to that... play in Puerto Rico in April and May. Sorry, too soon, that one still probably stings.



In all seriousness, if this type of open air ballpark works for Minneapolis, it could work for Montreal too.

I think football and soccer are the sports with a much, much greater need for a stadium with a roof in Canada than baseball.

Yet, Regina with their roofless stadium still sells out a 33,000 person stadium in November in Saskatchewan.

If Montrealers can't put on a coat to support an MLB team in a stadium without a roof, I don't know what to say, other than I thought Montreal is in Canada.

I think a cooler view is worth a cooler ballpark. It's just hard to great view of the cityscape in a ballpark with a roof or dome.

Though, it's certainly not impossible... there must be some sort of design for a ballpark with a roof or dome that has an open view of the cityscape behind the outfield.

I get now why Toronto wanted a dome so bad after their infamous first game, but I still think they'd be best to go with a more open air stadium when it comes time to build a new ballpark, as I think this type of weather is no longer very common for Montreal and Toronto especially.

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Something like Seattle's ballpark as Djeffery mentioned before could probably work well in Toronto, Montreal, or Vancouver. I think eventually the MLB will come around to further expansion, and we will see both Vancouver and Montreal get teams along with some of the biggest Americans cities currently without major league baseball teams.

[EnvisionSaintJohn]

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This was a great example of some heavy Toronto bias. Fast forward to 3 minutes to hear the sports pundit given his opinion on if the Tigers or Mariners are the better matchup for the Jays... he thinks Seattle would be the better story, and they mention all the fans that drive down to Seattle... Couldn't even mention all the Tiger fans in Windsor? 🙄

The Tigers and Jays have never played in a playoff series yet, and I think it's pretty clearly that it would be the much more interesting story with Windsor beside Detroit and close to 1 million Southern Ontarians within an hours drive of Detroit... and millions of more people who would be willing to make the 4+ hour drive to Detroit from the GTA.


I'm definitely cheering for a Jays vs Tigers ALCS!

[James Bond Agent 007]

Originally Posted by James Bond Agent 007

If they play the Mariners it'll be the battle of the 1977 expansion teams.

It'll be this.

[EnvisionSaintJohn]

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That game last night was incredible. Even more unbelievable is how the Mariners have to travel to Toronto to play the Jays tomorrow night. The Mariners played 3 of their starters last night so the Jays have a really good chance to clean up against the Mariner's bullpen.

Baseball is bonkers with how quickly they get through the post season, and how they only have 5 game series after a 162 game season... but that format has sure worked out in the Jays favour. They really need to capitalize on the opportunity and get a win at home tomorrow night.




It's a shame we didn't get a Toronto vs Detroit series, but maybe we will still get a Toronto vs Chicago series.


Of all the major North American sports, I still think baseball carries the most weight in terms of meaningful rivalries and love/hatred between cities.

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As much as I'm a Western Canadian that almost never cheers for Toronto sports teams, I've been all in for the Jays since the Sox got eliminated.

I've never been a Jays fan, but never disliked them either, other than Sportsnet's excessive coverage. 😅

A Canadian team winning the World Series this year of all years would mean a hell of a lot to the country right now, so I'm really hoping for it to happen.

[Coldrsx]

15 innings!

Should be a winnable ALCS for the Jays.

[MonctonRad]

Originally Posted by Coldrsx

15 innings!

Should be a winnable ALCS for the Jays.

Plus jet lag from a cross continent flight. Game one is the Blue Jays to win. They had beet take advantage of this opportunity.

I saw a clip of Bo doing batting practice the other day. He was still limping. I would say his only use in the ALCS will be as a pinch hitter (to be immediately replaced by a pinch runner if he gets on base).

[jc_yyc_ca]

It's going to be an interesting series with the two expansion teams battling it out.

The nice thing is that if the Jays lose, I'll at least be happy for the Mariners who have had kind of a sad history. Almost 50 years in the league and only 3 trips to the ALCS. The Jays, have had 7 ALCS visits including 2 world series championships.

[Djeffery]

Originally Posted by jc_yyc_ca

It's going to be an interesting series with the two expansion teams battling it out.

The nice thing is that if the Jays lose, I'll at least be happy for the Mariners who have had kind of a sad history. Almost 50 years in the league and only 3 trips to the ALCS. The Jays, have had 7 ALCS visits including 2 world series championships.

Pretty amazing when you think about the Hall of Famers that team has had over the years in Griffey, Ichiro and Randy Johnson.

The Jays should win game 1, everything points to why they should. They are a much more mature team now than when they coughed up that Series against Seattle 3 years ago that they also were supposed to win. I wouldn't be shocked if Seattle came in on pure adrenalin and took game 1 though. Hopefully if that's the case, exhaustion catches them for game 2 Monday afternoon.

[MonctonRad]

This is very interesting:

“At 81, I don’t need money, and I don’t know how much longer I have left. My last wish is to return to Toronto and give my all until my last breath,”

Legend Cito Gaston shocked MLB when he unexpectedly signed a contract to return to the Toronto Blue Jays as a senior consulting coach. After more than a decade away from the field, the man who brought home two World Series championships is now back to what he calls “his final home in life”…

I am actually touched by this.

OK boys, let's do this and bring Cito his third World Series ring!!!!!

Let's Go Blue Jays - Let's Play Ball!!!

[samne]

Originally Posted by jc_yyc_ca

It's going to be an interesting series with the two expansion teams battling it out.

Almost 50 years later and their still expansion teams? Jays have been around before most people born.

Jays are a fixture in the AL East, best division in baseball.

As far as the Rogers Centre. I love it. The upgrades over the past few years absolutely transformed it into a baseball park. The other retro old timey parks in the league are all fine. The Dome's 90's postmodern architecture with looming glass condos and the CN Tower overhead is unique and is the character of the City.