Friday, January 12, 2007

Ladies and Gentlemen, Your...Portland Marlins?

From "Relocating a team to Portland makes sense" by Phil Rogers at ESPN.com:

But whether it's by relocation or another as-yet-unforeseen round of expansion, history says the makeup of the MLB membership won't stay the same for too long. Since the Dodgers and Giants moved west in 1958, the sport hasn't gone longer than 16 years without adding or moving teams, averaging an expansion or relocation every eight years.

Look for Portland, a jewel of a city in the shadow of Mt. Hood and near Oregon's scenic coast, to be ready when the next movement comes.

Rogers envisions Portland's team joining the AL West, triggering a realignment "that makes more geographic sense":

Tampa Bay could move to the National League, where it might develop a rivalry with Atlanta, with Portland's team joining Seattle in the American League West. Texas could be shifted to the AL Central -- a change it was promised more than a decade ago -- and Detroit could move to the AL East. Nothing happens easily, or quickly, in MLB, but this makes sense.

Tampa Bay's on the upswing and Atlanta's on the downswing, so that rivalry isn't inconceivable. Texas would seem to welcome a move out of the AL West, a division they've occupied for 35 years with only three full-season first-place finishes to show for it. Not sure Detroit would be too thrilled about moving to the AL East, though.

Other areas mentioned as possible targets for expansion or relocation are Las Vegas, San Antonio, Charlotte, Northern New Jersey, Orlando and...Norfolk, Virginia? "Few take it seriously," writes Rogers.

2 comments:

Lasorda said...

Look, it's like the analogy section of the SAT:

Portland:MLB::Los Angeles:NFL

If it isn't Portland, then it'll be Las Vegas or Columbus or Buffalo or, dare I say, Oakland.

Orel said...

Oakland? Giving the Bay Area three teams: the San Francisco Giants, Fremont A's and Oakland Marlins?