Baseball executive reveals plans to reduce major leagues by two teams

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Expos to fold

Baseball executive reveals plans to reduce major leagues by two teams

By Dave Waddell Star Sports Writer

The Montreal Expos' days are numbered.

For the first time since the creation of the American League in 1901, major league baseball is planning to contract by two teams next season.

According to a highly-placed baseball executive, league officials will announce after the World Series that the Montreal Expos and Florida Marlins will fold.

"You can call it speculation if you want, but you'd be right," the official said.

"We're paying (major league baseball) the owner of Montreal and the owner of Florida to fold their teams. Then we'll have a dispersal draft."

The only question remaining is whether Expos owner Jeffrey Loria will take his money and buy the Tampa Devil Rays and assume that operation or buy Tampa and turn the Expos into the Devil Rays and fold the current Tampa organization.

The Florida ownership group, headed by John Henry, is considering the same scenario involving Anaheim. It would buy out the current Angels' owners, the Disney Corporation and turn the Marlins into the Angels.

With its bottom line sagging, Disney is trying to unload both the Angels and the NHL's Anaheim Mighty Ducks.

"It hasn't been decided which way they'll go, but there won't be teams in Montreal or Florida," the executive said. "It'll make for better baseball with only 28 teams."

The foldings will also make for some divisional re-alignments because both Montreal and Florida play in the National League East.

"You could move Pittsburgh into the East because there are six teams in the Central Division," the executive pointed out. "It'll balance out the leagues because the American League only has 14 teams."

A dispersal draft will be held later this fall with the teams picking in reverse order of the regular-season standings.

-- Rich (
living_in_interesting_times@hotmail.com), October 23, 2001

Answers

See also: Expos, Marlins could be candidates for contraction

-- Rich (living_in_interesting_times@hotmail.com), October 23, 2001.

They'd be better off moving the teams to Washington, DC and Charlotte, NC. Both good markets.

-- Buddy (buddydc@go.com), October 23, 2001.

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