Baseball Is Faced W. Borderline Decision: Monterrey Appears an Attractive Alternative for Expos

Washington Post ^ | October 1, 2003 | Mary Jordan

[Greg Luzinski]

MONTERREY, Mexico -- Jose Maiz Garcia, a 100-pound power hitter, played left field on this city's Little League team in 1957, when it became the first non-American team ever to win the Little League World Series.

Now Maiz hopes to make more Mexican baseball history by bringing the first Major League Baseball team south of the border. Maiz, a construction magnate, is one of the partners bidding to move the vagabond Montreal Expos to a new permanent home here in Mexico's richest city.

"When I was 8 years old I started playing baseball -- I just love it," said Maiz, 59, who was recently inducted into the Mexican Baseball Hall of Fame and whose office sports a large photo of his Little League team being congratulated by President Dwight D. Eisenhower.

[F16Fighter]

If they're going south, they may as well nominate the Dominican Republic as the next Major League site.

[Bikers4Bush]

Anyplace other than Canada or the U.S. would be a mistake.

[Greg Luzinski]

Monterrey is not Tijuana. Basically is to Mexico what Hong Kong is to China.

[Greg Luzinski]

Lower crime rate in Monterrey than in just about any city with Major League Baseball.

[KarlInOhio]

Overthrow Castro and put the Expos in Havana.

[Consort]

        Monterrey

[rdb3]

Anyplace other than Canada or the U.S. would be a mistake.

I disagree. Canada and baseball just don't go together. Also, we've had myriad Latin baseball stars.

[vollmond]

There will be baseball in Havana before there's baseball in DC.

[B Knotts]

Could be, but I suspect not. The Oregon legislature has already passed a stadium financing plan. They still need an ownership group, though.

[.cnI redruM]

The Expos have been outsourced!!!!!!

[JohnnyZ]

Anyplace other than Canada or the U.S. would be a mistake.

Anyplace other than Canada would be fine.

[Pa' fuera]

Not gonna happen - Mexican League fans are used to paying $5 - $10 per ticket, and ballpark food prices as the owners are accustomed to them would be laughable in Mexico.

[Will_Zurmacht]

But just imagine the marketing potential....make the colors red, white and green. Change the name to the Toros, Diablos etc and watch the hats and jerseys fly off the shelf...not to mention contracts with Univision....if this happens, some hombres will make out like bandits...and good for 'em

[presidio9]

There will be baseball in Havana before there's baseball in DC.

Sadly, you are correct.

[conserv13]

I think it is a great idea. Lower ticket prices, lower food prices, players that are just as good as MLB (or at least as good as the Expos, Tigers, etc...of course the players would get lower salaries....OH, now I see your point, that can't happen in MLB.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

Make the offer to the Cubans and they might go ahead and depose Fidel.

[Chancellor Palpatine]

You mean $5-$10 for a beer, right?

;)