09/19/2003 6:28 PM ET

Expos players reject split schedule

MLB official says it will result in reduced '04payroll

By Barry M. Bloom and Bill Ladson / MLB.com

 

NEW YORK -- The Expos players weighed their options on Friday and in the end, decided to play the entire 2004 home season in Montreal.

The vote put a halt, at least for now, to baseball's plan to continue to globalize the game as the players rejected playing at least 22 games again in San Juan. Puerto Rico, or Monterrey, Mexico.

 

The players opted against another grueling travel schedule with the hope that playing all of their home games in Montreal would help them be more competitive in the race for the playoffs. But Major League Baseball's No. 2 executive warned that the payroll will be reduced while the relocation committee studies a permanent move of the team for 2005.

 

"We're prepared to play in Montreal," said Bob DuPuy, MLB's president, chief operating officer and a member of the relocation committee that has been studying the future of the team. "Playing all of the games in Montreal will have a negative economic impact and will also have an negative economic impact on the operations of the team, including the makeup of the roster.

 

"This will have no impact on our deliberations or decision on relocation. We'll wait to determine that now until next year."

 

DuPuy's assessment of the situation came shortly after the vote, which was taken before Friday night's game against the Mets at Shea Stadium, during a meeting with Gene Orza, an associate counsel for the players association.

 

The Expos had been asked by MLB to consider playing 22 games next season in either San Juan or Monterrey. But the players declined that proposal, saying that the extended travel and playing 103 of 162 games on the road had an adverse affect on their chances of making the playoffs. The Expos played 22 games this season in San Juan's Hiram Bithorn Stadium and were 13-9 there.

 

"We addressed all the pros and cons and the players had a private meeting after we presented the best-case scenario for a split," Orza said after the vote. "But for a constellation of reasons, the players are going to play all 81 games in Montreal. There will be no split season. It's not a negotiating ploy, believe me. It's their decision and that's what we will do.

 

"The players thought the people in Puerto Rico were great and they appreciate the interest and all that stuff, but the players' focus has been on how do we compete on the same level as everybody else they are competing against? Taking one fourth of their home games, making them play someplace else, even under optimum scheduling conditions, is still an enormous burden."

 

Barry M. Bloom is a national reporter and Bill Ladson is a reporter for MLB.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Baseball or its clubs.

Good.

 

They would have reduced payroll anyways if they played in PR or Mexico.

good news for them

good for them.... its only fair

I am sure the payroll cut will be minimal since the Expos have a TV deal before them now that didn't happen entire this season because of the timing of the agreement (station couldn't make room on schedule).

 

CFCF Channel 12 (English Free TV) in Montreal and RDS (French Cable/Dish TV) would carry around a minimum of 60 games according to the sources.

I am sure the payroll cut will be minimal since the Expos have a TV deal before them now that didn't happen entire this season because of the timing of the agreement (station couldn't make room on schedule).

 

CFCF Channel 12 (English Free TV) in Montreal and RDS (French Cable/Dish TV) would carry around a minimum of 60 games according to the sources.

Those TV revenues still aren't much though.Not anything compared to what any US team gets.

They said it would be better at Montreal because going in a plane to PR was too muc for them.....it took out alot in them