OTTAWA -- It was not because their fans didnt care or that the city couldnt support them that the Expos left Montreal in 2004, according to a report by the Conference Board of Canada. New Balance 574 Mujer Baratas . But one of the key problems that helped drive the Expos out seven years ago -- an unlevel economic playing field between teams -- makes it unlikely that the city will get another Major League Baseball team any time soon, the report concludes. "Montreal has a long and proud baseball history," Mario Lefebvre, a co-author of The Future of Major League Baseball in Canada with Glen Hodgson, said in a statement on Friday. "It was the city where Jackie Robinson broke the colour barrier in professional baseball. "It was the first city outside the United States to obtain a major league team in 1969 and the first Canadian franchise to make the playoffs in 1981. But MLB broke the hearts of Montreal fans in 1994, when the season was cancelled while the Expos had the best record in baseball. MLB has done little to change its business model so more teams can be competitive consistently. Without a more level playing field, the Expos tri-colour caps are likely to remain collectors items." The report said the Toronto Blue Jays are in no trouble despite being in a division with two of the richest teams, Boston and the New York Yankess. It said a solid market, stable ownership linked to broadcasting and an attractive stadium make the Blue Jays a viable franchise. The wide disparity in revenue between clubs and a weak Canadian dollar are seen as the main reasons the Expos were bought out by MLB and moved to Washington. The report said Montreal has everything needed to support a team, especially with a much stronger dollar in recent years. They are: -- A team needs a population of at least 2.5 million to support a team and Montreals metropolitan area has 3.8 million. -- While Montreal ranks eighth among urban centres in Canada in disposable income, its people have "an appetite for entertainment" and enough money to attend games. -- It has enough of a corporate presence. It has 98 of Canadas 800 largest companies, ranking third behind Toronto and Calgary. However, the report points out that the economic playing field in baseball is "the least-level of the four major North American sports. "The lack of a hard cap on player salaries and massive differences in revenue (including attendance, sale of broadcasting rights, merchandise and other income) among franchises make consistent winning very difficult for all but a handful of rich teams." It said a new Montreal franchise would not be among the richest clubs so companies may be reluctant to invest. The team would also likely need a new stadium due to "the many problems of the Olympic Stadium as a baseball venue." The authors said perceptions that baseball fans no longer wanted the team are false. "Todays generation of sports fans may think Montreal is not a baseball city, but Montreal was at one time very much a baseball city," it said. "So lets get this straight: the love for the game was there. While the Expos eventually did leave, it wasnt because the fans didnt care. Neither was it because, as our market pillars show, the city couldnt support a Major League Baseball team." The Conference Board is one of Canadas leading not-for-profit research organizations. Nike Air Max 90 Hyperfuse Comprar . Theyre just about ready to drop the puck in sunny Southern California. The ice is solid, the fans have bought nearly every ticket, and the two local teams are eager for their historic showdown under the lights and stars. Nike Air Max 90 Mujer Baratas .J. -- The New York Jets have placed kick returner-wide receiver Josh Cribbs on injured reserve and signed former Tennessee kick returner Darius Reynaud to replace him. http://www.barataseszapatillas.com/nike-roshe-run.html .ca! Hey Kerry, Love the column, read every one. To get right to the point, why was Dennis Seidenbergs elbow to the head of Bobby Ryan on Friday night not even clued for a hearing? Ryan was clear shaken up on the play and did not return to the game.(SportsNetwork.com) - There hasnt been a better starting pitcher this postseason than St. Louis right-hander Michael Wacha. The Cardinals will need their rookie to be sharp once again if they want to avoid going home in an 0-2 World Series hole. St. Louis and Wacha try to even the best-of-seven Fall Classic at a game apiece tonight when they play Game 2 versus the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. The 2012 first-rounder, who was the compensation pick the Cardinals received from the Los Angeles Angels when Albert Pujols left as a free agent, has been absolutely magnificent this postseason. He outdueled Los Angeles Clayton Kershaw twice in the NLCS and has won all three of his postseason starts, while pitching to a 0.43 ERA. "I want the ball in big situations," Wacha said. "Theres none bigger than the World Series." Since closing the regular season with 8 2/3 no-hit innings, Wacha, the NLCS MVP, has pitched 21 postseason innings, limiting the Pittsburgh Pirates and Dodgers to one run on eight hits. "He throws hard," Boston outfielder Shane Victorino said. "Thats about all I know. Ill watch some video, see what he features. I understand hes good. Thats why he was NLCS MVP, not for any reason besides the fact that hes good." St. Louis will need him to be on his game Thursday after it was shut down by Jon Lester in Game 1. Lester limited the Cardinals to five hits and struck out eight over 7 2/3 scoreless innings as Boston took Game 1, 8-1. The Red Sox jumped on Adam Wainwright early via Mike Napolis three-run double in the first inning, and David Ortiz added a home run and three RBI in the rout -- Bostons ninth straight World Series victory. St. Louis did not record an extra-base hit against Lester (1-0), committed three errors and lost All-Star slugger Carlos Beltran to a right rib contusion in the second inning when the right fielder robbed Ortiz of a grand slam. "We had a wake-up call," said St. Louis manager Mike Matheny. "This is not the kind of team that weve been all season. And theyre frustrated, Im sure embarrassed to a point. Youre going to have games like that periodically. But if you begin to accept that, then this could really not go anywhere." X-rays and a CT scan came back negative, and Beltran is considered day-to-day. Nike Roshe Run Comprar. Wainwright (0-1) only lasted five frames after getting touched for five runs -- three earned -- on six hits for the NL champs, whose only offense came on Matt Hollidays home run in the ninth. "We went right after them. We pounded them in," said Lester, who became the third pitcher in World Series history to post scoreless starts in his first two Fall Classic outings. "We wanted to set the tone and get them swinging." History could be on the Red Sox side as nine of the last 10 and 14 of the previous 16 Game 1 winners have gone on to win the series. Also, since 1993, every home team to win Game 1 has gone on to win the World Series. Boston will turn to another battle-tested veteran in Game 2 in John Lackey, who hasnt pitched in the World Series since Game 7 in 2002, when -- as a rookie -- he led the Angels to their first championship. "It is a big game," Lackey said. "Theres no running from that. And its something youve got to embrace. Its something youve got to enjoy." If anyone doubted whether or not Lackey was fully recovered from Tommy John surgery they need to look no further than his Game 3 performance against the Detroit Tigers that saw him outduel Justin Verlander and give control of the ALCS to the Red Sox. Lackey, who will be pitching on eight days rest Thursday night, tossed 6 2/3 scoreless innings in that one and is 2-0 this postseason with a 3.00 ERA. "This is a veteran with a lot of success in the past, including postseason success," said Red Sox skipper John Farrell. "Given the challenges hes come through in the time hes been in Boston, were glad hes not only come back from Tommy John, but regained the form he had pre-injury." Lackey has pitched to a 3.10 ERA in 91 postseason innings, but has never faced the Cardinals at any point in his 11-year career. "Theyre good," said Lackey, who had a 2.47 ERA at home this season. "Theyre in the World Series. Theres no bad teams left. Theyve got a really good offense. Its really deep. Really similar to an American League lineup, for sure." Game 3 of this series is scheduled for Saturday at Busch Stadium. cheap nfl jerseyscheap soccer jerseys ' ' '
