My baseball soul suffered a tragic blow earlier this week.
No big league baseball in Portland.
The Montreal Expos are moving to
Washington, D.C.
Ahhh, nuts.
Maybe I wasn’t living in reality thinking Portland had a shot at baseball, but as a person who has lived and breathed the game since I could hold a baseball in my hand or swing a bat, this is disparaging.
My parents even have pictures of me in my Cincinnati Reds gear as a toddler throwing a ball before I could even walk.
Washington, D.C. — much like it does with my money — stole my baseball team.
As a Portland native, I wanted a team so badly I already had ferocious taunts ready to shout at the visiting bullpen as long as they didn’t have anything to throw back, e.g. folding death chairs.
But I’m not naive. I know I’m the exception rather than the rule. Portland couldn’t have supported a baseball team. My 20-plus years living there has told me it isn’t a baseball city.
Portland as a whole doesn’t seem to have a passion for the game. The only time I saw a decent sized crowd at a Portland Beavers game was when it was Thirsty Thursday.
Translation — cheap beer.
Crowds of people would flood the beer garden at PGE Park and drunken insults could be heard from the far reaches of the stadium.
Major League Baseball didn’t have anything to gain coming to Portland anyway, but with another major league city only 40 miles away in Baltimore, what do they have to gain in Washington, D.C.?
More importantly, why aren’t the Baltimore Orioles steaming mad about their “baseball territory” being invaded?
Because one: Baseball is still going to pay the difference if the Orioles don’t meet a minimum revenue to be named later.
And two: Orioles owner Peter Angelos will be guaranteed franchise value for his team if he decides to sell his team. This means if he tries to sell the Orioles and no one offers the predetermined franchise value, Major League Baseball will make up the difference.
This isn’t good.
What incentive does this give Angelos to produce a winning, or at least a productive, team?
While Portland may not have the passion, Baltimore has a rich tradition with players like Brooks Robinson, Jim Palmer, Cal Ripken and many more. This can’t make their fans happy.
Other cities could have just as easily taken the Expos. How fun would it have been to have a major league team in Las Vegas. It was one of the finalists and is one of the fastest growing cities in the nation.
Then again, having millionaire ball players in Sin City may cause a few problems.
“Hey coach. Uhh … I blew my paycheck on gambling and strippers. Could I get an advance?”
Or: “I hocked my glove for some dough so I could hit the blackjack table. Can I borrow yours?”
Okay, Las Vegas might not be a very good idea.
But back to what’s important — my sorrow about no baseball in Portland.
Now I have to endure a long, butt-numbing drive, sit in frustrating Seattle traffic and pay a ridiculous $20 if I want to park anywhere within a country mile of the ballpark to see major league baseball.
Despite their decision, I’m
still going to rock my “Bring big league baseball to Portland” sticker on my car.
I have faith. Faith that Portland will pursue baseball more actively.
Faith that the Northwest has room for two professional baseball teams.
Faith in a baseball god that will restore my damaged baseball soul.

[email protected]