Baseball writers: Team would fit in Vegas - Sports

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Dec. 12, 2008
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Baseball writers: Team would fit in Vegas

Most agree city desirable for MLB

By MARK ANDERSON
LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL

Expansion isn't even under consideration, and neither is franchise movement.

So Las Vegas city planners, already faced with an economy in a downward spiral, aren't rushing to solicit plans for a new baseball stadium.

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But even though Major League Baseball isn't coming to the valley anytime soon, that doesn't mean it shouldn't be here. Boston Globe writer Nick Cafardo, who was in town this week covering baseball's winter meetings at the Bellagio, is all for a franchise in Southern Nevada.

"I've always been shocked there isn't a team here," said Cafardo, who covers the Red Sox. "It's a popular place for players. A lot of players live in this area or live in Arizona. I know it's a fun place for them to be. I know there's the issue of the gambling, but if you want to gamble, you can gamble anywhere in this day and age.

"There's a lot of interest in baseball in this area, a lot of transplanted people from places where baseball's important. Again, I'm just flabbergasted there isn't a team here."

Las Vegas was at least in the conversation twice.

The city was under consideration when baseball was looking to relocate the Montreal Expos in 2004 before they wound up in Washington as the Nationals.

In December 2004, Florida Marlins executives met in Las Vegas with Mayor Oscar Goodman.

Now the Marlins are targeting 2012 as the date to open a stadium in Miami. Not so certain is Florida neighbor Tampa Bay. The American League champion Rays are struggling to get a deal done.

Though questions remain, that doesn't mean the Rays are shopping around.

However, St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times writer Marc Topkin, who covers the Rays, said Las Vegas would be on the short list of desirable cities for any franchise that includes Charlotte, N.C., Portland, Ore., and San Antonio.

"My ultimate answer is I think it's possible, but I don't think it's likely any time soon," Topkin said.

Legalized sports betting remains the biggest hurdle to getting a team, many writers acknowledged.

But Booth Newspapers' Steve Kornacki, who covers the Detroit Tigers, said baseball holding these meetings here indicates it might be softening its stance.

"They wouldn't be here if there was overwhelming concern about that," he said.

Opinions from other writers about Las Vegas' potential as a baseball city varied.

The Sporting News baseball writer Gerry Fraley: "This is my first time here. I'm a little taken aback. It looks like the economy is hurting here. I don't know if a tourist-based town can support a baseball team because of the fluctuations of the economy."

San Diego Union-Tribune Padres writer Tom Krasovic: "It's certainly a city that warrants scrutiny or strong consideration. I don't think expansion should happen anytime soon. There are probably more teams than there are good players available."

Chicago Tribune national baseball writer Phil Rogers: "I would think if it could support (baseball), it would be a solid candidate. As far as whether it could or not, I really don't have an informed opinion."

Former major leaguer Harold Reynolds, now an announcer with the new MLB Network, played Triple-A baseball at Cashman Field in 1983 and 1984 and saw the potential as a visiting player.

"You're always going to have people coming through," Reynolds said. "It's always going to have money. Back in the early days of the Pacific Coast League, you could tell they had a pretty good fan base.

"You've got some of the best shopping, some of the best everything in the country in Vegas, so that's always an attraction."

For the foreseeable future, the only professional baseball in Las Vegas will be the 51s, the Toronto Blue Jays' Triple-A affiliate.

"You can never predict what's going to happen," MLB president and chief operating officer Bob DuPuy said. "You wouldn't have known what was going to happen (economically) over the last six months, but right now the industry is stable financially. Our franchises are stable financially."

Contact reporter Mark Anderson at manderson@reviewjournal.com or 702-387-2914.

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Please enter your name Name: Please enter your email Email: Please enter a comment COMMENTS : (word count limit is 300) You have reached the maximum number of words allowed Current Word Count: Note: Comments made by reporters and editors of the Las Vegas Review-Journal are presented with a yellow background. The Urban Pirate!! wrote on December 12, 2008 04:31 PM: I love baseball and have no problem going to Cashman for a game. The ticket is cheap, and the beer cold! Nothing better than a warm spring night...a nice, green field, and the mediocre play and the goofy crowds. If you don't expect to much and just like to watch baseball, it's great! You have to have fun no matter where you are...right? Dave wrote on December 12, 2008 04:27 PM: That's easy for the writers to say - they don't know squat about Las Vegas. Ed wrote on December 12, 2008 02:40 PM: Even in the best of economic times, not enough people are interested in an MLB team dropping stakes here. The casino industry will not give up any block of customers for 3-4 hours a night 80-90 times a year without a fight. A third of the local population works at night (swing shift), during the games. Finally, Vegas residents don't like anything unless it's free, and MLB doesn't even give away its televised games anymore. Anyone who thinks it will ever happen is dreaming, and that includes our well-meaning but delusional mayor. Todd wrote on December 12, 2008 10:57 AM: I have been in Vegas my whole life and I strongly belive Las Vegas would be a great place to have a team; however, the heat would be a big factor, just like you really can't place a MLS team here unless they play at 9pm as if the NFL wanted to place a team here. Yes the gambleing would be a big factor but I also remember when you couldn't bet on UNLV or UNR sports in Nevada. The simple solution would be a dome stadium like Chase Field. Honestly,I don't see Baseball doing so well here, look at the 51's, they can barely get 1,000 unless it's $1 beer night, pretty sad if you ask me. NHL is expanding in 2010 and Las Vegas is on the list for a team and It would do well here because of the number of hockey fans here, the Wranglers get 5000 (out of a 7700 seat arena) plus a game on average. I would be in favor of any pro sport but if I had a choice it would be Hockey followed by Football and Baseball. NBA could do fairly well, just look at the All-Star game a few years ago, attendance was pretty good, right? The things with the NBA is the betting...that's the deal breaker....I'll go for anything honestly. Rick wrote on December 12, 2008 09:10 AM: As an MLB fan I think Las Vegas would be a great choice for a team. The first concern is the summer heat. Well, do that the Diamondbacks do for their day games, have a stadium like Chase Field with a retractable roof. Keep the roof retracted for night games and close it for day games. The 51's isn't worth watching at all, and it's not going to be better next season now that they ended their affiliation with the Dodgers (Blue Jays?, because they will really draw fans to watch the AAA affiliate for a poor Canadian team). I would much rather see MLB here than NFL. Wayne wrote on December 12, 2008 08:36 AM: Diceboy, Phoenix is usually a couple degrees hotter than Vegas during the summer and the Diamondbacks have no problem attracting fans during the summer. You just have to make sure games start after dark. Thank being said, I'm with Bob. The NFL would have the most success in Vegas. TBayAreaSports wrote on December 12, 2008 05:58 AM: Baseball Writers: Drop it already, the Rays aren't going anywhere! What are you talking about, Rays strugling to get a deal done. A group is in place working on a future stadium location now. They may not even decide until 2010 on where the stadium will get built, but It'll be in the Tampa Bay area. Hopefully a Tampa ballpark will be proposed so the team will move out of that dump of a location the team currently resides in, St. Petersburg! Go Rays! Bob wrote on December 12, 2008 05:25 AM: Sadly, the NFL would do the best here but will never, ever be considered. The NFL is all about a weekly party and Vegas does those the best. Free agents would jump to come here. And travelling fans cone follow their team for the weekend. Too bad the NFL would not even look twice. diceboy wrote on December 12, 2008 03:04 AM: If Las Vegas would get a major league baseball team that means they would have 81 home games. Good luck getting people to go baseball games in July and August when the temperature is 110 degrees. The NBA or NHL might have a chance in Las Vegas because they both will have 40 home games instead of 81 home games. Down the road in a couple of years maybe the Sacramento Kings will move to Las Vegas considering the Maloofs own both the Kings and the Palms Hotel/Casino. Only time will tell. I know one person who wants a professional team in Las Vegas more than anyone: the mayor/town drunk/carnival barker Oscar Goodman. Name the team: Las Vegas Dice.