[Timmer]

[quote=DR3AMR;38627]Will Detroit and Pittsburgh still have teams?

Yes, I think they will. Detroit especially. I'm less certain about Pittsburgh, but if I had to make a prediction, I'd say the Pirates will still be in Pittsburgh.

Which cities are the most likely expansion candidates - San Antonio, Orlando, Jacksonville, Las Vegas, Memphis, New Orleans, Mexico City?

Not Mexico City. Mexico is almost always a weak economy. That is one reason that so many millions of them are pouring into our country.

I think MLB is very wary of Vegas. I just don't think they want to be associated with the Mecca of gambling. Memphis and Jacksonville strike me as a bit on the small side.

Carolina, maybe. The Carolina Cougars? San Antonio and Orlando are possibilities, but Orlando is too close to Tampa, which is a weak franchise and might well assert terriitorial rights. The two Texas teams might alos try to stop San Antonio for TV reasons.

I'll throw a couple of wild cards in here: Brooklyn (new York is still the 800-pound gorilla in terms of metro population, and that is not going to change) and Montreal. (Maybe San Juan?)

How will MLB deal with the expected continuation of the seperation between the have and have nots?

Not in the way it should. It should abolish revenue-sharing as we know it but turn 1/3 of all gate money to the visiting club and 1/2 of local TV/radio revenues over to the Central Fund to be distirbuted equally. it should also require that the teams put much more money into player development, scouting, and teh big-league payroll. The highest payrolls may be unfairly high, but it is almost throwing gams to keep your payroll as low as some teams have had it in the past several years. They shouldn't allow more than a 200-250 percent disparity.

How much of an effect will the new NY stadiums have on disparity?

Probably not as much as people think. Many people are upset by the new "Yankee Stadium."

Is a third NY team viable?

Yes, absolutely. 1/3 of the NY market is bigger than 100 percent of all but a couple of markets in MLB. The TV and radio infrastructure exists. And this would really help reduce the disparity. And they'd draw at the gate, establishing a strong rivalry with the other NY teams.

The Washington Post reported that before the Expos moved to DC, MLB was talkign with the New Jersey Sports and Exposition Authority about putting them there. And the New York Post reported that when KeySpan Park was being built, the city of New York "heard from a team in a league with a longer schedule" about playing there.

How will the Florida teams deal with their situations?

If they don't get new ballparks they will be in trouble. Hopefully, they won't hve to move, but it's always within the realm of possibility. Don't look for anything to happen with the D-Rays, at least, for a while, as the team has 20 years left on an ironclad lease.

How will a Castro-less Cuba affect the MLB talent pool?

Depends on wht kind of government is formed in his wake. If it maintains the ban, no effect. If it opens up the supply of talent, then it could have a significant effect in upgrading the talent level in MLB. If it's the right kind of government, Havana could even be a candidate for a AAA team and possibly for a major-league team.

His immediate successor is likely to be his brother Raul, who won't change things much. (Fidel's a more competent administrator, though, from what I hear.)

Will there be an international draft?

Maybe. Or maybe they abolish the draft and bring back the bonus rule, as Whitey Herzog suggsted in You're Missing a Great Game.