After playing in front of a crowd of 43,918 for their
home opener last Thursday, the largest at Olympic Stadium in
over two years, the Expos recorded attendances of 12,381,
16,173 and 10,366, respectively, for their weekend series
against the Mets. In Montreal, Stephanie Myles wrote under
the header, "It's Back To Reality For The Expos," but noted
Friday night's crowd of 12,381 was a "major improvement" on
last season's Day 2 crowd of 6,396 (Montreal GAZETTE, 4/10).
In N.Y., Jason Diamos wrote that the Olympic Stadium sit-in
is "over" and added that on Friday, "It was as if the town
had slipped into a collective hangover." Diamos: "But the
message from [Thursday night] was clear: there are baseball
fans in this French-speaking city, and they want the Expos
to stay" (N.Y. TIMES, 4/11). On Sunday in Montreal, Pat
Hickey had a "parting note for folks who believe an outdoor,
downtown stadium is the answer to baseball's woes in this
city. The temperature was slightly above freezing for
[Saturday's] game" against the Mets (GAZETTE, 4/11). Expos
President Claude Brochu was optimistic about Thursday's
crowd, but remains "skeptical" of the team's new C$150-175M
ballpark plan: "When you compare that project to the others
going on in baseball right now, the costs don't add up.
There's something missing" (Toronto GLOBE & MAIL, 4/10).
REDS: Reds CEO Marge Schott will meet with the Reds'
limited partners today to "offer them -- or whomever -- the
sale of her Reds shares." The offer is "similar to, but not
the same as" the deal the limited partners matched from
Cleveland attorney Larry Dolan (CINCINNATI ENQUIRER, 4/12).
TORONTO: The Blue Jays doubled their marketing budget
this year to C$2M and have produced TV ads featuring RF
Shawn Green and 1B Carlos Delgado with children and friends.
The team is also trying to "appeal to the vocal fans" by
using the tag line "Pick The Seats You Love And The Teams
You Hate" in billboard ads showing Yankees P Roger Clemens
and Braves Owner Ted Turner (TORONTO STAR, 4/12).
SAN DIEGO: Padres President Larry Lucchino "estimates"
that in the last four years, Padres ticket sales in Mexico
and among Mexican-Americans living in San Diego have tripled
to between 20-25% of the team's '98 total of 2.5 million
(L.A. TIMES, 4/11). Padres RF Tony Gwynn, on the team's
season opener in Monterrey, Mexico: "It just didn't seem
like a home game to me. ... We should be opening at home. I
don't like to give up home games" (CHICAGO SUN-TIMES, 4/11).
In Boston, Peter Gammons wondered how the Padres could open
the season in Monterrey after winning the pennant and the
passage of the ballpark referendum: "Where was the
celebratory reward for the fans in San Diego? Bad
judgement, very bad judgement" (BOSTON GLOBE, 4/11).
TAMPA BAY: During the third inning of the Devil Rays'
home opener loss to the Red Sox on Friday, Devil Rays OFs
Dave Martinez and Randy Winn "converged" on a fly ball which
bounced between them, allowing two unearned runs to score.
The two blamed haze which resulted from a pregame fireworks
show planned by Devil Rays VP/Sales & Marketing Mike Veeck.
Veeck: "I apologize for the purple haze. I was just trying
to reincarnate Jimi Hendrix" (ORLANDO SENTINEL, 4/10).
