Expos sign Vidro

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

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PHOENIX (AP) -- Jose Vidro is staying home, wherever home might be next season.

 

The All-Star second baseman agreed to a $30 million, four-year contract extension with the Montreal Expos on Friday.

 

Vidro said the deal was completed in principle Wednesday. It was announced after the Expos snapped a four-game losing streak with a 4-3 victory over the Arizona Diamondbacks.

 

``I've told you guys I didn't see myself in another uniform,'' Vidro said. ``By signing me, it's a sign we are going to have a home next year. We don't have a permanent home but I feel like in this team I'm in my home.''

 

The Expos, owned by the other 29 major league clubs, are playing 22 ``home'' games in Puerto Rico again this season to increase revenue.

 

Baseball is searching for a new home for the team, expected to move from Montreal sometime after this season.

 

Vidro, who would have been eligible for free agency after the World Series, told his agents earlier this year not to call unless the deal was completed.

 

``I'm very happy that this deal got done,'' he said.

 

Vidro has spent his entire seven-year career in Montreal, becoming the Expos' player with the longest current tenure. The three-time All-Star is hitting .262 with a team-high four homers and 13 RBIs.

 

``He wanted to be here,'' general manager Omar Minaya said. ``This means we are able to hold onto one of our better assets. We're going to be able to have a nucleus of players here to build upon.''

 

Vidro is completing a $19 million, four-year deal he signed in 2001.

 

Vidro entered Friday's game fifth on the Expos' career list in doubles (242), sixth in runs (482), seventh in hits (973) and ninth in RBIs (424).

 

The next piece of business for Minaya and the Expos is shortstop Orlando Cabrera, also eligible for free agency after the season.

 

``We'll have to see,'' Cabrera said. ``We've come to agreement to work it out and we'll see what happens. I don't have my hands tied to stay here. I'm going to wait long enough and then decide whether I want to stay here or to move on.''

 

Good move for the Expos, although I'm still puzzled as to how they'll pull the team from the doldrumms. In any case, this takes the only good 2Bman off the market this offseason, and eliminates the possibility of the Yankees trading for him.

[treble 0]

So, are they going to trade Cabrera now? I thought Vidro would be the one who was gone, but I guess I was wrong.

[Guest Anglesault]

and eliminates the possibility of the Yankees trading for him.

Oh, Yippee.

 

We need a fucking second baseman.

[Guest Anglesault]

And you would think Vlad and Javy would have been part of any "nucleus"

Edited May 15, 2004 by Anglesault

[Bored 0]

They had signed Livan Hernandez to a long term deal before the season started so this is probably a sign that MLB will finally have an announcement in the near future that the Expos are moving.

[2GOLD 0]

The Cubs could use Orlando, the former Delmarva Shorebird.

 

But I hope he stays with the Expos and they can get a city that wants them again. But I better not hear the words "NEW JERSEY" when they discuss where to move them.

 

I don't get why not just move them to Vegas since the A's did decent enough there when they had to play games there if I remember right.

[The Czech Republic 0]

It should just be Hampton Roads so as not to screw up alignment. Or even better...Montreal

[Vern Gagne 0]

Just read that the city of Portland has $340 million in place for a new stadium.

[pappajacks 0]

Baseball could thrive in Montreal once again if the team is run properly.

 

If we were talking about contraction 20 years ago, teams like Atlanta, Cleveland, Seattle and San Francisco would be long gone. Look how those markets flourished with a winning team and a new stadium. Montreal is no different. Montreal has a population of 3 million, and that doesn't include the potential of the market, which included in the past Quebec City, Ottawa and northern Vermont.

 

The 1994 strike killed the franchise. Instead of investing in the team, the owners decided to hold a firesale and trade away Walker, Grissom, Hill and Wetteland. Pedro Martinez and Moises Alou soon followed. For years the owners in Montreal pocketed revenue sharing money instead of spending that money on players. They filled their pockets with revenue sharing money and I'm glad MLB stepped in and decided to toss them aside.

 

There is a reason the team drew an average of 10,000 a game the last few years: firesale after firesale, crappy stadium not located downtown and constant relocation threats have made thousands of fans turn away from the game.

 

Don't get me wrong, baseball isn't as popular as hockey in Montreal and Montreal isn't and will never be as baseball crazy as St-Louis, Chicago, Boston and New York. But, if run properly with committed owners, it's no worse a baseball town than most MLB cities.

[Bored 0]

It was already mentioned that Vidro now won't be the Yankees second baseman at the end of the year but figure they can start stitching Bret Boone's Yankee uniform. Can't imagine the Mariners clawing themselves back into contention so they'll probably be sellers in July. I'm sure Bill Bavasi will take Kenny Lofton for him.

[Guest Anglesault]

Bret Boone, Aaron Boone, hell, drag Ray Boone's ass out of whatever nursing home he's in and send him out there to play second for all I care, just do SOMETHING.

[EVIL~! alkeiper 0]

Why don't the Yankees trade for Craig Counsell? He's a servicable replacement. Not an all-star, but he'll provide league average OBP. The Brewers have a surplus of middle infielders, so they can spare him. And Counsell can play all over the infield if needed.

[Guest Anglesault]

I guess he can hold the fort down for a while if need be.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Just read that the city of Portland has $340 million in place for a new stadium.

I thought they didn't want a team!!!!! Argh stupid Portland. They're not supposed to actually HAVE any teams sans the Blazers, Portland is just the sports world's empty threat.