More than ten years after the Montreal Expos moved south of the border, the dream of bringing a franchise back may finally be dying.
As recently as last spring, former Expos manager Felipe Alou thought there were good odds of seeing major league baseball return to Quebec but those talks seem to be a thing of the past.
“Well you know a couple of years ago I heard a lot of talk, a lot of rumours in the United States. Then we had the couple of games between the Blue Jays and the Mets, packed stadium. Also this year the Reds were here with the Blue Jays, stuff like that, but I haven't really heard a whole lot this year.”
The possibility of reinstating a major league baseball team in Montreal has been the subject of much debate ever since the demise of the Expos over a decade ago. It's not unusual to see jerseys, hats, and all manner of references to the team not just in Montreal but across the country. Alou is a long time supporter of bringing a team back, but he doesn't think there's much hope.
“You know I'm working with a major league team; usually around the major leagues you hear the good stuff. The good stuff that I heard, was that there may be a team moving there, now I don't hear anything.”
Alou turned 80 years old this year and has more than six decades of baseball knowledge and experience. The Alou family played a huge role in influencing future generations of players from the Dominican Republic and the Expos gave him the unparalleled experience of managing his own son Moises back in 1990.
“I've said many times I'd like to see a team come back before I pass away, like I said the clock is ticking, I hope they get it.”
