Columnist Ron Kantowski: Cashman linked to Expos-ure

Thursday, Sept. 12, 2002 | 9:48 a.m.

Ron Kantowski's insider notes column appears Tuesday and his Page One column appears Thursday. He can be reached at ron@lasvegassun.com or (702) 259-4088.

Thank you, ESPN.com and Seattle Times. Just when I thought the rumor mill that specializes in linking pro sports franchises to Las Vegas had been shut down or at least closed for the season, you managed to restart the conveyor belt.

Both of those respected sports gathering organizations this week reported/speculated/dreamed up a scenario in which the Montreal Expos would become the baseball equivalent of Bingo Long's Traveling All-Stars.

According to the story/suggestion/harebrained idea, Major League Baseball, which is bound to keep the Expos afloat as per the recent labor settlement, might explore the option of having them play their home games in three -- or maybe even four -- cities next season.

The three mentioned most prominently are Washington, Portland and Charlotte, thought to be the leading contenders for the next relocated franchise.

But, says ESPN.com, "... If MLB wants Las Vegas in the mix, the Expos would play 20 games in each of those four prospective homes, along with a 'Bon, voyage, Expos!' game in Montreal (for a total of 81 'home' games)."

At this point, nobody from Major League Baseball will admit there is a mix, much less if we're in it.

"So many things would have to happen for that to take place," said Las Vegas 51s president/GM Don Logan. "There are a lot of issues that would have to be resolved for them (MLB) to do that."

Logan, who would be involved in any such talks, said none are taking place, though he did entertain some visitors from the commissioner's office at Cashman Field earlier this summer.

He said for Las Vegas to be part of such a plan, MLB, the 51s, the mayor's office and the LVCVA all would have to be on the same page. But there is precedent for that kind of cooperation.

In 1996, when sterile Oakland Coliseum was being remodeled, the A's played six games against the Blue Jays and Tigers at Cashman. I remember talking to John Olerud, then of Toronto, and watching him wipe the drool from his lip after launching about a dozen zero humidity batting practice home runs. But contrary to projections, the number of spectators far surpassed the number of long balls as Cashman and Las Vegas managed not to spill its Big League cup of coffee.

In fact, the six games here -- which drew 54,986 -- were considered a rousing success.

The logic behind the Expos becoming a reincarnation of the Kansas City-Omaha Kings (God bless Tiny Archibald) is that it would allow MLB to gauge fan interest and make political contacts in those cities. In other words, to avoid another Tampa Bay.

And so what if only 5,000 turned out here to watch the Quad Cities Expos? That's about 2,000 more than they draw in Montreal.

Scheduling, of course, would be a logistical nightmare, and the team's performance almost certainly would suffer without true home games. But if you're a rookie pitcher who doesn't speak French, is spending half of your summer in Montreal a better deal?

At this point, the possibility of the Expos playing a quarter of their home schedule in Las Vegas is probably little more than wishful thinking on Vladimir Guerrerro's part.

But it's still the most intriguing rumor I've heard this week.