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MONTREAL -- Former Montreal Expo Warren Cromartie is just waiting for the right investors -- or "power hitters" as he puts it -- to step up to the plate in the city and hit one out of the park. Sio Moore Raiders Jersey . "There are two things in baseball that never change: history and numbers," said Cromartie, who is spearheading a drive for Montreal to get a Major League Baseball team. "Montreal, we have the history for baseball in this town. We have the numbers now. The numbers dont lie. Its an amazing day." The Expos left after the 2004 season to become the Washington Nationals amid dwindling attendance at the concrete and much-maligned Olympic Stadium in the citys east end. The reason for Cromarties unbridled enthusiasm at a news conference Thursday was an Ernst & Young feasibility study that suggests baseball could thrive in Montreal if the city had a new stadium. The study was commissioned by Cromarties group -- the Montreal Baseball Project -- and the Montreal Board of Trade. Ernst & Young cited a strong demand for season tickets, the teams salary cap but especially revenue-sharing and increased TV rights as the reasons it reached its conclusion. The report said the project would cost just over $1 billion -- $500 million for the facility and $525 million for the franchise. Ernst & Young based the $525-million figure on the average price of the 10 MLB teams that, according to Forbes, have the least economic value. The firms scenario includes a government contribution of about $335 million. Cromartie and the board of trade are looking for someone who can deliver money -- and lots of it. "My next step is to find a champion," he said. "A champion with passion, a champion with integrity, a champion with assets, because we cant get done without it. "Were looking for a big player, a cleanup hitter, somebody who wants to be part of history, be a hero. "We got a ball game going here. We got a game going. We got a runner on first base ... I need a power hitter, power hitters to make it happen." Matt McGloin Jersey . Basketball fans around the globe will be watching as Kobe Bryant makes his season debut - 240 days after tearing his left Achilles - against Toronto, a team he has used as his own personal punching bag. Bo Jackson Raiders Jersey . Vincent Lecavalier - whose Philadelphia Flyers host the Toronto Maple Leafs on Wednesday night - told reporters after the morning skate that it does make him think twice about the subject, but stopped short on saying if it should be taken out altogether.The St. Louis Blues take aim at a season-high sixth straight victory tonight as they try and hand the Edmonton Oilers another lopsided defeat this season. The Blues have logged a point in eight straight games (7-0-1) and sit second overall in the Central Division with 63 points, four back of the Chicago Blackhawks. St. Louis will play three straight on the road beginning tonight after besting the visiting Columbus Blue Jackets 6-2 on Saturday. That win improved the Blues to 17-3-2 at home this season. Down 2-0 going into the second period, Patrik Berglund, Vladimir Sobotka and Maxim Lapierre scored second-period goals to put the Blues in front. Berglund then began another three-goal spurt in the third period with his sixth tally of the season before Jaden Schwartz and Alex Pietrangelo capped the scoring with goals. "I think it shows a lot of character that we have on this team," said Lapierre. "The game is never over and its really important because these things happen in the playoffs and you have to get used to it." In his fourth straight start, Brian Elliott made 22 saves for a Blues club that also won five straight from Nov. 19-27 and last won six in a row from April 1-11. Elliott has won each of his last six decisions and 13 in a row at home, whilee Schwartz has logged 10 points over a career-high eight-game point streak. Art Shell Womens Jersey. He has scored a goal in seven of those games. Schwartz tallied once in a 6-0 win over the hosting Oilers back on Dec. 21. Christ Stewart notched his third career hat trick in the win while adding an assist, and Elliott made 23 saves. Berglund also had a goal and an assist for the Blues, who have beaten the Oilers in six of seven and in 12 of the previous 15 meetings. They have taken three in a row and six of the last eight in Edmonton. Ilya Bryzgalov yielded all six goals on 33 shots for the Oilers. That loss to St. Louis was Edmontons sixth in a row, a slump it snapped with back-to-back wins over Winnipeg and Calgary. The Oilers then lost another four in a row, the first two past regulation, before a 5-3 win over the Tampa Bay Lightning on Sunday. Jordan Eberle, who missed Fridays loss to Anaheim with a knee injury, scored twice and Boyd Gordon had the game-winner 8:20 into the third period. Taylor Hall had a goal and an assist and Bryzgalov made 24 saves as Edmonton recovered after failing to hold a 3-1 lead. "We had success when we were getting pucks in behind them," Eberle said. Hall has notched four goals and nine assists over 13 points over his last nine games. ' ' ' |
