While NFL teams make regular forays to London, the 162-game MLB schedule is simply too compressed for cameos that ambitious.True dreamers can envision a day when MLB has a true "World Series,'' with competition among teams from far-flung locales. ''Translation: Don't hold your breath for a three-game June series in Munich between the Cubs and Red Sox or a National League South Division consisting of teams in Melbourne, Sydney, Buenos Aires and Rio de Janeiro anytime soon.Look at the composition of the 30 club rosters and it's readily apparent how the game continues to evolve. And while MLB would have to address questions surrounding player security in Mexico, the players would have to adopt a more open-minded attitude about going through customs and playing in places where English isn't the predominant language.While Las Vegas; Nashville, Tennessee; Charlotte, North Carolina; San Antonio, Texas; Portland, Oregon; Oklahoma City; and northern New Jersey all have their merits as potential new homes for MLB franchises, baseball can chart an even bolder long-term course by looking beyond the U.S. borders to expand from 30 to 32 clubs.Scouts and front-office people have legitimate reason to assess the on-field product and question whether there's enough talent to adequately stock two more 25-man rosters.
The biggest questions are when and where.In the meantime, the daily grind of the baseball season puts limits on thinking too far outside the box. Before MLB can place a team in Mexico, it will have to confront a host of infrastructure issues and logistical landmines -- not to mention rise above the bombastic political discourse that has erupted during the 2016 presidential campaign season. Las Vegas is the best western venue to gamble (pun intended) on an MLB expansion team. Breakfast baseball is too a wonderful thing to limit to every four years. It's all about selling caps and jerseys, establishing brands and identities, and gaining footholds in markets where teams can be competitive without requiring subsidies from the big-market clubs.The potential upside is readily apparent. ''MLB commissioner Rob Manfred has been up front about his interest in spreading the gospel of baseball to new markets since he took over for Bud Selig a year ago.As time passes, technological advances accrue and the world gets smaller, it's only natural for baseball to explore new frontiers.
This plan, in addition to the previous two teams, help address the dearth of baseball in the west as well an expanding international play.