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LOS LUNAS, NM - The rumors of a potential relocation for the Los Lunas Javelinas were finally confirmed today. The destination? Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
The press conference was held in a jam packed room down the hall from the players' empty locker room. It was another symbol of Los Lunas just being too small for the big time BLB. Long time fan favorite GM "Gyro" kept the team from moving but once fans heard the announcement of the hiring of a new Canadian GM last winter, they knew the writing was on the wall. But today their worst nightmares had finally come true.
Starting in 2004, the Javelinas will move North of the border under a new namesake to Toronto. The team's nickname will be decided by the City of Toronto during this year's BLB season. Construction of a new stadium has begun along the waterfront of Toronto but the 4 million plus residents of the city will not be able to buy tickets for the new team until July 1st 2003 (Canada Day Holiday).
Newly named Manager John O'Kerrigan was in attendance at the press conference and was excited about the move. "Times are changing here in the BLB and especially in our division. You already had the Mississippi team move to New York last year and there comes a time where the small market cannot work anymore, it's no longer 1978." O'Kerrigan continued sympathetically "I love the people down here in New Mexico and I know many of them also root for the Los Alamos team which is a short drive away so they will not be completely abandoned."
There will be one noticeable change in the organization's final year in Los Lunas and that is with the Minor Leagues. All three teams have already moved to Canada. The new teams are: Single A - Vancouver Mounties, Double A - Calgary Cowboys, and the Triple A Ottawa Beavers. Division rival New Orleans Dukes already have their Triple A team down the highway in Montreal which has everybody circling their calendar when the two meet.
Outfielder Luther Bennerman, the only Canadian currently on the Los Lunas roster was born and raised in Toronto is ecstatic about the news. "When Gilly [OF Doug Gill] called me to tell me, I didn't believe him. I thought it was another piratical joke he was playing. But sure enough dreams do come true, I never thought I'd get the opportunity to play there again! I can tell you that the people of Toronto love their baseball and will be loyal fans to their new franchise. My family is already receiving calls about tickets." Bennerman who has proven to be a BLB player despite never playing more than 120 games in a season wasn't ready to talk about his contract "I'm not even thinking about that, I obviously do not want to play anywhere else especially with the move to Toronto."
Next year's move to Toronto will spark more realignment discussions as Los Angeles will be the only member of the west coast in the Lager.
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