I think it would be cool if there were a team in Northern New Jersey.
This article here discusses the economic viability of the top ten places MLB could place a team, and you may be surprised to see that NJ is number one.
Now before you roll your eyes remember that Fred Wilpon is still obsessed with the 1950’s – when the Dodgers and Giants played every 10 minutes, and these days we’re supposed to believe that the Mets-Yankees series is the end all be all….so give it a few years and maybe Mets-Marlins could be fun.
SF Giants could have probably come back east in the 70’s. Yankees were not the juggernaut and MLB wasn’t as revenue sensitive. Yanks and Mets could have been paid off for a few million each and the club would have had a park in the Meadowlands they’d be looking to replace a few years from now.
Puerto Rico or Monterrey are I think the best markets. If NJ wouldn’t support the Stanley Cup Champion Devils why would they support an expansion team that will be lousy for their first few years?
Puerto Rico didn’t draw a lick with the Expos, and the travel is a tad far. I don’t see them going into Monterrey. I also don’t seem them going into NJ. I’d guess something like Vegas/Portland/Charlotte. There’s probably a way to put a team in Tokyo if the schedule makers get aggressive.