There was a noticeable change in tone when Major League Baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred stepped on the plate Tuesday.

Speaking before baseball writers at a downtown hotel in Cincinnati, Manfred is taking charge of his first All Star Game since Bud Selig retired from office in January.

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By the end of the briefing, Manfred was able to share his agenda to baseball writers, who likewise were able to get a grasp on how the commissioner saw his job in America's most favorite pastime.

Expanding the league is among the priorities of Manfred, who said he was looking for more opportunities to invite big cities to put up their own teams.

"Maybe one of the reasons I got this job, I'm bullish on this game," said Manfred.

"I think we are in a growth business, broadly defined. And I think growth businesses over an extended period of time look to get bigger," he continued.  "So, yeah, I'm open to the idea that there will be a point in time where expansion may be possible."

But first things first; Manfred wants franchises to be financially stable so that the long-term viability of the clubs do not get jeopardized.

As for cities which have signified an interest in bringing major league baseball in their turfs, the commissioner said those could help solve current problems being encountered by teams such as the Tampa Bay Rays.

Though the team is competitive and the ownership is in for the long haul, attendance to the home games has caused some concern for MLB officials.

"Obviously, we have an issue in Tampa. They put a great product on the field," Manfred said. "The attendance is not what we would like to see and we believe it is facility related. It's that simple."

Manfred shared that he had an opportunity to discuss the issue with the mayor of Tampa during a chance meeting. He said he was glad to hear that politicians in the area are bent to keep the Rays in the city, so relocating them elsewhere is not yet on the table, for now.

"I find that to be encouraging and we will not get to the point of exploring relocation, unless and until Mr. Sternberg and I, in consultation or together, reach the conclusion that it's not possible to get something done in the market where he exists now," Manfred said.

Manfred said he had a list of cities which expressed interest in having baseball in their areas, but he declined to disclose the list. But among the cities that have publicly signified their intention to bring baseball in their areas is Montreal.

Montreal Mayor Denis Coderre, a baseball nut himself, declared the city was ready to bring the game back to the city. Testing the waters there was two successful exhibition games featuring the Toronto Blue Jays.

 "Characterizing it was a process probably gives it more formality than I would be comfortable with," Manfred said. "Let me say this about Montreal, the mayor is an enthusiastic supporter of bringing baseball back to Montreal."

"I happen to believe that Montreal has a great baseball history, which is a nice thing. The market supported two exhibition games each of the past two years. I know the number for the weekend each year was over 90,000," he added.

"Having said all that, it's a long way from two exhibition games to 81 home games in a facility that is consistent with major-league standards," Manfred pointed out.

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