If the Royals have a blog, so should the Expos.
Baseball Musings: Quick Inning:
"In what may be the quickest first inning played this year, a total of 18 pitches were used to get through both halves of the first inning in the Cubs-Expos game."
Game 2 tonight at 7:05. I completely missed the game on ESPN last night and I'm kicking myself because of it.
Later.
With a small rally in the ninth, the Expos pulled within three of the Cubbies. Terrmel Sledge was a triple short of the cycle and was responsible for both Expos runs with his two run homerun in the ninth. It was Dusty Baker's 1,000 win, but as an Expos fan, I don't really care that much. Livan takes the mound tomorrow. Come on Spos - let's get out of the cellar!
SI.com - Writers - Ballard: Fan loyalty not something to be taken lightly - Monday August 30, 2004 2:19PM:
"I also speak of the Expos fans, the Brewers loyalists and everyone else who knows what it's like to start thinking about next year, this year, and do it every year. For these people, it will mean something when their teams finally win. You can't be invested in the Cardinals if, last season, you were invested in the Marlins."
...
"I have a friend from college who goes so far as to use fan loyalty as a litmus test when meeting people at work. Those who have it, he feels he can trust. Those who don't, well, as he says, 'I gotta keep an eye on them.'"
The last quote is in agreement with Complete and Total Bisch - from whom I took the link.
And the reason for calling out Donald Sutherland is here.
Later.
In an effort to see the Expos one more time at Olympic Stadium...
9/26 Tuque Day
(10,000 fans will receive an Expos tuque)
I had to look up what a "tuque" is.
Of course, it might seem that I like the Phillies - as I saw the Expos play them earlier this year at their new stadium - but nothing could be further from the truth.
Who's in? Tickets are cheap. Airfare is not - so it might be another loooong car trip from NYC.
Also, the 5th is Larry Parrish Russian Dolls Giveaway Day.
Later.
Baseball Fever - Expos - RICO hearing.
"Being from Montréal, I had the chance to read the followig in yesterday' s papers.( a crude translation )
Loria : A verdict in october.
"The lawsuit against Jeffrey Loria, from his ex partners, will not be resolve untill next autumn, at the very least. The 3 arbiters have ajourned for now. In august, 2 days are already reserved for testimonies. The hearings will then be suspended untill september 15th at which date, argumentation between sides will occur. The verdict to be heard in late october will be irrevocable, binding." ( Journal de Montréal)
The rest of the very short article, does not say a lot, exept that if found guilty of fraud, Loria coud pay $75 millions in damages; and, if, or, but, found not guilty he could sue for damages to his reputation for about the same amount."
Also, here's a long thread (47 pages) about relocation - and some info on the suit.
Later.
ESPN.com - MLB - Recap:
Expos lost to the Padres, 11-3 on Sunday. Some things were crazy about the game:
"Montreal, which has made the second-fewest errors in the NL, made five in the game -- one short of the franchise record."
4 or the 11 runs were unearned.
And some things remained the same:
"Montreal's Brad Wilkerson was hit in the right knee by a pitch from Steve Watkins with two outs in the ninth. He fell to the ground in pain and was helped off the field by Robinson and assistant trainer Tim Abraham.....'I hope he's not down for very long, but who knows?' Robinson said."
But here's a great note on Brian Schneider. "Game notes: Schneider, who has yet to commit an error and just three passed balls in 109 games, has a 50 percent success rate against attempted base stealers. He has thrown out 31 of 62."
San Diego also won on Saturday, 5-2, with Patsy getting the loss.
I'm sure the Expos won't miss San Diego. Up next: Chicago Cubs - who I believe do not have any starting pitching.
Later.
I read something in the SF Chronichle about a pending law suit against Jeffrey Loria for negligence in running the Spos when he was in Montreal. The writer said that he suspected that it would be difficult to move the team with the law suit still looming. I am interested in learning more about this....any ideas on where to find the information?
sPERTS.net - Bill O'Reilly leads successful boycott of Expos - Friday, May 7th, 2004:
"'Listen to these pathetic Expos attendance figures,' began O'Reilly, '4,001, 3,609, and 8,851 during the Rockies series. I' d like to congratulate my fellow Americans, along with fair and balanced Canadians, for helping us destroy baseball in Montreal.'"
But I thought I'd share it anyway.
Expos won last night. Good start out of Downs and the bats finally had a big inning, like those two they were subjected to in the Dodgers series.
Congratulations are in order: "Montreal shortstop Maicer Izturis made his major league debut after having his contract purchased from Triple-A Edmonton earlier in the day. Izturis, the younger brother of Los Angeles shortstop Cesar Izturis, singled off Tankersley in his first major league at-bat in the second." I might add, he chased Tankersley from the game with a walk after FF Jamey Carroll's single in the 6th - the 'Spos big-offense inning.
Also, does Bud want the Expos moving to D.C. if they're just going to move into RFK?
Later.
ESPN.com - MLB - Recap:
The Good
"Despite a seven-run lead, the Dodgers used their closer (Gagné) in the ninth inning. The Montreal native, pitching at home for the first time since winning last year's NL Cy Young Award, drew attention when he started warming up and the crowd of 18,520, the Expos' third-highest at home this season, gave him a standing ovation when he pitched. He retired three in a row after a leadoff walk."
(This was the topic of a post at Traveling Expos a few days ago. And JP is rightfully upset at Jim Tracy for holding Gagné until the last inning of the last game.)
The Bad
"Hernandez struck out six in 5 1/3 innings but walked five, allowing eight runs, six of them earned."
The Ugly
"Plate umpire Kevin Kelley warned both benches immediately after the Dodgers' Masao Kida hit Alex Gonzalez with a pitch in the eighth inning and left with a bruised left wrist... Gonzalez went for X-rays and Expos manager Frank Robinson wasn't optimistic about the results... 'It's too early to tell but it certainly didn't hit him in a good spot,' Robinson said. 'There's not much meat there for protection. That's pretty much bone and he feels pretty bad right now, so that's not a good sign.'"
Later.
In an awesome display of power, the Expos topped the Dodgers last night scoring all runs with the long ball. Wilkerson led off the game with his 24th, then Batista and Rivera hit back to back bombs in the third. Schneider sealed the win with his twelfth - a three run deal.
The question remains though, will the Expos stay healthy enough to repeat this feat? If you go to the Expos wrap of last night's game, the highlighted text is about Tony Armas, jr leaving the game in the third with muscle spasms, and there are two other articles on Vidro's early season departure and Biddle's bruised heal - all this coming after losing Stick Johnson last week. I bet we could pit the Expos DL players against any other team's DL and win big!
I guess that means don't throw food at the players to solicit their opinions. This was at Olympic Stadium in center field.
Not many teams will solicit help from the fans. Expos coach Manny Acta listens to one of the too few Expos supporters.
Orlando Cabrera takes a cut against the White Sox at Olympic Stadium.
Youppi is the reason so many kids love to come to the game.
Later.
ESPN.com - MLB - Vidro to undergo season-ending knee surgery:
"Vidro, a three-time All-Star, chose to undergo the procedure after a recent MRI on his knee, which has bothered him over parts of the last two seasons and caused him to miss four straight starts, including Wednesday's game against Los Angeles."
More and more, I'm upset that the Expos will be leaving Montreal. So when Vidro, rightfully, ends his season to better for next year, I have a little pang of selfishness wishing he would play it out for Montreal.
Later.
ESPN.com - MLB - MLB Power Alley:
#27
"We've said it before, and we'll say it again: Don't be surprised when the 'Spos roll past the Mets and escape the NL East basement."
Yeah? Well when is that going to be reflected in the Power Ranking standings? The Mets are at #20 and just 5 1/2 games ahead of the Expos (who, I might add, where about 14 games out at the All-Star break).
I think I'm getting a little crazy about the Power Rankings, but the Expos should be getting some respect for the fine second-half that they are having. Especially after their second-half collapses of recent years. The Yankees, who have lost quite a few games recently but are still owners of the second-best record in the majors, dropped two spots to #4 within the week. So it's not like the rankings aren't fluid.
The Expos are 22-15 since the break.
The top teams: The Yankees are 22-17. The Red Sox, 24-14. The Cards, 28-10. The A's, 25-14.
The bottom teams: D'Backs, 8-30. Seattle, 13-25. Kansas City, 12-26. Colorado, 19-19. The Mets are just 14-23!
Which set of teams does Montreal seem to fit better with?
Who can I talk to at ESPN?
Later.
ESPN.com - Plan misuses "moral obligation" bonds:
"McLEAN, Va. -- As baseball officials met Wednesday with backers hoping to lure the Montreal Expos to Northern Virginia, a second key lawmaker said he opposes a plan to finance a ballpark with bonds backed by the "moral obligation" of the state."
Of course, what he's forgetting here is that "moral obligation" is a term never used in relation to the Expos.
'Spos got burned last night 10-2 by the Dodgers, who had an 8-run 5th inning.
Tonight they play the 3rd game of the 4-game set. Tony Armas, Jr. will be on the mound for the home team.
Later.
Update on Youppi: from fool blog's mascot photos, "Youppi proved himself to be male by lavishing a little more attention on my friend Ellyn than she wanted." Picture included.
This is referring to a previous post, which brought to light the accusations that Youppi is gay.
Later.
Team 990:
From the Notes:
"Curiously, Youppi's birthday always seems to fall on a Sunday when the Expos are playing at home."
Ah, yes, that is quite interesting.
Later.
After winning their last two games scoring eight runs, today the Expos lost by eight. However, starting pitcher Rocky Biddle seems to be more influenced by the number seven. Today he gave up seven earned runs. His era went up to 7.42 and he got his 7th loss of the season. He did not, as you can imagine, last seven innings - he exited the game in the 4th.
Fan favorite, Jamey Carroll sadly made the last out. Let's go for two out of three, Spos.
Dugout Chatter *LL*: Montreal Expos
Another discussion board that's up-to-date! This is so great.
Later.
Revisiting last week's Power Rankings, where the Expos dropped - yes, dropped - from 26 to 27, despite a 5-2 record in the previous week (including one loss by only one run)...
Now here's another chance for ESPN to redeem itself. In the past week the Expos have gone 4-3. One loss was a blow-out to Barry Bonds' Giants - and yes, Barry spanked them. One loss was a close game which they lost 5-4, despite the Giants having Cy Young Award-favorite Schmidt on the mound. The other loss was a 5-2 complete game loss for Livan Hernanadez.
But they also tore it up: beating San Fran 6-2 behind 3-1/3 innings of no-run ball from the bullpen (3 Holds registered in the game); a 4-3 win vs. Colorado where 5 pitchers combined to pitch an 8-hitter (including 2 innings of no-hit, 4-K ball from Ayala); an 8-2 drubbing of Colorado with Patsy picking up the win, and last night's nail-biter.
Meanwhile...
30 - Arizona has gone 3-3
29 - Kansas City has gone 2-4 (though stayed close with Texas)
28 - Seattle has gone 2-4 (losing twice to the hapless Tigers and once to the D'Rays)
27 - Montreal has gone 4-3
26 - Toronto has gone 4-2 (with an impressive sweep of the once-surging Orioles)
25 - Tampa Bay has gone 3-4 (barely winning the last game in the Oakland series)
24 - Colorado has gone 2-4 (losing 2 of 3 to the Expos!)
23 - Milwaukee has gone 1-6 (lost 2 of 3 to Chicago, swept by the Phils)
Now let's look at overall record...
30 - Arizona: 39-87
29 - Kansas City: 44-78
28 - Seattle: 46-77
27 - Montreal: 53-71
26 - Toronto: 53-72
25 - Tampa Bay: 57-68
24 - Colorado: 55-69
23 - Milwaukee: 55-68
And rank them as if they were a league...
25 - Tampa Bay: 57-68
23 - Milwaukee: 55-68
24 - Colorado: 55-69
27 - Montreal: 53-71
26 - Toronto: 53-72
28 - Seattle: 46-77
29 - Kansas City: 44-78
30 - Arizona: 39-87
So, I see that the Power Rankings are keyed into standings and runs/wins, as they should be. But for the second week in a row the Expos have had a great record compared to those around them. Last week was a travesty, having them moved down a spot from the week before. This week, let's turn it around.
Later.
Expos beat Dodgers, 8-7:
"Carrara walked Juan Rivera with the bases loaded and two outs in the ninth inning Monday night, spoiling the Los Angeles Dodgers' six-run comeback and handing the Montreal Expos an 8-7 victory."
Have you noticed a lot of 8th and 9th inning rallies of late?
I love seeing the winning run walked in on a 3-2 pitch with 2 outs. Such a high pressure situation for both the batter and pitcher. Me, I think I'd get the jitters and swing at anything. But thankfully that isn't the mindset of Juan Rivera.
Later.
Despite giving up two runs in the top of the ninth, the Expos are still poised for a win. I am hoping that this entry does not jinx them. I just switched back to the game cast and saw the winning run walked in! Spos take the first game of the series 8-7. I should blog more often.
Baseball Fever - Montreal Expos:
Comment board on the Expos - and up-to-date (which is a suprise).
Later.
ESPN.com - MLB - Expos put Johnson (broken cheekbone) on DL:
"'This is just another injury for us,' Montreal manager Frank Robinson said. 'You get to a point where it's par for the course.'"
Nick Johnson out - most likely for the rest of the season. Tony Armas, Jr. also hurt his arm.
Expos win tonight, 8-2 vs. the Rockies. They won Friday and lost Saturday - taking the season series from the Rockies (4-2)
Later.
Please take a moment to note the following table, which summarizes the last ten teams on this week's Power Rankings according to their second-half schedule including wins (W), losses (L), winning percentage (W%), wins by one-run (One-Run W), losses by one-run (One-Run L), percentage of one-run wins to total second-half wins (O-R W%) and percentage of one-run losses to total second-half losses.
| Power Ranking | Team | W | L | W% | One-Run W | One-Run L | O-R W% | O-R L% |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 30 | Diamondbacks | 6 | 27 | 0.182 | 0 | 5 | 0.000 | 0.185 |
| 29 | Royals | 12 | 21 | 0.364 | 3 | 3 | 0.250 | 0.143 |
| 28 | Mariners | 13 | 20 | 0.394 | 4 | 8 | 0.308 | 0.400 |
| 27 | Expos | 19 | 14 | 0.576 | 2 | 6 | 0.105 | 0.429 |
| 26 | Blue Jays | 10 | 23 | 0.303 | 3 | 6 | 0.300 | 0.261 |
| 25 | Devil Rays | 13 | 20 | 0.394 | 3 | 3 | 0.231 | 0.150 |
| 24 | Rockies | 18 | 14 | 0.563 | 5 | 1 | 0.278 | 0.071 |
| 23 | Brewers | 10 | 22 | 0.313 | 4 | 3 | 0.400 | 0.136 |
| 22 | Tigers | 13 | 19 | 0.406 | 4 | 6 | 0.308 | 0.316 |
| 21 | Reds | 10 | 22 | 0.313 | 4 | 2 | 0.400 | 0.091 |
| 20 | Mets | 13 | 18 | 0.419 | 5 | 5 | 0.385 | 0.278 |
BTF's Baseball Primer Discussion :: Baseball Crank: The Team That Might Have Been Actually Was:
"I recently played the 1994 World Series in Strat, as manager of the Expos. They swept the Yankees in four straight, and most of the games weren't particularly close."
Later.
ESPN.com - MLB - MLB Power Alley:
#27 Expos
"Will the nightmare ever end? You would think so, but it appears it won't be any time soon."
After a succesful run, I cannot believe that the Expos dropped a place to 27. It seemed inevitable that they would break out of the Bottom 5.
Are the Power Rankings cumulative? And if so, how were the Expos moving up, only to follow a successful, if not unlucky, few weeks with a move back down?
Craziness.
Later.
Off Wing Opinion%3A The Expos Endgame:
"As for this idea that Angelos will file a lawsuit to stop a move, I have yet to hear anyone explain what such a lawsuit would argue. It can't be an antitrust complaint - baseball is exempt, and Angelos couldn't argue in favor of creating a monopoly."
It's getting late, so the posts are going to slow down - but good to see Off Wing Opinion still having an interest in the Expos.
Montreal loses 14-4 to the Giants in the nightcap.
Jayson Stark weighs in on the Expos' fate.
And no Power Rankings for this week yet.
Later.
WSO Blog:
"expos are ok in my book, but the rays still suck"
I just thought that was a funny response-thread title. Because I'm glad that the Expos are ok in your book.
The purpose of the post, was the outcry of one person who disappointed by posters that disparaged the Expos without taking into account their situation.
It then dissembles into drivel about the Red Sox, Yankees and Devil Rays.
But at least the first post had heart - and one in the middle had that funny title.
Later.
Black Betsy: Even The Expos Deserve a Blog
A quick read through this post got me thinking that she was a Red Sox fan, but isn't that just like a New Yorker-Yankee fan thinking that the world revolves around the AL East?
I believe that my favorite part is the reference to "Expo BlogLand," which is more like the "Expo BlogIsland," with a shout/link to Traveling Expos as well.
And now that I've realized that Black Betsy is a White Sox fan, we can live in peace.
Later.
The Spitter: "After months of laboring under of the oppressive constructs of Major League Baseball, the Montreal Expos officially declared their independence on Thursday, ending a season-long reign of terror by MLB commissioner/military strongman Bud Selig."
Fluff piece.
Later.
MSNBC - Does winner of Expos really win?:
"The only way the Expos franchise will not be moved is if the former minority partners of the Expos win their July 2002 lawsuit, which accused Commissioner Bud Selig and former Expos and now Florida Marlins owner Jeffrey Loria with mail fraud and wire fraud along with conspiring for more than two years to eliminate Montreal. That case has not been settled."
Does anyone know more about this?
Later.
Since the 19th of June, almost one full month, the Expos have gone 18-10. This is including the win in the first game of today's double header.
Won/lost records in one-run games are largely due to luck (though according to Bill James, losing them may be persistent - "losing a lot of one-run games is not necessarily completely meaningless.")
One-run wins: 2
One-run losses: 6
Wow! A whopping 60% of their losses during the last 28 games have been decided by one run.
Is it Robinson, lack of a bullpen or chance? You decide.
Later.
Expos Baseball:
"The Expos held a players-only meeting before the game%2C apparently to discuss why they didn%27t get to bat last as the home team in one of the games. The doubleheader was caused because of a rainout in San Juan, Puerto Rico, on May 23, costing the Expos a home game."
So is this win - 6,2 - considered a home victory, or is the second one considered their home game?
Ridiculous - especially because only the players apparently get to know why. That's what I love to see in baseball - a big, fat heap of non-transparency.
Vidro goes 2-for-3 with a walk and 3 RBI.
Later.
ESPN.com - MLB - Best ballpark deal the key to Expos%27 future:
"PHILADELPHIA -- Trying to get the best possible ballpark deal for the Montreal Expos, Major League Baseball instructed its lawyers to press ahead with negotiations involving four of the areas bidding for the team."
But of course - tell us something we didn't know. Is this the big news coming out of the owner's meeting?
Later.
Baseball Crank:
"I was playing around with the Streak Reports on Baseball-Reference.com some time ago, and noticed that from August 19, 1993 through May 5, 1995 - a full 162-game schedule including the entire 1994 regular season - the Expos won 110 games and lost just 52. .The Expos finished the 1993 season on a 31-10 tear in a futile attempt to catch the Phillies, went 74-40 to post the best record in baseball in 1994, and opened 1995 with a 5-2 spurt before slumping to a last-place finish with a depleted lineup."
Interesting play on the 1994 season.
Later.
Montreal Expos News:
"Johnson hit .444 %288-for-18%29 with two home runs and an NL-leading 10 RBIs for the week%2C during which the Expos went 5-1. He also had a .600 on-base percentage."
"Johnson is the fourth member of the Expos to win Player of the Week honors during the 21st century. Right fielder Vladimir Guerrero won the award three times, while catcher Michael Barrett and pitcher Livan Hernandez have won the honor once."
Brad Wilkerson was also nominated this past week.
I love the OBP for Nick. For all my talk of Nick "the Stick," he really doesn't swing at too many bad pitches. Sometimes this can be frustrating (especially when he was with the Yankees and would be in the lineup with Jorge Posada - two players that just don't swing the damn bat), but in the end I'd rather that then striking out a lot or swinging at bad pitches.
Later.
Expos lose to Giants, 5-4
"Snow walked in the seventh and went to third on a two-base error by pitcher Joey Eischen when he overthrew first base on a pickoff attempt. Snow then scored on Edgardo Alfonzo's sacrifice fly to right, sliding headfirst into the bag.
"But he was originally called out by plate umpire Jerry Crawford on a throw home from right fielder Terrmel Sledge to catcher Schneider -- even though Schneider didn't have the ball. It was on the ground near the third-base line."
So there is a reason that catchers always raise their mitt as if they have the ball.
Tough loss for the 'Spos, they stayed in the game against Schmidt until the Giants' bullpen had to take over. They scored two in top of the 9th to tie it - and promptly gave up a run in the bottom of the 9th. That's three losses following seven wins - I'm hoping that the three losses aren't factored into the Power Rankings. We should get a new ranking later today and it's my hope that the Expos aren't in the Bottom 5.
Later.
Posted by Mo (blogging from Cali):
John Patterson playing the role of David takes down Goliath on three straight pitches. Goliath, aka Barry Bonds stared in disbelief as he was caught looking at a 92 mph Patsy classic fastball. He exchanged words with the ump, but retreated woefully back to the dugout.
Ironically, in this inning where Bonds made the first out, he also was one batter away from being the potential third out of the inning. Patsy fell apart after the big K. His adreneline just ran out. The bullpen didn't help him, and the Giants went on to their 5th straight victory. But we'll always the Bonds strikeout.
-Mo
Posted by Mo:
Orlanda Cabrera beloved ex-Expo and former member of the best double play combo in baseball was heard on Boston talk radio a few weeks ago saying that he missed the fans in Montreal. When questioned about this (as the lack of a Montreal fan base seems to be problematic), Cabrera explained that though there are few fans in Montreal, you get to know the die-hards really well over time.
That's pretty cool! I would love it if my fandom also included the ability to swap hellos with my favorite baseball players and having them know me by name. This is a situation that baseball should try to encourage, not disrupt. And to all you Expos fans that actually live in Montreal, (Serge, et al), go take advantage of this unique experience.
Patsy takes the mound tonight in San Fran. I am going to go to the game early and try and introduce myself to him.
-Mo
Definition of Youppi - wordIQ Dictionary and Encyclopedia:
"Youppi, or Youppi! (Yippee! or Hooray! in French)"
08/01: Youppi with the Expos:
"In conclusion, being Youppi was unforgettable and fulfilling for me. It's the ultimate dream for anyone being a mascot in Québec. I really enjoyed it and will never forget it."
Outsports-- Is Youppi Gay?:
Reason #2 why Youppi! might be gay:
"What straight guy would attach an exclamation point to his name? I don't know any. However, I do know at least 20 gay men who would, if it were more acceptable, legally add one."
OK, that's enough. Top of the 9th, 4-3 game, 1 out, 'Stros on 1st and 3rd - I need to go pace around for a while.
Come on Ayala.
Update: like the other night, the 'Stros have come back to tie it up. Two outs, runner in scoring position - and now they're up 5-4. Argh! I knew I shouldn't have started blogging again. And now my MLBRadio feed conked out.
Update: The Expos can't come back in the bottom of the ninth, losing 5-4 to the Astros.
Later.
Major League Baseball : official_info : MLB Tickets for Kids Program:
Team: Montreal Expos
Dates: Aug. 14 - 15, Aug. 23 - Sept. 1, Sept. 3 - 5
Donation: Baseball Quebec (514-252-3075)
23rd-26th vs. LA Dodgers
27th-29th vs. San Diego Padres
30th-1st vs. Chicago Cubs
3rd-5th vs. Atlanta
Not a bad set of teams to go see for a $1 donation to the Boys and Girls Club.
Unfortunately I can't make any of these dates, but hopefully many people will take advantage.
Update: Nick homers in the bottom of the 6th, cuts the lead to 2-1.
Update: The Expos send eight batters to the plate in the bottom of the 7th. Wilkerson, Chavez and Vidro score on hits by Vidro, Gonzalez (fielder's choice) and Nick "The Stick" Johnson, respectively. Nick has 6 RBI (and counting?) in two games. Hernandez is back out on the mound for the 8th having thrown 90 pitches and not letting a batter reach 2nd base since the 3rd inning. In typing this, Hernandez has gotten two batters out.
Update: 13,500+ fans on hand for Youppi's birthday today. 35k+ for the series. Livan gets out of the inning, just three more outs for the win. The Expos are still 7 games behind the Mets, who have been in their sights for a while.
Later.
Montreal Expos News:
"Johnson slam secures Expos win"
So I've been really afraid to write about the Expos because I missed two days and they started winning. Now it's 7 in a row and they're going for the sweep of the 'Stros.
And Nick the Stick's slam was too much to stay silent about.
Oh, they're kicking ass and taking names. Remember the Cards series? They had won two before the series and took the first from St. Louis. And they outscored the high-octane Pujols/Edmonds/Rolen team over three games, sadly losing two one-run games. Then they lost to Houston 4-0. And then rolled off seven in a row.
It's glorious. 'Spos are down 2-0 in the bottom of the fourth. Gonzalez just singled with no outs.
Hernandez is on the mound for the Expos. Looks like he gave up two runs in the first and since then has settled down.
Later.
ESPN.com - MLB - MLB Power Alley:
"26 Expos 45-66 - Counting the days until the moving vans come to end their nightmare."
April 2 - ranked 20th
April 14 - 30th - 4 last place votes (out of 10)
April 21 - 30th - 7 last place votes
April 28 - 30th - 10 last place votes
.... and that's pretty much the way it stayed....
June 23 - 30th - 7 last place votes (out of 7)
June 30 - 30th - 6 last place votes
July 7 - 30th - 6 last place votes
July 21 - 30th - 5 last place votes
July 29 - 28th - 1 last place vote
Aug 5 - 27th - 0 last place votes
Aug 11 - 26 - 0 last place votes
Here come the Expos!
Later.
ESPN.com: Page 2 - Do you have the answers?:
"Do you keep a list, like I do, of players you root for, even though you don't much care what happens to their teams? Does your list this year include Santana, Brandon Webb, Al Leiter, Khalil Greene, Ronnie Belliard, Lyle Overbay, Hank Blalock, Miguel Cabrera, David Ortiz, and, of course, Ben Sheets and Nick Johnson?"
Who doesn't love Nick the Stick?
Later.
The Book of Mike:
"In Memory of the Franchise Formerly Known as the Montreal Expos"
Later.
Baseball Prospectus | Articles | Prospectus Triple Play: Cleveland Indians, Montreal Expos, Seattle Mariners:
Traded shortstop Before Trade After Trade
----------------------------------------------
Nomar Garciaparra 15.9 3.4
Orlando Cabrera -2.4 0.0
Alex Gonzalez -2.9 3.3
Sorry for the lack of posting - more to come.
Later.
Baseball Musings: Productive Outs are Still Outs
Check out my comments, 4th one down.
More to come on weekend events.
Later.
Mo Says:
Both Biddle and the Astros' Roy Oswalt were roughed up in their last outings. However, Oswalt (11-8, 3.80) posts better season stats than Rocky Biddle (3-5, 6.96). But the Expos despite dropping two to St. Louis are a team with a lot of positive momentum.
ESPN.com - MLB - MLB Power Alley:
"#27 - Expos - Livan Hernandez continues to be a horse as he leads the majors with 172 IP."
Slowly climbing out of the cellar.
Especially after these close games w/ the NL's best offense, the St. Louis Cardinals.
Another heartbreaker though. This time it was Scott Rolen, not Pujols, who nailed a tie-breaking home run.
And to boot, "The home run snapped Ayala's scoreless streak at 26 2-3 innings."
Well pitched game all around - a total of only 11 hits (5 for the Expos), though Patterson did give up 5 BB, while K-ing only 3.
Next it's off for three games at Houston.
Later.
Mo Says:
Having taken two out of three against St. Louis in May, the Expos can post a winning record against the MLB win leading Cardinals with a win tonight. John Patterson takes the mound for the 'Spos.Go, Patsy, you're nasty.
ESPN.com - MLB - Recap:
"Pujols homered leading off the ninth inning to give the St. Louis Cardinals a 5-4 victory over the Expos on Wednesday, a day after he became the first player to hit at least 30 home runs in each of his first four seasons on a major league roster, only to be outdone by Montreal's Tony Batista, who hit a tying two-run homer and a go-ahead grand slam in the 12th."
And on a 1-2 pitch. Damn, damn, damn, damn, damn.
I'm excited that it was close, but it was also so close that I could taste it.
That's it for now.
Later.
Montreal Expos News:
From the Sorry Joe Cook-category:
"Endy Chavez was not in the starting lineup for the second straight game because of left shoulder tendinitis. He had played with the injury for almost a week. Chavez said the shoulder is feeling much better, and he expects to start on Wednesday. Chavez did enter Tuesday's game as a pinch-hitter in the sixth inning and drove in Ron Calloway with a double."
Also of note:
"Stat of the day: The Expos scored 47 runs in six games last week. That's 12 percent of the runs they have scored this season."
In fact they led the league in runs scored (for the week) when I looked at the NY Post table.
Also:
"Did you know? Entering Tuesday's action, Brian Schneider has not made an error all season. He has thrown out 45 percent (19-for-42) of would-be base stealers."
I believe that the break even point on base stealing is around 80%, so he's really helping the team.
Tonight's game preview: "The Expos hope to win their fourth straight game as they take on the Cardinals at Busch Stadium on Wednesday night."
And "Brad Wilkerson has scored at least one run in 15 straight starts dating back to July 16." What a stud.
Later.
ESPN.com - MLB - Recap:
"'Pretty much, everybody contributed,' Montreal manager Frank Robinson said. 'It seems like the belief is there now that this ballclub can win ballgames. I hope it will continue for a while because the first half of the season was long.'"
Have to get ready for work, but I saw the score scroll across on SportsCenter and had to check it out.
Batista was only 2-for-7, but comes up with a 2 run homer and a grand slam in those two at-bats. The first was in the 9th, to tie up the game, the second was in the 12th, to win the game. Wow!
Wilkerson is indeed keeping his bat hot, going 4-for-6 with a BB, a K and an RBI.
Nick The Stick and Gonzalez didn't get it done going 0-for-7 and 1-for-6, respectively. Let's pair that with Jamey Carroll who hit 1.000 for the game! (All right, he got a hit pinch hitting for the pitcher.)
As far as pitching goes, Kim, in a spot start for Armas, Jr., pitches 4 innings, giving up 5 runs. Tucker pitches the 5th, giving up another run. And that's all the St. Louis high-powered offense was getting. I think Pujols and Rolen both homered.
But a combination of Vargas, Ayala, Horgan, Cordero (Win!) and Corcoran closed it out for 7 innings of 4-hit ball (2 of those in the bottom of the 12th).
Great game outcome to wake up to. It had been 6-4 St. Louis when I went to bed.
Box score at bottom of this page. Off hand, ESPN changed their web design and it sucks - as of this morning they only show 9 innings and an advertisement is blocking the pitching information.
OK, can't be late for work.
Later.
Montreal Expos News:
"The Montreal Expos today acquired left-handed pitcher Jeriome Robertson from the Cleveland Indians in exchange for left-handed pitcher Pierre-Luc Marceau. Upon completion of the trade, the Expos optioned Robertson to Triple-A Edmonton. To make room on the 40-Man Roster, the Expos designated right-handed pitcher Jeremy Fikac for assignment. Vice President and General Manager Omar Minaya made the announcements."
Marceau was from Sherbrooke, Quebec.
Later.
CBC Sports: Expos' Carroll eyes starting job:
"Carroll is hitting .263 (5-for-19) in his last 10 games and .267 overall this season with no home runs and 11 runs batted in. The 30-year-old's .344 on-base percentage is nearly 100 points higher than Gonzalez (.241), a former Toronto Blue Jay."
Not a bad OBP for Carroll - and a terrible one for Gonzalez. I hope they keep playing Jamey.
For those of you who don't know, my last name is Carroll.
Later.
The Sports Network - Major League Baseball:
"Vermont did not have a single batter hit over .235 this past week and had seven regular players hit under .190"
Maybe not so much.
Later.
ESPN.com - MLB - BOXSCORE:
"O Cabrera SS 5AB 0R 0H 0RBI 0BB 0SO 2LOB .111AVG"
Not quite the start he imagined.
David Pinto wonders why he is batting 3rd.
Later.
Major League Baseball News
"On a personal note, I feel that my batting average is deceiving. I feel like I've been hitting the ball hard and more consistent. Last month, I went through a spell where I wasn't hitting the ball the way I wanted to. The first two months of the season, I was hitting a lot of balls on the nose, but it was right at somebody."
Seems like a lot of people are using this explanation when in a slump - see Derek Jeter.
Brad has a .361 OBP for the season, with a .237 AVG. His OBP for the last 7 days: .545 - wow!
Later.
ESPN.com - MLB - Schwarz: Top 10 August deals:
"Aug. 8, 1990: The Pirates trade Scott Ruskin, Willie Greene and a player to be named later (Moises Alou) to the Expos for Zane Smith. The Pirates were 2 1/2 games ahead of the Mets in the NL East race when they bolstered their rotation with Smith, then a nondescript left-hander. But Smith went 6-2, 1.30 down the stretch to help Pittsburgh to the title, then went 16-10, 3.20 as the Pirates repeated the following year. The cost at the time appeared to be Greene, then considered a fine prospect, but it wound up being Alou, who blossomed in Montreal."
Later.
ESPN.com - MLB - ESPN News Wire:
"MIAMI -- Montreal Expos right-hander Zach Day will be sidelined four to six weeks after breaking a bone in his right middle finger while attempting a bunt in Sunday's game against the Florida Marlins that was eventually rained out."
Day has a pretty good ERA (3.93) but is still 5-10. As the article points out, he " entered with the least run-support -- 2.47 run per game -- of any starting pitcher in the majors."
It's even worse at home (Olympic Stadium) where despite a lackluster K/BB rate of 1.125, he has an ERA of 3.65 and a won-loss record of 1-5 in 7 starts. Hiram Bithorn has been even more unkind to his ERA at 6.52 over 4 games and a won-loss record of 1-2. Despite a better K/BB rate of 1.6, his WHIP and BAA have gone up considerably.
Here's hoping he gets better soon. This is unfortunate as he just came off of the DL with tendinitis in the right shoulder.
Later.
Angelos not for sale:
"Expos 2005 Relocation Odds
Montreal: even
D.C.: 4-1
N. Va.: 7-1
Las Vegas: 20-1
Norfolk: 20-1
Portland: 20-1
Monterrey: 100-1
San Juan: 100-1
New Jersey: 200-1
San Antonio: 200-1
Decision date over/under:
January 1, 2005
Odds are for designated primary home of the Expos franchise for the 2005 season. Primary home may not be actual physical location in 2005 - a Virginia team might play in D.C. for a couple of years, a Montreal team might play some 'home' games in other cities, etc.
LAST CHANGES: June 24, 2004"
Wow. And it looks like Angelos' estimates that the Expos moving to D.C. would cost the Orioles $40 million a year in lost revenue. Neil deMause takes that to mean the buyout would have to be around $700 million. Which is obviously more than the Expos are worth.
But don't worry, Bud has assured us that the Expos will have a home next year.
Later.
Baseball Prospectus | Articles | Park Factor Review:
"The Expos are the most unstable park in the country, in terms of year-to-year changes...excuse me, most unstable park on the continent. Their 1120 last year was certainly aided by Hiram Bithorn, but played at about 1080 even without the Puerto Rican games. This year, even the games in San Juan haven't helped (yes, I know they jiggered the fences there as well). Since 1992, the Expos have been as low as 899 (1998) and as high as 1120 (2003), and only once have they spent consecutive seasons on the same side of 1000 (in 1996-97, they scored 1035 and 1011). Roll the dice, baby."
Interesting to know. Their park factor this year to date is 0.931.
Later.
Traveling Expos: Expos Use Own Brushes To Double-sweep The Art Dealer’s Team:
"So I trust you'll see that I'm so glad that my Expos found a way to remind everyone that the game always finds the most curious way of humbling the mightiest of opponents on a moment's notice."
Later.
ESPN.com - MLB - MLB RECAP:
"MIAMI (Ticker) -- The game between the Montreal Expos and Florida Marlins was postponed due to rain."
The game will be made up as part of a doubleheader on September 14.
It's raining prospects in Montreal, and they have won 8-of-10. Cabrera helped and didn't help the Red Sox last night, and the Expos are only 8 games behind the Mets who have lost 8-of-10.
Later.
Owners Again Postpone Decision On Relocation (washingtonpost.com)
"Major League Baseball's target date to decide where the Montreal Expos will play for the 2005 season has been pushed back to late August or early September, according to senior baseball sources."
"Baltimore Orioles owner Peter Angelos is the biggest obstacle preventing the Expos from coming to the Washington area. Angelos opposes a team in Washington or Northern Virginia because he believes it would draw fans and viewers away from the Orioles."
Here's Ken Rosenthal's take on how to appease Angelos, where the Expos should move and the Orioles' biggest competition.
Later.
'Spos take first two from Marlins:
And are looking to sweep them today.
I really dig on checking out the boxscore before reading the recap. So without reading the recap, here are my thoughts:
Endy Chavez, suprisingly, didn't have a great game at the plate. Usually when I check out the boxscore, he's done well.
Jamey Carroll (he of the great last name) was playing short, instead of Cabrera - wonder if he will continue throughout the season. Hope so.
Termell Sledge (he of a great last name as well, but not for the same reason as Jamey) had a huge night going 2-for-3 with a grand slam in the 7th inning. Which was huge, putting the Expos ahead for good.
Ayala and Cordero are studs out of the bullpen. Glad that Ayala wasn't traded away, as I believe he was in the talks.
*Just heard during the Yankee broadcast that Cabrera just hit a homerun for the Red Sox. This could potentially annoy me as my American League team is the Yankees.*
And speaking of the Yankees, Nick "The Stick" Johnson took and intentional walk yesterday. Fear The Stick!
To the recap:
The most important piece of information, I think, was dumped at the end of the story.
"Robinson has been noticing lately that the players have been pulling for each other in the dugout. He said Saturday's game was an example of that attitude.
"'They didn't quit. Just when they came in [after losing the lead in the sixth inning], they said, 'Let's score some more runs,'' Robinson said. "That's a good attitude. We've had it all year long, but you are starting to hear it. They are starting to say it out loud and say it to each other. That's a good sign.'"
That ties in with the fact that the grand slam was set up with a no-out walk by Wilkerson, two straight outs, double by Batista (sorry for telling the 'Spos to get rid of him in the previous post) and the intentional walk to The Stick.
A two-out rally! With the offense that they have! Wonderful!
Sledge was previously in an 0-for-20 slump. Nice time to get out of that.
Good luck on the sweep. Expos have won 8 of their last 10 - with some serious offense, I might add - and are getting close to playing better than .400 ball (currently .394). Watch out Mets!
Later.
Montreal Expos News:
"Expos shortstop Orlando Cabrera is convinced he will be traded before the July 31 deadline."
And it seems like he isn't going to mind too much, "'We could play a split schedule again,' said Cabrera. 'I'm not going to be in a situation where they can do that to me again.'"
And indeed he isn't, going to the Red Sox in a four-way trade with the Red Sox, Cubs and Twins. For the purposes of the Expos, they get Alex Gonzalez and a pair of Triple-A prospects: infielder Brendan Harris and righthander Francis Beltran.
Here's a nice summary by Baseball America (via ESPN) on what they are losing: "Cabrera, 29, is having his worst season as a major leaguer but the Red Sox hope he'll snap out of it now that he's free from Montreal. After hitting .297/.347/.460 with 17 homers and 80 RBIs in 162 games last year, he has slumped to .246/.298/.336 with four homers and 31 RBIs in 103 games. Cabrera is capable of being an above-average offensive shortstop, and he's also an effective basestealer with 12 swipes this year and a career 76 percent success rate. There's little question about his defense. A 2001 Gold Glover, he covers more ground than Garciaparra and also has a strong arm and sure hands. Cabrera is making $6 million and will be a free agent at season's end. In 904 career games, he has hit .267/.315/.405 with 66 homers, 381 RBIs and 93 steals."
And here is what they got, with bolding added as to what I think is important:
Gonzalez
"Gonzalez, 31, is really an afterthought for the Expos, who will let him keep their shortstop position warm before letting him go as a free agent when his four-year, $20 million contract expires at the end of this season. He has good pop for a shortstop and is an asset on defense, though he doesn't hit for average and is too aggressive at the plate. Sidelined by a fractured right wrist for 10 weeks earlier this season, he has hit .217/.241/.367 with three homers and eight RBIs in 37 games. For his career, he has batted .242/.303/.393 with 124 homers, 478 RBIs and 94 steals in 1,220 contests."
So who man's shortstop next season?
Harris
"Harris, 23, was a 2001 fifth-round pick out of William & Mary. He's ready to take over at third base for the Expos as soon as they've decided they've had enough of Tony Batista. Harris consistently has hit .300 with gap power in the minors and has started to hit more homers this year. He missed the beginning of the season after doctors discovered a small tear in cartilage in his left knee during spring training. Since returning, he has batted .311/.353/.531 with 11 homers (four off his career high) and 35 RBIs in 69 games. He also got his first taste of the majors, going 2-for-9 in three games with the Cubs. Harris is athletic and has a strong arm to go with average speed. Harris has seen action at second base, third base and shortstop. In the minors, he has career totals of .304/.372/.488 with 35 homers and 174 RBIs in 344 games."
Come on, get rid of Batista now.
Beltran
"Beltran, 24, signed out of the Dominican Republic in 1996. After being bothered by a shoulder strain in 2003, he rebounded over the winter, winning MVP honors as the closer on the Dominican's Caribbean Series championship club. He has the stuff to close in the big leagues as well, owning a mid-90s fastball, mid-80s slider and a splitter. To eventually earn that role, he'll have to improve his location, cutting down on the walks and homers he allows. Beltran spent most of the season in the majors with the Cubs, going 2-2, 4.63 in 34 games. He had a 40-22 strikeout-walk ratio in 35 innings, while opponents batted .214 with eight homers. He has a career mark of 2-2, 5.36 in 45 big league appearances."
OK K/BB ratio. Actually, I just liked the sequence of letters.
Jayson Stark doesn't list the 'Spos as winners or losers (but the Red Sox as winners). And don't forget that the Expos traded Carl Everett to the White Sox in exchange for Triple-A righthanders, Jon Rauch and Gary Majewski, earlier in the year.
Looks like they're rebuilding for a new owner. And getting something for Cabrera, as opposed to what they got for Vlad.
I really like Minaya - I hope it works out for him.
Later.
Hey! Want this bad boy in French? Click the French flag (1st one in 2nd row).
Hé! Voulez ce mauvais garçon en français ? Cliquez le drapeau français (un 1er dans la 2ème rangée).
