Ah, our misunderstood French speaking friends to the north, how they lament the loss of their once great, well good, band of up and comers over a nice cool glass. not too cold mind you, of Kina Lillet.
Their loss is the Capital of Americas gain; in so much as the gutting of a competitive team and shipping it south to the swamps to play like woebegone triple AAA'ers in front of our lobbyist pampered Congress-people, can be a gain.
Catcher: GARY CARTER
1. Highlights: Out of the ten years Carter spent as the starting catcher only three had a fielding percentage under.990, and those three were, .985(his first year starting), and .989 twice. Started over 140 games behind the plate six times. 91 runs scored and 97 RBIs in '82.
2. Career Best: .294 AVG in '84, .381 OBP in '82, .525 SLG and 31 HRs in '77, and 37 doubles in '83.
3. Summary: Hall of Famer, played a ton behind the dish ( can't be over-stated),great balance of defense and plate production, a top five All-Time Catcher.
First Base: ANDRES GALARRAGA
1. Highlights: Breakout year of 1988, when he posted highs in runs, hits, doubles, triples, home runs, rbi, and stolen bases.
2. Career Best: .305 AVG, and .361 OBP both in '87. .540 SLG and 7.0 RC/G both in '88.
3. Summary: His best years were in Colorado, and Atlanta, with Coors Field, and possibly other factors, helping his performance. That '88 year is a great baseball year ( minus the over 100 strike-outs).
Second Base: JOSE VIDRO
1. Highlights: The 2000 season when he put up a top ten post-war offensive season by a second baseman: 101 runs scored, 200 Hits, 51 doubles, 97 RBI's.
2. Career Best: .330 AVG in '00, .397 OBP in '03, .540 SLG and 24 HRs in '00.
3. Summary: While with the Expos, Vidro was an offensive All-Star. Slow and only an average defender at best.
Third Base:TIM WALLACH
1. Highlights: '87 his only season with 100 RBIs(123) and a.500 SLG( .514).
2. Career Best: 89 runs twice ( in '82, and '87), 185 hits in '90, 42 doubles twicw ( in '87 and '89), 28 HRs in '82, .298 AVG, and a .343 OBP, and a.514 SLG in '87.
3. Summary: Really a bad fielder, this is actually a weak position for the Expos, and a above average offensive third base. He did make 5 All-Star teams.
Shortstop: ORLANDO CABRERA
1. Highlights: '01 Cabrera started all 162 games at Shortstop and posted a career best, as an Expo, .986 fielding percentage. Offensively '03 where he posted career highs in every offensive category except triples and RBIs.
2. Career Best: 47 doubles, 17 home runs, .297 AVG, .347 OBP, .460 SLG in '03
3. Summary: A little lacking defensively for a shortstop but above average offensively, Orlando is an above average player who has never made, nor deserved an All-Star spot.
Outfield: VLADIMIR GUERRERO
1. Highlights: There are more than a few, although his legacy needs at least one in October. Had over 10 outfield assists in every year, (7) he played for the Expos. Five straight years with over 100 R, 180 H, 100 RBI, 30 HR, .300 AVG, .550 SLG.
2. Career Best: 131 RBI in '99. 45 doubles in '01. 40 SB in '02. 11 triples, 44 homers, .345 AVG, .664 SLG in '00. .426 OBP in '03.
3. Summary: Just an amazingly talented athlete. Posted in career highs in different years for different categories, a tell-tale sign of a complete player. Hall of Fame numbers. Hall of Fame player.
Outfield: TIM RAINES
1. Highlights: Only had one season where he struck-out more than 70 times (83 Ks in '82) Six straight years with 70 or more steals, and 30 doubles. Seven straight years with a SLG over .400 from the lead-off position.
2. Career Best: .334 AVG in '86, .429 OBP and .526 SLG in '87. 38 doubles in 84. 13 triples in '85. 133 runs scored in '83. 194 hits in '86. 18 HR in '87.
3. Summary: Made six straight all-star teams and in my estimation, suffers in HOF consideration because he's a lead-off guy. Put the man in the Hall!
Outfield: ANDRE DAWSON
1. Highlights: Rookie of the Year in 1977. 12 years(10 with the Expos) with 20 or more doubles. 7 straight years with 20 or more steals. 16 straight years(10 with the Expos) with an OPS+ over 100. Came in second in the MVP voting in '81 even though he only played 103 games.
2. Career Best: .308 AVG in '80, .365 OBP and a .553 SLG in '81. 189 hits, and 32 HR in '83. 107 runs in '82. 113 RBI in '83.
3. Summary: People remember him as a Cubbie and he did win his MVP there, but the guy was an Expo. Don't those numbers seem small for The Hawk? He posted career highs in HR, RBI, and SLG that first year in Chicago, but otherwise his best years and numbers are all Canadian. And they seem small. Wasn't he regarded as one of the best hitters of the eighties? His outfield mate in Montreal, Raines, has better numbers; seems a better player in retrospect. Has baseball evaluation come this far that we can dismiss the consensus of the past? Dawson's numbers haven't aged well: never had 200 hits, only scored 100 runs twice, and then there's the OBP, just way to low for to be considered an elite player. He did play 100 games or more for 16 straight seasons where he sported an OPS+ of 100 or more. That's what he should hang his sabermatic hat on.
Designated Hitter: LARRY WALKER
1. Highlights: 44 doubles, 2 triples, and 19 home runs in 103 at bats his last year in Montreal: '94. That was the strike year. The Expos were in first place headed for at least a spot in the NLCS and Larry Walker could've hit another 6 doubles and 11 homers giving him a 50, 30 season; a Musial season. He'd have some in Colorado instead.
2. Career Best: .322 AVG, .394 OBP, .587 SLG all in '94 again. 23 HR in '92.
3. Summary: Larry is a little like DiMaggio in that he put up great numbers when he was healthy which wasn't much; a season here a season there. Both guys seemed like magnets for nagging injuries. When Larry Walker played he hit the ball as well as anybody, and better than most.
Pitchers: STEVE ROGERS, PEDRO MARTINEZ, DENNIS MARTINEZ, BILL GULLICKSON, BRYN SMITH--Closer: JOHN WETTELAND
1. Highlights: Well, Pedro in 1997: 1.90 ERA, 0.932 WHIP, 11.37 K/9, 305 total Ks, 219 ERA+. And the rest:
2. Career Best: Pedro's numbers above and Rogers 19 Wins in '82, Wetteland 43 SV in '93. Rogers 301.7 IP in 1977.
3. Summary: Pedro elevates this staff as he is a top twenty Starter in MLB history.
Bench: Moises Alou, Rondell White, Brian Schneider, Ryan Zimmerman, Marquis Grissom
Bullpen: Jeff Reardon, Javier Vazquez, Mel Rojas, Chad Cordero, Pascual Perez
Batting Order:
1. Raines-S
2. Vidro-S
3. Guerrero-R
4. Walker-L
5. Carter-R
6. Dawson-R
7. Galarraga-R
8. Cabrera-R
9. Wallach-R
Conclusion: Lots of righties. That's a pretty darn good outfield. Vlad's a HOF, and the other two are just miss guys( although Dawson's looking iffy-er). Rogers was a good starter and Pedro's Pedro. This team's better than you think.
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