There are so many best of lists out there to help keep people occupied in this time of who-really-knows-what’s-going-to-happen-to-us-next.
So Expos fans, here’s something for you:
Best players to wear each and every number from 1969-2004
Obviously, no Washington Nationals.
0
This is an easy one
Only Al Oliver wore it, only 2 seasons but:
In 1982 he led the NL in Hits, doubles, RBI, batting average and total bases.
1
From Gary Sutherland to Josh Labandeira and including Willie Davis, Wallace Johnson & Dave Martinez.
Davis was team MVP in 1974 even if he wasn’t trying half the time.
I thought for sure Martinez parts of 4 seasons would win out but they don’t.
2
Tim McCarver wore it, so did Rich Coggins who was acquired in probably the worst Expos trade ever (Ken Singleton & Mike Torrez t Baltimore for Dave McNally & Coggins)
John Bateman wore it in the first 4 years but:
Vance Law’s 257 27 152 in 3 years service barely scrapes by.
Unless Gilberto Reyes is your guy or maybe even Jamey Carroll
3
There were 3 good runs in this number.
No way it goes to anyone but Jose Vidro.
Bob Bailey and Mike Lansing also did the number proud.
Bryan Little is the best bunter I ever saw and Rodney Scott could steal 3rd while the pitcher was getting the ball back from the catcher.
4
Tough call here.
Chris Speier, Delino Deshields and Mark Grudzelanek.
Delino was just way more exciting
He got on base (.367), He stole bases (187 in 4 years) and he scored runs (309)
He tips the scales by being traded for Pedro, but he didn’t need to tip them.
5
No not Clyde Mashore, Jim Wohlford or even Andy Stankiewicz.
This comes down to Sean Berry or Michael Barrett.
Berry with an .831 OPS over 3+ years wins it.
Didn’t help that Barrett went in the first round of the 95 draft (28th)
6
Ron Fairly or Brad Wilkerson?
Tough call, Fairly’s numbers in 5 1/2 seasons (280 86 331)
But he wins it with an elite level OBP over .380
7
This one is easy
Lou Frazier of course!
Hubie Brooks in a runaway over FP Santangelo.
In 1986 he was the best hitting shortstop in the NL.
340-14-58 in 80 games.
5 games after the all star break he tore ligaments in his thumb and didn’t play again.
8
Not Boots Day
9
Another easy one
Marquis Grissom.
Hard to believe they had to trade Otis Nixon to get Buck Rodgers to play this guy every day.
What a fabulous player!
His last 3 Expo years he was 9th, 8th and 12th for NL MVP
10
Rusty and the Hawk.
Rusty was loved and Dawson was great (and loved)
11
Ron Brand, Pepe Mangual, Here today John Tamargo (not my line), Peter Bergeron.
This is Spike Owen vs Shane Andrews.
But upon further review both were kind of disappointing.
So I gave Pepe Mangual a 2nd look and decided to go with him
Andrews, the 1st round draft choice had some pop.
Spike was steady.
Mangual’s skills would be loved today and he came up at 20.
He got on base, he could steal and he would hit you double digit homers.
12
Would easily have been Andres Gallaraga but he switched after 1985 and ’86
Luis Rivera took it and The Cat moved to 14.
Mark Langston?
No, we’ll go Wil Cordero over Mike Mordecai.
Even for just that Sunday afternoon double off Mitch Williams in ’93.
13
Landslide here
Jeff Fassero.
Picked up as a gift as a minor league free agent who by rule could go free by having spent 7 years in the minors (MLB RULE 55)
He was really good in relief but the day Felipe Alou took him out of the pen was the day he went from minor league nomad to one of baseball’s best lefties.
At least for awhile.
14
See The Cat at number 12.
I mean Archi Cianfrocco and Hideki Irabu had cool names.
And Jeff Juden was well, different.
Think we’ll stay with Galarraga.
15
Larry Parrish
The Expos lost their heart and soul when they traded him for Al Oliver.
Oliver had 2 seasons as an Expo.
Parrish killed for the Rangers for the next 6.
16
Love me some Claude Raymond.
Mike Jorgenson won the team’s first gold glove.
Curtis Pride delivered a top 5 moment in team history.
But Terry Francona and Tom Foley wore it from 1981 through 1992.
Foley was a solid infielder for parts of 8 seasons in Montreal with 1705 at bats.
Francona had just 951 but:
He was hitting .321 when he hurt one knee in 1982.
He was batting .346 when he hurt the other one in 1984.
After those 2 June injuries he was never the same.
Brilliant but oh so brief wins it.
17
Ellis Valentine.
Brilliant and a little less brief.
He looked like a superstar in the making.
(This is players only so no Felipe Alou here)
18
Steve Renko and Jerry White.
A shame that Orlando Cabrera had to go up against Moises Alou.
Cabs rise was fun to watch.
Moises on the other hand arrived ready for stardom.
Part of the best trade in Expos history.
They gave up Zane Smith for Alou and two thirds of what it took to get John Wetteland.
Willie Greene and Scott Ruskin were traded with Dave Martinez to Cincinnati.
Wetteland had been acquired by the Reds at the Expos urging.
19
How about Jerry Goff who set a record at Olympic Stadium (For the Astros) for most passed ball in a game and is the father of a quarterback that played in the Super Bowl.
No?
Okay we’ll go with Tim Foli over Endy Chavez.
20
Wow!
Bob James or Mike Fitzgerald?
We must look elsewhere.
And the wheel stops at Greg Harris.
He pitched in just 15 games for the Expos in 1984, ERA of 2.04.
He did become the first pitcher ever to throw righty and lefty in the same game.
That’s going to do it
21
Not David Segui, certainly not Fernando Tatis.
The late Scott Sanderson gave the Expos the first six years of his career.
1978-83 – He came when it started and left when that group ended.
He was 56-47 with a 3.33 ERA and 1.22 Whip.
22
Why Stan Bahnsen, why?
It’s Rondell White of course.
He was there to help pick up the pieces after the fire sale.
23
Mitch Webster did everything well for 3 plus seasons.
1986-87 he averaged 280-12-56 and 35 stolen bases with excellent outfield play.
Nice but not enough.
Javier Vazquez was the staff ace between 2001 and 2003.
He made 100 starts with a 3.52 ERA, a 1.15 Whip and a career high 241 K’s in ’03.
24
3 years of Tony Perez vs 6 of Darrin Fletcher
At ages 35-37 Doggie helped the young Expos get to contender status 1977-79.
Fletch gets the nod however delivering solid offence while helping guide the pitching staff 92-97.
He made an all star team but best of all ‘Circus Boy’ stole a base.
25
Limited supply here.
Reliever Dan McGinn hit the first Expos homer.
Del Unser? Rowland Office? Bret Barberie?
It’s Rex The Wonder Dog.
Rex Hudler arrived with Otis Nixon to jump start the Expos in 1988 just before that ’89 team.
His straight steal of home vs Braves lefty Greman Jimenez was electric.
26
No problem here
In the team’s 9th game in history Bill Stoneman pitched a no-hitter.
He would pitch another one.
In his 3rd Expos season he placed 8th in NL Cy Young voting (1971) and struck out 251.
Topped only by Pedro’s 305 in 1997
27
28
In 1978 Hal Dues pitched 99 innings at age 23 with a 2.36 ERA, hurt his arm and never recovered.
It’s a tough one though.
Mike Marshall started a significant run with a 4th and a 2nd place finish in the NL Cy Young out of the Expos pen in 72 and 73.
He won it with the Dodgers the next season after the trade for Willie Davis.
Bryn Smith went 81-71 3.53 tossing a ton of innings between 1982 and 1989
Don’t hate on me, couldn’t make up my mind.
29
Ken Singleton was very good (1972-74)
Would have taken his career to beat Tim Wallach.
The terribly under rated Eli was the Expos’ Brooks Robinson.
Turned himself into an outstanding fielder coming from another position and he could hit.
30
31
Some good names here:
Razor Shines, Darwin Cubillan, Sun Woo Kim.
Jeff Shaw was almost the default winner here, he really wasn’t very good until his next stop.
No it’ll be Ken macha who had just 143 Expo at bats in 2 years.
As a coach I heard him say to pitcher Jay Tibbs who was primping in the mirror:
“Tibbs, you’re as beautiful as Marilyn Monroe, but she only got screwed by one great hitter, you get screwed by them all”
32
El Presidente, El Perfecto
33
Booger
(Larry Walker)
34
Jose Morales was the best pinch hitter in baseball for a bit there.
Bill Gullickson’s 18 strikeout game was an Expos game for the ages.
Every game Pascual Perez pitched was a game for the ages.
Gully however was solid. 72-61 3.44 ERA and 1.21 whip – 1980-85
Wasn’t fun to be a right handed hitter facing Rogers, Sanderson and Gully in those years.
35
Honourable mention to Otis Nixon but:
It’s the Old Tobacco Farmer Woodie Fryman
2 good years as a starter in 75-76
But he was his Expos best at ages 39-42 out of the pen 1979-82
24 wins, 46 saves, 2.73 ERA
36
Dan Schatzeder over Tony Aarmas Jr.
2 Stints in Montreal, bullpen and starter with different numbers.
He wore 36 his first 2 full seasons and went 17-12 with a 2.94 ERA.
And Dan could hit .240 career with 5 homers.
Didn’t remember he won a world series in 87 with the Twins.
We asked Schatzeder if he could pronounce his name for us.
“DAN’ he said
37
Not Annakin Slayd
38
Pepe Frias!
Fans would have liked it to be Denis Boucher.
But thin lefty Joe Hesketh wins it.
He was 10-5 and 2.49 as a rookie and one more decent season out of the pen.
But he got hurt.
None more spectacularly than when he was sent home to try and score on Mike Scioscia and broke his leg in the collision.
39
It’s not Coco Laboy or Brian Schneider.
Here’s something for you.
We have to give Jeff Fassero his 2nd number.
Turns out he wore this in 1991 and 1992
Out of the pen those 2 years he had a 2.68 ERA, 9 saves and a 1.21 WHIP
40
Not Guillermo Mota or Bartolo Colon
Oh Henry!
Henry Rodriguez had the chocolate bars flying
62 bombs in 96 and 97.
41
Battle of the closers
The original Terminator Jeff Reardon beats Triple U, Ugueth Urtain Urbina.
Urbina – 3.52 125 saves 1.26 WHIP
Reardon – 2.84 152 saves and a 1.17 WHIP
42
Kirk Rueter
He gave hits but he won games.
His rookie season:
8-0 with a 2.73 ERA in 14 starts.
He was never better
43
Could have been Schatzeder again but it’s another lefty instead
Chris Nabholz
Turns out he was better than I remembered
4 years in Montreal Ages 23-26
He went 34-29 with a 3.51 ERA
44
Tim Burke vs Ken Hill
Burke’s 87 season – In 91 innings his ERA was 1.19
425 Expos games it was 2.61 with 101 saves
Going to give this to Hill in 3 seasons as a starter he went 41-21 3.04
I guess I value the starter more.
45
So here we are
Pedro / Cy
Martinez / Rogers
Pedro in Montreal – 4 seasons – 55-33 and 3.06 ERA with 843 K’s in 797 IP.
Rogers was WAY better than his 158-152 to go along with a 3.17 ERA and 1.23 WHIP.
Every single inning in an Expos uni.
Playoff wins beating Steve Carlton ice it.
Or maybe this picture:
46
David Palmer is another young arm that got hurt but he still pitched well.
In 79 and 80 at ages 21 and 22 he went 18-8 wnd 2.82
He missed all of 1981.
As an Expo:
38-26 with a 3.26 ERA
And 5 perfect innings that ended in the rain in St Louis
47
I mean you want go Gary Waslewski right?
On July 6 1969 he pitched a 1-hitter in Philadelphia in an hour and 36 minutes.
Instead I guess we’ve got Chris Nabholz’ buddy Brian Barnes.
14 wins in his 4 seasons to best Omar Daal
48
Ross Grimsley over Ray Burris I guess
Burris went 17-28 In Montreal but 1-0 with a 0.53 ERA in 2 starts in the Blue Monday NLCS series in 1981.
Ross the Boss wins as the only 20 game winner in club history.
Bob Sebra does not win.
He was 11-20 with the Expos.
But from June 26 until July 17th 1986 he was as good as any Expos pitcher ever.
Complete game 6 hitter and 10 k’s vs St Louis.
Complete game 3 hitter and 14 k’s vs Chicago.
Complete game 5 hit shutout vs Houston.
6 innings 3 hits vs Cincinnati
7 innings 3 hits vs Atlanta
And then the devil came to collect his soul.
49
Cro
50
My goodness.
Drek.
Sergio Valdez, Jay Tibbs, Barry Jones, Bill Risley.
So how about Geoff Blum?
His 2000 season was decent 283-11-45 in 343 at bats.
Played until he was 39 and hit a memorable post season homer.
Like Kirk Gibson a homer in just one series at bat in 2005
Blum’s came in the 14th inning for the series winning White Sox
51
Could have been Randy Johnson.
But it’s Mel Rojas, Moises cousin, Felipe’s nephew.
3.11 ERA and 109 saves in 8 years with the Expos
52
T.J. Tucker it is.
By virtue of his 13-9 record and major lack of competition
The 6′ 3” 245 pound righty was an Expo 2000-2005
53
Charlie Lea, another promising arm that got hurt.
A no hitter in 1981
he went 43-31 and 3.07 the next 3 seasons
He missed 2 years and won only 7 more games
Best Expo player born in France
54
Tim Scott (Big Country)
Real good for those ’94 Expos (2.70 ERA in 40 games)
55
Not Frank Bolick
How about Bill Sampen over Masato Yoshii
22-16 and 3.40 over 3 seasons?
Not bad.
56
Luis Ayala
2 seasons in Montreal before the move to Washington.
2.79 ERA in 146 games out of the pen
He was hell on right handed hitters
57
John Wetteland
What the hell John?
58
Reliever Joey Eischen
He occupied about 99% of the time it was in use with the Expos
In 2002 he went 6-1 and 1.34 in 59 games.
Do you remember that?
59
Brian Holman, he went with Randy Johnson in the Mark Langston trade.
That’s all I’ve got here
60
Rocky Biddle was the only Expo to wear it.
After struggling down the stretch in 2004 he was never heard from again.
61
Livan Hernandez
A treat to watch in the Expos final 2 seasons
He could pitch, field and hit
62
Wallace Johnson beats Chad Cordero
Just for that hit to beat the Mets and win a playoff spot in 1981.
He never wore the number again
63
Do you like Curt Schmidt or Brian Schneider before he changed his number
Schmidt’s only year in the majors 11 games 6.97 ERA
Schneider his 235 with 0 homers and 11 RBI, that’s better, right?
64-65-66-67-68-6970-71
None
66
Bryn Smith’s rookie year
We’ll give it to Lachine born hulking Derek Aucoin
2 game cup of coffee 1996
3.38 ERA – He can always say he played major league baseball in his home town
72
Luis Aquino the only 72 in Expos history
Felipe didn’t want him on the team and eventually got his way
