Worst to First - The Sequel

[NYY #23]

The Expos have the second best record in baseball, but the only problem is that the best team is the Philadelphia Phillies who have taken a game and a half lead in the NL East.

Our big offseason acquisition, Takahiro Nakamura, has started to warm up. He hit .310 with a pair of home runs in May, and .289 with a home run in June. He's hitting .258 on the season now, and it's nice to have a strong bat at the top of our lineup.

[NYY #23]

July was a rough month for the Expos going 11-16 for the month. Jonathan Wheeler, Cisco Aleman, Jorge Flores all went down with injuries, and our offense is struggling. We're still in the NL East race though, just a game and a half behind the Phillies, and we have a comfortable four game lead in the Wild Card race.

Closer Bill Olson and 3B Jorge Flores were our all-star representatives this year.

Around the league former Knight and current Ray Ferri Boere was named Pitcher of the Month after going 5-0 with a 2.17 ERA. Jason Clair of the Pirates hit his 400th career home run this month, while Michael Hill of the Cubs and Jose Sepulveda of the Pirates hit their 300th career home run. Juan Rivero of the Cubs picked up career hit number 2000 as well. In Arizona Pat Lane pitched a no-hitter this month.

[NYY #23]

Montreal rebounded with a 16-11 month, although we still trail the Phillies by 2 games. Our Wild Card lead is three over the Mets, and 7 1/2 over the Pirates. While most of our team is back we did lose Logan Howard to injury.

Carlton Hatfield hit home run number 300 for the Braves while Steve Shepard of the Astros picked up career hit number 2000.

[NYY #23]

A 21-7 finish to the regular season allowed the Expos to win the NL East and finish five games ahead of the Philadelphia Phillies. The Expos will head to the playoffs for the fourth year in a row, and we'll attempt to repeat as World Series champions.

It was another big month for milestones as Antonio Baca of the Tigers saved his 500th career save, Steve Shepard of the Astros hit his 300th career home run, former Knight and Expos (and current Red Sox) Pete Woolford hit his 300th home run, Juan Gonzalez of the Knights picked up his 2000th career hit, and Dan Lewis of the A's won his 200th game.

[NYY #23]

We open our World Series defense against our division rival New York Mets. We've faced New York 30 times this year, winning 18 of those games. We're actually pretty similar to the Mets, both teams have good pitching and a bad offense. The Expos did allow fewer runs though, and score more.

[NYY #23]

Eric Laws was the Expos Game 1 starter, and would allow just 2 runs on five hits over six innings. Laws would leave with the game tied at two compliments of a two run double by Howard McDonald.

While Roberto Martinez was the first reliever out of the pen, he would be the only reliever to give up a run. Bertolameu Henrich (1/3 IP), Ralph Hudson (2/3 IP), and Bill Olson (1 IP) wouldn't allow a run.

The Expos would rally in the seventh when Gonzalo Villarreal led off with a single, followed by back to back walks by Oliver Evans and Bill Dunbar. With the bases loaded we'd get a sacrifice fly by John Bradshaw and a single by Howard McDonald to score a pair of runs.

The Expos would win Game 1 by a score of 4-3 and take the one game lead in the Division Series.

[NYY #23]

The Expos got things started early when Matt Smalls connected on a three run homer in the bottom of the first. Expos' starter Gustavo Hernandez would struggle in the second inning giving up a pair of runs, by would otherwise dominate the Mets for six innings allowing 2 runs on 5 hits while striking out 7.

The Expos would add insurance runs in the bottom of the second on an RBI single by Ben Anderson, and a double by Juan Ordonez in the fifth.

Our bullpen would come up big with Roberto Martinez pitching an inning and two thirds followed by a third of an inning by Ralph Hudson, and Bill Olson pitching the ninth for his second save.

[rjl518]

Is it okay if i root for the mets? okay...well go expos!!!

[NYY #23]

Originally Posted by rjl518

Is it okay if i root for the mets? okay...well go expos!!!

Since the Expos have already won the World Series, you can root for the Mets, but just this time!

[NYY #23]

Jose Ledesma was the Game 3 starter for the Expos and would go the distance allowing 3 runs on 6 hits while walking one and striking out 9.

Normally that would be enough to keep us in the game, but tonight wasn't our night at the plate getting only one run on seven hits with our only run scoring on an RBI double by Takahiro Nakamuru.

With the 3-1 loss the Expos now hold a two games to one advantage.

[NYY #23]

Last year in the playoffs Nick Seaton made three starts for us and came up big as an injury replacement. This year after going 14-6 with a 2.52 ERA and making 25 starts this year we were counting on Seaton even more.

After allowing just one hit in the first 3 2/3 shutout innings Seaton would implode in the bottom of the fourth with two outs and allow five runs before being removed from the game.

The Mets wouldn't get a run or hit the rest of the game with Jack Roy pitching 2 1/3 innings and Ralph Hudson pitching 2 innings to limit the Mets to 5 runs.

Unfortunately our offense wasn't able to put runs on the board until the eighth inning when Juan Flores hit a two run homer. The series is now tied at two games apiece.

[NYY #23]

Eric Laws was making the start today as the Expos tried to take control of the 2-2 series. Laws would turn in a dominant start, going 7 innings while allowing 2 runs on 7 hits, both of those runs coming in the bottom of the seventh.

At that point in the game the Expos had already scored four runs, with Howard McDonald singled in the top of the fifth, moving to third on a double by Juan Ordonez, and scoring on a wild pitch. In the sixth it was Eric Laws who singled and drove in two runs, while Jorge Flores hit a solo home run in the seventh.

The Expos used three relievers in the eighth, Alex Ball, Bertolameu Henrich, and Ralph Hudson. Each retired the only batter they faced before turning it over to closer Bill Olson to earn the save, retiring all three batters faced on 10 pitches.

The Expos are now one win away from heading to the NLCS.

[NYY #23]

The Expos sent Gustavo Hernandez to the mound to try to close out the Division Series, and after a rough start giving up two runs in the top of the first Hernandez settled down and pitched six innings, allowing just the 2 runs on 4 hits, walking 3 and striking out 7.

The Expos had trouble scoring until the bottom of the fourth when Jorge Flores singled and Matt Smalls homered to tie the game at 2. Two batters later a solo home run by Juan Ordonez gave the Expos our first lead of the game.

In the bottom of the fifth the Expos would go up 5-3 after a double by Ben Anderson and two run homer by Jorge Flores. With the lead we turned the ball over to Roberto Martinez for two hitless innings and Alex Ball to close out the ninth. The Expos added a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh and bottom of the eighth to make it a 9-2 win and the Expos will head to the National League Championship Series.

[NYY #23]

The Expos will face another division rival in the Philadelphia Phillies, who finished the year with a 93-69 record. We beat the Phillies 18 of our 30 matchups, while the Phillies have the superior offense, but the Expos have a better pitching staff and defense.

[NYY #23]

Eric Laws was making the start in Game 1 for the Expos, and for four innings Laws was rolling along dominating, until the fifth inning. A grand slam by Albert Wilcox and a solo home run by Yakumo Sato ended his night after 4 2/3 innings, and put us in a 5-0 hole.

Our bullpen would do our job to limit the damage to just the 5 runs with Jesus Franco pitching a 1/3 of an inning, Ralph Hudson pitching two innings, Roberto Martinez pitching an inning, and Bill Olson pitching the ninth.

While the Expos pounded out ten hits we only managed a pair of runs, one from an RBI double by Howard McDonald and Jorge Flores picking up an RBI single. The Phillies take a 1-0 series lead.

[NYY #23]

The Expos would hand the ball to Jose Ledesma for Game 2 and Ledesma would give up 2 runs in 6 1/3 innings. Trailing 2-0 the Expos got home runs from Juan Ordonez and Howard McDonald in the bottom of the seventh to tie the game.

Our bullpen would again do our job with Roberto Martinez pitching 2/3 of an inning, Alex Ball pitching an inning, and Bill Olson pitching the ninth. That kept the game tied, and in the bottom of the ninth it would be Matt Smalls who would hit the walk off home run to give the Expos a 3-2 win and tie the series at 1. Bill Olson would pick up the win.

[NYY #23]

With the series tied at one game Gustavo Hernandez was making the start today and would go six innings, allowing 2 runs on 7 hits. Hernandez didn't walk a batter and struck out seven.

He would leave the game after giving up the tieing run in the bottom of the seventh after the Expos took a 2-1 lead in the top of the inning on a two run homer by Howard McDonald. Our bullpen has been reliable all year, and in the playoffs so far, but Roberto Martinez couldn't do the job today giving up 2 runs in 2/3 of an inning to take a 4-2 lead.

While Ralph Hudson would come into the game and end the jam in the seventh and hold the Phillies scoreless in the eighth. Unfortunately the Expos couldn't get anything going offensively and fell behind in the series two games to one.

[NYY #23]

Last year in the postseason Nick Seaton came up big after stepping in to the rotation because of injuries. This year we counted on Seaton, who delivered with a 14-6 record in the regular season, but Seaton's postseason struggles continued today giving up 3 runs in 5 innings and he left the game with a 8.31 ERA.

With Seaton out of the game and the Expos trailing 3-0 heading into the seventh inning we got a big two run homer from John Bradshaw in the seventh, and a solo home run from Howard McDonald to tie the game at 3.

With our bullpen shutting down the Phillies we headed into extra innings when Howard McDonald hit his second home run of the game in the tenth to give the Expos a 4-3 lead.

We trusted Bill Olson to pitch a second inning and close the game out for the Expos in the bottom of the tenth, but an Orlando Hernandez doubled and William Pepin's third RBI single of the game allowed the Phillies to tie the game.

With Alex Ball in the game in the bottom of the eleventh he allowed a double to Edward Carr, a groundout, and a walk off fielder's choice to give the Phillies the 5-4 walk off win. The Expos are now down 3 games to 1 in the NLCS.

[NYY #23]

With our season on the line Eric Laws took the mound and allowed 4 runs in 4 innings, with Jesus Franco allowing a pair of runs while pitching the fifth, and Cristian Castro allowing 3 runs in the sixth as the Phillies took a 9-1 lead.

Down to our last three outs the Expos would make a valiant attempt at a comeback, scoring six runs in the top of the ninth, but a ground out by John Bradshaw with the bases loaded ended our comeback attempt, and our season. With the loss the Phillies advance to the World Series, and the Expos head home for the offseason.

[NYY #23]

Before we wrap up our season I should congratulate the Philadelphia Phillies who won the World Series after beating the Texas Rangers 4 games to 1.

The Expos had one Gold Glove winner, first baseman Howard McDonald. Left fielder Takahiro Nakamura finished in third place in Rookie of the Year voting after hitting .273 with 12 home runs, 23 stolen bases, and 44 RBI. Manager Jordan Zimmerman won his second straight Manager of the Year Award.

While the Expos won five more games than last year we failed to get back to the World Series and earn a second title. I feel that we had a better team than last year, but we ran into a red hot Phillies team, and it's hard to control what happens in the playoffs.

In former player news 28 year old Justin Lewis was our starting centerfielder the year we won the World Series in Carolina, worth 5.3 WAR. He was injured in July, and announced that he was retiring as a result of that injury. Lewis finished as a career .268 hitter with 94 home runs, 380 RBI, 180 stolen bases, and 30 WAR.

Montreal Expos - 66-96 (.407) 31 GB
2035 - Montreal Expos - 62-100 (.383) 33 GB (Season Score - 1)
2036 - Montreal Expos - 90-72 (.556) - GB (Lost to Cincinnati Reds 4-0 in Division Series, Season Score - 59)
2037 - Montreal Expos - 90-72 (.556) - GB (Lost to Atlanta Braves 3-2 in Wild Card Series, Season Score - 56)
2038 - Montreal Expos - 93-69 (.574) - GB (Defeated Cincinnati Reds 4-3 in Division Series, Chicago Cubs 4-3 in LCS, Defeated Oakland A's 4-3 in World Series, Season Score - 92)
2039 - Montreal Expos - 98-64 (.605) - GB (Defeated New York Mets 4-2 in Division Series, Lost to Philadelphia Phillies 4-1 in LCS, Season Score - 83)