Un Dernier Tour: An '04 Expos Do-Over

acuñajrbravesfan · 11-23-2023, 11:59 AM

Warning: I have a new laptop. Sometimes it will get a BSOD at random, and any unsaved progress will be wiped. Sometimes, info can be erased. Just letting y'all know.

Now... where were we?
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L'Arrière-Plan (Background)

The Montreal Expos were born in 1968. They were initially going to start in 1971, but a very pissed Stuart Symington wanted baseball in Kansas City earlier, so it was bumped back to 1969.

They started at Jarry Park (which is now a tennis complex for those who don't know), which sat around 30,000. They weren't that good (but they did throw a no-hitter in their 9th ever game), and Jarry Park's outdoor setting caused lots of postponements. This called for a new stadium. Cue: Olympic Stadium.

The former home of the 1976 Olympics had been converted to a multi-purpose stadium for hosting the Expos and Alouettes of the CFL. This is where Montreal began seeing some success.

Led by Gary Carter, Andre Dawson, Tim Raines, and others, Montreal gained their first playoff berth in 1981, where they beat the Phillies in a 5-game NLDS, but lost in the NLCS to the Dodgers (also in 5 games). That first playoff berth was their only playoff berth in Montreal.

The mediocre and poor seasons returned. They might've won their division in 1994 if it wasn't for the strike shortening the season and cancelling the World Series.

Following more mediocre seasons, the MLB considered removing them from the league, but the Twins were given hope, and eventually, so were the Expos.

Olympic Stadium was usually empty during home games, so the Expos played some games in Puerto Rico. This didn't work as intended, and after the 2004 season, the Expos left Montreal and moved to the US capital, becoming the Washington Nationals.

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Notre Objectif (Our Goal)

By taking over the Expos, we're looking to at least make fans happy in what might be their last season. Maybe, we'll be able to prevent relocation. As of right now, relocation looks to be evident.

If possible, we'll try to sign some big name players.

One more challenge: Win a playoff berth.

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IN MY NEXT POST: We'll look at the Expos roster, and the predictions for this season.

acuñajrbravesfan · 11-23-2023, 01:50 PM

La Liste (The Roster)

First off, we look at the Expos roster for this 2004 season.

PITCHETS (Pitchers)
In our starting rotation, we have...
#61 Livan Hernandez- We're paying the most of anyone on our roster for this guy: $7.7 million. He won the 1997 World Series MVP for his contributions with the Florida Marlins. Montreal picked him up in 2003, where he went 15-10. In his entire career, he is 84-79 with an ERA of 4.22.
#15 John Patterson- Patterson hasn't played much in the big leagues, but when he has, he's only gotten a few decisions. His career record (with the Diamondbacks) is 3-4 with 1 save and an ERA of 5.04.
#41 Tony Armas- Armas has played with the Expos since 1999. Each season, he's been putting up solid numbers. His career record is 30-37 with an ERA of 4.11.
#54 Zach Day- He's spent lots of time to build up his talent in the minors. It has been translating into decent results for Day. In his career, he is 13-9 with 1 save and a 4.06 ERA.
#33 Claudio Vargas- 2003 was his rookie season. Even though he posted a 6-8 record, and put up an ERA of 4.34, I think he has potential.

In our bullpen...
SPECIALISTS- #5 Rigo Beltran and #58 Joey Eischen
MIDDLE RELIEF- #36 T.J. Tucker, #31 Sun-woo Kim, and #34 Tomo Ohka
SETUP- #56 Luis Ayala
CLOSER- #32 Chad Cordero

POSITIONNER LES JOUEURS (Position Players)

CATCHERS- #23 Brian Schneider and #9 Einar Diaz
1st BASEMEN- #6 Brad Wilkerson and #24 Nick Johnson
2nd BASEMEN- #3 Jose Vidro and #10 Jamey Carroll
3rd BASEMEN- #7 Tony Batista
SHORTSTOPS- #13 Maicer Izturis and #18 Orlando Cabrera
LEFT FIELDERS- #48 Terrmel Sledge and #2 Carl Everett
CENTER FIELDERS- #19 Endy Chavez
RIGHT FIELDERS- #53 Juan Rivera

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PRESEASON PREDICTIONS
Surprisingly, we are projected to finish 3rd in our division with a .500 record of 81-81. Of course, Atlanta is projected to win the division. The other expected division champions are...
AL EAST- Boston Red Sox
AL CENTRAL- Minnesota Twins
AL WEST- Anaheim Angels
NL CENTRAL- St. Louis Cardinals
NL WEST- San Francisco Giants

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IN MY NEXT POST: Opening Day!

acuñajrbravesfan · 11-24-2023, 07:10 PM

MONTREAL EXPOS VS FLORIDA MARLINS- April 6, 2004 at Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens

Here we go: Round 1 of 162. It's on the road in Miami Gardens to play against the defending WS champs in the Florida Marlins. We send out Livan Hernandez, a former World Series MVP, to take on Josh Beckett, a World Series MVP. Ain't that strange?

Start Time: 1:05 PM EDT
Attendance: 37,734
Conditions: Clear skies, 68 degrees, wind blowing right to left at 9 mph

EXPOS LINEUP
CF Endy Chavez
RF Juan Rivera
LF Terrmel Sledge
1B Brad Wilkerson
2B Jose Vidro
3B Tony Batista
C Brian Schneider
SS Orlando Cabrera
P Livan Hernandez

MARLINS LINEUP
CF Juan Pierre
2B Luis Castillo
1B Larry Sutton
RF Miguel Cabrera
3B Mike Lowell
LF Jeff Conine
SS Alex Gonzalez
C Mike Redmond
P Josh Beckett

The first pitch of the 2004 season is... a strike to Endy Chavez. Chavez eventually ended up striking out.

While Montreal was held to nothing on 7 hits, Florida scored all 4 of their runs in the bottom of the 3rd. Luis Castillo singled and Josh Beckett (the runner on second) scored the first run when Chavez made a bad throw. Larry Sutton then doubled in Castillo for the second run, and then Miggy found the bleachers in left-center for the last 2.

MONTREAL EXPOS: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
0 runs, 7 hits, 1 error

FLORIDA MARLINS: 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0
4 runs, 11 hits, 1 error

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Josh Beckett for pitching a complete game shutout.

The boxscore is attached below. Highlights from the rest of the day, including previous results, to follow in the next post.

acuñajrbravesfan · 11-28-2023, 05:17 PM

3/30- Yankees 1-9 Devil Rays
3/31- Yankees 13-4 Devil Rays
4/4- Red Sox 5-0 Orioles

APRIL 5TH- AL
Tigers 9-6 Blue Jays (10 innings)
White Sox 10-4 Royals
Indians 5-6 Twins (WALK-OFF 2-RUN HOME-RUN by Jason Kubel in the 9th)
Rangers 6-0 A's

APRIL 5TH- NL
Cubs 6-2 Reds
Phillies 5-1 Pirates
Brewers 5-2 Cardinals
Padres 2-11 Dodgers
Giants 3-1 Astros

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APRIL 6TH- AL
Red Sox 1-2 Orioles (WALK-OFF HOME-RUN by Miguel Tejada in the 11th)
Angels 4-3 Mariners (12)
Yankees 3-1 Devil Rays
Tigers 9-5 Blue Jays
Indians 5-6 Twins (WALK-OFF SINGLE by Lew Ford in the 9th)
Rangers 9-7 A's (10)

APRIL 6TH- NL
Expos 0-4 Marlins
Rockies 1-2 Diamondbacks (WALK-OFF SAC FLY by Shea Hillenbrand in the 10th)
Mets 1-5 Braves
Giants 5-3 Astros
Brewers 1-5 Cardinals
Padres 1-2 Dodgers

NEWS
Julio Lugo (TBR) wins AL Player of the Week for 3/30-4/4
Steve Sparks (ARZ) announces retirement after 2004
Boston Red Sox lead Power Rankings
Josh Beckett (FLO) blanks Expos, 4-0

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In Game 2, we try to break even with the Florida Marlins after they keep us at zeroes. Find out what happens... in the next post.

EXPOS RECORD: 0-1, tied for 4th in NL East, 1 game behind Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Florida

acuñajrbravesfan · 12-10-2023, 02:41 PM

MONTREAL EXPOS VS FLORIDA MARLINS- April 7, 2004 at Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens

Our 2nd game of the season is here. We decide to call on Zach Day to pitch against a decent Brad Penny. Penny's ratings hover around the 50s and 60s, while Day's ratings are a bit less, at the 40s and 50s. So, Penny has the advantage... but will it mean anything?

EXPOS LINEUP
CF Endy Chavez
RF Juan Rivera
LF Terrmel Sledge
1B Brad Wilkerson
2B Jose Vidro
3B Tony Batista
C Brian Schneider
SS Orlando Cabrera
P Zach Day

MARLINS LINEUP
CF Juan Pierre
2B Luis Castillo
1B Larry Sutton
RF Miguel Cabrera
3B Mike Lowell
LF Jeff Conine
SS Alex Gonzalez
C Mike Redmond
P Brad Penny

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With 2 gone in the 1st, Sledge cranks one into right center for an easy triple. He would score when Wilkerson singles him in. The Expos weren't done, however, as we fill the bags for Brian Schneider, who draws a walk for a 2-0 lead.

It was boring and empty until the bottom of the 7th, when a pair of doubles by Jeff Conine and Mike Redmond got it a bit closer at 2-1.

They were unable to generate any chances afterwards, and we hung on for our 1st win of the season.

MONTREAL EXPOS: 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0
2 runs, 6 hits, 0 errors

FLORIDA MARLINS: 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0
1 run, 6 hits, 0 errors

W: Sun-woo Kim in relief (1-0)
L: Brad Penny (0-1)
HOLDS: Joey Eischen (1), Claudio Vargas (1), Chad Cordero (1)
SAVE: Luis Ayala (1)

PLAYER OF THE GAME: Brad Penny, despite the losing effort.

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So, we win our first game of the year. It does come with a side effect. Zach Day hurt himself in the 3rd inning. We don't know what injury it is yet, but we'll find out soon.

Boxscore is below. Around the League is next.

Name: 2023-12-10 13_39_00-MLB Box Score, Montreal Expos at Florida Marlins, 04_07_2004 - Personal - Mi.png
Views: 47
Size: 108.3 KB

Name: 2023-12-10 13_39_00-MLB Box Score, Montreal Expos at Florida Marlins, 04_07_2004 - Personal - Mi.png
Views: 47
Size: 108.3 KB

acuñajrbravesfan · 12-10-2023, 02:52 PM

AL
Yankees 2-4 Devil Rays
White Sox 11-8 Royals
Rangers 3-4 A's (WALK-OFF PASSED BALL in the 9th)
Tigers 4-9 Blue Jays
Red Sox 6-0 Orioles
Indians 1-6 Twins
Angels 5-13 Mariners

NL
Mets 1-7 Braves
Expos 2-1 Marlins
Cubs 2-3 Reds (WALK-OFF REACHED ON ERROR by D'Angelo Jimenez in the 9th)
Giants 10-3 Astros
Phillies 4-1 Pirates
Brewers 5-6 Cardinals (WALK-OFF SINGLE by Edgar Renteria in 10th)
Rockies 4-10 Diamondbacks
Padres 0-1 Dodgers

NEWS
Rally cat in Tampa Bay
Tino Martinez (TBD) hits 300th career home run

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In the last game of the series, only one team can get the series win. Will it be John Patterson, Brad Wilkerson, and the Expos, or Carl Pavano, Miggy, and the Marlins? We'll find out... in the next post.

EXPOS RECORD: 1-1, tied for 3rd in NL East, 1 GB from Atlanta and Philadelphia

11-23-2023, 11:59 AM	#1
acuñajrbravesfan Minors (Double A) Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: Somewhere Posts: 196	Un Dernier Tour: An '04 Expos Do-Over *Warning:* I have a new laptop. Sometimes it will get a BSOD at random, and any unsaved progress will be wiped. Sometimes, info can be erased. Just letting y'all know. Now... where were we? ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *L'Arrière-Plan (Background)* The Montreal Expos were born in 1968. They were initially going to start in 1971, but a very pissed Stuart Symington wanted baseball in Kansas City earlier, so it was bumped back to 1969. They started at Jarry Park (which is now a tennis complex for those who don't know), which sat around 30,000. They weren't that good (but they did throw a no-hitter in their 9th ever game), and Jarry Park's outdoor setting caused lots of postponements. This called for a new stadium. Cue: Olympic Stadium. The former home of the 1976 Olympics had been converted to a multi-purpose stadium for hosting the Expos and Alouettes of the CFL. This is where Montreal began seeing some success. Led by Gary Carter, Andre Dawson, Tim Raines, and others, Montreal gained their first playoff berth in 1981, where they beat the Phillies in a 5-game NLDS, but lost in the NLCS to the Dodgers (also in 5 games). That first playoff berth was their only playoff berth in Montreal. The mediocre and poor seasons returned. They might've won their division in 1994 if it wasn't for the strike shortening the season and cancelling the World Series. Following more mediocre seasons, the MLB considered removing them from the league, but the Twins were given hope, and eventually, so were the Expos. Olympic Stadium was usually empty during home games, so the Expos played some games in Puerto Rico. This didn't work as intended, and after the 2004 season, the Expos left Montreal and moved to the US capital, becoming the Washington Nationals. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- *Notre Objectif (Our Goal)* By taking over the Expos, we're looking to at least make fans happy in what might be their last season. Maybe, we'll be able to prevent relocation. As of right now, relocation looks to be evident. If possible, we'll try to sign some big name players. One more challenge: Win a playoff berth. -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IN MY NEXT POST: We'll look at the Expos roster, and the predictions for this season. __________________

11-23-2023, 01:50 PM	#2
acuñajrbravesfan Minors (Double A) Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: Somewhere Posts: 196	Roster + Predictions *La Liste (The Roster)* First off, we look at the Expos roster for this 2004 season. PITCHETS (Pitchers) In our starting rotation, we have... #61 Livan Hernandez- We're paying the most of anyone on our roster for this guy: $7.7 million. He won the 1997 World Series MVP for his contributions with the Florida Marlins. Montreal picked him up in 2003, where he went 15-10. In his entire career, he is 84-79 with an ERA of 4.22. #15 John Patterson- Patterson hasn't played much in the big leagues, but when he has, he's only gotten a few decisions. His career record (with the Diamondbacks) is 3-4 with 1 save and an ERA of 5.04. #41 Tony Armas- Armas has played with the Expos since 1999. Each season, he's been putting up solid numbers. His career record is 30-37 with an ERA of 4.11. #54 Zach Day- He's spent lots of time to build up his talent in the minors. It has been translating into decent results for Day. In his career, he is 13-9 with 1 save and a 4.06 ERA. #33 Claudio Vargas- 2003 was his rookie season. Even though he posted a 6-8 record, and put up an ERA of 4.34, I think he has potential. In our bullpen... SPECIALISTS- #5 Rigo Beltran and #58 Joey Eischen MIDDLE RELIEF- #36 T.J. Tucker, #31 Sun-woo Kim, and #34 Tomo Ohka SETUP- #56 Luis Ayala CLOSER- #32 Chad Cordero POSITIONNER LES JOUEURS (Position Players) CATCHERS- #23 Brian Schneider and #9 Einar Diaz 1st BASEMEN- #6 Brad Wilkerson and #24 Nick Johnson 2nd BASEMEN- #3 Jose Vidro and #10 Jamey Carroll 3rd BASEMEN- #7 Tony Batista SHORTSTOPS- #13 Maicer Izturis and #18 Orlando Cabrera LEFT FIELDERS- #48 Terrmel Sledge and #2 Carl Everett CENTER FIELDERS- #19 Endy Chavez RIGHT FIELDERS- #53 Juan Rivera -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- PRESEASON PREDICTIONS Surprisingly, we are projected to finish 3rd in our division with a .500 record of 81-81. Of course, Atlanta is projected to win the division. The other expected division champions are... AL EAST- Boston Red Sox AL CENTRAL- Minnesota Twins AL WEST- Anaheim Angels NL CENTRAL- St. Louis Cardinals NL WEST- San Francisco Giants -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- IN MY NEXT POST: Opening Day! __________________

11-24-2023, 07:10 PM	#3
acuñajrbravesfan Minors (Double A) Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: Somewhere Posts: 196	OPENING DAY! 4/6/04 vs Marlins *MONTREAL EXPOS VS FLORIDA MARLINS- April 6, 2004 at Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens* Here we go: Round 1 of 162. It's on the road in Miami Gardens to play against the defending WS champs in the Florida Marlins. We send out Livan Hernandez, a former World Series MVP, to take on Josh Beckett, a World Series MVP. Ain't that strange? Start Time: 1:05 PM EDT Attendance: 37,734 Conditions: Clear skies, 68 degrees, wind blowing right to left at 9 mph EXPOS LINEUP CF Endy Chavez RF Juan Rivera LF Terrmel Sledge 1B Brad Wilkerson 2B Jose Vidro 3B Tony Batista C Brian Schneider SS Orlando Cabrera P Livan Hernandez MARLINS LINEUP CF Juan Pierre 2B Luis Castillo 1B Larry Sutton RF Miguel Cabrera 3B Mike Lowell LF Jeff Conine SS Alex Gonzalez C Mike Redmond P Josh Beckett The first pitch of the 2004 season is... a strike to Endy Chavez. Chavez eventually ended up striking out. While Montreal was held to nothing on 7 hits, Florida scored all 4 of their runs in the bottom of the 3rd. Luis Castillo singled and Josh Beckett (the runner on second) scored the first run when Chavez made a bad throw. Larry Sutton then doubled in Castillo for the second run, and then Miggy found the bleachers in left-center for the last 2. MONTREAL EXPOS: 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 runs, 7 hits, 1 error FLORIDA MARLINS: 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 0 0 4 runs, 11 hits, 1 error PLAYER OF THE GAME: Josh Beckett for pitching a complete game shutout. The boxscore is attached below. Highlights from the rest of the day, including previous results, to follow in the next post. Attached Images __________________ Last edited by acuñajrbravesfan; 12-10-2023 at 02:41 PM.

11-28-2023, 05:17 PM	#4
acuñajrbravesfan Minors (Double A) Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: Somewhere Posts: 196	Across the league- march 30 to april 6 3/30- Yankees 1-9 Devil Rays 3/31- Yankees 13-4 Devil Rays 4/4- Red Sox 5-0 Orioles APRIL 5TH- AL Tigers 9-6 Blue Jays (10 innings) White Sox 10-4 Royals Indians 5-6 Twins (WALK-OFF 2-RUN HOME-RUN by Jason Kubel in the 9th) Rangers 6-0 A's APRIL 5TH- NL Cubs 6-2 Reds Phillies 5-1 Pirates Brewers 5-2 Cardinals Padres 2-11 Dodgers Giants 3-1 Astros -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- APRIL 6TH- AL Red Sox 1-2 Orioles (WALK-OFF HOME-RUN by Miguel Tejada in the 11th) Angels 4-3 Mariners (12) Yankees 3-1 Devil Rays Tigers 9-5 Blue Jays Indians 5-6 Twins (WALK-OFF SINGLE by Lew Ford in the 9th) Rangers 9-7 A's (10) APRIL 6TH- NL Expos 0-4 Marlins Rockies 1-2 Diamondbacks (WALK-OFF SAC FLY by Shea Hillenbrand in the 10th) Mets 1-5 Braves Giants 5-3 Astros Brewers 1-5 Cardinals Padres 1-2 Dodgers NEWS Julio Lugo (TBR) wins AL Player of the Week for 3/30-4/4 Steve Sparks (ARZ) announces retirement after 2004 Boston Red Sox lead Power Rankings Josh Beckett (FLO) blanks Expos, 4-0 -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In Game 2, we try to break even with the Florida Marlins after they keep us at zeroes. Find out what happens... in the next post. EXPOS RECORD: 0-1, tied for 4th in NL East, 1 game behind Atlanta, Philadelphia, and Florida __________________

12-10-2023, 02:41 PM	#5
acuñajrbravesfan Minors (Double A) Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: Somewhere Posts: 196	4/7/04 at Marlins *MONTREAL EXPOS VS FLORIDA MARLINS- April 7, 2004 at Pro Player Stadium, Miami Gardens* Our 2nd game of the season is here. We decide to call on Zach Day to pitch against a decent Brad Penny. Penny's ratings hover around the 50s and 60s, while Day's ratings are a bit less, at the 40s and 50s. So, Penny has the advantage... but will it mean anything? EXPOS LINEUP CF Endy Chavez RF Juan Rivera LF Terrmel Sledge 1B Brad Wilkerson 2B Jose Vidro 3B Tony Batista C Brian Schneider SS Orlando Cabrera P Zach Day MARLINS LINEUP CF Juan Pierre 2B Luis Castillo 1B Larry Sutton RF Miguel Cabrera 3B Mike Lowell LF Jeff Conine SS Alex Gonzalez C Mike Redmond P Brad Penny ------------------------------------------------- With 2 gone in the 1st, Sledge cranks one into right center for an easy triple. He would score when Wilkerson singles him in. The Expos weren't done, however, as we fill the bags for Brian Schneider, who draws a walk for a 2-0 lead. It was boring and empty until the bottom of the 7th, when a pair of doubles by Jeff Conine and Mike Redmond got it a bit closer at 2-1. They were unable to generate any chances afterwards, and we hung on for our 1st win of the season. MONTREAL EXPOS: 2 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 0 2 runs, 6 hits, 0 errors FLORIDA MARLINS: 0 0 0 0 0 0 1 0 0 1 run, 6 hits, 0 errors W: Sun-woo Kim in relief (1-0) L: Brad Penny (0-1) HOLDS: Joey Eischen (1), Claudio Vargas (1), Chad Cordero (1) SAVE: Luis Ayala (1) PLAYER OF THE GAME: Brad Penny, despite the losing effort. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- So, we win our first game of the year. It does come with a side effect. Zach Day hurt himself in the 3rd inning. We don't know what injury it is yet, but we'll find out soon. Boxscore is below. Around the League is next. __________________

12-10-2023, 02:52 PM	#6
acuñajrbravesfan Minors (Double A) Join Date: Apr 2021 Location: Somewhere Posts: 196	ATL- April 7th AL Yankees 2-4 Devil Rays White Sox 11-8 Royals Rangers 3-4 A's (WALK-OFF PASSED BALL in the 9th) Tigers 4-9 Blue Jays Red Sox 6-0 Orioles Indians 1-6 Twins Angels 5-13 Mariners NL Mets 1-7 Braves Expos 2-1 Marlins Cubs 2-3 Reds (WALK-OFF REACHED ON ERROR by D'Angelo Jimenez in the 9th) Giants 10-3 Astros Phillies 4-1 Pirates Brewers 5-6 Cardinals (WALK-OFF SINGLE by Edgar Renteria in 10th) Rockies 4-10 Diamondbacks Padres 0-1 Dodgers NEWS Rally cat in Tampa Bay Tino Martinez (TBD) hits 300th career home run -------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- In the last game of the series, only one team can get the series win. Will it be John Patterson, Brad Wilkerson, and the Expos, or Carl Pavano, Miggy, and the Marlins? We'll find out... in the next post. EXPOS RECORD: 1-1, tied for 3rd in NL East, 1 GB from Atlanta and Philadelphia __________________