GM_CheatSheets Montreal Expos Rebuild

[GM_CheatSheets]

August marked a return to the good graces of the Gods of Baseball.

The month began with a win against Boston in the last of a three game series that started in the previous month. At this point CF Lewis was placed on the DL for two weeks with an injury and Qin was promoted to the majors.

The month continued with the Expos winning 1 of 3 against the Dodgers, sweeping the Marlins in three games, and splitting a four game series with the Pirates. Over the next week my team was hit with a flurry of mostly minor injuries: RP Medina (4 months) resulting in the promotion of RP Rosales, RP Reid-Foley (1-2 weeks) with RP Kolby Allard taking his spot, and LF Boissiere (3 weeks) resulting in the promotion of LF Eddie Rosario. At the end of all of this, CF Lewis was activated from his rehab assignment and CF Qin was returned to AAA.

Good play and good luck ensued with the Expos winning 2 of 3 versus the Mets, 1 of 3 versus the Indians, 2 of 3 versus the Reds, 2 of 3 versus the Giants, 2 of 3 versus the Braves, and splitting the first two of a three game set with the Royals. This adds up to a 17-11 record for the month of August and moves the Expos back to two games below .500.

Here are the batting performances for the month:



The power surge jumps out to me as four batters had five or more home runs: 3B Mendoza and C Dillard (7), and 1B Franco and RF Kirilloff (5). They were all among the top five hitters for the month with only 2B Massey sneaking in with fewer home runs. 3B Enright also performed admirably in fewer plate appearances.

And here's the pitchers:



Despite a 6.57 ERA, CL Bracho had an incredible 9 saves in August. If he wasn't already, he should be a lock to decline his option and the qualifying offer I plan to extend to him this offseason.

SP Montes De Oca pitched another great month and has truly had a breakout season. I'm curious to check if he is indeed among the top 10 NL starters at the end of the season as projected in the preseason predictions.

SP Burke, the recent trade acquisition had a good ERA (3.03), average FIP (4.32) and poor luck (1 W, 4 L).

Next up, rosters expand as the push to the playoffs advances to the season's end. We will see if the Expos can miraculously make up five games to take the second wild card spot...

[GM_CheatSheets]

The regular season ended on a bit of a down note.

The month started with a loss to Kansas City in the final game of a set started in August. Next, the Expos split a four game series with the Diamondbacks. At this point CF Reese was placed on the DL for 3 weeks. I simultaneously activated LF Boissiere.

The Expos then won 1 of 3 versus the Padres, were swept in three games versus the Cardinals, completed a four game sweep of the Cubs, won 1 of 3 versus the Nationals, won 1 of 3 versus the Phillies, split a four game set with the Mets, and won 1 of 3 versus the Pirates to close the season.

The Expos finished the month with a 12-16 record.

Below is how my batters performed for the month:



2B Massey, 3B Mendoza, C Dillard, and RF Kirilloff were the top batters for September. C Dillard blasted an outstanding 7 HR in the month. It is encouraging to see Massey return to the top of the list just as I was beginning to wonder if he should return as the starting 2B next year. 3B Mendoza's capped off a great season with a strong month and sticks out in my mind as the most consistent batter on my team.

And the pitchers:



SP Montes De Oca was again the top pitcher in my rotation with a 2.01 ERA in 31.1 IP. SP Burke was again unlucky, posting a 4.37 ERA compared to a 2.84 FIP in 35 IP.

RP Mosqueda was the best pitcher out of my bullpen in a month that many of the relievers struggled.

Next up is a recap of the Expos regular season performance...

[GM_CheatSheets]

Overall, the second year showed some improvement, but the team still appears to be several years away from sustained contention.

The Expos' overall record was 78-84 (.481) which was one game below their expected record of 79-83. This marked a large improvement in actual record and small improvement in expected record.

The team had a few promising hot streaks which were balanced out by some very poor stretches as well. Without a superstar, the team is a collection of average to above average players. SP Montes De Oca took a promising step forward toward reaching superstar status, while SP Kaprielian took a step backward. If they both play to their potential next season, this could be a very formidable 1-2 punch.

Batting-wise, 2B Massey took a disappointing step back, despite the move to the less demanding defensive position. 3B Mendoza put together a season very much like Massey's 2023, which is a great step forward for him. 1B Franco didn't quite match his performance from last year, though still performed admirably. Additionally, my high expectations for RF Kirilloff fell flat.

I again managed to avoid major injuries, though MiLB SP Thomas McCormick likely would have gotten a chance in the majors if he had stayed healthy.

I also feel that I added several quality players through trades, the draft, and international signings, which leads me to believe my team will soon reach my expectations of perpetual contention. It also appears that trading will be more difficult from here on out as when I use the "make trade work" button, it only returns a list of my top picks and trade acquisitions over the past two years.

Below is a statistical recap of my batters:



3B Mendoza and C Dillard were the only position players who really performed well for me. 1B Franco led the team in HR and RBI. 3B Mendoza led the way in R and AVG.

And the pitchers:



SP Montes De Oca was by far the best pitcher on my staff and matched 3B Mendoza for the top WAR on the team. Montes De Oca led the rotation in virtually every category. SP Burke put of most of his WAR as a member of the TB bullpen.

The bullpen featured several impressive performances RP Tate, RP Mosqueda, and RP Mejia each posted nearly 2 WAR. CL Bracho posted 33 saves, but an ERA of nearly 4. While he once looked like a lock for a qualifying offer, I'm not quite sure about that any more.

Next, we will look at the playoff outcomes and the 2024 world champion...

[GM_CheatSheets]

The Los Angeles Dodgers 103-59 (.636) finished with the best regular season record and bulldozed their way through the postseason with an 11-2 record to win the World Series over the Minnesota Twins.

The Dodgers were the only team with 100 wins, though the AL leading Houston Astros fell only one game short of the century mark. For the third year in a row, both the Mets and the Pirates made the playoffs from the NL East.



Dodgers top five batters by WAR:

• Mike Trout, CF (628 PA, 8.2 WAR)
• Corey Seager, SS (682 PA, 5.5 WAR)
• Esteban Vega, 2B (511 PA, 3.5 WAR)
• Yasiel Puig, RF (670 PA, 2.6 WAR)
• Nolan Arenado, 3B (600 PA, 2.4 WAR)
  

And their top five pitchers:

• Julio Urias, SP (227.1 IP, 7.7 WAR)
• Matt Wisler, SP (216.2 IP, 7.2 WAR)
• David A. Peterson, SP (221.0 IP, 5.4 WAR)
• Roimy Mendoza, SP (118.1 IP, 3.1 WAR)
• Alex Wood, SP (203.1 IP, 2.9 WAR)

The Dodgers have three superstar level players, two of them in the rotation. While this team seems exceptionally stacked, even among the recent world champions, it is a humble reminder of how far I have to go to reach this level.

Coming up is a look at arbitration, qualifying offers, and initial thoughts on my offseason strategy...

[Daletiel]

I've been enjoying following along so far and I'm intrigued to take your spreadsheets out for a test drive. Will they work if being used in an Excel alternative like Google Sheets, LibreOffice or OpenOffice?

[GM_CheatSheets]

Originally Posted by Daletiel

I've been enjoying following along so far and I'm intrigued to take your spreadsheets out for a test drive. Will they work if being used in an Excel alternative like Google Sheets, LibreOffice or OpenOffice?

Unfortunately I think they will only work in Excel. Many of the calculations use fairly advanced excel formulas and I would be surprised if they translate to the other programs you've listed.

[GM_CheatSheets]

The offseason started with tendering contracts to my arbitration eligible players. RP Burdi, SP Smith, CF Reese, RP Mosqueda, 1B Franco, RP Mejia, and RP Tate all signed for another year at between $1-2 million. SS Devine was the only one to sign in the $2-3 million range while RF Kirilloff, SP Burke, and 2B Massey all signed for between $3-4 million. 3B Mendoza qualified as a super-two player and made $4.4 million in his first arb year. SP Kapriellian was the highest paid arb player on my team again, this year making $5.5 million.

I decided not to tender contracts to RP Reid-Foley and CF Lewis.

I also ultimately decided not to make a qualifying offer to C Mejia or CL Bracho. Bracho was asking for $10 million per year for four years. I decided not to tender him a qualifying offer because in previous franchises, I've found that players with this type of demand usually accept the qualifying offer. As much as I want the draft picks, it's not worth being stuck with a $15 million contract for an average player.

Unlike the flurry of trades that happened last offseason, I only made one this year. I sent MiLB RP Pugliese to the Cubs for CF/2B Cash Case. Case has above average speed and is an above average defender both as an infielder and outfielder. At the plate he has an above average eye, though is otherwise average. I plan to force start him in LF where I think he will become a plus defender with experience.

Next, the new free agent and international free agent classes were released. I'm not sure if it's because of my scout or what, but for the third offseason in a row, there are no high-end international free agents. These players are usually a good way to get great talent at a discounted price (and with no draft pick compensation).

With my initial look at the available free agents, my plan is to go after a few of the second-tier starting pitchers as there are a few without draft pick compensation attached. They include SP Jeff Hoffman (31) with a demand of $17 million per year for five years, SP Sean Newcomb (31) at $18 million for six years, SP Jose Fernandez (32) at $12.5 million for five years, and SP Garrett Richards (36) at $10.5 million for 1 year. I opened the offseason with about $30 million available for free agent contracts.

Richards received an immediate offer and I decided to meet his revised demand of $8.91 million for one year. It took about two weeks before the asking price started to drop on the other pitchers. Newcomb, a lefty, was the next I made an offer to ($14.16 million/yr for two years; the second year is a player option).

After the winter meetings, it turned into a little bit of a bidding war. I continued to increase my offers to both Newcomb and Richards with Fernandez and Hoffman as potential backups. While I initially thought I might be able to add two pitchers, the escalating demands meant that I would stay in play on both pitchers until the first one signed. Unfortunately, this strategy didn't play out great for me as both pitchers decided to sign with me on the same day -- Newcomb at $19.4 million/yr for two years; the second a player option and Richards at $16.8 million for one year. As a result of this, I was forced to cut my scouting and development budget slightly (scouting to $21 million and development to $25 million).

While this will definitely make my team more competitive, I am hoping the drop in development budget doesn't have a long-term impact as the contracts with both likely end at the end of this season. On the positive side, I think it is very likely that Newcomb will result in a qualifying offer draft pick and it might even be possible that Richards would take one with a strong season, despite his age.

The other possible negative outcome of both pitchers signing rather large contracts instead of just one is that it could possibly have some repercussions when it comes time to sign draft picks and international amateur free agents.

Otherwise, it was a largely uneventful offseason for the Expos with few moves and fewer trades. I added three players via the rule 5 draft, but doubt any of them will stick past spring training.

Up next is the spring training recap and season preview...

[Tiger Fan]

Just wanted to say I am really enjoying following this. Thanks

[GM_CheatSheets]

The Expos finished spring training with a 13-15 record.

C Dillard was the best performing hitter of the spring and SP Richards the best performing pitcher.

My owner's expectation for the season is to stay close to an even record. The OOTP Preseason Prediction is for a 78-84 record, finishing third in the NL East. This is actually a bit worse than I expected as I think this team should finish over .500, especially with what I think is a solid 1-4 in the rotation.

RF Kirilloff, despite posting a 0.1 WAR last year, comes in as the #3 projected hitter in the NL. His projected line is 618 AB, 24 HR, 103 RBI, 5 SB, .293 AVG, .378 OBP, and .489 SLG. None of my pitchers made the projected NL top 10.

Below is a preview of my team. Again, any ratings mentioned follow this scale: overall and potential 20-80 and all other ratings 1-20.

Starting Pitcher - It shouldn't be very surprising that this is the most promising rotation I've put together yet. Montes De Oca leads the staff now and for the foreseeable future. The only lefty in the rotation, Newcomb, slots in second. He is followed by Kapriellian and Richards. Paddack will start in the number five spot, but Smith and Burke (both closed last year as rotation members, could cycle through this slot if he struggles).

Bullpen - My relief corps returns most of the same players with Burdi ascending to the closer role this year. I'm expecting more dominance from the bullpen, especially considering that the rotation should cover more innings. I'm especially impressed with the balance as the relief corps consists of both right-handed and left-handed power arms.

Catcher - Dillard returns for his third season and is expected to be one of the top offensive or at least power hitters on the team. He is also a strong, but not exceptional defender. Rule 5 pick Rodriguez will start as the backup catcher. He has great defense and an average to sightly above average bat.

First Base - Franco returns as the starting first baseman after leading the team in HR and winning a gold glove last year. He can also shift over to 3B if needed.

Second Base - Massey returns as the starter and I hope that he builds on his strong end to last season, which looked much more like his 2023 season in which he was the best hitter on my team.

Third Base - Mendoza, my top overall hitter last year, returns as the starter. We will see if he can match his output again this year. Enright will again serve as the backup. Enright had a strong 2023 before disappointing last year, but he could win some playing time if he starts well or if Mendoza struggles.

Shortstop - Cruz, last year's backup will start the season at shortstop as last year's starter, Devine, is currently on the DL for 2 weeks. Cruz has blazing speed and great defense, but will be replaced as soon as Devine returns. Last year Devine was a plus defender with a below average bat. Before I traded for Devine, he was an average to above average hitter, so we will see what happens this year. Regardless, this is the spot that could use an upgrade the most.

Left Field - Recent trade acquisition Case will start in LF and should progress into a plus defender. Offensively he relies on his outstanding eye to get on base and stealing ability to make things happen on the bases. Boissiere and Vizcaino return as backup outfielders with somewhat similar profiles to Case. This could very well turn into a rotation of sorts, but not a strict platoon as Case is a switch hitter and Boissiere and Vizcaino both lefties.

Center Field - Reese is the starting center fielder after acquiring him at the trade deadline last year. He should bat 8th or 9th, but is among the best defenders in the game. Last year, I believe he had a zone rating of +8 in CF.

Right Field - Kirilloff returns as a starter, though this year in right as opposed to left field. He struggled greatly in batting average last year, but projects to be one of the better hitters in the league this year. I'm surprised by this projection, but am glad I decided to hold on to him instead of trading him away for a lesser rated, but higher performing player during the offseason.

Overall, there is a lot to like about this team, even if there is nothing that shouts superstar or dominance. I feel as if there is more depth this year than last, though shortstop is not only thin but poor overall. When this team is clicking it should be hard to beat, but it's also likely that this team will have to overcome some of the same inconsistency of my previous two teams.

Next up, another look at the top prospects in my organization...

[GM_CheatSheets]

For the second year in a row, I will start the season without a player ranked in OOTP's top 100, placing me firmly at the bottom of the minor league system rankings. This should start to change in the coming years as the players from my draft classes start to advance closer to the majors.

I am a bit surprised that SS Flores didn't make the OOTP top 100, but I'm not going to spend much time dwelling on that.

1. RP Ozzie Porras, AAA (Trade w/ATL 7/2024)
   Eventually I will need to create a better filter so projected bullpen arms aren't rated so high, but Porras has the potential to be a dominating left-handed relief arm out of the pen. If Porras shows some progress with his control, he should see some time in the majors this year.
2. SS Greg Warren, R (2024 Draft, Rd 1)
   My top pick last year, Warren ranks incredibly well, though this is mostly on the strength of his plus defense. He still projects to be a plus power hitter, but his bat is still almost all projection at this point.
3. RP Jim Jensen, AAA (Trade w/HOU 11/2023)
   Jensen is pretty much a right handed version of Porras. He was a September callup last year and will likely see some more time in the majors this year, especially if he makes progress with his control.
4. SS Danny Flores, AA (2023 Draft Rd 1)
   Flores likely has two more minor league seasons in him before he's ready for the majors. He is near average current ability in all of the batting categories, though he has yet to post any truly impressing minor league stats.
5. RP Devon James, AA (Trade w/BOS 7/2024)
   James has the potential to be an above average bullpen arm.
6. SP Bob Caballero, AAA (Trade w/CWS 7/2023)
   Caballero is my highest upside starting pitcher at this point and is working on his control and fourth pitch.
7. RF Josh Lindberg, AAA (Trade w/CWS 12/2023)
   OOTP rates Lindberg higher than my scout, but he has the potential to be an interesting five-tool type player though he has a poor eye.
8. CF Freddie Robson, R (2023 Draft Rd 2)
   Robson is a player I am looking at to make a big jump forward this year to start to capitalize on his prodigious potential. Though it is likely even with a good year a move to left field may be coming soon.
9. 3B Frank Arreola, AAA (Trade w/HOU 11/2023)
   I recently moved Arreola to 3B. As soon as this year he could become a passable utility infielder without starting potential in the majors.
10. C Nerio Rodriguez, MLB (2024 Rule 5 Draft)
    Rodriguez is the only player on this list starting on the major league team. He has an average bat and great defense.
11. SS Richard Goette, R (2024 Draft Rd 6)
    Without any substantial development, Goette looks to be a superb defensive utility player with an average bat.
12. 3B Cole Philhower, A- (2023 Draft Rd 4)
    Philhower was an over slot signing with plus defensive potential at 3B. His bat seems to be developing well and he is one I have my eye on as a potential breakout this year.
13. SS Mike Phipps, A- (2024 Draft Rd 3)
    Phipps is plus defensively at SS and could potentially develop into an above average bat, though his speed is below average.
14. CL Caleb Scott, A+ (2024 Draft Rd 7)
    If Scott can make strides with his control, he could become another great bullpen arm.
15. CL Danny Sianez, AA (2023 Draft Rd 10)
    Even as a reliever, Sianez seems a long shot to make the majors now. He has two plus pitches but average movement and poor to below average control.
16. SP Jose Garcia, AA (Trade w/CLE 12/2023)
    Garcia is only the second starting pitcher to appear on this list. While he's still young, he will need to show some advances in his control (5 current, 11 potential; out of 20) if he has a chance of making it to the majors. It's possible that he may pitch a year or two out of the bullpen before getting a shot at the rotation.
17. CF Sean Derringer, R (2024 Draft Rd 2)
    Derringer is of a similar mold to Robson as a young, toolsy draft pick. He should have a good opportunity to develop this year and move up the board.
18. LF Dave Santiago, A- (Trade w/ATL 7/2024)
    Santiago is a bit similar to Lindberg in that he could be close to a five tool player if he reaches his potential, though he needs to overcome a poor eye.
19. SS Jon Chris, A+ (2023 Draft Rd 3)
    If he develops well, Chris has some intriguing potential as a speedy, defense, and contact-oriented utility infielder. If he does develop, it wouldn't surprise me if he put up one or two 2+ WAR seasons as a borderline starter or super reserve.
20. RF Mike Siani, AA (MiLB FA Signing 4/2023)
    Siani has plus defense and intangibles, but is unlikely to get a shot at the majors.

The list isn't loaded with talent, but there is some promise in several of the players listed here. Over time we will see who lives up to their potential, who plays above their current potential, and who busts.

Up next, the season gets underway...

[GM_CheatSheets]

The Expos season got off to a good start. On a side note, this looks to be almost the exact same April schedule for the third year in a row so I will need to look at the schedule generator settings.

The Expos opened the season winning 1 of 3 against the Marlins, 2 of 3 versus the Dodgers, and swept Tampa Bay in three games. At this point 2B Massey was placed on the DL for 6 weeks and SS Devine was placed on a rehab assignment.

The Expos won only 1 of 4 in the next series versus the Mets and followed with a three game sweep of the Phillies. At this point, I activated SS Devine from his rehab assignment and decided it would be more valuable to have Case start at 2B rather than LF, at least while Massey is injured as I have more adequate OF depth than middle infield.

The month concluded with wins in 2 of 3 versus the Giants and 1 of 3 versus the Reds.

This adds up to a 13-9 record for the month.

The worst news of the month came on the last day of the month -- SP Newcomb was placed on the DL for 3-4 months. This could be worse as he should return in the late July to August time frame to hopefully help with a playoff push, but more likely a push to move above or stay above .500. I'm not sure how this will affect whether he will execute his option for 2026, but I feel okay with this either way as he could remain a valuable rotation piece or net a draft pick. I think it is unlikely that he completely unravels after this injury. With the injury to Newcomb, I promoted RP Rosales to the majors as he was performing spectacularly in AAA. MiLB SP McCormick also got consideration and will likely be the next pitching callup, but I want to see if his control improves just a little more with more AAA starting experience.

I also made a trade on the last day of the month, shopping backup 1B Xu while he still had any value. I sent 1B Xu, MiLB SP Stevic, and MiLB 2B Boyd to the Boston Red Sox for CF Omari Williams, MiLB SS Josh Draxler, and MiLB SP Mario Lucero. Williams is the key of this return and will slot into the starting CF role. His defense is fantastic, though slightly less than Reese. His bat, on the other hand is about average, giving him the edge over Reese. At best Draxler projects as an average bat utility infielder, and Lucero could potentially put in a few average-ish years in the back of a rotation if he reaches his potential.

Here is an overview of my batters for the month:



1B Franco is off to a great start, leading the team in virtually all of the counting stats (7 HR, 16 RBI, 15 R). LF Boissiere played very well with fewer plate appearances and should continue to get more opportunities with Case filling in for the injured 2B Massey for several more weeks. C Dillard is off to a slow start, as he was last year as well.

And the pitchers:



Other than SP Newcomb, the rotation performed well, though not spectacularly so. In the bullpen, RP Mejia, one of last year's top performers was the only one to struggle this month. Four of the relief arms posted ERA's below 2.00 and one more was below 3.00. CL Burdi posted a spectacular 15.1 K/9 in 8.1 IP.

Overall, a good start. It could have been better and could have been worse. I didn't add notes on all of the minor (day-to-day) and non-DL injuries, which were fairly notable as several players missed a few games here and there. I hope that this season doesn't spiral into making up for all of the injuries the team managed to avoid the past two years.

Next up, we will see if the Expos can carry this momentum into May...

[GM_CheatSheets]

May did not go quite as well as April.

The month started with placing LF Boissiere on the DL for two weeks. The Expos proceeded to win 1 of 3 versus Cleveland, 1 of 2 versus the Cubs, 1 of 2 versus the Diamondbacks, and 1 of 3 versus the White Sox. LF Boissiere was then activated from the DL.

The Expos continued the month winning 1 of 3 versus the Nationals, sweeping the Braves in a three game match, and taking 2 of 3 versus the Padres. At this point the recently acquired CF Williams was placed on the DL for two weeks.

Following the injury, the Expos were swept by the Mets in a three game set, won 1 of 4 against the Pirates, and split the first two games of a three game set with St. Louis.

This all adds up to a poor 12-16 record for the month.

In AAA, SP's McCormick and Caballero are making a strong push for a promotion. RP's Jensen and Porras are also pitching well out of the bullpen and could see time in the majors if there are any injuries.

Now for the batting performances:



1B Franco managed to turn his performance up a notch after leading the team last month as well. He led the team with 8 HR, 25 RBI, 15 R, and a .333 AVG. RF Kirilloff, 2B Case, and C Dillard also had strong months at the plate.

And the pitchers:



SP Kaprielian had an incredibly unlucky month as his 2.23 FIP was much better than his 5.61 ERA. SP Montes De Oca posted a strong month with a 3.07 ERA and 3.85 FIP in 41.1 IP. SP Paddack struggled tremendously.

In the bullpen, RP Rosales, CL Burdi, RP Mosqueda, RP Tate, and RP Medina all performed well.

I decided to make a trade before advancing into June. I sent SP Paddack, MiLB 2B Parker, and MiLB SS Kearney to St. Louis for 2B Jeremiah Jackson, MiLB CF Brandon Lawrence, and MiLB RP Troy Beddingfield.

I plan to shift Jackson to SS where he should at least match SS Devine on defense and be an offensive upgrade. He will still rate mid 20's overall as a SS, though. Lawrence has the potential to be a potential above average and maybe great outfielder with a defense, speed, contact profile. At 25 and still in A ball, he isn't much of a prospect, but hasn't been given much of a chance. Beddingfield projects to be a plus reliever and just made his ML debut. He will join the ranks of Jensen and Porras in my AAA bullpen, perhaps even ahead of them.

Next up, a recap of the 2025 first year player draft...

[GM_CheatSheets]

This year I don't have any extra picks, but it is still another important opportunity to stock my minor leagues with more young talent.

Round 1, Pick 12



There wasn't a clear choice for this pick, but I ultimately decided to take the top ranked pitcher on my board, SP Sean Killough (22, college). He is among the top players in projected pitching ratings with control being the least developed. He projects to have three great pitches and has great velocity.



Round 2, Pick 9

CF Bob Cecil (19, high school) was the top remaining player on the board and I went with him. He has the potential to be an above average to great hitter. He has above average speed and could be an average CF or better in the corners.



Round 3, Pick 12



Next, I took SP Brian Caprio (22, college). His is pretty much a lefty version of Killough. He has three potentially great pitches, great velocity, and control is the least developed of his pitching ratings. He has one of the top intangibles ratings in the draft.



Round 4, Pick 13

As I do in most years, I went for an "impossible" player in round four, 3B David Lawrence (18, high school). He has the potential to be a great hitter and 3B is his highest upside defensively.



Round 5, Pick 13

CF Ross Wright (21, college) has plus speed and defense. He currently projects to be slightly above average with the bat. As he has among the top intangibles in the draft, I hope this will lead to some gains beyond his current batting projection.



Round 6, Pick 13



For this pick I passed on several higher ranked players to get a pitcher with the looks of a future starter. SP Sean Korb (20, college) has three potential above average pitches, slightly above average pitching potential, and average velocity. He also has the best intangibles of all players in the draft, so there is some hope for further development.



Round 7, Pick 13

Next, I took my second "impossible" player, SP Brian Carson (18, high school). He is a high potential, high risk player. The positive is he could have among the best curveballs in the game and possibly remain a starter. The negative is that his control is currently only 1/20 and projects to be about average. He signed for just under $4 million and was the highest paid pick for me this year.

I was hoping to take CF Bizette with my next pick, and if I did it again, would have taken him here.



Round 8, Pick 13

SS Bizette was drafted before I could select him, so I chose SS Calvin Love (18, high school). Love projects to be a high contact, gap power, and avoid k hitter. He has good speed and should remain at shortstop, at least until he gets nearer to the majors. If he can improve is IF Error rating, he could be a great defensive shortstop as well. It seems he is currently plagued by concentration issues in the field.



Draft Recap:



Overall, I'm happy with the draft results, though there aren't any players that stand out as potential superstars initially. It's possible that in the coming years I stop manually drafting around pick 15 or so. My customized draft board makes it such that I rarely select any pitchers in the back half of the draft.

After all of the signings were completed, I came in $1 million under my draft budget of $10 million. I could have come in at almost half of this without selecting or signing SP Carson in the seventh round.

I will post an updated top 30 organizational prospects list soon to see where these draftees fit into my system. However, next is a recap of the month of June...

[GM_CheatSheets]

June marked not just a good month, but the best month yet in the history of this young franchise.

After the trade made to conclude May, the first order of business in June was to promote SP McCormick to the majors. He was acquired in a trade with MIA and missed nearly all of last season with an injury. 2B Massey was also placed on a rehab assignment and quickly sustained another injury.

The Expos won the final game of a three game set against the Cardinals of the series started in May, swept the Marlins in three games, and swept the Dodgers in three games. Williams was placed on a rehab assignment and activated in this time frame.

The Expos then won 2 of 3 versus the Blue Jays, 1 of 3 versus the Rays, and 2 of 3 versus the Indians. At this point, RP Mejia was placed on the DL with an injury sidelining him for a week. I promoted the recently traded for RP Beddingfield.

The month continued with the Expos sweeping the Phillies in four games, winning 1 of 3 versus the Pirates, and sweeping the Giants in a two game series after the final game was rained out. At this point RP Mejia was placed on a rehab assignment.

This all tallies up to a fantastic 19-6 record for the month. This lifted the Expos squarely into the battle for both the NL East and the NL Wild Card.

Here are the batting performances for the month:



RF Kirilloff had one of the best months I can remember one of my players posting. In fact, he was named the NL player of the month award. 3B Mendoza, 1B Franco, and LF Boissiere also had very strong months.

And the pitchers:



SP Richards and SP Smith each posted an ERA below 2.00 for the month. SP Montes De Oca and SP Kapriellian also performed well for the month. SP McCormick had a bit of a rough transition as he struggled a bit with his control.

In 11.1 IP, CL Burdi did not allow a single run with an 18/2 K/BB ratio. There wasn't a single arm that didn't perform well.

Next up is a recap of the 2025 international amateur free agent signing period...

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The international amateur period opened and I imported the class into my spreadsheet, revealing a fairly weak overall, but pitching heavy class.



I started the period with three offers: SP Tejada ($1.5 million), SP Anaya ($240k), and SP Villanova ($260k).

Anaya was the first to sign at $252,000. He is the definition of projectable. At 16 years old, he is already 6'8", 215 lbs, and throwing 94-96 mph. He projects to be great in all three pitching categories and to have three great pitches. His price was low because OSA projects him to be a bullpen arm rather than a starter.

Villanova signed next at $352,000. Villanova projects to be above average in the three pitching categories with three great pitches. OSA isn't as high on him, but still anticipates he will be able to start long-term.

After that, a bidding war developed for Tejada. I eventually needed to decide if I would go all in on him. Tejada is a projectable 6'7", 210 lbs right hander. He is highly rated by my scout and OSA, is great in all three pitching categories, and has six pitches with average or better potential. Ultimately I decided to go over the cap and was lucky to sign him just before my owner would have stopped me from increasing my bid further. I signed him for $4.28 million.



Overall, I'm pretty happy with this haul, even if it is a relatively light return for going over the cap. I'm not going to complain about adding three potential starting pitchers.

We will see how the Expos fared through July next...

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July was another good, though not great month for the Expos.

The Expos won 1 of 3 versus the Braves, 1 of 3 versus the Nationals, 2 of 3 versus the Cubs, and swept the Reds in three games. Four Expos made the NL All Star squad: RP Mosqueda, CL Burdi, 1B Franco, and RF Kirilloff.

At this point, 2B Massey was ready to rejoin the major league squad and to make space, I traded 3B Enright to Seattle for LF Trayce Thompson. Thompson is a veteran with great intangibles and immediately give my clubhouse a nice boost. The addition of Thompson resulted in demoting CF Reese to AAA.

After the all star game the Expos won 2 of 4 versus the Phillies, 2 of 3 versus the Padres, 1 of 3 versus the Diamondbacks, and 2 of 3 versus the Cardinals. Before this last series, I placed RF Kirilloff on the DL for two weeks with an injury. I promoted CF/RF Lawrence.

This adds up to a record of 14-11 for the month. The Expos are six games back of the Mets in the NL East and have a 3.5 game lead for the first NL Wild Card spot.

Below are the batting performances:



C Dillard had an outstanding month to get back on track after a somewhat slow start. RF Kirilloff, 1B Franco, and 3B Mendoza also impressed during the month. LF Bossiere and CF Williams also deserve an honorable mention.

And the pitchers:



In the rotation, McCormick had a great 1.96 ERA in 23 IP. SP Kaprielian (2.41 ERA) and SP Montes De Oca (3.23 ERA) also pitched well.

In the bullpen, CL Burdi, RP Mosqueda, and RP Rosales all posted sub 3.00 ERAs. Otherwise the bullpen had a lot of bad luck with worse than average ERAs and better than average FIPs.

Next up is a mid-season update on my top prospects...

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Below is my current top 30 prospect list with additions from recent trades and the draft.



Notes and observations:

• SS Greg Warren moves into the top spot with both a little improvement as well as Porras falling. I would have to imagine he will make the top 100 at the beginning of next year.
• SS Danny Flores also moved up a spot with small improvement. He has been posting solid, though not spectacular numbers at AA in his age 22 season. I think he also has a good chance of making the top 100 next year.
• Trade addition CF Brandon Lawrence makes his first and only appearance near the top of the list. It is likely he needs a full year at AAA as he made quite the jump from A ball after the trade, but as he will be turning 26, he won't be eligible for the list after this year. He should make a solid fourth outfielder when he is ready, maybe with potential to contribute more than that.
• Other trade additions include RP Beddingfield at #6, SS Draxler at #11, and SP Lucero at #23. Draxler is the most intriguing of the bunch, but needs to show some results soon as a 22 year old still playing in R ball.
• CF Robson continues his steady improvement despite dropping a spot in the rankings. I still have hope that he will reach his potential despite this being his third season in R ball. He is still just 19 years old. He might have been the youngest player I ever drafted.
• The recent draft picks making the list include CF Ross Wright (Rd 5) at #14, CL Alberto Solis (Rd 10) at #15, CF Bob Cecil (Rd 2) at #17, and SP Sean Killough (Rd 1) at #24. Interestingly, Killough is actually listed with 1B as his suggested position. This shows his athleticism and I think bodes well for him. I will continue to develop him as a pitcher.
• CF Sean Derringer shows some progress with his development while SS Phipps, and 3B Philhower fell a little bit in their Bat score, which doesn't bode well for their development.
• Overall, there is still a lack of starting pitcher prospects beyond SP Bob Caballero, who is MLB ready and perhaps SP Jose Garcia who continues to improve but will need to show better command to have a shot at the majors.

Next up, the Expos first playoff push extends into August...

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August was another great month for the Expos, pushing them even further into playoff contention.

The month started with the Expos winning 2 of 3 versus the Rays and 2 of 3 versus the Red Sox. At this time, SP Newcomb started his rehab assignment. The Expos proceeded to win 1 of 3 versus the Dodgers, 2 of 3 versus the Marlins, and 1 of 4 versus the Pirates. After the Pittsburgh series, I activated RF Kirilloff from his short rehab assignment. I demoted CF Lawrence back to AAA.

The Expos then won 2 of 3 versus the Mets and 2 of 3 versus the Indians. After this series, I activated SP Newcomb and promoted SP Bob Caballero, my top pitching prospect who was tearing it up at AAA. To accommodate them, I placed RP Mejia and RP Burke on waivers. Unfortunately Mejia did not pass through and was claimed. This was perhaps an unnecessary risk as it was only a week away from roster expansion, but Mejia had a salary of about $1.5 million and had an ERA above 5.00.

The Expos concluded the month by sweeping the Reds in three games and splitting a four game series with the Giants.

The Expos finished the month with a 17-12 record. They are six games back of the NL East leading Mets and hold the first wildcard spot with a five game lead.

Batting performances for the month were as follows:



C Dillard had another fantastic month, tied for the team lead with 7 HR. LF Bossiere turned in his best month yet. If he continues to perform near this level, he will be a steal as he is still under team control for several more years. 1B Franco, 2B Massey, and CF Williams also had great months. Whether Williams stays in center or moves to a corner eventually, he looks to also be a potential steal.

And the pitching performances:



SP Richards and SP McCormick had great months out of the rotation, as did SP Kaprielian, who had a bit of luck. SP Newcomb also pitched well in his return appearance. There is much to note positive or negative in the bullpen.

Next up is the September/October recap of the final month plus of the regular season...

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The Expos played well through the end of the regular season.

September started with back-to-back three game sweeps of the Braves and the Brewers. The Expos then won 1 of 4 versus the Diamondbacks, 1 of 3 versus the Padres, 2 of 3 versus the Cardinals, 3 of 4 versus the Cubs, and swept the Nationals in three games.

At this point, CF Williams was placed on the DL for 6 weeks with an injury. I was also informed at this point that the Expos clinched a playoff spot. With two series remaining, they were tied for the lead in the NL East.

The regular season concluded with the Expos winning 2 of 4 versus the Mets and were swept by the Pirates in three games.

This resulted in a September / October record of 20-13. The Expos finished the regular season two games behind the Mets in the NL East and leading the NL Wild Card race by ten games.

Three years in, and somewhat unexpectedly, the Expos will make their first playoff appearance.

Below is how my batters performed in September:



2B Massey led the way with a fantastic month. 1B Franco and RF Kirilloff both posted fantastic months in their own right. CF Williams and C Dillard also deserve mention for their performances.

And the pitchers:



All of my starting pitchers posted ERA's of 3.38 or lower and all but SP Montes De Oca had FIPs below 4.00. With all of the callups, the bullpen was a bit of a mixed bag. RP Mosqueda was the biggest standout among them.

Next up, we will see how the Expos fare in the playoffs...

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The Expos' first playoff appearance was a short one.

They showed some life in both games, but ultimately fell 0-2 in a three game series to the Atlanta Braves.

In game one, the Expos had a one run lead into the sixth inning after which the Braves established a four run lead. The Expos lost 4-6.

The Expos then lost the second game 3-4. The Expos scored two runs in the bottom of the 9th and stranded the tying run on third base.

Obviously this wasn't the outcome I was hoping for, but in the end, I'm not surprised not to have advanced.

Next, a recap of the Expos' 2025 season...