Card Suggestions for the Montreal Expos

[Sipimi]

I’m really impressed by the development team’s ability to listen to feedback and adapt their product. As a long-time Expos fan, I’m currently trying to build an all-Expos squad and I feel that some card additions are necessarily to be able to do that because three fielding positions are clearly too weak even at the lower levels. So here are some suggestions to try to improve the Montreal Expos card set.

Catcher
Right now
There’s a huge gap between the team’s starter and first potential backup (-22 overall). It’s another position where the Expos were often weak but I still believe there’s one better option than 70 Mike Fitzgerald as the PT21 #2.

Potential Card
1- 2004 Brian Schneider: Unbelievable defensive year for him, probably better than any single one of Johnny Bench. He would probably look a bit like LaValliere did in PT 20.

Shortstop
Right now
Hubie Brooks and Bret Barberie are the only SS and both are unusable at the position (42-28 DEF). I know the Expos have struggled historically to find good players in the middle infield but there are some cards that would be able to play there. You’ll see that I’m not including 1994 Wil Cordero because he probably looks a lot like Hubie (great hitter, no defense).

Potential Cards
1- 2001 Orlando Cabrera: him over the 2003 because of the better defense (won a GG)
2- 1978 Chris Speier: 3.1 WAR, most of it coming from his defense
3- 1996 or 1997 Mark Grudzielanek: not sure how his defense would look like so suggesting both years.

Second base
I’m delighted by the addition of Delino DeShields, a favorite of mine when I was young. He has a nice 80 DEF rating but that 69 card won’t cut it offensively at the higher level. Utility man FP Santangelo can play there, as can Hubie Brooks in the lower 50, but that’s it for 2B.

Potential Cards
1- 1971 Ron Hunt: with a 5.1 WAR, Hunt played at an All-Star level that year, establishing the MLB HBP record at the same time
2- 2002 Jose Vidro: long-time Expo player had his best year with an All-Star selection
3- 1997 Mike Lansing: before leaving for Colorado he had a solid offensive and defensive year

Additional comments – Outfield
Expos always had great outfielders and PT 21 certainly reflects that. But there are some fan favorites I would really like to see.

1969 Mack Jones: Jones had a love story with the fan from Game 1. He was so popular that the left field bleachers at Jarry Park were nicknamed Jonesville. Also had a solid year in the Expos’ inaugural season (3.8 WAR).

1978 Ellis Valentine: I know there’s already a Valentine card out there, but I’m not happy with the year that was chosen. When you are considered by many of having one of the all-time throwing arms, you can’t have a 49 arm rating. Instead of 1980, 1978 would have been much more representative of the man’s reputation.

Larry Walker: one if not the best Canadian player not on his Canadian team? No way. Pretty sure he’s coming later this year though…

Could have mentioned some guys in the pen like 1983 Reardon and 1987 Tim Burke but there are already some quality cards (Rojas, Marshall).

Thanks!

[halfbutt]

Darren Fletcher is a pretty good bronze catcher...

[Lemandria]

Limiting yourself to a single team is always going to be rough.

At least you chose a defunct team where it IS possible. BSN or NYG or PHA might not be possible to field a full team, at all. SEP is only a couple of guys.

[Morug]

Originally Posted by halfbutt

Darren Fletcher is a pretty good bronze catcher...

yes , I play Foote/Fletcher with my Expos..Fitzegarld stats are bad..no contact and no defense.

For now I only played Expos card, lack some reliever at pitching..maybe i'll add some former expos player like Spike Owen(Mariners) for bench player at SS.

Hope to see a Vidro card too.

[mcdog512]

You guys need a Boots Day card!

[Sipimi]

Originally Posted by halfbutt

Darren Fletcher is a pretty good bronze catcher...

He is, but he's not going to perform well at the higher levels.

[Sipimi]

Originally Posted by mcdog512

You guys need a Boots Day card!

Good one mcdog, 1971 please!

But out of personal prefence, if adding a CF I'd prefer a Willie Davis or Otis Nixon. Then Boots or even Ron Woods...ah the good old days at Jarry Park!

[Sipimi]

Originally Posted by Lemandria

Limiting yourself to a single team is always going to be rough.

At least you chose a defunct team where it IS possible. BSN or NYG or PHA might not be possible to field a full team, at all. SEP is only a couple of guys.

You're right. I might eventually extend the possibilities to guys that played with Montreal but have cards with other teams, like Roy Face or Randy Johnson. I could even add players that were on the Montreal Royals roster, giving me great options like Campanella, Clemente, Drysdale, Robinson, Snyder, etc.

[Dogberry99]

Originally Posted by Lemandria

Limiting yourself to a single team is always going to be rough.

At least you chose a defunct team where it IS possible. BSN or NYG or PHA might not be possible to field a full team, at all. SEP is only a couple of guys.

The West Covina Ex-Girlfriends (in 20) originally started as an Expos/Browns/Senators team for this reason. As the rosters were rounded out, I widened the net to also allow New York Giants, Brooklyn Dodgers, the multiple non-Oakland versions of the Athletics, and any other teams that moved.

Its been a fun team to build, and it has been surprisingly competitive (I'm still missing many "end game" cards, but I'm already able to compete somewhat in Perfect)

[Lemandria]

Its been a fun team to build, and it has been surprisingly competitive (I'm still missing many "end game" cards, but I'm already able to compete somewhat in Perfect)

I'm not too serious about *winning* with a theme team, just limits with some flexibility.

I liked the 8-team idea someone started a while back, I've got one of those.

And I've got a "defunct teams" theme that starting to reach the "fun" stage of the collecting, which includes Montreal (of course).

[Charlatan]

Originally Posted by Sipimi

You're right. I might eventually extend the possibilities to guys that played with Montreal but have cards with other teams, like Roy Face or Randy Johnson. I could even add players that were on the Montreal Royals roster, giving me great options like Campanella, Clemente, Drysdale, Robinson, Snyder, etc.

I was going to suggest this might be an approach for you. I did this last year with a Washington Senators team… I included cards from any player who had ever appeared on the field in a Senators uniform. It was actually a lot of fun doing my research and finding a lot of players who I never would’ve guessed have been on the team.

The only other comment I have is if you get a Ron Hunt card you probably would hate his defense... I recall the one from last year had a pretty terrible rating at 2b.

[Sipimi]

Originally Posted by Charlatan

I was going to suggest this might be an approach for you. I did this last year with a Washington Senators team… I included cards from any player who had ever appeared on the field in a Senators uniform. It was actually a lot of fun doing my research and finding a lot of players who I never would’ve guessed have been on the team.

The only other comment I have is if you get a Ron Hunt card you probably would hate his defense... I recall the one from last year had a pretty terrible rating at 2b.

You're right, he was below average at 2B. Might be able to use him at 3B or 1B eventually.

[OMGPuppies]

Rusty Staub!!

[mcdog512]

Originally Posted by OMGPuppies

Rusty Staub!!

Not a bad card either.

[Stanley Kuppchaser]

Just to hear the PA announcer, John Boccabella.

[mcdog512]

Those early 70s' expos team were bad but interesting!

[Sipimi]

Originally Posted by OMGPuppies

Rusty Staub!!

What a beauty! Too bad I'll never have enough points to buy him.

[Sipimi]

Originally Posted by mcdog512

Those early 70s' expos team were bad but interesting!

Indeed, we got to see live the older versions of goodplayers we saw on tv : Tim McCarver, Willie Davis, Jim Northrup. I guess that was the price to pay to eventually get Carter, Dawson et al.

[Morug]

Originally Posted by Sipimi

What a beauty! Too bad I'll never have enough points to buy him.

price will drop and you can buy packs and be lucky to hit a great card to resell. I have all expos card in PT20, its a long way but its feasable.

[Sipimi]

Originally Posted by Morug

price will drop and you can buy packs and be lucky to hit a great card to resell. I have all expos card in PT20, its a long way but its feasable.

Really hope the price drops. On another team I bought a 96 Giambi for 25k that has very similar offensive ratings so either he's really underpriced or Staub's out of whack.