OT: Last Remaining Montreal Expo Has Been Cut...

[billyjack]

A great friend of ours from Quebec wrote to us this morning:

VIA GOOGLE TRANSLATE (ORIGINAL FRENCH IS DOWN BELOW):

Dear friends,

Yes, I am sad today, for those who do not know yet, to announce that the Montreal Expos no longer exists officially. Yes, since 2004 they are dead, you will confirm it. I was even in the pit of the Stade O in their last match in the company of my faithful friend and great amateur Isabelle and her mother! How many memories, Isabelle?

Last week, the Atlanta Braves released the last Expo still alive in the major leagues. And yes, even 13 seasons later, there was still one !!! And it is the formidable and indefatigable pitcher leaving Bartolo Colòn. The Braves can be understood to have freed the good Bartolo with his average deserved snoring at 8.14 and eight defeats in his last eight outings. You have to be able to withdraw at some point. Although with a salary of $ 12.5M this year, one can understand wanting to hang on. Even at 44 ... (professional sport is sick, you know?)

It was in 2002 that our Z'Amours acquired the elegant Bartolo in the middle of the season, in the company of a pitcher, Tim Drew, who had only a very ephemeral career in the major leagues. For those interested in baseball somewhat, know that the Expos have ceded Grady Sizemore, Brandon Phillips, Cliff Lee and Lee Stevens to the Cleveland Indians to get the sprightly Bartolo. Sizemore was a dominant outfielder for a decade in major baseball while Cliff Lee, an excellent pitcher despite injuries, won a Cy Young Trophy in 2008 for the Indians. Brandon Phillips is still at work, now newly for the Braves but long associated with the Cincinnati Reds. The charming Brandon is one of the best second-generation players of his generation and one of my fetish players for a long time. Ah les Expos and their famous transactions ...

All the same, in 2002, the Expos tried to get closer to the brave Braves of the turn of the years 2000. And our fiery Bartolo lent a strong hand to the Exposes of master! At the time of its acquisition in July, the horse Bartolo had already accumulated ten victories with the Indians! And you know what ? He did the same for the Expos for the scales of the season! And yes, twenty victories in a season of Major Leagues, with ten victories in the American and ten victories in the National! Unprecedented at the time, the first to accomplish such a feat !!! And I believe, to my humble acquaintances and my searches internet, that this fact of arms was never reproduced since.

The Expos never caught up with the Braves that season ... And did not make the "details" ...

And at the beginning of the 2003 season, the guilleret Bartolo reshaped his package and found him in Chicago for the Bas Blancs. And then, several seasons in Anaheim for the Angles where he swept in 2005 the trophy Cy Young.

Bartolo was recognized among others in recent years for his very advantageous physique. 5'11, 280 pounds. A real sex symbol. A physics of a Latin god. He took an example on me ... I joined as a companion a photo of one of his first baseball cards. I, too, was of this splendor at the age of twenty! And he too had to learn the phone number of Bravo Pizza since ...

At the latest news, the Mets of NY were discussing with him for a possible hiring and a return because the last years, the ingenious Bartolo was raging for them ... Great Gods! Please! As I said in my previous lines, as the singing Aznavour, you must know ...

His highest achievement in recent years, you have it on YouTube attached.

Ahhhh, dear Bartolo ... You will miss me greatly ... An athlete like he does not do anymore! So easy to love ... And for me, so easy to identify ...

And the Exposes, the only ones, the real ones, our Z'Amours, our Expos, those who made us so vibrate, those who made us so much cursing, those who made us cry so much, well, they are dead, And dead property ... As in DEAD ... Peace is their souls ... From Manny Mota (first player drafted to the 1968 expansion) to Bartolo Colòn ...

To the pleasure my friends!

Your friend again I hope,

Stéphane

Ps: that's what happens when you're in mechanical truck break and hit the hotel in a hole like Binghamton, NY, waiting for our trailer to be repaired !!!


IN FRENCH:

Mes chers amis,

Oui, j'ai la tristesse aujourd'hui, pour ceux qui ne le savent pas encore, et bien, d'annoncer que les Expos de Montréal n'existent plus officiellement. Oui, depuis 2004 qu'ils sont morts, vous me le confirmerez. J'étais même dans le pit du Stade O à leur dernier match en compagnie de ma fidèle amie et grande amateure itou Isabelle et sa maman ! Que de souvenirs, n'est-ce pas Isabelle ?

La semaine dernière, les Braves d'Atlanta ont libéré le dernier Expo encore vivant dans les ligues majeures. Et oui, même 13 saisons plus tard, il en restait encore un !!! Et il s'agit du formidable et infatigable lanceur partant Bartolo Colòn. On peut comprendre les Braves d'avoir libéré le bon Bartolo avec sa moyenne de point mérité ronflante à 8,14 et huit défaites à ses huit dernières sorties. Il faut savoir se retirer un moment donné. Quoiqu'avec un salaire de 12.5M$ cette année, on peut comprendre vouloir s'accrocher. Même à 44 ans... (le sport professionnel est malade, vous savez ?)

C'est en 2002 que nos Z'Amours acquéraient l'élégant Bartolo en milieu de saison, en compagnie d'un lanceur, Tim Drew, qui n'eut qu'une très éphémère carrière dans les ligues majeures. Pour ceux qui s'intéressent au baseball quelque peu, sachez que les Expos ont cédé Grady Sizemore, Brandon Phillips, Cliff Lee et Lee Stevens aux Indians de Cleveland pour obtenir le sémillant Bartolo. Sizemore fut un voltigeur dominant pendant une décennie dans le baseball majeur tandis que Cliff Lee, excellent lanceur malgré les blessures, est gagnant d'un trophée Cy Young en 2008 pour les Indians. Brandon Phillips est quant à lui toujours à l'œuvre, maintenant nouvellement pour les Braves mais longtemps associé aux Reds de Cincinnatti. Le charmant Brandon est l'un des meilleurs joueurs de 2e but de sa génération et un de mes joueurs fétiches pendant longtemps. Ah les Expos et leurs fameuses transactions...

Tout de même, en 2002, les Expos tentaient de se rapprocher des incollables Braves du tournant des années 2000. Et notre pétulant Bartolo prêta main forte aux Expos de main de maître ! Lors de son acquisition en juillet, le chevalin Bartolo avait déjà accumulé dix victoires avec les Indians ! Et vous savez quoi ? Il fit de même pour les Expos pour la balance de la saison ! Et oui, vingt victoires dans une saison des Ligues majeures, avec dix victoire dans l'Américaine et dix victoires dans la Nationale ! Du jamais vu à l'époque, le premier à accomplir un tel exploit !!! Et je crois, à mes humbles connaissances et à mes recherches internet, que ce fait d'armes ne fut jamais reproduit depuis.

Les Expos ne rattrapèrent jamais les Braves cette saison là... Et n'ont pas fait les "détails"...

Et à l'amorce de la saison 2003, le guilleret Bartolo refit son paquetage et on le retrouva à Chicago pour les Bas Blancs. Et ensuite, plusieurs saisons à Anaheim pour les Angles où il rafla en 2005 le trophée Cy Young.

Bartolo fut reconnu entre autres au cours des dernières années pour son physique fort avantageux. 5'11, 280 livres. Un vrai sex-symbol. Un physique de dieu latin. Il prit exemple sur moi... J'ai joint comme accompagnement une photo de l'une de ses premières cartes de baseball. Moi aussi, j'étais de cette splendeur à vingt ans ! Et lui aussi, il dut apprendre le numéro de téléphone de Bravo Pizza depuis...

Aux toutes dernières nouvelles, les Mets de NY discutaient avec lui pour une éventuelle embauche et un retour car les dernières années, l'ingambe Bartolo sévissait pour eux... Grands Dieux ! SVP !!! Comme je le disais dans mes lignes précédentes, comme le chante Aznavour, il faut savoir...

Son plus haut fait d'armes des dernières années, vous l'avez sur YouTube ci-joint.

Ahhhh, cher Bartolo... Tu me manqueras grandement... Un athlète comme il ne s'en fait plus ! Si facile à aimer... Et pour moi, si facile à s'identifier...

Et les Expos, les seuls, les vrais, nos Z'Amours, nos Expos, ceux qui nous ont fait tant vibrer, ceux qui nous ont fait tant maudire, ceux qui nous ont fait tant pleurer, et bien, ils sont morts, bels et biens morts... Comme dans M-O-R-T-S... Paix est leurs âmes... De Manny Mota (premier joueur repêché à l'expansion de 1968) à Bartolo Colòn...

Au plaisir mes amis !

Votre ami encore j'espère,
Stéphane

ps : voilà ce qui arrive quand on est en bris mécanique en camion et pogné à l'hôtel dans un trou perdu comme Binghamton, NY, à patienter pour que notre trailer soit réparé !!!

[stever20]

going to take a wild guess and the youtube video was Colon hitting his homer last year vs San Diego.....

Kind of amazing that in the middle of the 14th season since the move that all the Expos are gone. And only 1 guy who played with the Nats that first year is still around- Ryan Zimmerman.

[hoops22]

I remember the 1994 season when the World Series was canceled. The Yankees and Expos both led their respective leagues, and that would have made for an interesting Series, had it been played. I don't believe the Expos ever made it to a World series. One interesting side note from that season is that in the American League West division, the season ended with the Texas Rangers in first place, with a record of 52-62, ten games under .500

[stever20]

I remember the 1994 season when the World Series was canceled. The Yankees and Expos both led their respective leagues, and that would have made for an interesting Series, had it been played. I don't believe the Expos ever made it to a World series. One interesting side note from that season is that in the American League West division, the season ended with the Texas Rangers in first place, with a record of 52-62, ten games under .500

Yeah, Montreal would have had a great chance that year. Would have seen the Dodgers in LDS round, followed by Reds or Braves in the LCS. In the AL- Yanks would have gotten the misfortune of seeing Cleveland in rd 1, while Texas got Chicago. Would have been really interesting to hear folks complain about that- as the #1 team would have seen a much tougher team in the LDS round than the #2 team(would have been 1st wild card season)...

the other thing from that year that would be interesting- would Gwynn have batted .400 and would Matt Williams who had 43 homers at time of strike broken Maris record of 61.

[GoldenWarrior11]

I was very young at the time, but I remember that year and how good that team was. Their opening day lineup included Pedro Martinez, Larry Walker, Moises Alou, Marquis Grissom, Cliff Floyd, Jeff Fassero, Wil Cordero, Darrin Fletcher, and Mike Lansing. It was criminal that the season was robbed from them, as they were undoubtedly the MLB's best team that year. If they win that year, it is very unlikely that the team gets dismantled and they end up moving to Washington.

It is a travesty that Jeffrey Loria will make out like a bandit after ruining not one but two different MLB franchises in the Expos and Marlins. He robbed the city of Miami for that new stadium that no one ever goes to. Baseball will be better once he sells.

Interestingly enough, I wonder if Tampa Bay ends up looking at Montreal at a possible relocation site. Tampa Bay, without a new stadium, cannot sustain baseball with their current conditions.

[Savannah Jay]

I was very young at the time, but I remember that year and how good that team was. Their opening day lineup included Pedro Martinez, Larry Walker, Moises Alou, Marquis Grissom, Cliff Floyd, Jeff Fassero, Wil Cordero, Darrin Fletcher, and Mike Lansing. It was criminal that the season was robbed from them, as they were undoubtedly the MLB's best team that year. If they win that year, it is very unlikely that the team gets dismantled and they end up moving to Washington.

It is a travesty that Jeffrey Loria will make out like a bandit after ruining not one but two different MLB franchises in the Expos and Marlins. He robbed the city of Miami for that new stadium that no one ever goes to. Baseball will be better once he sells.

Interestingly enough, I wonder if Tampa Bay ends up looking at Montreal at a possible relocation site. Tampa Bay, without a new stadium, cannot sustain baseball with their current conditions.

94 Expos were as strong as new rope, though I am not sure of their long term viability in Montreal regardless of success. Expos first stadium, Jarry Park, was an expanded minor league park (expanded to 28k) and the most Expos ever averaged there was 17k and change. Olympic Stadium held twice as many but in 94 the expos were drawing 22k a game and were the best team in baseball.

Speaking of minor league stadiums, the Rays should play in the Yankees spring training stadium. It's across the street from Raymond James and is very accessible. It's much nicer than the concrete roach motel they play in now and may be big enough to hold the 15k that attend Rays games now. I know it would be a better experience for fans.

[billyjack]

Montreal's attendance in the 80's was very high, sometimes topping 2 million fans. Really fantastic support and one of MLB's model franchises back in the day. Exciting team, great farm system developed great young arms (Gullickson, Sanderson, Schatzeder, Lea, Palmer joined veteran Steve Rogers), and speed and power up and down the lineup (homegrown Carter, Dawson, Cromartie, Raines, and Wallach).

Jarry Park was always considered a temporary home (it's been converted to a tennis center).

The Expos had a heartbreaking 1981 playoff loss to LA on an unlikely 2-out HR by old flag-saver Rick Monday.

In the late 90's onward they had the Loria-Selig dumbf-cks screwing them over... Loria was deliberately killing the team by trading everyone, while he and fellow-extortionist Selig were trying to force the city of Montreal to build a new stadium. The fans told them both to go f-ck themselves.

I think they could definitely support a team again. Should move the Rays to create an AL East Canadian rivalry, plus Sox fans would trek up to Montreal too. Makes a ton of sense.

[HoosierPal]

Colón signed to a minor league contract with the Twins.

Brandon Phillips began his career in the Expos organization. After several years in the Expos farm system, Phillips was part of a six-player trade that sent him from the Montreal Expos to the Cleveland Indians. Phillips was dealt with Grady Sizemore, Cliff Lee, and Lee Stevens in exchange for Bartolo Colón (talk about irony) and Tim Drew. Phillips still is active on the Braves roster.

It ain't over 'till it's over.

[stever20]

The Expos heartbeat still going.... Colon threw a Complete Game last night vs the Rangers for the Twins. His first one in 2 years.

He also tied a MLB record, allowing a homer in his 43rd park. Including all 30 current MLB parks. Tied Jamie Moyer for that.

His win was his 10th different team. Only LaTroy Hawkins, Mike Morgan, and Rob Villone have 11 different teams getting wins for.