 |
2000's
Apr. 7, 2001 The Expos put on quite a show in their home opener
-- and that was before the game started. The pregame player introductions
included a stuntman leaping from the scoreboard in a Montreal uniform
and another rappelling down from the stadium's roof in full catcher's
gear. After the explosive preview to the game, the Expos went on
to beat the Mets by a 10-6 final score. "It was the most creative
[opening ceremony] I had ever seen in baseball," noted Mets
manager Bobby Valentine, who went on to say it certainly added to
"juicing the crowd."
May 15, 2001 Javier Vazquez fired a two-hit shutout against the
Los Angeles Dodgers. Vazquez struck out nine batters without walking
any. Only three of his 27 outs came on ground balls. In this gem,
he retired the first 11 batters he faced and ended up pitching to
only three batters over the minimum.
May 31, 2001 After the Expos struggled to a 21-32 record in the
first two months of the season, manager Felipe Alou was fired on
the last day of May. Alou spent 27 years in Montreal's organization
and finished with a career record of 691-716-1 as manager. Jeff
Torborg was selected to replace Alou and was signed to a three-year
deal that will run through the 2003 season. Torborg, a former Major
League manager, had most recently worked as a television analyst.
June 5, 2001 Josh Karp is picked by Montreal with the sixth selection
in the 2001 Amateur Draft. Karp, a right-handed pitcher from UCLA,
said he was excited to be drafted by the Expos. "I was on the
third tee of a golf course with my father and my mom," he said.
"We were trying to play golf, but it wasn't working out very
well. We kind of had a little party on the tee -- a little celebration
-- and it was nice."
July 10, 2001 Vladimir Guerrero was on the NL All-Star Team for
the third straight season. In the process, he became the first Expo
since Dennis Martinez (1990-92) to accomplish that feat. Tim Raines
holds the club record by being named seven straight times (1981-87).
July 31, 2001 The Expos made two trades in the hours before the
trading deadline. Milton Bradley was traded to Cleveland in exchange
for pitching prospect Zach Day. In a bigger trade, Montreal sent
Ugueth Ubrina to Boston. Urbina, Montreal's closer, brought a return
of two pitching prospects: Tomo Ohka and Rich Rundles. At the time
of the trade, Ohka had a 6-13 lifetime record in the majors with
a 4.61 ERA in 33 games (25 starts). For the season, Urbina was 2-1
with 15 saves in 45 appearances. He had a 4.24 ERA through 46 2/3
innings pitched.
Sept. 6, 2001 Javier Vazquez was named the NL Pitcher of the Month
for August. It was the first time in his career that he earned such
a distinction. Vazquez was dominant in August, posting a 5-1 record
with a 0.55 ERA. He allowed just three earned runs in 49 innings,
striking out 45 batters against only eight walks. In his only loss,
he pitched a complete game. Pedro Martinez was the last Expo to
achieve that honor, and he did it in August of 1997.
Feb. 1, 2002 On this date, the Major League Baseball Ownership Committee
reccomended approval of the sale of the Florida Marlins to Jeffrey
Loria. It also endorsed the approval of the sale of the Expos to
MLB itself. Once they made that decision, the only thing standing
in the way was a vote by the assembled owners.
Feb. 12, 2002 Major League Baseball's ownership of the Expos was
approved by the league owners on this date, and a new management
team was announced. Among those involved: Tony Tavares as club president,
Omar Minaya as vice-president and general manager, and Frank Robinson
as field manager. "I am very pleased with the management team
that we have assembled," said Baseball Commissioner Allan H.
(Bud) Selig. "They have long experience in the game and they
are first rate in every way. Now that they are in place, they will
have the authority to operate the club with complete autonomy."
Mar. 7, 2002 Former Montreal superstar Andres Galarraga was signed
to a minor-league contract, bringing him back to the city where
he started his career. The "Big Cat" played six seasons
for the Expos and made the All-Star team for the first time in his
career in 1988. In that same year, he led the league in hits. He
won Gold Gloves in each of the next two seasons. In 1991, he was
traded to St. Louis, where he spent one year before signing with
the Colorado Rockies. With that team, he won an NL batting crown
and led the league in home runs and RBIs. He was a two-time All-Star
with Colorado and went two more times with Atlanta.
Apr. 15, 2002 This date marked the 25th anniversary of the first
game played in Olympic Stadium. That inaugural game drew 57,592
fans for a 7-2 loss against Philadelphia. Steve Carlton threw a
complete game for the Phillies, besting Montreal's Dan Stanhouse.
Montreal also lost on the silver anniversary -- Chicago dispatched
Montreal by a 6-4 final score.
May 2, 2002 Vladimir Guerrero was named the NL Player of the Month,
after putting together one of the most dominant stretches in franchise
history. In the opening month, Guerrero led the league in six offensive
categories and established a new Montreal record for RBIs (28) in
April. This was the fourth Player of the Month distinction of his
career. How did he celebrate? By going out and swatting two homers
in a 5-4 win over Houston.
June 4, 2002 Montreal selected Clint Everts with the fifth overall
selection of the 2002 Amateur Draft. Everts, a right-handed pitcher,
was just 17 years old at the time he was drafted. The high school
senior went 9-3 with a 1.30 ERA in his final prep campaign. In 81
innings pitched, he struck out 157 batters against only 28 walks.
One of his teammates, Scott Kazmir, was selected 15th overall by
the Mets.
June 27, 2002 The Expos pulled off a tremendous trade, snaring right-handed
ace Bartolo Colon from the Indians. Montreal shocked the baseball
world by sending Lee Stevens and three prospects to Cleveland to
acquire Colon, considered as one of the best young arms in the Major
Leagues. At the time of the trade, the 29-year-old was 75-45 with
a 3.92 ERA for his career. For the season, he was 10-4 with a 2.55
ERA. The Expos sent three good prospects for Colon, including Brandon
Phillips, the best in the organization. Montreal also received a
player to be named later and cash considerations.
June 30, 2002 Two Expos were voted in as starters for the All-Star
Game. Vladimir Guerrero and Jose Vidro were both elected, marking
the first time two Expos were in the starting lineup since 1984.
In that season, the pitcher-catcher battery of Charlie Lea and Gary
Carter did the honors. Lea was actually named by his manager that
year. The last time two Expos were voted into the starting lineup
was 1983, when three actually turned the trick. Andre Dawson, Tim
Raines and Carter started the game in that season.
July 11, 2002 Montreal pulled off another blockbuster, bringing
back Cliff Floyd to the city where he began his career. Floyd came
over to the Expos with Wilton Guerrero, pitching prospect Claudio
Vargas and an undisclosed amount of cash. In exchange, the Expos
sent Graeme Lloyd, Mike Mordecai, Carl Pavano, pitching prospect
Justin Wayne and a player to be named later to Florida. Floyd,
an All-Star in 2001, was the centerpiece of the deal.
July 30, 2002 Less than a month after acquiring him, the Expos dealt
Cliff Floyd to the Red Sox. The deal was consummated less than 24
hours before the trading deadline. When Montreal fell out of the
playoff picture, trading Floyd became a viable option. In return
for the slugger, the Expos got a pair of Korean pitching prospects.
Boston sent Sunny Kim and Seung Song to Montreal, along with the
promise of a player to be named later.
Aug. 21, 2002 Nearly three months after he was drafted fifth overall,
Clint Everts officially signed with the club that picked him. The
Expos inked their first-round pick to an undisclosed contract, ending
speculation they might lose him had he returned to school in the
fall.
Sept. 20, 2002 Bartolo Colon won his 20th game and became just the
second pitcher in baseball history to win 10 games in each league
during the same season. No other player had accomplished that feat
since 1957, when Hank Borowy did it with the Yankees and Cubs.
Sept. 29, 2002 Vladimir Guerrero fell just shy of becoming just
the fourth player in Major League history to notch 40 homers and
40 stolen bases in the same season. He finished with 39 homers,
with a ball missing by mere inches in the second to last game of
the season.
Oct. 18, 2002 Vladimir Guerrero was honored by the local baseball
writers and unanimously named the Expos' Molson Player of the Year.
The superstar slugger has captured that honor in four of the last
five seasons. In addition to falling one homer short of the 40-40
club, Guerrero set a team record with 206 hits. All-Star starter
Jose Vidro was second on seven of the nine ballots.
Oct. 22, 2002 The Sporting News honored two Expos for their play
in 2002. Brad Wilkerson was named the NL Rookie of the Year, and
Vladimir Guerrero was named to the publication's NL All-Star Team.
Wilkerson led NL rookies in several offensive categories including:
home runs (20), RBIs (59), runs scored (92), hits (135), multi-hit
games (39), extra-base hits (55), total bases (238), doubles (27),
triples (8), walks (81) and outfield assists (13). Wilkerson is
considered a front-runner for the NL Award, as voted on by the Baseball
Writers Association of America.
1990's
July 28, 1991 El Presidente... El Perfecto! Pitching in Los Angeles,
Dennis Martinez pitches the 15th perfect game in Major League history.
He beats Mike Morgan and the Dodgers, 2-0, striking out five batters
over the course of 96 pitches (66 strikes) in a game played in 2:14
in front of 45,560 fans. Marquis Grissom records the final out in
center field on a fly ball by pinch-hitter Chris Gwynn. On July
26, 1991, just two days earlier, Mark Gardner of the Expos had pitched
nine innings of no-hit baseball against the Dodgers, only to lose
the game in the tenth inning.
June 29, 1994 The Expos set an attendance record for a mid-week
series as they take a three game series from the Braves and in the
process, take over the top spot in the NL East. The team would not
relinquish its position in first place for the remainder of the
shortened season.
Aug 12, 1994 The season comes to an end when the players go on strike,
thus ruining what would likely have been the finest season in Montreal's
history. The Expos finish 6.0 games ahead of the Braves in first
place in the NL East with a 74-40 record, the best in baseball,
and are first in both wins and win percentage in the majors, ahead
of the Yankees. The Expos finish 34 games over .500, the highest
mark at the end of any season.
June 3, 1995 After the team is only able to break a scoreless tie
in the top of the tenth, Expos' starter Pedro Martinez takes a perfect
1-0 game into the bottom of the tenth at San Diego, but gives up
a lead-off double to Bip Roberts, thus losing his bid for perfection
or a no-hitter. He is replaced by closer Mel Rojas, who is able
to earn the save.
Dec 1997 Pedro Martinez becomes the first Expos' pitcher and first
Dominican to win the Cy Young Award. Martinez had enjoyed a masterful
season, winning 17 games to go along with a 1.90 ERA and 305 strikeouts
in 206.2 innings pitched.
Oct 2, 1999 Vladimir Guerrero becomes the first Expos' player to
hit 40 home runs in a season. He finishes the year with a total
of 42 round-trippers.
1980's
Sept 10, 1980 Rookie Bill Gullickson strikes out 18 Chicago Cubs
in one game, a team record that stands to this day.
Oct 1980 The Expos again tease Montreal baseball fans by maintaining
their playoff hopes until the final day of the season, finishing
second and one game behind the Philadelphia Phillies.
May 10, 1981 Charlie Lea throws the third no-hitter in Expos' history
against the Giants at Olympic Stadium, 4-0, in the second game of
a Sunday afternoon doubleheader. Andre Dawson makes the final out
in centerfield.
Oct 3, 1981 In the final game of a strike-interrupted season, Wallace
Johnson's 2-run triple off Mets' relief pitcher Neil Allen leads
the Expos to the 1981 second-half NL East title.
Oct 10, 1981 The Expos win their first National League East division
title. Playing the first-half title-holding Phillies, Warren Cromartie
grabs a line drive at first base at Philadelphia's Veterans' Stadium
to clinch the best-of-five division series 3 games to 2.
Oct 19, 1981 The day that will simply be remembered as "Blue Monday"
by Expos' fans comes when Dodgers' outfielder Rick Monday crushes
the Expos' hopes of a trip to the World Series with a game-winning,
ninth-inning home run off Steve Rogers in the fifth and deciding
game of the NL Championship Series at Olympic Stadium. The Dodgers
capture the NLCS 3 games to 2 and will go on to beat the Yankees
in the Fall Classic. For the third consecutive season, the Expos
are eliminated by the eventual World Series Champions.
July 13, 1982 Montreal hosts the first All-Star game located outside
the United States. Steve Rogers, Gary Carter, Tim Raines and Andre
Dawson are starters while Al Oliver is a reserve. Reds' shortstop
Dave Concepcion hits a two-run home run in the second inning to
spark the NL to its 11th consecutive win in the All-Star Game, 4-1.
Sept 22, 1982 Chris Speier collects 8 RBI against the San Francisco
Giants, becoming the only Expos' player in history to have had both
an 8-RBI game and to have hit for the cycle during his career.
Oct 3, 1982 With a .331 batting average, Al Oliver becomes the first
Expos' hitter to win a batting title. Teammate Tim Raines will accomplish
the same feat four years later, hitting .336 in 1986.
April 13, 1984 Expos' first baseman Pete Rose hits a double off
Philadelphia Philles' pitcher Jerry Koosman to collect his 4,000th
career hit.
1970's
Oct 2, 1972 Bill Stoneman pitches his second career no-hitter, a
7-0 win over the Mets at Jarry Park.
Sept 1973 Gene Mauch's Expos give Montrealers their first taste
of pennant fever as they contend for the first time for a postseason
birth.
Apr 15, 1977 The Expos play their inaugural game at Olympic Stadium.
A total of 57,592 watch the home team suffer a 7-2 loss to the Philadelphia
Phillies. The attendance remains an Expos' record for a home opener.
Apr 20, 1977 Gary Carter becomes the first Expos' hitter to blast
three home runs in the same game when he does so off Pittsburgh
Pirates' pitcher Jim Rooker. The feat occurs during the Expos' inaugural
homestand at Olympic Stadium.
Oct 1, 1978 Ross Grimsley wins his 20th game of the season. He becomes
the first and only Expos' pitcher to date to reach 20 wins in a
season.
June 17, 1979 Tony Perez, Gary Carter and Ellis Valentine hit the
first back-to-back-to-back home runs in Expos' history.
Oct 1979 The Expos come closer than ever to a division title, finishing
second in the NL East to the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Expos had remained
in the pennant race until the final series of the season.
1960's
May 27, 1968 The National League awards two expansion franchises
for the 1969 season. The cities of Montreal and San Diego become
the newest members of the senior circuit. Montreal business executive
Charles Bronfman of the Seagram's distilling empire is the front
man for the new team.
Feb 24, 1969 The full Expos' team reports to Spring Training for
the first time ever at West Palm Beach, Florida.
Apr 8, 1969 The Expos play the first game in team history against
the Mets at Shea Stadium and win 11-10. Lefthanded reliever Dan
McGinn hits the first home run in team history in the 3rd inning
off of Tom Seaver.
Apr 14, 1969 In Montreal, 29,184 fans watch the Expos play their
first home game at Jarry Park and beat the Cardinals 8-7 in spite
of Dal Maxvill's grand slam against Larry Jaster. Mack Jones' three-run
homer is the offensive highlight for the home team.
Apr 17, 1969 The two-week old Expos record their first no-hitter.
Bill Stoneman blanks the Phillies 7-0 at Philadelphia.
June 25, 1969 Bob Bailey and Bobby Wine execute the first triple
play in Expos' history. The feat is accomplished at Jarry Park as
Vada Pinson hits a liner to first baseman Bob Bailey, who steps
on first for the second out then throws to shortstop Bobby Wine
at second base for the third out.
Back to Team History
Index |
