By now, although it appears likely that the Montreal Expos will play out the 2002 season, chances are that this will be their final season in the National League. Whether the franlanschise will shift locations or be subject to contraction nobody can predict, but it is fairly safe to say that it will no longer be in Montreal in 2003. For erstwhile Expos fans, such as myself, all there seems left to do is reminisce of better days for the team. Here's my all-time Expos squad:

1b Tony Perez (1977-1979)
2b Rodney Scott (1976, 1979-1982)
3b Tim Wallach (1980-1992)
ss Chris Speier (1977-1984)
lf Andre Dawson (1976-1986)
cf Tim Raines (1979-1990, 2001)
rf Vladimir Guerrero (1996-2002)
ca Gary Carter (1974-1984, 1992)
rh Steve Rogers (1973-1985)
lh Woodie Fryman (1975-1976, 1978-1983)
rp Jeff Reardon (1981-1986)
mg Buck Rodgers (1985-1991)

Honourable Mention - Pitchers

Bill Stoneman, Mike Torrez, Ross Grimsley, Bill Lee, David Palmer, Bill Gullickson, Scott Sanderson, Dennis Martinez, Pascual Perez, Tim Burke, Ken Hill, Jeff Fassero, Pedro Martinez, Javier Vazquez

Infielders and Catchers

Ron Fairly, Mike Jorgensen, Andres Galarraga, Ron Hunt, Dave Cash, Mike Lansing, Jose Vidro, Bob Bailey, Larry Parrish, Tim Foli, Hubie Brooks, Darrin Fletcher

Outfielders

Rusty Staub, Ken Singleton, Ellis Valentine, Warren Cromartie, Marquis Grissom, Moises Alou, Henry Rodriguez, Larry Walker

Now, some fun.

Best Owner - Charles Bronfman

Worst Owner - Claude Brochu may have been Public Enemy Number One in Montreal as a war hawk during the 1994 strike, but he was Santa compared to Jeffrey Loria.

Best Executives - John McHale, Jim Fanning

Best Ballpark - Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter, Florida. Ask anyone who's visited, and they'll tell you that it's a great place to watch a ballgame.

Worst Ballpark - Let's see. Behind Door #1, you had a diamond that faced west, plaguing havoc on infielders as the sun was setting. Behind Door #2, you have a flying saucer of an edifice with distant seats, a roof that doesn't work, and the occasional structural collapse. The world's largest bilingual outdoor insane asylum, or an engineering travesty that taxpayers have not yet paid off. It's your choice.

Best Bench - Tommy Hutton, Duffy Dyer, Ken Macha, Tony Solaita, Jerry White, and Jim Mason. All "Broke Underrated Superstars," they were key to the Expos pennant drive in 1979. The BUS Squad!

Best Names - Coco Laboy, John Boccabella, Boots Day, Razor Shines. We'll also include Stan Bahnsen, as he was the only ballplayer to be included in MAD Magazine's "Celebrity Rhyme Time with Harvey Garvey."

For the record, an excerpt of the fictional Mr. Garvey's magnum opus read, "Charles Bronson, Lyndon Johnson, Gloria Swanson, and Stan Bahnsen."

Most Outspoken Player - Who else? Bill Lee.

Best Cheerleaders - Bill Lee, Rex Hudler, Ron Hunt, Warren Cromartie, and, of course, Youppi!

Best Team Leaders - Tony Perez, Warren Cromartie, Tim Wallach

Most Popular Players - Gary Carter, Rusty Staub, Claude Raymond

Strangest Players - Bill Lee, Pepe Frias, Elias Sosa

Strangest Request - "I'd like #337, please. I want that number because 337 upside down spells LEE, so if I stand on my head, everyone will know who I am." Hope Buck Rodgers wore #37 proudly when he managed the Expos, because it once belonged to good old Space Case.

Best Free Agent Signing - Dave Cash, Ross Grimsley, and Elias Sosa were all helpful additions. Resigning Stan Bahnsen, Chris Speier, and Jim Wohlford also helped. The biggest contributor from the free agent market, however, was Tim Raines when they brought him back on May 1, 1987. He helped turn the Cinderella Expos from laughingstock to contender, missing the playoffs by only four games.

Worst Free Agent Signing - Jack Clark signed a minor league deal in 1993, played two games for West Palm Beach, and then decided to quit the organization. At least they got something from Jack the Ripper. Dave Collins was released from the Expos in 1987 before he even played in a game.

Biggest Boo-Boo - Releasing Rodney Scott and Bill Lee on successive days in May 1982. Cool Breeze and the Space were invaluable to the success of the "Team of the 80's," and the moves sent the fans a message that management was no longer interested in winning.

Best Rebounds - Dennis Martinez, Pascual Perez, Otis Nixon

Best Broadcaster - It's gonna be...up, up, and away! Wonder if Dave Van Horne broadcast "Yawadna pu pu" for foul balls?

Most Personable - Tom Foley, Woodie Fryman, Jim Fanning

Dey Wuz Wobbed - David Palmer, Pascual Perez, Mark Gardner, and Pedro Martinez all pitched no-hitters for the Expos according to the old rule. When the regulation was amended, four of the Expos eight no-hitters were stricken from the record book.

Best Teams - 1979 Expos, 1980 Expos, 1987 Expos, 1996 Expos (no, not the 1994 Expos)

Other Good Managers - I think Buck was the best they had. He was a great motivator for the younger players on the team. Gene Mauch, Dick Williams, and Felipe Alou were also noteworthy. Tim Foli thought he was, as he kept second guessing Karl Kuehl when he managed the team for half of 1976. It mattered not, the Expos played before many empty seats that season.

Best Expos Player - Andre Dawson. Put him in the Hall!

Also by Maxwell Kates
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